UK TradesmanHourly Rate Calculator

The average UK tradesman hourly rate ranges from £30-£70 per hour depending on the trade, experience level and region. Gas engineers and electricians command the highest rates (£40-£75/hour) thanks to certification requirements (Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, 18th Edition). Painters, decorators and landscapers sit at the lower end (£30-£50/hour). London rates are typically 20-30% higher than the national average.

Self-employed tradesmen should add 15-25% on top of the equivalent employed rate to cover overheads — van, tools, fuel, public liability insurance, professional indemnity, accountancy fees, materials wastage, sick pay, holidays and pension. The calculator above factors in your overhead percentage so you set a rate that's actually profitable, not just busy.

Day rates for UK tradesmen typically range from £220 to £540 for an 8-hour day. Electricians (£280-£500), gas engineers (£300-£540), plumbers (£280-£480), builders (£250-£440), carpenters (£250-£400) and painters (£220-£360). London commands the highest day rates; rates in Wales, Northern Ireland and the North East are usually 10-15% lower than the national average.

Aim to bill 6-7 hours of an 8-hour working day. The other 1-2 hours are taken by travel, quoting, invoicing, customer messages, parts runs and admin. The calculator uses a billable-hours slider so the rate you see assumes you only get paid for those hours — not for the unpaid admin around them. If you reduce admin time (with AI quoting, for example), you can either keep the same rate and earn more or drop your rate slightly to win more work.

No — review annually. Material costs rise, insurance premiums increase, fuel prices fluctuate and your skill grows with experience. We recommend reviewing your rate every 12 months as a minimum, and bumping it 4-6% per year just to keep pace with cost-of-living and material inflation.

Quote per job for most domestic work. Customers prefer fixed prices, you protect your margin against jobs that take longer than expected, and there's no awkward conversation about hourly creep. Use your hourly rate as the underlying baseline when calculating the job price. Hourly billing makes more sense on diagnostic call-outs and small repairs.

Demand and cost of living vary across the UK. London and the South East run 15-30% above the national average; the South West and Midlands sit close to average; the North East, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are typically 10-15% below average. The calculator applies regional multipliers based on ONS data so the suggested rate reflects what your local market will actually pay.

Yes — certifications justify a 10-20% premium because customers can't legally have certain work done by an uncertified tradesman, and insurers/mortgage lenders increasingly require certified work. Gas Safe (gas), NICEIC or NAPIT (electrical Part P), Competent Persons Scheme registrations, and 18th Edition all earn higher rates and more enquiries than uncertified equivalents.

A self-employed builder in the UK typically charges £35–£60 per hour in 2026, with day rates of £250–£440. London and the South East sit at the top of this range; Wales, the North East, and Northern Ireland sit closer to £35–£45. Self-employed builders must add 20–25% on top of an equivalent employed rate to cover van costs, public liability insurance, tool replacement, accountancy, and unpaid admin time.

Self-employed carpenters and joiners charge £250–£400 per day (8 hours) in 2026 — equivalent to £35–£55 per hour. Specialist joiners doing bespoke fitted furniture, staircase work, or hardwood flooring typically charge toward the upper end. Joiners in London and the South East often command £400–£500/day. First-fix-only carpenters or groundworkers doing structural timber generally sit toward £250–£320/day.

UK plasterers typically charge £35–£55 per hour in 2026, with day rates of £250–£400. Most plasterers quote per room or per square metre rather than hourly — expect £150–£250 to skim a standard bedroom and £300–£500 for a full re-plaster. Rates are higher in London (+20–30%) and for specialist work like Venetian or lime plaster.

UK tradesman day rates in 2026 range from £220 to £540 depending on trade, experience, and region. Typical day rates: gas engineer £300–£540, electrician £280–£500, plumber £280–£480, builder/general £250–£440, roofer £250–£440, carpenter/joiner £250–£400, tiler £250–£440, plasterer £250–£400, painter/decorator £220–£360. London adds roughly 30% to these figures.