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Forum » I charge $120/hr and refrigeration is $150/hr should I raise my prices?
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Thread: I charge $120/hr and refrigeration is $150/hr should I raise my prices?

post 10000132443 04-20-2026, 07:15 AM
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  1. GooBaaa
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I charge $120/hr and refrigeration is $150/hr should I raise my prices?

If it takes 15 min I still charge $120/$150. Every other company around me seems to be way higher for some reason
post 10000132445 04-20-2026, 07:17 AM
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#2
  1. GooBaaa
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I also have no overhead. All my work vehicles are paid for and I don’t overly consoom
post 10000132467 04-20-2026, 07:43 AM
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  1. OliverHeldens
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You're talking about adding refrigeration to an A/C condenser? If people are paying it, you might as well stay there.

However, one thing I'm seeing is that some companies raised their rates a ton over the past 5 years and aren't seeing as much business(they've essentially priced themselves out of being a realistic option for most customers), and they're hesitant to lower their rates to align with the market. This is a bad situation to be in, because there are some people who will never do business with you again because of it.

Due to low overhead, I would recommend keeping your costs below market so you have steady business and don't get a reputation as being a gouger.
post 10000132472 04-20-2026, 07:46 AM
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  1. SuperHercules
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Keep your lower rates since it's still good money and you'll give customers a reason to choose you over the others
See Shakebrah's sig
post 10000132487 04-20-2026, 07:55 AM
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  1. Sigmund_Evil
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tradies are evolving into happy merhants
Trust me when I say, the FEDs are watching.

Officer Randolf Shitler

The great journey waits for nobody.

post 10000132489 04-20-2026, 07:57 AM
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  1. SuperHercules
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Originally Posted By Sigmund_Evil⏩
tradies are evolving into happy merhants
Goobastein will be offering payment plans with compound interest soon
See Shakebrah's sig
post 10000132491 04-20-2026, 08:01 AM
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#7
  1. GuineaDago585
  2. Bert McGirt
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How much do your competitors charge? If it’s way higher you can narrow the gap. As long as you stay slightly under them, customers will view you as the better value.
post 10000132492 04-20-2026, 08:02 AM
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  1. MustardTiger17
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Charge 2 hunnid srs

Gotta stick it to these boomers 🤜👌srs
Not in the AM
post 10000132493 04-20-2026, 08:03 AM
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  1. johnvee73
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Charge way more than everyone else, if asked about the high price just say you're better than the other guys.
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post 10000132494 04-20-2026, 08:05 AM
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  1. gwg77
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Originally Posted By GooBaaa⏩
If it takes 15 min I still charge $120/$150. Every other company around me seems to be way higher for some reason
Do you need to be licensed and insured for whatever you're doing compared to your competitors and are you?
post 10000132503 04-20-2026, 08:12 AM
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  1. Sigmund_Evil
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Originally Posted By gwg77⏩
Do you need to be licensed and insured for whatever you're doing compared to your competitors and are you?
best way to do it is not have insurance, but use fake identity when taking jobs just in case things go wrong, u can just pack ur tools up and dip. never return. how would they find you?

id still charge higher than competitors even without i surance though

ive done tons of arborist jobs without insurance where if the tree lands in the wrong spot it will crush a house etc. fuck em. never fucked up though
Trust me when I say, the FEDs are watching.

Officer Randolf Shitler

The great journey waits for nobody.

post 10000132509 04-20-2026, 08:16 AM
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#12
  1. SoutheastBeast1
  1. SoutheastBeast1
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Hide your prices and overcharge minorities. They shouldn’t be here anyway
"One day I won't be able to lift any more. Not I won't want to lift. I mean physically unable. That day could be decades from now or it could be tomorrow. All I know is that's the day I'll wish I could lift more than ever. The day I'd give anything for one more workout, one more set, or one more cardio session. So go hard and enjoy every workout, every set, every rep. Because one day you will wake up and you will never get it back."
-SoutheastBeast1
post 10000132513 04-20-2026, 08:19 AM
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  1. Seatard
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Originally Posted By GooBaaa⏩
I also have no overhead. All my work vehicles are paid for and I don’t overly consoom
No overhead? LMAO

You wouldn't be the first alleged tradie who can turn a wrench but has no idea how to make money.
post 10000132514 04-20-2026, 08:20 AM
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#14
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By OliverHeldens⏩
You're talking about adding refrigeration to an A/C condenser? If people are paying it, you might as well stay there.

However, one thing I'm seeing is that some companies raised their rates a ton over the past 5 years and aren't seeing as much business(they've essentially priced themselves out of being a realistic option for most customers), and they're hesitant to lower their rates to align with the market. This is a bad situation to be in, because there are some people who will never do business with you again because of it.

