Trade calculators

Quick answers for quoting on the phone: rates, cable runs, drain falls, materials. Guide only, your licence and the standards win.

Target personal income: $120,000/yr

Annual business overheads: $35,000/yr

Ute, insurance, tools, phone, software, rego, super.

Weeks worked per year: 46

Hours on the tools per week: 38

Billable share: 65%

Quoting, driving and admin are not billable.

Target profit margin on top: 15%

$157/hr

Your minimum charge-out rate. A 7.6 hour day invoices $1,192.

Built from 1136 billable hours a year (46 weeks x 38 hrs x 65% billable), covering $120,000 income plus $35,000 overheads ($136/hr break even), with 15% margin on top.

For comparison: an award wage employee costs the boss roughly $55 to $70 an hour all-in. Your rate has to carry the whole business, not just the wage.

Guide only. GST, licensing, apprentice costs, materials markup and your local market all shift the real number. Check the figure against your actual books, and talk to your accountant before repricing your work.