It's 10:45 p.m., and a customer's panicking on the phone. Maybe it's a burst pipe or a heater down in the middle of winter; either way, you have a job to do fast. You're ready to head out, but the question hits: how much should I charge for this?
Knowing how to calculate a call-out fee properly matters more than ever. Get it wrong, and you're either losing money, scaring off work, or at risk of breaking transparency laws. For trades like plumbing, HVAC, or electrical, a solid call-out charge helps cover your time, your kit, and your admin with room for profit.
This guide walks through what to include in your fee, how to break it down, and how to price it without second-guessing yourself on every job.
What Is a Call Out Fee?
Before you set one, you need to know exactly what it covers and why it matters for your bottom line.
Call Out Charges Explained
A call-out fee is a fixed charge for showing up. It usually covers gas, admin, and the time it takes just to get there. It's separate from labour or material charges and stops you losing money on no-go jobs.
This fee structure is common in plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and appliance repairs, where you might spend an hour travelling and diagnosing, only for the customer to change their mind. Having a competitive edge means pricing your time properly from the start, especially when it's a dead-end.
Legally, a call-out fee must be disclosed before work is accepted, so customers are aware of all possible charges. Don't risk getting trouble. Follow UCP rules about transparency in pricing.
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Book a demoWhen Should You Charge a Call-Out Fee?
Emergency call-outs represent one of the most common times tradies use this charge fee. When someone has a burst pipe, no heat, or a power outage, they need immediate help. When people are facing an emergency, they tend to expect to pay a little extra.
After-hours or weekend service calls also make sense to charge more because you're giving up personal time. Most customers expect to pay more for convenience and availability outside normal hours. Higher fees are one of the benefits of offering out-of-hours service. Plus, it helps improve customer loyalty. If you save someone in a pinch, they're likely to spread the word and tell their friends.
Another situation where you can charge an extra fee is for first-time visits where you've gone out to quote or check the job. Even if you end up not working with the customer, you've invested time and expertise in diagnosing their problem. Many businesses don't factor in how much time this really eats up when pricing quotes.
What Should You Include in Your Call-Out Fee
Your call-out charge needs to cover all the costs of showing up, not just the time spent with tools in hand. Here's what you should include.
Your Hourly Rate and Minimum Time
Start by multiplying your hourly rate by the minimum visit time, which is typically one hour for most trades. This covers the time you could have spent on other paying work.
Hourly rate × Minimum visit time = Minimum call-out rate
Don't forget to factor in travel time and prep time for loading tools and materials. You should be paid for the entire period from leaving your workshop to returning, not just time on site.
You can also adjust based on job type and complexity. Emergency plumbing calls, for example, require different pricing than routine hourly pricing for scheduled maintenance work.
The Break-Even Rate
Calculate your actual costs by totalling:
- Fuel
- Admin time
- Labour
- Insurance
- Vehicle costs
Divide this by your average jobs per month to determine your baseline break-even rate.
Total monthly costs ÷ Average number of jobs per month = Break-even rate per job
Anything below this figure means you're making a loss on every service call. Your call-out fee should always exceed your break-even rate to maintain profitability.
Track these costs carefully because they change with fuel prices, insurance premiums, and business growth. Review your break-even rate quarterly to keep pricing accurate.
Your Profit Margin
In addition to your current costs, you need to build in a profit that covers future costs and lets you build some profit in. Set a percentage that makes each visit worth your time while staying competitive in your local market.
Think about seasonal demand and urgency level when setting profit margins. For example, winter heating emergencies or summer air conditioning failures command higher prices than routine service calls. Give customers advice in advance about seasonal issues to build trust.
Your profit margin should also reflect your expertise and the value you provide. An experienced plumber solving complex problems deserves higher compensation than basic maintenance work.
How to Calculate a Call Out Fee Properly
Follow this step-by-step process to build a call-out charge that covers all your costs and delivers fair profit.
1. Start With Your Base Hourly Rate
Use your real cost per hour, not just what sounds "fair" compared to competitors. Work out wages, tools, van running costs, fuel, and admin time to get your true hourly cost.
Include all business expenses in this calculation:
- Insurance
- Licensing
- Training
- Equipment replacement
- Your business owner salary.
