Going From Reactive to Booked Out: The Maintenance Contract Playbook
Recurring revenue models, pricing strategies, contract templates, and retention tactics that fill your calendar with predictable monthly income.
Scale sustainably with How to Scale from 1 Van to 3 Vans, From Van to Empire Scaling Guide, and How to Get Repeat Customers.
It's January. Phone rings twice this week. You're scratching for work, wondering if you'll make rent. February is looking worse.
Meanwhile, your mate down the road—same trade, same area—has 60 maintenance contracts bringing in £2,400/month before he even picks up the phone. His calendar is full through March.
This guide shows you how to build a maintenance contract business that fills your calendar with predictable, recurring revenue—so you stop chasing one-off jobs and start running a real business.
Why Maintenance Contracts Work (The Math)
Most trades run on reactive revenue: customer calls, you quote, you hope they book. Maintenance contracts flip this:
Reactive Business Model (What You're Doing Now)
- • Customer has problem → searches Google → calls you
- • You quote → 50% convert → work once → never see them again
- • Revenue = unpredictable, seasonal, feast/famine
Annual revenue: £35K-45K (if you're lucky)
Proactive Business Model (Maintenance Contracts)
- • Customer books annual contract → you service quarterly → relationship deepens
- • They call you first for extras → 90% conversion → repeat revenue
- • Revenue = predictable, recurring, grows monthly
Annual revenue: £18K recurring + £30K reactive = £48K+ (guaranteed base)
The Compounding Effect
50 Maintenance Contracts × £30/month
- • Year 1: £18,000 recurring revenue
- • Year 2: £18,000 base + 30 new contracts = £28,800
- • Year 3: £28,800 base + 30 more = £39,600
Plus: Contract customers book 3x more additional work than one-off customers
Service Models That Sell (By Trade)
Different trades need different contract structures. Here's what works:
Heating Engineers / Gas Engineers
Annual Boiler Service Plan
- • Quarterly visits: service, safety check, filter change, minor adjustments
- • Priority callout (within 24 hours for breakdowns)
- • 10% discount on parts and repairs
Pricing: £25-40/month (£300-480/year)
Electricians
Electrical Safety & Maintenance Plan
- • Annual EICR (electrical inspection)
- • Bi-annual visit: test RCDs, tighten connections, check consumer unit
- • Free callout for tripping circuits or power issues
Pricing: £20-35/month (£240-420/year)
Plumbers
Plumbing Care Plan
- • Bi-annual visits: check taps, toilets, drains, water pressure
- • Annual boiler pressure check and radiator bleed
- • Priority emergency callout (burst pipes, leaks)
Pricing: £18-30/month (£216-360/year)
Commercial Cleaners
Weekly/Fortnightly Cleaning Contract
- • Recurring service: offices, retail, showrooms
- • Fixed schedule, guaranteed slots
- • Discounted deep clean once per quarter
Pricing: £200-600/month depending on square footage
Pricing Strategies: What to Charge
Your maintenance contract should deliver value to the customer while covering your costs + margin. Use this formula:
Maintenance Contract Pricing Formula
Annual service cost (if sold separately) = £180
Number of visits per year = 4
Cost per visit if sold separately = £60
Total one-off value = £240
Contract discount = 15-20%
Annual contract price = £192-204 (£16-17/month)
Customer saves £36-48/year. You get guaranteed recurring revenue.
Tiered Pricing (Best Practice)
Offer 3 tiers to capture different customer segments:
Basic Plan
£18/mo
- • Annual service
- • Safety check
- • 5% parts discount
MOST POPULAR
Standard Plan
£30/mo
- • Bi-annual service
- • Priority callout
- • 10% parts discount
- • Free minor repairs
Premium Plan
£50/mo
- • Quarterly service
- • 24hr emergency callout
- • 15% parts discount
- • Free labor on repairs
Contract Structure: What to Include
Your maintenance contract needs these clauses to protect you and set expectations:
1. Service Schedule
"Service visits will occur [quarterly/bi-annually/annually] on dates mutually agreed. Customer will receive 7 days notice before each visit."
2. Scope of Service
"Each visit includes: [specific checklist]. Repairs requiring parts over £50 will be quoted separately and require customer approval before proceeding."
3. Payment Terms
"Monthly payment of £[X] due on the 1st of each month via Direct Debit. Annual contracts may be paid upfront for 10% discount (£[Y] total)."
4. Cancellation Policy
"Either party may cancel with 30 days written notice. Customers canceling before 12 months will be charged the difference between contract price and standard callout rates for services already received."
5. Priority Response Time
"Contract customers receive priority emergency callout within [24/48] hours. Non-contract emergency calls are scheduled based on availability and may incur premium rates."
Selling the Contract: The 3-Step Close
You're already in front of the customer. They trust you. Here's how to convert them:
Step 1: The End-of-Job Pitch
"Great, your boiler's all sorted. While I'm here, I want to mention our Annual Care Plan. For £30/month, you get two service visits a year, priority callout if anything goes wrong, and 10% off parts. Most of my customers are on it because it saves them money and means I catch problems before they become expensive. Want me to set you up?"
Why it works: Timing (you just solved their problem), social proof (most customers are on it), immediate value (saves money + prevents issues)
Step 2: The Savings Breakdown
Show them the math on paper:
| Service | Without Contract | With Contract |
|---|---|---|
| Annual service | £120 | Included |
| Mid-year check | £80 | Included |
| Emergency callout | £95 | Free (priority) |
| Total value | £295+ | £360/year (£30/mo) |
Savings: £0 upfront + peace of mind + you're covered if something breaks
Step 3: Remove Friction
- Set up Direct Debit immediately: "Let me get your bank details now and we'll have you set up in 2 minutes."
- Book first service visit: "I've got a slot in [month]. Does [day/time] work for you?"
- Leave contract copy: Printed or emailed contract they can review. No "I'll think about it."
Retention Tactics: Keep Them Subscribed
Selling the contract is step one. Keeping them subscribed is where the real value lives. Use these tactics:
1. Never Miss a Visit
- Auto-schedule: Book next visit before you leave current one
- Reminders: Text + email 7 days before, then 1 day before
- Show up on time: Contract customers = VIP treatment
2. Document Everything
- Service reports: What you checked, what you fixed, what they should watch
- Before/after photos: Visual proof you did the work
- Email summary: "Here's what we did today. Next visit: [date]."
3. Add Value Mid-Contract
- Seasonal tips: "Winter's coming—here's how to protect your pipes" email
- Exclusive offers: "Contract customers get first access to our spring cleaning special"
- Free small wins: Replace £2 washer during visit without charging—builds goodwill
4. Annual Renewal Conversation
60 days before renewal: Send renewal notice with updated pricing (if applicable)
30 days before: Phone call: "Just checking in—your contract renews next month. Any changes to your boiler/property I should know about?"
Renewal day: Auto-renew unless they cancel. Send "Thanks for another year!" email with next service date.
The Bottom Line
Reactive businesses die in recessions. Proactive businesses—built on recurring contracts—survive and thrive because the revenue is predictable.
Start with 10 contracts this quarter. Add 5 more per month. By this time next year, you'll have 70+ contracts bringing in £2,500/month before you even answer the phone.
The pitch is simple: "For the cost of one emergency callout, you get two visits, priority service, and discounts all year." Most customers say yes. The ones who don't aren't your best customers anyway.
Build a pricing command center in Toolfy
- •Quote templates, emergency premiums, and deposits all in one library
- •Real-time job costing shows margin before you send the quote
- •Scenario calculators feed straight into invoices and payment plans
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