How to Price Your Work and Actually Make Money — The Tradie Pricing Guide

73% of tradie businesses fail within 3 years. Not because of bad workmanship. Because nobody taught them how to price.

You're good at your trade. You win work. You stay busy.

But somehow there's never enough in the account. You're working 60 hour weeks and wondering where the money went.

That's not a work ethic problem. That's a pricing problem.

Here's what's actually happening:

Your $65 an hour rate sounds good. But once you subtract your overhead, your super, your tax, and every unpaid hour you spend quoting and doing admin — you're probably taking home closer to $35. Maybe less.

Nobody told you this when you got your licence. Nobody handed you a formula. Nobody sat you down and explained what your rate actually needs to be to build a real business.

That's what this guide does.

WHAT'S INSIDE

Built from real experience running a trade business to 28 staff — not a textbook, not a course, not theory.

Your real hourly rate — the exact calculation that shows what you need to charge as a sole trader vs a company structure. Most tradies are shocked by the number. Then they understand why they've been struggling.

What it costs just to show up — your overhead rate broken down line by line. This is your floor. Every quote you write needs to start here.

Materials done right — the takeoff mistakes that quietly bleed margin on every job, and how to stop making them.

Quoting for time honestly — why you're always pricing the perfect world version of a job, and how to price for the real one.

The true cost of employees — a $40/hr employee costs your business closer to $54/hr before they've picked up a tool. Here's the full breakdown.

When to walk away — the five warning signs that a job or client will cost you more than they're worth.

Your pricing checklist — one page. Print it. Use it before every single quote goes out the door.

WHO THIS IS FOR

Tradies going out on their own who want to get the numbers right from day one.

Tradies already running a small operation who are busy but not getting ahead.

Anyone who's ever won a job and still lost money on it.

WHO THIS IS NOT FOR

Anyone looking for corporate fluff, textbook theory or motivational content.

This is straight talk. Real numbers. Real situations. No names.

Real talk. No names. Just results.

Downloadable PDF