The SolidScope Blog
Straight-talking guides on pricing, quoting, and running a service business that actually makes money. Written for the trades, not for accountants.
Stop Starting Jobs for Free — How to Charge Deposits Without the Awkwardness
Working for free until payday isn't a business model. Here's when to charge a deposit, how much to ask for, and the exact words to use.
Pricing FundamentalsYour Hourly Rate Is Probably Wrong. Here's How to Find the Real Number
Doubling your worker's wage isn't a pricing strategy. Here's how to build your real hourly rate from burdened labor, overhead, and margin, with the math.
House CleaningRecurring Clients Are Worth More Than You're Charging Them
Most cleaners discount recurring clients by a round, arbitrary number instead of the real drop in labor time. Here's how to price it correctly, with the math.
Specialty ContractingOne Underpriced Window Job a Week Is a $10K Leak You'd Never Notice
Most specialty contractors quote from a quick guess, not a real cost. One underestimated repair job a week can bleed $10,000 a year without ever showing up as a bad month.
Window CleaningPer Pane, Per Hour, or Per Job? Most Window Cleaners Pick the Worst Option
Per pane, per hour, and flat per-job pricing can all work — but none of them protect your margin unless you build the number from your true cost first. Here's the fix, with the math.
MovingFlat Rate or Hourly for Moving Jobs? One of These Is Quietly Killing Your Margin
Flat rate feels safer to customers, hourly feels safer to movers — but either one can quietly drain your margin. Here's how to price the job right, with the math.
Lawn Care & LandscapingThe Lawn Care Pricing Mistake That Costs You $8,000 a Year
Most lawn care owners price every yard the same — but a yard with gates, slopes, and flower beds takes twice as long as a flat open lawn. Here's the fix, with the math.
Pressure WashingThe Pressure Washing Pricing Mistake Most Owners Don't Catch
Charging a flat price per square foot sounds fair — but it can't tell an easy driveway from a three-hour grind. Here's how to price the job you'll actually do, with the math.
Pricing FundamentalsSmall Jobs Aren't the Problem. Underpricing Them Is.
There's nothing wrong with small jobs — the problem is not knowing your floor. Here's how to set a minimum job fee so every service call actually pays.
Pricing FundamentalsYour Overhead Rate Is Probably Wrong. Here's How to Calculate the Real One.
Overhead is the cost of running your business that no single job pays for — and most owners never calculate it. Here's the simple formula, with a worked example.
Pricing FundamentalsMargin vs. Markup: The Mistake That Costs You on Every Job
A 30% markup is not a 30% margin. Confusing the two means earning less than you think on every quote. Here's the difference, with the math.
Pricing FundamentalsWhat Is Burdened Labor Cost — And Why It's Quietly Killing Your Margins
If you price jobs off your workers' hourly wage, you're losing money on every one. Here's the number you should be using instead.
House CleaningMost House Cleaners Underprice by $30 a Job. Here's the Fix.
The step-by-step method for quoting a cleaning job so you actually make money — covering labor, supplies, and the costs most cleaners forget.