Charge by the hour when you can't see the whole job before you start, and charge a flat rate when you can. Hourly suits troubleshooting, repairs behind walls and open-ended lists of odd jobs. A flat rate suits well-defined, repeatable work such as mounting a TV, hanging a door or assembling a named piece of furniture. You can use both, with a minimum charge for small jobs.
Whichever you choose, the method matters less than two habits: price from your own numbers, and put the price in writing before you start. This guide covers both, with no dollar figures, because your rates depend on your costs, your skills and the jobs you want.
| Hourly | Flat rate | |
|---|---|---|
| What the customer agrees to | Your rate times the hours worked, plus materials | One price for a clearly described job |
| Who carries the risk if it takes longer | The customer | You |
| Who gains if it goes faster | The customer | You |
| Best for | Jobs you can't fully see in advance | Jobs you've done many times |
| The customer's worry | "How long will this take?" | "Is this price fair?" |
| Your worry | Explaining the final bill | Underestimating the time |
Neither is more honest than the other. Each puts the uncertainty on a different side of the deal, so choose the one that puts it where it belongs for the job in front of you.
Hourly works when neither you nor the customer can know how long the job will take:
To keep hourly work fair for both sides, give an estimated range of hours up front, say when you'll check in if it's running long, and bill materials separately with receipts.
A flat rate works when the job is well defined and you've done it before:
The risks are underestimating the time and letting the job grow. Describe exactly what the price covers, and what it doesn't, so "while you're here" becomes a new price rather than free work.
Build it from your own records, not from what you think a customer will accept:
Review the result against your log every few months. If a flat-rate job keeps running long, the price is wrong, not you.
Small jobs still cost you the drive, the parking and the setup. A minimum charge, sometimes called a trip charge, covers that time so a quick job doesn't cost you money. Say it up front, in your listing and in your quote. When a customer has one small task, suggest they add others from their list to make the visit worth it for both of you.
These are also the reasons to give a customer who asks why two similar-sounding jobs are priced differently:
Put every price in writing before you start, even if it's a text message. A clear quote covers:
The size of the job changes the rules. In Virginia, any construction, repair or improvement job worth more than $1,000 needs a DPOR contractor license (Va. Code § 54.1-1100). For residential work, a licensed contractor must also give the customer a written contract, signed by both before work starts or any payment is taken. Among other things, it must state the total cost, the payment schedule including the down payment, and that changes must be in writing and signed (18VAC50-22-260). Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas work needs a tradesman license at almost any size, however you price it (§ 54.1-1129). All of this is as of September 2026.
Your rates are yours to set as an independent service provider, wherever you find your customers. If you'd like another place to be found, you can join One Stop Pros as a Pro.
This is general information, not legal advice. Licensing and contract rules change, so confirm with DPOR before you bid on a bigger job.
Last updated September 2026.
There's no single right figure, and this guide doesn't give one. Work out what each billed hour has to cover (your pay, travel, tools, vehicle, insurance, taxes and the unpaid hours spent quoting and on paperwork), then test it against the jobs you want to win. As an independent Pro, the rate is yours to set.
That's your call. Some Pros quote simple jobs free from photos and charge for a visit that needs real diagnosis, sometimes crediting that charge against the job if the customer books. Whatever you decide, tell the customer before you go.
For a job worth more than $1,000, which needs a contractor license, DPOR's Board for Contractors recommends a down payment of about 10% of the contract, or about 30% when the job needs custom-made items (DPOR Statement of Consumer Protections, as of September 2026). The written contract must also state the down payment. On small jobs, you might ask for money up front only when you have to buy special-order materials.
Stop and talk to the customer before you do the extra work. Show them what you found, give a price for it, and get their agreement in writing, even by text. For licensed contractors on residential jobs, Virginia requires changes to cost, materials or work to be in writing and signed (18VAC50-22-260).