Every skilled worker in Pakistan knows the same awkward moment: the customer asks "kitne paise?" and you have ten seconds to name a figure that is fair to both sides. Quote too low and you spend the day earning less than your travel cost. Quote too high and the customer thanks you and calls someone else. The answer is not a magic number — there isn't one. It is a range, honestly explained, that reflects your city, the job's difficulty, and what is included. This guide gives those ranges for the most common trades, explains what pushes a price to the top or bottom of a range, and shows how to quote so that the customer says yes and still calls you next time.
How to think about your rate
Before any number, fix three things in your head. First, your day cost: travel, food, tool wear, and the days you earn nothing. A worker who charges less than his day cost on a full-day job is paying the customer for the privilege of working. Second, your scope: exactly what the price includes and excludes — labour only or labour plus material, one visit or a revisit if the fault returns, finishing and cleanup included or not. Third, your city band: as a rough rule, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad sit at the top of each range below, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad and Peshawar in the middle, and smaller towns toward the bottom — though a specialist in a small town can still command a good rate if there is little competition.
With that in mind, quote in three steps: a range on the phone after two or three questions, a confirmed figure after seeing the work, and a short written note (even a WhatsApp message) of what was agreed. That habit alone ends most disputes.
Electrician: common labour ranges
- Visit and inspection: roughly Rs 500–1,500, often adjusted against the job if you are hired. Night or emergency visits commonly run higher.
- Ceiling fan fitting: roughly Rs 800–2,000 per fan, depending on wiring condition and whether a new point is needed.
- Light point, socket or switch replacement: roughly Rs 300–1,000 per point for simple replacements; new concealed points cost more because of cutting and finishing.
- Distribution board / breaker work: roughly Rs 2,000–8,000, rising with the number of breakers, rewiring, and safety additions like proper earthing.
- Full room or house wiring: priced per point or per square foot in practice, and varies so much with house size and wire quality that no honest guide can fix it — get a site visit and a written estimate.
What moves you up the range: old or damaged wiring, concealed work that needs cutting and plaster repair, imported fittings, and urgent night work. What moves you down: a straightforward replacement in a new house, a regular customer, or several small jobs done in one visit.
Plumber: common labour ranges
- Visit and inspection: roughly Rs 500–1,500, on the same adjusted-against-the-job basis as electricians.
- Tap, shower or flush tank fitting: roughly Rs 800–2,500 per fitting, depending on brand, wall condition and whether pipes must be altered.
- Leakage repair: roughly Rs 1,000–4,000 for accessible joints and taps; concealed pipe leaks that need breaking and repair cost significantly more.
- Drain blockage clearing: roughly Rs 1,000–3,500, rising with the length of line and the equipment needed.
- Water motor or tank installation: roughly Rs 2,000–6,000 labour, with the motor, tank and fittings separate.
Plumbing prices swing on access: a joint under an open sink is a quick job; the same joint behind tiles is half a day. Say so plainly when you quote, and agree in advance who pays for tile and plaster repair after concealed work.
AC technician, painter and other trades
- Split AC general service: roughly Rs 1,500–3,500 per unit for a standard wash and check; gas refilling is separate and varies with gas type and quantity.
- Split AC installation: roughly Rs 5,000–12,000 labour, rising with piping length, bracket work and floor height.
- Room painting (labour): roughly Rs 15–40 per square foot for standard emulsion work, with putty, primer, texture and enamel finishes pushing higher; large houses are usually quoted as a lump sum after a visit.
- Tailoring (common jobs): simple stitching ranges vary enormously by city and design — a plain shalwar kameez in a small town may run a few hundred rupees in labour, while a designed suit in a big city runs several thousand. Quote per garment after seeing the cloth and design.
- Day-rate work (mason, carpenter, helper): daily labour commonly falls around Rs 1,200–3,000 for helpers and Rs 2,000–5,000 for skilled masons and carpenters, varying by city and season, with the mistri or contractor rate higher still.
These are starting ranges for conversation, not rate cards. Two workers can honestly charge different figures for the same job because their speed, finishing quality, tools and guarantees differ — and customers can feel that difference.
What pushes a price up or down
- City and area: big-city rates run higher; within a city, distant areas add travel time that must be priced in.
- Urgency: same-day, night and holiday calls fairly cost more. Say the emergency premium upfront, not at the end.
- Complexity and risk: work at height, concealed pipes, old wiring and gas lines deserve higher rates — and proper safety precautions.
- Material quality: if you supply material, show the shop bill. A transparent bill removes the suspicion that hides behind many disputes.
- Your reputation: a worker with genuine reviews and repeat customers can charge the top of a range. That is earned, not claimed.
- Volume: a customer offering five fans, three bathrooms or a full house deserves a better per-unit figure — and will remember the fairness.
How to quote without arguments
Use this short script on every call. Ask what the problem is, where it is, and how old the fitting or wiring is. Give a range and name what would push it higher. Visit, look properly, then confirm one figure and what it includes — labour, material, cleanup, and whether a revisit is included if the same fault returns within a few days. Send it on WhatsApp so both sides have it in writing. If the customer wants a cheaper option, explain honestly what changes: a simpler fitting, a repair instead of a replacement, or a smaller scope — never a silent cut in quality.
Finally, review your own rates every few months. Material prices, petrol and rents move, and a rate that was fair last year may now leave you working at a loss. Raise rates gradually, tell regular customers in advance, and let your quality and punctuality justify the figure. Workers who explain their prices keep customers; workers who apologise for them lose money.
Frequently asked questions
Should I charge a fixed price or an hourly rate?
For most home jobs in Pakistan, a per-job quote works better than an hourly rate, because customers want to know the total before work starts. Give a range on the phone, then confirm a final figure after seeing the work. Hourly billing suits long, open-ended jobs where the scope cannot be fixed in advance.
Should material be included in my quoted price?
State it explicitly either way. Many workers quote labour only, with the customer buying material or paying for it at shop rates with a bill shown. Whatever you choose, say it before starting — most price disputes come from material that nobody mentioned.
Why do rates differ so much between cities?
Rent, travel, competition and customer budgets all differ. Big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad generally support higher ranges than smaller towns, where a worker's day rate is lower but so are travel and living costs. Always price for your own city, not for a rate you heard about somewhere else.
What should I do when a customer says another worker quoted less?
Explain what your price includes — proper material, neat finishing, safety checks and a revisit if the same fault returns soon. Then let the customer decide. Dropping your price below a fair level usually means cutting corners, and that costs you far more in reputation than the job was worth.
Your next step
Write down your own ranges tonight: visit charge, your five most common jobs, and your emergency premium — then put them on your profile so customers arrive already informed. Compare notes with the Skilled Workers directory, complete your Worker profile with clear ranges, and watch today's jobs for work in your trade and city. صاف ریٹ اور ایمانداری سے کیا ہوا کام — یہی اچھے گاہک اور اچھی کمائی کی بنیاد ہے۔