How Much to Charge for Labour Only UK

Labour-only work is how most self-employed tradespeople earn their living. The customer or main contractor supplies the materials and you supply the skill, the tools, and the graft. But working out what to charge is not as simple as picking a number that sounds right. Charge too little and you are basically working for someone else's benefit. Charge too much and the phone stops ringing.

This guide breaks down labour-only rates across every major trade in the UK for 2026, explains how to calculate your own rate properly, and covers the common mistakes that leave tradespeople earning less than they think.

How to Calculate Your Labour-Only Rate

Before looking at what everyone else charges, you need to know what YOU need to charge to make a decent living. Here is the calculation.

Step 1: Work out your target annual income

What do you actually want to take home after tax? Be realistic. If you want to take home 35,000 pounds a year, that is your starting number.

Step 2: Add your annual business costs

These are the costs of running your business that you pay whether you are on a job or not:

• Van finance or depreciation: 3,000 to 6,000 per year
• Van insurance: 1,200 to 2,500
• Fuel: 3,000 to 5,000 (depending on how far you travel)
• Public liability insurance: 300 to 600 (read our insurance guide)
• Tools and equipment: 1,000 to 3,000
• Phone and admin: 600 to 1,200
• Accountant: 500 to 1,200
• Clothing and PPE: 300 to 600
• Training and accreditations: 200 to 1,000

A typical sole trader tradesperson has annual overheads of 10,000 to 20,000 pounds.

Step 3: Add tax and National Insurance

On a gross income of 50,000 to 55,000 (target income plus overheads), you will pay approximately 8,000 to 12,000 in income tax and National Insurance. Your accountant can give you a more precise figure. See our self-employed tax return guide for details.

Step 4: Calculate your annual revenue target

Take-home pay (35,000) + overheads (15,000) + tax (10,000) = 60,000 gross revenue needed.

Step 5: Divide by billable days

You do not work 365 days a year. After weekends, bank holidays, annual leave, sick days, and days spent quoting, buying materials, and doing admin, a realistic number of billable days is 220 to 230 per year.

60,000 divided by 220 = 273 pounds per day.

That is what you need to charge per day, as a minimum, to take home 35,000 a year. Adjust the inputs for your own situation. Our day rate calculator does this maths for you instantly.

UK Labour-Only Day Rates by Trade (2026)

These are typical self-employed day rates for labour-only work across the UK in 2026. Rates in London and the South East are typically 20 to 40 percent higher than the national average.

Building trades

General builder / bricklayer: 200 to 320 per day
Plasterer: 220 to 350 per day
Carpenter / joiner: 200 to 300 per day
Roofer: 220 to 350 per day
Tiler: 200 to 300 per day
Groundworker: 180 to 280 per day
Labourer: 120 to 180 per day

Mechanical and electrical trades

Electrician: 220 to 350 per day
Plumber: 200 to 320 per day
Gas engineer (Gas Safe): 250 to 380 per day
Heating engineer: 230 to 350 per day

Finishing trades

Painter and decorator: 180 to 300 per day
Kitchen fitter: 200 to 320 per day
Bathroom fitter: 220 to 340 per day
Flooring specialist: 180 to 280 per day
Window fitter: 200 to 300 per day

Specialist trades

Scaffolder: 200 to 300 per day
Landscaper: 180 to 280 per day
Fence installer: 180 to 260 per day
Driveway contractor: 200 to 320 per day

Hourly Rates for Labour Only

Some tradespeople prefer to charge hourly, particularly for small jobs or callout work. To convert your day rate to an hourly rate, divide by 8 (for an 8-hour day). A day rate of 260 equals an hourly rate of 32.50.

However, most tradespeople charge a minimum of a half-day rate for callouts, even if the job only takes an hour. This covers your travel time, fuel, and the fact that a one-hour job in the middle of the day effectively takes three hours out of your working day.

Use our hourly rate calculator to work out your optimal hourly rate.

Labour Only vs Supply and Fix

There is an important distinction between labour-only and supply-and-fix pricing.

Labour only: You provide the labour and tools. The customer or main contractor provides all materials. Your quote covers your time only. This is common when working as a subcontractor on larger sites.

Supply and fix: You provide both the labour and the materials. Your quote includes material costs (with a markup, typically 15 to 30 percent) plus your labour. This is more common when working directly for homeowners. See our guide on pricing materials markup for the right markup percentage.

Regional Variations

Labour rates vary significantly across the UK. Here is a rough guide to the regional differences:

London: 30 to 50 percent above national average
South East: 15 to 30 percent above
South West: 5 to 15 percent above
Midlands: National average
North West: 5 to 10 percent below
North East: 10 to 20 percent below
Scotland: Varies widely (Edinburgh/Glasgow higher, rural areas lower)
Wales: 5 to 15 percent below

CIS and Labour-Only Work

If you are doing labour-only work for a contractor in construction, you will almost certainly be working under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). This means the contractor deducts tax from your payments before paying you.

The standard CIS deduction rate is 20 percent if you are registered with HMRC, or 30 percent if you are not. This is not additional tax; it is tax paid in advance that reduces your self-assessment bill at the end of the year. Make sure you are registered for CIS to get the lower deduction rate. Read our full CIS tax guide for more detail.

Common Mistakes with Labour-Only Pricing

Not accounting for dead time

You do not get paid for every hour you work. Time spent quoting, travelling, buying materials (even on supply-and-fix jobs), doing admin, and chasing payments is all unpaid. If you are only billing 70 to 80 percent of your working hours, your headline rate needs to be higher to compensate.

Comparing yourself to employed rates

A self-employed plasterer charging 280 per day is not earning 280 per day. After overheads, tax, and dead time, the actual take-home is significantly less. Do not feel guilty about charging what seems like a high day rate; your employed equivalent would be on 150 to 180 per day gross plus benefits, pension, holiday pay, and sick pay that you do not get.

Not reviewing your rates annually

Your costs go up every year (fuel, insurance, tools, van costs). If you do not increase your rates, your profit shrinks. Review your rates at least once a year and adjust for inflation and increased costs.

Racing to the bottom

There will always be someone cheaper. Competing purely on price is a losing game because there is no floor. Compete on quality, reliability, and professionalism instead. A customer who chooses you because you were cheapest will leave you the moment someone cheaper appears.

How to Present Labour-Only Quotes

Even for labour-only work, present your quote professionally. Specify exactly what your labour covers, how long you estimate the work will take, your daily or fixed rate, and what is excluded (materials, skip hire, scaffolding, etc.).

Use QuoteSmith to create professional quotes for labour-only work in minutes. A clear, well-presented quote wins more work than a scribbled day rate on WhatsApp.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a fair day rate for a tradesman in the UK?

In 2026, a fair day rate for a skilled tradesman in the UK ranges from 200 to 350 pounds per day, depending on the trade, experience level, and location. London rates are significantly higher. These are labour-only rates excluding materials.

How do I work out my hourly rate as a self-employed tradesman?

Divide your day rate by 8 for an 8-hour day. A day rate of 260 equals 32.50 per hour. However, factor in that you will not bill every hour you work, so your effective hourly rate is lower. Use our hourly rate calculator for a more accurate figure.

Should I charge more for weekend or evening work?

Many tradespeople charge a premium for unsocial hours, typically 25 to 50 percent more than standard rates. This is especially common for emergency callout work by plumbers, electricians, and heating engineers. It is entirely reasonable to charge more for giving up your personal time.

How often should I increase my rates?

Review your rates at least annually. Increase by at least the rate of inflation, plus any additional increases in your specific costs (fuel, insurance, etc.). Most tradespeople increase rates by 3 to 8 percent per year.