Signs it is time
- Your calendar is full weeks out, and you still are not making money.
- Your costs (fuel, insurance, supplies) went up and your prices did not.
- You win almost every estimate. A 100% close rate usually means you are the cheapest.
- You cannot afford to replace equipment or take a week off.
Figure out the right number
Run a typical job through our job price calculator with your real monthly costs and real billable hours. Most owners discover their effective hourly rate is far below what they thought, because drive time, estimates and admin never got priced in.
How to do it
- Raise prices for new customers first. It is the easiest change; they never knew the old price.
- Give regular customers notice: two to four weeks is common. Tell them the date and new price.
- Keep the explanation short. One sentence about rising costs is plenty. Do not apologize.
- Raise a moderate amount, regularly, rather than a big jump every few years.
- Expect to lose a few price-shoppers. That is often fine: you replace them with better-paying customers and work fewer hours.
The text to send
More messages in our customer text scripts.
Make your higher price easy to say yes to
Clear written estimates, a professional website, recent reviews and showing your license all make a higher price feel safe. Our free estimate maker and review request texts help with two of those today.
Common questions
How often should a small business raise prices?
Many owners review prices once a year and make small, regular increases rather than rare big jumps.
How much notice should I give customers before a price increase?
Two to four weeks is common for regular customers. New customers can get the new price right away.
Will I lose customers if I raise my prices?
You may lose a few price-focused customers, but most stay, and higher margins often mean working fewer hours for the same income.