True Labor Burden Calculator

Base Compensation

Hourly Base Wage

What you pay per hour on the check

Annual Paid Hours

Typically 2,080 (40 hrs × 52 wks)

Taxes & Mandatory Insurance

Payroll Tax Rate

FICA + FUTA + SUTA + Gen. Liability (~9%)

Workers' Comp Rate

Trades typically 6–12% of base wages

Benefits (Annual $)

Health, Dental & Vision

Employer-paid portion per year

Retirement Match / 401(k)

Employer contribution per year

Vehicle & Field Costs (Annual $)

Truck / Vehicle Cost

Payment + insurance + gas + maintenance

Tools, Tech & Uniforms

Software, equipment, PPE, field supplies

Other Annual Costs

Training, certifications, miscellaneous

Labor Utilization Rate

What % of paid hours are billed to clients?

65%

40% (struggling)65% (typical)100%

Most $1M–$10M trade businesses run 60–70%. Drive-time, meetings, and shop time eat the rest.

Current Billing Rate

What you currently bill per hour

Enter $0 to skip this check

Annual Cost Breakdown

Base Salary—

Payroll Taxes & Insurance—

Workers' Comp—

Health & Benefits—

Retirement Match—

Vehicle Costs—

Tools, Tech & Uniforms—

Other—

Total Annual Cost —

Base Hourly Cost

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Fully Burdened (all hrs)

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True Cost / Billable Hr

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Actual Gross Margin

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What Should I Charge?

Target Net Profit Margin %

Overhead Allocation per Hour

Min Billing Rate to Hit Goal —

Break-Even Floor Rate

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True cost per billable hour — charging below this loses money on labor alone, before overhead or profit.

Hourly Rates

Base Wage

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Fully Burdened

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True Cost / Billable Hour

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Actual Gross Margin

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Break-Even Floor

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Annual Cost Breakdown

Cost Breakdown

Base Salary—

Payroll Taxes & Insurance—

Workers' Comp—

Health & Benefits—

Retirement Match—

Vehicle Costs—

Tools, Tech & Uniforms—

Other—

Total Annual Cost—

What Should I Charge?

Target Net Profit Margin

Overhead Allocation / Hour

Min Rate to Hit Goal —