Handymen often undercharge because they bill only the hours on site and forget drive time, material runs, quoting and admin. Tracking time on every job shows your real hourly earnings so you can price to cover them.
Where the time goes
- Driving to and from jobs
- Shopping for parts
- Quoting and phone calls
- Invoicing and bookkeeping
- Cleanup and return trips
Calculate your real hourly rate
Worked example with made-up numbers: a job pays $300. On site: 2 hours. Driving: 1 hour. Parts run: 0.5 hour. Quote and invoice: 0.5 hour. Total 4 hours, so the real rate is $300 / 4 = $75 per hour, not the $150 you would get dividing by the 2 hours on site.
How to start tracking
Log start and end for each activity. HandyBook's Pro plan includes time tracking; see time tracking. A paper notebook works if you use it consistently.
Recover lost revenue
Add trip charges, minimums and a materials handling fee. See material markup.
Adjust your pricing
Use the data to set flat prices that include everything, and to raise rates on job types that run long. See hourly rates.
FAQ
Why do handymen undercharge?
They count only on-site hours and forget travel, shopping and admin time.
How do I track time?
Use a timer in an app or a simple notebook to log each task.
Should I charge for drive time?
Many handymen do through trip charges or by building it into rates.
How long should I track before changing prices?
A few weeks of consistent data usually reveals patterns.