Free tools  ›  Day rate calculator

Day Rate & Hourly Rate Calculator

Work out exactly what you need to charge to hit your income goals — after holidays, sick days, taxes, and overheads.

Know your rate — then quote it confidently every time with Wrencher. Try it free for 30 days →
Your country:

Your income goal

Working days

Annual overhead costs (£)

Tax

Your rates

Billable days per year —
Total annual overhead costs —
Pre-tax income needed (take-home + tax) —
Total annual revenue needed —
Your minimum day rate —
Your minimum hourly rate —
💡 These are minimum rates. Add 15–25% on top to account for slow periods, business growth, and profit. The figures above are break-even rates — what you need to charge just to hit your take-home goal.

How to calculate your day rate

Many tradespeople undercharge because they calculate their day rate based on what they want to earn divided by working days — without accounting for the days they are not earning (holidays, sick, admin, quoting) or the costs of running their business.

The formula

Start with your desired take-home pay. Gross it up for tax to get the pre-tax income you need. Add all your overhead costs. Divide by the number of billable days you actually work in a year (not total working days). The result is your minimum day rate.

Non-billable time

Not every working hour is a billable hour. Time spent quoting, driving to suppliers, doing admin, waiting for materials — none of this earns directly. The typical tradesperson loses 15–20% of their working time to non-billable activities. This calculator accounts for that.

Know your rate. Quote it right. Get paid on time.

Wrencher helps you build professional quotes using your calculated rate, track every job, and make sure every invoice gets paid — so your real earnings match your target.

Download Wrencher free — 30 day trial

No credit card · Windows 10/11 · Your data stays on your computer