Day Rate
A daily charge for a tradesperson's labour, used as an alternative to a fixed project price — common for smaller jobs or work where the scope is hard to define upfront.
A day rate is the amount a tradesperson or contractor charges per day of work on your project. Instead of agreeing on a total price for the whole job, you pay for each day (or half-day) the worker is on site. Day rates are common for smaller tasks, handyman work, or projects where the exact scope of work is difficult to pin down in advance.
How day rates work
The contractor arrives, works for the day, and you pay the agreed daily fee. Materials are usually charged separately on top of the day rate. A typical working day is 8 hours, though this can vary — always clarify what a “day” means before agreeing.
When day rates make sense
- Small or simple jobs — hanging doors, fitting shelving, minor repairs
- Exploratory work — investigating a damp problem or opening up a wall to see what’s behind it
- Flexible scope — when you want to direct the work as it progresses
- Trusted tradespeople — when you know someone works efficiently
When to avoid day rates
- Large renovation projects — for anything substantial, a fixed-price contract gives you much better cost certainty
- Unknown tradespeople — without trust, there’s little incentive to work efficiently
- Well-defined scope — if you know exactly what you want done, get a fixed quotation
Protecting yourself with day rates
- Agree the rate in writing before work starts, including what hours are covered
- Set a maximum number of days or a budget cap so costs don’t spiral
- Be present or check in regularly — day rate work benefits from active oversight
- Keep a log of days worked and what was accomplished each day
Day rates can be cost-effective for the right type of work, but they put the time risk on you rather than the contractor. If a job takes longer than expected, your bill grows.