Call-out charges and minimum charges for tradesmen

Call-out charges and minimum charges protect you from jobs that cost more to do than they pay. A 20-minute job across town still means loading the van, driving there and back, setting up and clearing up. Without a minimum charge, small jobs can quietly lose you money.

Minimum charge vs call-out charge

• A minimum charge is the least you’ll charge for any job, however small. “Our minimum charge is $155.”
• A call-out charge is a fee for coming out, often on top of the cost of the work. It’s more common for emergency or out-of-hours work.

Most trades benefit from a minimum charge. Call-out charges suit trades that do a lot of reactive or emergency work.

How to work out your minimum charge

A minimum charge should cover what any job costs you before you’ve done any work:

• travel there and back;
• loading, setting up and clearing up;
• a minimum amount of time on site (often one or two hours);
• a share of your overheads;
• a little profit.

Many trades set their minimum at around a half day or a set number of hours. Our free pricing calculator helps you work out what an hour costs you. More detail in how to price a job.

Emergency and out-of-hours call-outs

Emergency work (fallen trees after a storm, a broken fence letting the dog out) is disruptive and often happens at bad times. It’s fair to charge more:

• a fixed call-out fee for coming out at short notice;
• a higher hourly rate for evenings, weekends and bank holidays;
• clear rules on what’s included.

Say so clearly before you go, so there are no surprises on the invoice.

How to tell customers about your minimum charge

Customers rarely mind a minimum charge if they know about it up front. They mind finding out afterwards.

• Put it on your website and in your price information.
• Mention it on the phone before booking small jobs.
• Show it in estimates. An instant quote calculator can apply your minimum automatically, so a tiny job never shows a price you’d lose money on.
• Explain why in one line: “Our minimum charge covers travel and setting up.”

Ways to make small jobs worthwhile

• Bundle jobs. “While we’re there, is there anything else you’d like done?” turns a small job into a bigger one.
• Book small jobs near bigger ones. If you’re working in the same area, a small job becomes worth doing.
• Offer a set price for common small jobs, at or above your minimum.

When to waive it

Some trades waive the minimum for regular customers, or when combining a small job with a larger one nearby. That’s fine, as a choice you make on purpose rather than because you felt awkward asking.

Questions

Is it normal for tradesmen to have a minimum charge?

Yes. Many trades have a minimum charge or a minimum time, because small jobs still involve travel and setup.

How much should a call-out charge be?

It depends on your trade, area and costs. Work out what coming out costs you, add a fair amount for short notice, and check it’s in a sensible range for your area.

Should a call-out charge come off the bill?

Some trades take it off if the customer goes ahead with the work, others don’t. Either is fine as long as you’re clear up front.

For more on qualifying enquiries, see how to stop wasting time quoting.