Property managers want a predictable monthly number and fast answers when something breaks. The trap is a flat monthly price that quietly includes every work order. Price the routine visit as the plan, and price work orders by the hour or from a menu, with a response time you can keep.
- Separate the monthly plan from work orders. The plan covers the routine; work orders are billed.
- Fixr puts handyman rates at $50 to $100 an hour, most around $65, with $130 the most common minimum.
- Fixr lists maintenance tasks by a handyman at $100 to $280.
- Lawn mowing runs $75 to $200 a visit in Fixr's guide, if grounds are part of the contract.
- Write the response time into the contract and price it.
Setting your labor rate
Start with the wage. The closest group the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes is general maintenance and repair workers. In its May 2025 wage survey, that group's national mean wage was $25.86 an hour and the median was $23.84 (BLS OEWS 49-9071).
Add your labor burden on top: payroll taxes, workers' comp and any paid time off. If burden in your state comes to 20% of wages, a $26 an hour tech costs you $31.20 an hour. That loaded number is what goes into the job cost.
Published rates
| Work | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Handyman, per hour | $50 to $100, most around $65 | Fixr |
| Handyman minimum charge | Most common $130 | Fixr |
| Maintenance tasks | $100 to $280 | Fixr |
| Repairs | $75 to $700 | Fixr |
| Lawn mowing, per visit | $75 to $200 | Fixr |
A worked example: a 12-unit building, monthly
Every input is an assumption for the example.
- Scope: one monthly walkthrough of common areas with filter changes, bulbs and small fixes, plus an average of two work orders a month.
- Time: four hours for the walkthrough and an hour and a half per work order, at $31.20 an hour loaded.
- Parts: $40 a month for filters, bulbs and small parts.
- Driving at 76 cents a mile, the IRS business rate for the second half of 2026 (IRS standard mileage rates).
- Overhead 20% of the price and profit 15%.
- Monthly walkthrough and small fixes: 4 hours x $31.20 = $124.80
- Two work orders: 2 x 1.5 hours x $31.20 = $93.60
- Filters, bulbs and small parts: $40
- Drive: 3 trips x 15 miles x $0.76 = $34.20
- Direct cost: $124.80 + $93.60 + $40 + $34.20 = $292.60
- Overhead plus profit: 20% + 15% = 35% of the price
- Price: $292.60 / (1 - 0.35) = $292.60 / 0.65 = $450
Check it: 35% of $450 is about $158, and $450 minus $158 is about $292, the direct cost of $292.60. The profit and overhead are inside the price, not added on top of a cost you guessed.
That is about $64.29 for each hour of work, close to the $65 an hour Fixr says most handymen charge. If work orders run over two a month, bill the extra by the hour.
What the contract should say
- What the monthly visit covers, and what it does not.
- Work order rate, minimum and response time.
- Who buys parts over a set amount, and the markup.
- After-hours and emergency rates.
- Billing date and how the manager approves work over a limit.
On Front Office, Koira's maintenance plans bill the monthly plan and book its visits, crew clock in and out of jobs, and commercial outreach writes to property managers near you.
Common property maintenance pricing mistakes
- Unlimited work orders. A flat price with no cap loses money on the busy month.
- Turnovers in the plan. Unit turnovers are projects. Quote them.
- Parts at cost. Buying and fetching parts is time. Mark them up.
- Response time promised, not priced. Same-day service needs a rate.
Sources
Every published figure on this page was read on the source page itself on the date shown. Worked example inputs are assumptions, labeled as such.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, Maintenance and Repair Workers, General (49-9071), checked October 9, 2026
- Fixr: Handyman cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Fixr: Lawn mowing prices, checked October 9, 2026
- IRS: Standard mileage rates, checked October 9, 2026
Questions contractors ask
How much should I charge for a property maintenance contract?
Price the routine visit from hours, parts and trips, and bill work orders on top. Fixr puts most handymen at about $65 an hour.
What is a normal minimum for a maintenance call?
Fixr says the most common handyman minimum is $130.
Should work orders be in the monthly price?
Only a set number. Bill the rest by the hour so a busy month does not cost you.
What do maintenance tasks cost?
Fixr lists maintenance tasks by a handyman at $100 to $280.
