Free guides
Straight answers on pricing & getting paid
No fluff, no gurus — practical guides on what to charge, how to price a job, winning quotes, chasing late payers, and the tax side of working for yourself. Written for UK trades, updated for 2026.
Trade guides
How much should I charge as a builder in 2026?
UK builder day rates in 2026 — £240–£400 a day, when to quote fixed vs day rate, pricing extensions, managing subbies and charging for building control.
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How much should I charge as an electrician in 2026?
What UK electricians charge in 2026 — day rate £280–£420, hourly, price-work, EICRs and consumer units, plus how to stop underpricing.
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How much should I charge as a plumber in 2026?
UK plumber day rates in 2026 — £300–£480 a day, emergency call-outs, bathroom installs vs repairs, the Gas Safe boundary and materials markup.
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Pricing & quoting
How to price a job: a UK tradesperson's guide (2026)
The full method for pricing trade work — labour, materials and markup, overheads, contingency and real profit — with a worked example you can copy.
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Markup vs margin: the mistake that costs tradespeople thousands
A 25% markup is only a 20% margin. The difference, a conversion table, and how mixing them up quietly eats your profit on every job.
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How to write a quote that wins the job (2026)
What a professional UK quote must include, quote vs estimate (the legal difference), deposits, VAT, validity and terms that protect you.
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Getting paid & tax
How to deal with late-paying customers (UK, 2026)
The escalation that works, your rights under the Late Payment Act (interest plus £40–£100 compensation), deposits to prevent it, and Money Claim Online.
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Do I need to register for VAT? A UK trades guide (2026)
The £90,000 threshold explained, whether to register voluntarily, the flat rate scheme for construction, and the domestic reverse charge for CIS.
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Going self-employed as a tradesperson: tax, CIS and getting set up (2026)
Registering as a sole trader, how the Construction Industry Scheme works (20% vs 30%), Self Assessment, National Insurance, and the CIS refund most subbies miss.
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