How we build UK trade prices you can actually rely on

Who runs this

TradeCost.uk is built and edited by Sunny Patel, an SEO consultant based in Reading who's spent the last decade building programmatic data sites for UK verticals. Every price band, regional multiplier and editorial choice on this site goes through a single pair of hands, which keeps the methodology consistent across all 14,000+ pages.

The site is not owned by, paid by, or affiliated with any tradesperson, agency or installer network. Our only commercial relationship is an affiliate link to Bark and Checkatrade on pages where users have already decided they want quotes — that doesn't influence the price bands we publish.

How we build the prices

1. Industry day rates first. Every trade starts with the trade body's published day-rate range for a qualified engineer — Gas Safe for heating, NICEIC for electrical, CIPHE for plumbing, FMB for building, and so on. We cross-reference published benchmarks with quotes posted on trade forums and homeowner communities.
2. National low/high bands. For each service, we set a national low (basic like-for-like job in a straightforward property) and a national high (complex install with upgrades). Complexity tiers break the middle ground into basic, standard and complex so you can match your actual job.
3. City multipliers. Each of the 260 UK cities on the site has a cost multiplier against the national average — from 0.78× in parts of Northern Ireland and rural Wales to 1.42× in Chelsea and Kensington. The multiplier reflects local wage levels, contractor density, material access and typical housing stock.
4. Regular refresh. Prices are reviewed at least once a quarter against the same industry sources. Material-heavy trades (roofing, landscaping, building) are checked more often because materials have moved sharply in recent years.

Editorial standards

• No paid placement. Tradespeople and installer networks cannot pay to appear, be recommended, or influence price bands.
• Affiliate transparency. Where a CTA links to a partner (currently Bark and Checkatrade), the link carries rel="sponsored" and the partner is named on the page.
• No invented data. Price bands are derived from stated sources (trade bodies, published day rates, forum quotes). Where a trade has thin market data, we flag low confidence rather than make up a number.
• Corrections welcome. If you're a qualified tradesperson and a price band looks wrong for your area, email the site with evidence and we'll review within seven days.
• Regulated trade flags. Heating (Gas Safe), electrical (Part P), and notifiable building work are clearly marked. We'll never recommend you do regulated work yourself.

What this site is not

TradeCost.uk is not a tradesperson directory, not a quote engine, and not a reviews platform. We point you at Bark and Checkatrade for quotes because they do that job properly; we focus on giving you a credible price expectation to bring to the conversation.

We're also not a replacement for a quote. Prices on this site are indicative averages. Always get at least three written quotes from certified tradespeople before committing to work.