How to Price Emergency Callouts (Without Losing Customers)
Most trades undercharge for emergency work. Learn emergency pricing formulas, regional benchmarks, and how to quote premium rates without pushback.
Average revenue increase when trades implement proper emergency pricing
It's 9pm on Saturday. A customer calls with a burst pipe flooding their kitchen. You're watching TV with your family.
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You quote your regular rate of £60/hour. The customer books you immediately. You drive 30 minutes, work 3 hours in their flooded house, and invoice £180 plus parts.
You just lost £250. Here's how to price emergency work properly.
Why Emergency Work Deserves Premium Pricing
Emergency callouts cost you more than regular jobs:
- Opportunity cost: You're giving up personal time, evenings, or weekends
- Scheduling disruption: You can't plan other jobs around it
- Immediate response: No time to prepare, gather materials, or plan efficiently
- Risk premium: Working in crisis situations with stressed customers
- Limited availability: Not every trade offers emergency service
Customer psychology
When a customer has an emergency, they expect to pay more. They're not comparing prices or shopping around. They need help now. Charging regular rates doesn't make you the hero—it makes you look like you don't value your time.
The Emergency Pricing Formula
Use this formula to calculate fair emergency rates:
Emergency rate formula
Multipliers by Time:
- • After hours (6pm-10pm weekdays): 1.5×
- • Late night (10pm-7am): 2.0×
- • Weekends (Saturday/Sunday): 1.75×
- • Bank holidays: 2.5×
- • Christmas Day/New Year's: 3.0×
Callout Fees:
- • Within 10 miles: £75-£150
- • 10-25 miles: £150-£250
- • 25+ miles: £250-£400
Example calculations
Plumber, £70/hour base rate:
Scenario 1: Saturday afternoon burst pipe (8 miles away)
- • Base rate: £70/hour
- • Weekend multiplier: 1.75×
- • Emergency rate: £70 × 1.75 = £122.50/hour
- • Callout fee: £100
- • 3-hour job total: (£122.50 × 3) + £100 = £467.50
Scenario 2: Tuesday 11pm heating failure (15 miles away)
- • Base rate: £70/hour
- • Late night multiplier: 2.0×
- • Emergency rate: £70 × 2.0 = £140/hour
- • Callout fee: £175
- • 2-hour job total: (£140 × 2) + £175 = £455
Emergency Pricing Calculator
Calculate your emergency rate based on timing, distance, and job duration
Regional Benchmark Rates
UK Emergency Rates (2025)
Plumbers:
- • London/Southeast: £100-£150/hour + £150-£200 callout
- • Major cities (Manchester, Birmingham): £80-£120/hour + £100-£150 callout
- • Regional towns: £60-£90/hour + £75-£125 callout
Electricians:
- • London/Southeast: £90-£130/hour + £125-£175 callout
- • Major cities: £70-£100/hour + £100-£150 callout
- • Regional towns: £55-£80/hour + £75-£100 callout
HVAC/Heating Engineers:
- • London/Southeast: £95-£140/hour + £150-£200 callout
- • Major cities: £75-£110/hour + £100-£150 callout
- • Regional towns: £60-£85/hour + £75-£125 callout
US Emergency Rates (2025)
Plumbers:
- • Major metros (NYC, SF, LA): $150-$250/hour + $200-$350 callout
- • Mid-size cities: $100-$175/hour + $150-$250 callout
- • Rural areas: $75-$125/hour + $100-$175 callout
Electricians:
- • Major metros: $125-$200/hour + $175-$300 callout
- • Mid-size cities: $90-$150/hour + $125-$200 callout
- • Rural areas: $65-$100/hour + $100-$150 callout
HVAC Technicians:
- • Major metros: $150-$225/hour + $200-$350 callout
- • Mid-size cities: $100-$175/hour + $150-$250 callout
- • Rural areas: $75-$125/hour + $100-$175 callout
How to Quote Emergency Rates (Without Pushback)
The way you present emergency pricing matters more than the price itself. Use these scripts:
Phone script 1: after-hours emergency
Customer: "Can you come out tonight? My heating's not working."
You: "Yes, I can help you. Because this is an after-hours emergency callout, the rate is £140 per hour plus a £150 callout fee. That covers me coming out now and the first hour of work. After that, it's £140 per hour. Does that work for you?"
Key points: State the rate clearly. Explain what it includes. Ask for confirmation before you leave.
Phone script 2: weekend emergency
Customer: "How much will it cost?"
You: "For weekend emergency service, my rate is £105 per hour, which is 1.5 times my regular rate, plus a £100 callout fee. Based on what you've described, I estimate this will take 2-3 hours. So you're looking at around £310-£415 total including the callout. I can be there in 45 minutes."
Key points: Give a total estimate range. Mention arrival time to show urgency. Link premium price to premium service.
Phone script 3: bank holiday emergency
Customer: "That's expensive. Can't you do it for less?"
You: "I understand. The premium is because it's a bank holiday and I'm pulling away from family time to help you. Most trades don't offer emergency service on holidays at all. If you'd like to wait until Tuesday, I can do it at my regular rate of £70 per hour. But if you need it fixed today, the emergency rate applies."
