Should You Put Prices on Your Trade Website?

It is one of the most common questions we get asked, and trades are split on it. Some would never show a price. Others swear it cut their time-wasters in half. Both can be right. It depends on the work.

The case for showing prices

• It filters enquiries. People who cannot afford you do not ring, which saves everyone an evening.
• It builds trust. Customers are wary of trades who will not give a straight answer on cost. Being open sets you apart.
• It answers the question everyone has. "How much does it cost" is one of the most common things people search for. A page that answers it honestly can bring visitors in.
• It anchors expectations. The customer arrives at the quote already knowing roughly what to expect.

The case against

• Every job is different. A rewire of a two-bed terrace and a five-bed detached are not the same job.
• Competitors can see them. True, though they can usually find out anyway.
• It can scare people off before they have understood what they get for the money.
• Prices go out of date when materials go up, and old prices cause arguments.

The middle ground: guide prices

You do not have to choose between a full price list and nothing. Most trades are best served by something in between.

• "From" prices: "Boiler service from £80."
• Ranges: "Most single-storey extensions we build cost between X and Y."
• Examples: "A recent bathroom refit in a three-bed semi came to around Z."

Then explain what moves the price up or down: size, access, materials, the condition of what is there already. That explanation is often more useful to the customer than the number.

Which jobs suit fixed prices

• Boiler services and gas safety certificates
• EICRs and landlord certificates
• Call-out fees and hourly rates
• Standard installs: an outside tap, an EV charger, a set number of sockets

If you do the job the same way most weeks, a fixed price works well.

Which do not

Extensions, renovations, re-roofs, landscaping and anything else that needs a site visit. Use a range or examples, and be clear that an exact price follows a survey.

If you do show prices

• Say whether VAT is included.
• Say what is and is not covered.
• Add the date the prices were last updated.
• Review them at least twice a year.

If you do not

At least tell people how quoting works: whether the visit is free, how quickly they will get the quote, and that it will be fixed and in writing. That removes most of the worry that a missing price creates. See how to turn enquiries into booked jobs for more on quoting well.

Our view

Lean towards openness. Give a guide where you honestly can. It costs you a few enquiries that were never going to become jobs, and wins trust with the ones that will. We show our own price, £99 a month, on every page for exactly that reason.