What to charge per job: service call price calculator

Put in what a job really costs you: the tech, the parts, the truck, the overhead and the card fee. See the price where you break even and the price that hits the profit you want. Nothing you type leaves this page.

How the math works

1. Job cost = tech pay (hourly pay × hours) + parts cost + truck cost + overhead per job. Monthly overhead is split evenly over your jobs per month.
2. Break-even price = job cost ÷ (1 - card fee % - commission %). The card fee and any commission are taken from the whole price, so the price has to cover them too. Leave commission out if you pay hourly.
3. Recommended price = job cost ÷ (1 - card fee % - commission % - target margin %). That leaves your target margin as real profit after every cost.
4. Parts markup shows how to split the price on the invoice: parts at your markup, and the rest as labor or the service call. It does not change the total.

How to use it

1. Pick how you pay the tech. For hourly, count drive time and time at the supply house, not just time in the house.
2. Add the parts cost, what a truck costs you per job (gas, payment, insurance, wear), and your overhead. If you only know your monthly overhead, switch to the monthly option.
3. Set your card fee and the profit margin you want. Read the recommended price and the breakdown.

Questions

What is the difference between margin and markup?

Margin is profit as a share of the price. Markup is what you add on top of cost. A 50% markup on a $100 part is $150, which is a 33% margin on that part.

What should go into overhead?

Everything you pay whether or not a job runs: rent, office staff, phones, software, insurance, ads, accounting. Add up a normal month and divide by the jobs you run in that month.

Why is my break-even price higher than my costs?

Because the card fee, and any commission, comes out of the price, not the cost. On a 3% card fee, a job that costs $235 has to be priced at about $242.27 just to get back $235.