Key points: Acknowledge concern. Justify premium. Offer alternative (wait for regular rate). Let them decide urgency.
Never apologize for your emergency rate. Saying "sorry, but..." undermines your pricing. State it confidently. If they need you now, they'll pay. If they don't, they'll wait.
Defining Emergency vs Urgent vs Same-Day
Not every "I need it now" call is a true emergency. Define your service tiers clearly:
Service Tier Definitions
Emergency (Premium Rate)
Response time: Within 1-2 hours, including evenings/weekends/holidays
Examples: Burst pipes, power outage, gas leak, heating failure in winter, water heater leak
Pricing: Base rate × 1.5-3.0 + callout fee
Urgent (Moderate Premium)
Response time: Same business day or within 4-6 hours
Examples: Slow drain, flickering lights, weak heating, minor leaks
Pricing: Base rate × 1.25 + reduced callout fee (£50-£75)
Same-Day (Small Premium)
Response time: Later same day if scheduled before noon
Examples: Non-critical repairs, installations, maintenance
Pricing: Base rate × 1.1 or flat base rate + small fee (£25-£40)
By defining these tiers, you give customers options and set expectations. Many "emergencies" become "urgent" when the customer realizes the price difference.
Quote Emergency Rates Instantly
Toolfy's SMS booking system lets you send emergency rate quotes via text. Customers see the rate, accept or decline, and you get confirmation before leaving your house. No awkward price negotiations on-site.
Start Free TrialWhen to Waive Emergency Fees
Strategic discounting builds loyalty without devaluing your service:
Good Reasons to Waive or Reduce Fees
- Repeat customers (5+ previous jobs): "You're a valued customer, so I'm waiving the callout fee. Rate is still £120/hour for weekend work."
- Maintenance contract holders: Emergency calls included or heavily discounted
- Emergency caused by your work: If you installed or serviced it recently, cover it
- Referral generator: Customer has referred 3+ people to you
- Competitive advantage: "I'll match my regular rate this once if you commit to using me for all plumbing going forward"
Bad Reasons to Discount
- Customer complains about price: Don't reward pushback
- You feel guilty: Your time has value, especially off-hours
- Customer seems nice: Nice customers understand fair pricing
- You want the job: If you discount reflexively, you'll never charge properly
- It's a big job: Bigger jobs should cost more, not less
If you discount emergency rates more than 20% of the time, you're training customers to negotiate. Set the rate. Stick to it. Exceptions should be rare and strategic.
The Minimum Job Charge
Always include a minimum charge for emergency callouts:
Minimum Emergency Charge Formula
Minimum = Callout Fee + (Hourly Rate × Minimum Hours)
Recommended minimum: 2 hours
Example: £150 callout + (£120/hour × 2 hours) = £390 minimum
Why? Because driving out at 10pm, diagnosing a problem, and fixing it in 30 minutes still disrupts your entire evening. The callout fee alone doesn't cover that.
Real-World Results
Case Study: Manchester Electrician
Before implementing emergency pricing structure:
- • Charged £65/hour for all jobs, regardless of timing
- • No callout fees
- • Averaged 6 emergency calls per month
- • Average emergency job: 2.5 hours = £162.50
- • Monthly emergency revenue: £975
After implementing tiered emergency pricing:
- • Evening/weekend rate: £110/hour + £125 callout
- • Late night rate: £130/hour + £150 callout
- • 2-hour minimum on all emergency calls
- • Same 6 emergency calls per month
- • Average emergency job: 2.5 hours = £400
- • Monthly emergency revenue: £2,400
Result: £1,425 more per month = £17,100 annual increase from emergency work alone. No extra jobs needed.
Common Objections and Responses
Objection 1: "That's way more than your regular rate"
Response: "That's correct. This is an emergency callout on [Saturday night/a bank holiday/at 11pm]. I'm dropping everything to help you now instead of [enjoying my weekend/being with my family/sleeping]. The premium reflects that. If you'd prefer to wait until [Monday morning/Tuesday], I can do it at my regular rate of £70 per hour."
Objection 2: "My last plumber only charged £X"
Response: "I understand. Every tradesperson sets their own rates. My pricing reflects my experience, availability, and the quality of work I provide. If you'd like to wait for your regular plumber, I completely understand. If you need it fixed now, this is what emergency service costs."
Objection 3: "Can you do it for £X instead?"
Response: "My emergency rate is firm at £120 per hour plus the £150 callout fee. That's what it costs to provide emergency service at [9pm on a Saturday]. I don't negotiate on price, but I do guarantee quality work and I'll get it fixed tonight. Would you like me to come out?"
Implementation Checklist
Conclusion
Emergency work is premium work. You're providing immediate relief for a crisis, often at personal cost. Customers understand this. They expect to pay more.
The trades who undercharge for emergencies do it out of guilt or fear of losing the job. But customers who need emergency service aren't price shopping—they're problem solving. Quote your rate confidently. Justify it briefly. Then let them decide.
Most will say yes. And when they do, you're earning what your time and expertise are actually worth.
Calculate your emergency rate right now:
Your base rate × 1.75 (weekend multiplier) + £100 callout = Your weekend emergency rate
That's what you'll quote on your next Saturday callout. Write it down. Practice saying it out loud. Then use it.