Due to low overhead, I would recommend keeping your costs below market so you have steady business and don't get a reputation as being a gouger.
Gas and go is hardly worth it unless the customer has like zero money for a new unit. But no refrigeration isn’t the same as residential ACs
post 10000132520 04-20-2026, 08:23 AM
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#15
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By Seatard⏩
No overhead? LMAO

You wouldn't be the first alleged tradie who can turn a wrench but has no idea how to make money.
I own everything. My vehicles, my house, my property in Florida

I have one credit card that I barely use
post 10000132522 04-20-2026, 08:24 AM
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  1. freeburn
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Keep it at your current rate but discover more problems on the job that will require more payment. Then when they refuse to pay more just leave the job incomplete.
post 10000132524 04-20-2026, 08:25 AM
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#17
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By freeburn⏩
Keep it at your current rate but discover more problems on the job that will require more payment. Then when they refuse to pay more just leave the job incomplete.
Currently doing this on a buildout for a restaurant. Some problems with the walk ins where I had to go back so they are getting billed higher for my time
post 10000132526 04-20-2026, 08:27 AM
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#18
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By SoutheastBeast1⏩
Hide your prices and overcharge minorities. They shouldn’t be here anyway
Indians are the ones that always try to haggle. If I answer the phone to an unknown number and it’s a p@je3t I just hang up
post 10000132528 04-20-2026, 08:29 AM
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#19
  1. Seatard
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Originally Posted By GooBaaa⏩
I own everything. My vehicles, my house, my property in Florida

I have one credit card that I barely use
No vehicle or liability insurance, cellphones, tax preparation, internet, tool and vehicle maintenance/replacement, shop space, or anything like that?

You're overhead is probably around 50% if you actually added everything up. Not counting that stuff to offset against your business income is nuts.
post 10000132530 04-20-2026, 08:29 AM
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#20
  1. Godfrd824
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Originally Posted By johnvee73⏩
Charge way more than everyone else, if asked about the high price just say you're better than the other guys.
OP should pay his clients $800 to do the work.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.
post 10000132534 04-20-2026, 08:31 AM
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#21
  1. GooBaaa
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By Seatard⏩
No vehicle or liability insurance, cellphones, tax preparation, internet, tool and vehicle maintenance/replacement, shop space, or anything like that?

You're overhead is probably around 50% if you actually added everything up. Not including that stuff to offset against your business income is nuts.
I don’t call that overhead. I’m talking employees, rent etc that’s overhead to me. Insurance is just the cost of business

I have three garages for my shop space. Two barns on my property then a garage at a apartment complex I do work at that’s free space
post 10000132537 04-20-2026, 08:33 AM
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#22
  1. OliverHeldens
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What's your annual gross right now? Are you happy?
post 10000132541 04-20-2026, 08:37 AM
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#23
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By OliverHeldens⏩
What's your annual gross right now? Are you happy?
I play the S corp game and am very comfortable
post 10000132544 04-20-2026, 08:40 AM
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#24
  1. OliverHeldens
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Originally Posted By GooBaaa⏩
I play the S corp game and am very comfortable
Yeah, my CPA suggested that I switch to an S Corp. Still deciding whether I want to, as it sounds like a much bigger pain in the ass around tax time.
post 10000132547 04-20-2026, 08:42 AM
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#25
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By OliverHeldens⏩
Yeah, my CPA suggested that I switch to an S Corp. Still deciding whether I want to, as it sounds like a much bigger pain in the ass around tax time.
If you got a good tax attorney go for it. Best decision I ever did
post 10000132550 04-20-2026, 08:43 AM
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#26
  1. SoutheastBeast1
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Originally Posted By GooBaaa⏩
Indians are the ones that always try to haggle. If I answer the phone to an unknown number and it’s a p@je3t I just hang up
Not providing service at all to them is even better than overcharging them. Anything we can do to make their time here as uncomfortable as possible and hopefully they just fuck off
"One day I won't be able to lift any more. Not I won't want to lift. I mean physically unable. That day could be decades from now or it could be tomorrow. All I know is that's the day I'll wish I could lift more than ever. The day I'd give anything for one more workout, one more set, or one more cardio session. So go hard and enjoy every workout, every set, every rep. Because one day you will wake up and you will never get it back."
-SoutheastBeast1
post 10000132561 04-20-2026, 08:50 AM
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#27
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By gwg77⏩
Do you need to be licensed and insured for whatever you're doing compared to your competitors and are you?
Yah I got a huge umbrella to do work. The city and towns need a copy for pretty much all permitted jobs

The apartments I service require a million dollar plan
post 10000132573 04-20-2026, 08:59 AM
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#28
  1. OliverHeldens
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Originally Posted By SoutheastBeast1⏩
Not providing service at all to them is even better than overcharging them. Anything we can do to make their time here as uncomfortable as possible and hopefully they just fuck off
There are some Indians with a ton of money who can be really good customers, but you gotta set the stage with them. They always want to negotiate, but will have no issues paying once you complete the work. And often many others refuse to work with them, so it's good to get into a position where they don't want to lose you(because they need you and have no other options).
post 10000132592 04-20-2026, 09:15 AM
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#29
  1. gwg77
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Originally Posted By GooBaaa⏩
Yah I got a huge umbrella to do work. The city and towns need a copy for pretty much all permitted jobs

The apartments I service require a million dollar plan
So how much more are competitors charging?
post 10000132596 04-20-2026, 09:17 AM
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#30
  1. GooBaaa
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Originally Posted By gwg77⏩
So how much more are competitors charging?
Competition is still charging Covid fees

Around $200 and they send some new guy that just changes parts
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