For example, if you carry £2,000 worth of tools and van insurance costs £1,200 annually, factor those into your hourly rate.
(Total monthly business expenses + your salary) ÷ Billable hours per month = Base hourly rate
Example: (£3,000 expenses + £2,000 salary) ÷ 120 hours = £41.67 per hour
2. Add Travel Time + Admin
Account for time spent driving to the job, preparing equipment, and completing paperwork afterwards. You should be paid for all of it every moment you're focused on the job.
Administrative tasks like invoicing, customer communication, and job scheduling all cost time and money. Factor these into your call-out charge to cover the full cost of each service visit.
Base hourly rate × Total hours per job (including travel and admin) = Cost per visit
Example: £41.67 × 1.5 hours (1 hour on site + 30 min admin) = £62.50
3. Consider Emergency or After-Hours Premiums
Add a percentage or flat fee for nights, weekends, or urgent visits. This becomes your emergency call-out fee and compensates for the inconvenience and immediate availability.
Emergency work often requires dropping other commitments, working unsociable hours, or rushing to resolve urgent problems. Price these fairly to make them worth your while.
Here are two ways you can calculate premiums:
Standard cost per visit × Emergency multiplier (e.g. 1.5) = Emergency call-out rate
Example: £62.50 × 1.5 = £93.75
Standard cost per visit + Flat emergency fee = Emergency call-out rate
Example: £62.50 + £30 = £92.50
4. Round for Simplicity
Clients understand flat fees better than crazy calculations with decimals. Use clean numbers like £40, £65, or £95 to build trust and reduce pushback from customers.
Simple pricing also makes it easier to quote over the phone and makes things less confusing when explaining charges.
Round your final rate to the nearest £5 or £10 = Final call-out rate
Example: £93.75 becomes £95
Average Call Out Fees by Trade Industry
Here's what different trades typically charge for standard and emergency service calls:
These ranges vary depending on location, complexity, and local market conditions. Urban areas typically have higher fees than rural locations because of higher business costs and customer expectations.
Emergency fees can be loads higher, especially for critical situations like gas boiler breakdowns in winter or burst pipe repairs that prevent property damage.
Common Mistakes When Charging a Call-Out Fee
Avoid these pricing errors that cost money and create customer disputes:
Not Explaining Your Call Out Fee Upfront
Always inform clients about your call-out charge before the visit. If the customer expects a free service call and gets billed, it can lead to disputes, poor reviews, or delayed payment.
Leaving Out Travel and Admin Time
If your call-out fee only covers time on-site, you're missing the actual cost of getting there and handling prep. Make sure your fee reflects the full service—not just hands-on labour.
Underpricing to Win the Job
Offering the lowest price to secure work often attracts the wrong customers. It also shrinks your profit margin and makes it harder to cover costs like materials, fuel, and insurance.
Inconsistent Charges Across Jobs
Using different call-out fees for similar service calls confuses customers and makes it harder to track profits. Keep your fee structure clear and repeatable.
Not Updating Your Rate Regularly
Prices change. If your hourly rate or break-even rate hasn’t been reviewed in a year, you're likely charging too little. Review your fees annually to keep up with business costs and stay competitive.
How Intrflex Helps You Quote With Confidence
Smart pricing starts with smart tools. The Intrflex quoting tool helps you:
- Build better quotes, faster: You can add call-out fees and emergency charges automatically. Set templates for common jobs and let the system do the maths.
- Track your numbers in real time: See your charge-out rate, actual costs, and profit margin on every quote. Now you can spot which jobs pay well, and which ones aren't worth your time.
- Save job templates: No matter what you're servicing, you can use saved structures to price consistently without starting from scratch. This saves your admin team loads of time.
- Keep pricing consistent: Use standardised fee setups so you’re never guessing or undercharging for the same kind of job.
Protect Your Profits and Stop Underselling Your Time
A proper call-out fee makes sure you're not working at a loss just to get through the door. Price it right, and you'll cover your costs, protect your profits, and stop second-guessing every job.
If you're already juggling pricing, admin, and keeping track of your margins, tools like Intrflex can take a load off. It helps you build quotes, set call-out charges, and store your rates all in one place.
Want to see how it works? Book a free demo today.
