How much should I charge for a service call?
A straight answer built from your real numbers.
By Lakehouse · 3 min read · Updated July 2026
There is no universal right number, but there is a right way to find yours. A service call price has to cover your fully loaded cost to send a tech, plus margin, before you touch the actual repair. Guess low and every call loses money.
Price the call from your real cost per hour, not a competitor’s number.
Start with your labor burden, the true hourly cost of a tech once you add taxes, insurance, vehicle, and downtime. Add overhead and margin, and you have a floor to price above. Our hourly rate calculator walks through it.
Then set a flat service-call or diagnostic fee that customers see up front, and quote the repair itself from your price book so it is consistent and profitable across every tech. See the price book.
Ready to run your business from one app?
One price. Everything included. White-glove setup done for you.
Book a demoBy Lakehouse
Notes from home service businesses, for growth-minded owners.
Keep exploring
Keep reading.
How do I keep my techs busy in the slow season?
Smooth out the calendar so you are not scrambling in the off months.
Why are my Google reviews not bringing in leads?
Having reviews is not enough. Here is what actually moves the needle.
What is field service software?
A plain-English guide to the category trades run on.
See it on your own jobs.
Book a working session with the Lakehouse team. Bring a real job, a real estimate, and a real question about running your business. We will show you how Lakehouse handles it.