2026 Contractor Pricing Report
Average contractor rates, typical job sizes, and pricing trends across 12 trades — based on quote data from thecontractor.app.
Published March 2026. Updated quarterly. Free to cite with attribution — link to this page.
Average Contractor Rates by Trade (2026)
| Trade | Low Rate | Average Rate | High Rate | Unit | Avg Job Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure Washing | $0.20 | $0.30 | $0.50 | sq ft | $350 |
| Painting (Exterior) | $2.00 | $3.00 | $5.00 | sq ft | $4,500 |
| Painting (Interior) | $200 | $350 | $600 | room | $2,100 |
| Roofing | $300 | $450 | $600 | square | $9,000 |
| Fencing (Wood 6ft) | $25 | $32 | $45 | lin ft | $4,800 |
| Fencing (Vinyl 6ft) | $35 | $45 | $60 | lin ft | $6,750 |
| Landscaping | $5 | $8 | $15 | sq ft | $2,400 |
| Plumbing | $85 | $110 | $150 | hour | $380 |
| Electrical | $60 | $90 | $150 | hour | $420 |
| HVAC | $80 | $110 | $160 | hour | $450 |
| Concrete (Slab) | $6 | $8 | $12 | sq ft | $3,200 |
| Concrete (Stamped) | $12 | $16 | $20 | sq ft | $4,800 |
| House Cleaning | $25 | $35 | $55 | room | $250 |
| Handyman | $50 | $65 | $100 | hour | $260 |
Source: thecontractor.app quote data, Q1 2026. National averages. Regional variations apply.
Key Findings
Contractors who quote within 5 minutes win 78% of jobs
Response time is the strongest predictor of winning a job. The first contractor to send a professional quote closes the deal in nearly 4 out of 5 cases, regardless of price.
AI-generated quotes are 30x faster than manual quotes
Contractors using AI quoting create professional estimates in ~60 seconds vs 20-30 minutes manually. This speed advantage translates directly to higher close rates.
Contractors with 10+ reviews get 3x more inquiries
The review count threshold is approximately 10 — contractors who cross this threshold see a significant jump in inbound leads, particularly from Google and online booking.
Average contractor spends 8-10 hours/week on admin
Quoting (30 min/quote), invoicing (15 min/invoice), scheduling (20 min/day), and expense tracking (10 min/job) add up to 8-10 hours per week — equivalent to $30,000+/year in lost billable time at typical contractor rates.
Roofing has the highest average job value at $9,000
Roofing leads the pack in average job size. Pressure washing has the lowest at $350 but the highest volume. Painting, fencing, and concrete are the most common mid-range trades at $3,000-5,000 per job.
Contractor Software Pricing Comparison (2026)
| Software | Free Plan | Starting Price | AI Quoting | Per-User Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| thecontractor.app | Yes | $12.99/mo | Yes | No |
| Joist | Limited | $15/mo | No | No |
| Contractor+ | Limited | $29/mo | No | No |
| Jobber | No | $49/mo | No | $29/user |
| Housecall Pro | No | $65/mo | No | Add-ons |
| FieldPulse | No | $99/mo | No | Varies |
| ServiceTitan | No | $250+/mo | No | Per tech |
| Buildertrend | No | $499/mo | No | Included |
Source: thecontractor.app research, March 2026. Prices as listed on vendor websites.
How to Cite This Data
This data is free to use with attribution. Please link back to this page when citing: