Guides for Solo Tradesmen: Pricing, Comparisons and How-Tos

Plumber kneeling beside a newly installed 50-gallon tank water heater in a garage utility closet, with copper supply lines connected and tools on a canvas mat

Featured · Cost guideHow to price a water heater replacementLabor hours, parts, markup and Good/Better/Best options for a tank swap, at three labor rates. Built from a real flat-rate price book, with a Florida sales-tax and permit note.October 6, 2026 · 6 min read · By QuoteIron Team

LATEST

Cost guideHow to price an electrical panel upgradeOctober 6, 2026 ComparisonJobber vs Housecall Pro for a one-person shopOctober 6, 2026 ComparisonHousecall Pro vs Joist vs QuoteIronOctober 5, 2026 ComparisonJobber vs Joist vs QuoteIronOctober 3, 2026 ComparisonContractor card processing fees comparedSeptember 26, 2026 Running your businessHow to write a change orderSeptember 11, 2026

Cost guides

What to charge for a job: labor hours, parts and markup from QuoteIron’s own flat-rate price book, at three labor rates.

Cost guideHow to price a water heater replacementLabor hours, parts, markup and Good/Better/Best options for a tank swap, at three labor rates.October 6, 2026 · 6 min read

Electrician in safety glasses working on a new 200-amp electrical service panel mounted on an exterior stucco wall with neat conduit

Cost guideHow to price an electrical panel upgradeSame-size panel swap versus a 100A to 200A service upgrade, with Good/Better/Best options and three labor rates.October 6, 2026 · 6 min read

Running your business

Pricing, change orders, payment terms and paperwork for a one-person trade shop.

Contractor and customer reviewing a plan on a tablet together in a half-finished kitchen remodel with exposed studs

Running your businessHow to write a change orderThe seven things it must say, with a plain-text template to copy and a priced example.September 11, 2026 · 5 min read

Contractor sitting on a pickup tailgate at a job site completing paperwork on a clipboard with a laptop and coffee beside him

Running your businessNet 30 vs due on receiptWhich payment term fits which customer, and what to print so nobody can argue about the date.September 11, 2026 · 6 min read

A customer’s hand passing a paper receipt to a tradesman’s hand at a front door, with a toolbox on the porch

Running your businessReceipt vs invoiceWhat belongs on each document and what to send when a customer pays part of a job.September 11, 2026 · 5 min read

Young tradesman in a work cap sitting in the driver seat of a work van with a notebook and phone, tool belt on the passenger seat

Running your businessPricing jobs as a new solo tradesmanSet a labor rate, materials markup and service-call fee from scratch before you quote anyone.August 2, 2026 · 11 min read

Solo tradesman standing at the open back doors of a work van reviewing a printed price list on a clipboard, with parts bins on shelves behind him

Running your businessHow to build a flat-rate price bookThree numbers, one book: price each job once from your labor rate, markup and rounding.July 23, 2026 · 13 min read

Comparisons

Which app fits one person, with each competitor’s own pricing page linked and dated. We make QuoteIron, so we show our work.

Two plain work vans parked side by side on a suburban street at golden hour, no logos or lettering

ComparisonJobber vs Housecall Pro for a one-person shopOne-user plan prices, reminders, price book and card fees, with QuoteIron as a full option.October 6, 2026 · 6 min read

Three smartphones with dark screens lying side by side on a worn wooden workbench next to a tape measure and work gloves

ComparisonHousecall Pro vs Joist vs QuoteIronWhich of the three fits a one-person trade shop, with plan prices and features side by side.October 5, 2026 · 17 min read

Handyman standing by a pickup truck in a driveway holding a phone and a coffee, tools in the truck bed

ComparisonJobber vs Joist vs QuoteIronWhich of the three fits a one-person trade shop, with plan prices and features side by side.October 3, 2026 · 15 min read

Contractor holding a smartphone out so a customer can tap a card on it at a front door

ComparisonContractor card processing fees comparedWhat a $1,000 invoice really costs to collect by card, app by app.September 26, 2026 · 5 min read

Electrician in a hard hat working at an open electrical panel while holding a phone in his other hand

ComparisonQuoteIron vs Joist: what each one charges forSourced from Joist’s public pricing page: which features sit behind which tier.September 11, 2026 · 5 min read

Tradesman sitting on a truck tailgate scrolling a phone beside a lawn mower, face partly hidden by a cap

Switch guideHow to cancel Jobber and keep your moneySeven steps: export first, mind the 30-day window and the no-refund policy.July 26, 2026 · 10 min read

Plumber lying partly under a kitchen sink with a flashlight and a phone propped on the cabinet floor beside him

ComparisonHousecall Pro alternative for a one-person shopPlan prices, billing and cancellation, with QuoteIron as the one-person alternative.July 19, 2026 · 9 min read

Tradesman in a work van looking down at his phone with a tired expression, face turned mostly away

Switch guideHow to cancel Housecall ProSeven steps: export first, put it in writing, and expect the phone call.July 19, 2026 · 9 min read

HVAC technician crouched at an outdoor air-conditioning condenser unit with gauges attached, seen from behind in bright sunlight

ComparisonJobber alternative for a one-person shopPlan prices and what sits on higher tiers, with QuoteIron as the solo alternative.July 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Plumber holding a smartphone beside an open toolbox on a kitchen floor with pipes and fittings laid out

ComparisonThe $15.99 flat-rate price book you actually ownFlat-rate price book software priced for fleets, versus a book one person builds and owns.July 19, 2026 · 7 min read

General information for tradesmen, not tax or legal advice. New guides are added weekly. See also: plumbing price book · electrician price book · help · free book builder.

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Cost guides

Running your business

Comparisons

Price it once.Quote it in a tap.

Price it once.
Quote it in a tap.