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As a rule of thumb, many tradespeople apply 15-30% markup on total costs — these are typical trade conventions rather than a fixed standard, so adjust to your own business. Markup is a gross contribution: it covers overheads not directly billed (admin time, vehicle wear, tools, insurance) AND provides your net profit on top. Higher-skill specialist work often justifies 25-40%.

As a rule of thumb, 10% waste suits most materials. Tiling and flooring commonly need 10-15% for cuts, and plasterboard around 5-10%; complex layouts with many cuts can require up to 20%. These are typical trade-practice figures — always follow the manufacturer’s recommended wastage for the specific product where one is stated.

Yes - travel is a real cost including fuel, vehicle wear, and your time. Most tradespeople either include a flat call-out charge or add travel time at a reduced hourly rate. Be transparent about this in your quote.

The 5% reduced rate applies to certain residential renovation and conversion work — for example a conversion that changes the number of dwellings in a building (splitting a house into flats, or combining flats into one home), and renovating a dwelling that has been empty for 2+ years (VAT Notice 708 sections 7 and 8). Note: installing energy-saving materials such as insulation, solar panels and heat pumps is currently ZERO-RATED (0%) — not 5% — in Great Britain until 31 March 2027 (VAT Notice 708/6 section 2). Select the “Zero Rated” VAT option for those jobs, and always confirm eligibility with HMRC or your accountant.

A 5-10% contingency is wise for larger or complex jobs where hidden issues may arise (e.g., rewires, bathroom refits). For straightforward jobs, you may not need one, but ensure your markup covers minor unforeseen costs.

You can either pass materials through at cost (marking up labour only), add a small handling markup (10-15%), or include materials in a fixed-price quote. Be clear in your terms which approach you use.