Articles for US tradespeople and contractors
Related reading: How to Start a Tiling Business in the USA: The Complete Guide How Much Does a Tiler Charge Per Hour in the USA? (2026) How to Get More Work as a Tiler in the USA What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Tiler in the USA?
How to Quote for Tiling Work in the USA Tiling quotes require careful attention to material costs, which vary enormously by tile type and quality. A bathroom tiled in subway tile costs very differently from the same space done in large-format porcelain. Getting your materials estimate right — and protecting your margin when costs change…
Related reading: How to Start a Tiling Business in the USA: The Complete Guide How Much Does a Tiler Charge Per Hour in the USA? (2026) How to Get More Work as a Tiler in the USA How to Quote for Tiling Work in the USA: Rates, Templates and Tips
Related reading: How to Start a Tiling Business in the USA: The Complete Guide How Much Does a Tiler Charge Per Hour in the USA? (2026) What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Tiler in the USA? How to Quote for Tiling Work in the USA: Rates, Templates and Tips
Day rate Job margin Job pricing Target annual take-home ($) Working weeks/year Billable days (%) Self-employment tax (%) Monthly overheads ($) Min day rate — Recommended — Hourly rate — Invoice amount ($) Materials cost ($) Labour hours Your day rate ($) Total cost — Gross profit — Margin % — Estimated hours Hourly rate…
Related reading: How Much Does a Tiler Charge Per Hour in the USA? (2026) How to Get More Work as a Tiler in the USA What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Tiler in the USA? How to Quote for Tiling Work in the USA: Rates, Templates and Tips
Want to quote faster and win more work? CoreQuote lets you send professional quotes from your phone in seconds — free to start, no card required.
Net Energy Metering (NEM) is the billing arrangement that allows solar customers to receive credit for excess electricity they send back to the grid. For US solar installers, understanding NEM is essential – it’s how you justify the financial case for solar to every customer. How NEM Works When a solar system produces more electricity…
Quoting Software vs Spreadsheets: What Should US Contractors Use? Most US contractors start with spreadsheets. They are free, familiar, and flexible. But at some point — usually when you are quoting multiple jobs per week, losing track of which quotes have been approved, and spending evenings reformatting templates — the question of whether dedicated quoting…
Every US contractor quote should include terms and conditions. Without them, the only rules governing your project are whatever a judge decides seems reasonable – which is rarely what you intended. Essential Clauses for US Contractor T&Cs Payment terms: “A [25%] deposit is required at contract signing. Final balance is due upon substantial completion. Invoices…
Quote and estimate are often used interchangeably – but they have very different legal and practical meanings. Using the wrong one costs US contractors thousands of dollars in disputes every year. What Is a Quote? A quote (also called a “bid” in commercial contracting) is a fixed price offer for a defined scope of work….
Related reading: Is There a Free Quote App for Tradespeople in the UK? What is the Best Quoting Software for Tradespeople in the UK? What App Do Tradespeople Use to Create Quotes? Do Tradespeople Need Quoting Software or Is a Template Enough?
Free Quoting Apps for US Contractors: Are They Worth It? The market for contractor quoting apps includes several tools with free tiers — but not all free tiers are created equal. Some are genuinely free with no time limit. Others are free for 14 days and then expensive. Some put a watermark on every quote….
The Best Quoting App for Contractors in the USA (2026) The best quoting app for a US contractor depends heavily on the size and type of business. A solo plumber doing residential service work needs something different from a five-person general contracting firm managing commercial projects. This guide cuts through the noise and tells you…
How to Price Your Jobs When Material Costs Keep Changing Material price volatility has become a persistent challenge for US contractors. Lumber, copper, PVC, concrete — the prices you quoted materials at last month may not be what you pay this month. This guide covers practical strategies for protecting your margins when input costs are…
NABCEP certification is the solar industry’s most recognized credential and opens commercial work, better-paying residential clients, and access to solar financing company installer networks. Here’s the path. NABCEP PV Installation Professional: The Steps Step 1: Meet eligibility requirements The PV Installation Professional credential requires documented installation experience: – Advanced pathway: 58 hours of PV-specific training…
Not all contracting work is equally recession-resistant. High-end new kitchen renovations slow down when homeowners feel economically uncertain. Emergency plumbing repairs do not. Building a recession-proof contracting business means deliberately shaping your service mix, customer base, and finances to weather downturns. The Recession-Resistant vs Vulnerable Split More Recession-Resistant More Recession-Vulnerable Emergency repairs (electrical, plumbing) High-end…
Every self-employed US contractor faces this question at some point: do I stay broad and capture all residential work, or do I specialise and become the go-to person for one thing? In 2026, the answer is more nuanced than it used to be – and strongly market-dependent. The Case for Specialising You can charge more….
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 has created the largest sustained investment in green home upgrades in US history – and the contractors positioned to deliver EV chargers, solar, and heat pumps are among the best-placed tradespeople in the US economy right now. The Three Big Green Categories 1. EV Charger Installation With 7+…
Ask most US homeowners why they chose their contractor and they’ll say price. Ask them what made them trust the contractor enough to accept the quote and you’ll get a very different list. Research consistently shows that price is the last thing that closes the deal – trust is the thing that opens it. What…
The national home services franchises – the Mr. Rooters, the Mr. Electrics, the One Hour Heating and Air franchises – have spent billions building brand recognition. And yet homeowners are increasingly choosing the local independent contractor. Here is why, and how to make sure you’re capturing that preference. Why the Shift is Happening 1. Google…
Understanding where homeowners are spending helps contractors position their services, plan their marketing, and anticipate seasonal demand. Here is where US homeowner dollars are flowing in 2026. Top Home Improvement Categories USA 2026 Category 2026 Trend Key Driver HVAC replacement ↑ Strong Equipment age, heat pump incentives Kitchen remodel → Steady Homeowners staying put vs…
The short answer: yes, 2026 is one of the strongest environments for self-employed US contractors in recent memory. Skilled trades are in structural shortage, homeowner spending on improvement and repair is at historically elevated levels, and the green energy transition is creating entirely new revenue categories. Here is the fuller picture. The Case For Starting…
A repeat customer costs you nothing to acquire. No lead platform fees, no advertising spend, no bidding against three other contractors. They call you because they already trust you. Building a base of repeat customers is the single most profitable thing a self-employed US contractor can do. Why Repeat Customers Are Your Best Business Asset…
Scope creep – the gradual expansion of a project beyond its original agreed scope – is one of the biggest margin killers in US construction. The work keeps growing; the price stays fixed. Here’s how to stop it. What Scope Creep Looks Like “While you’re here, can you also…?” “I thought that included…” “The plans…
The certifications you need to install solar in the USA depend on your state, the type of solar work, and who you’re selling to. Here is the complete picture. Core Certifications Electrical Contractor License: The most important credential. Solar is electrical work – all solar installations connect to the electrical grid. Most states require a…
In the UK, Part P-qualified electricians can self-certify domestic electrical work. In the USA, there is no self-certification equivalent – all significant electrical work requires a permit pulled by the contractor and a final inspection by a government building inspector. The US Permit and Inspection Process Step 1: Pull a permit before starting work The…
Residential electrical work is one of the most accessible entry points to the US electrical trade, with a clear licensing pathway and strong demand driven by housing construction, renovations, EV charger installations, and aging electrical infrastructure across the country. Residential vs General Electrician License Some states offer a Residential Electrician or Residential Contractor license that…
The 2023 NEC (NFPA 70) introduces significant changes that every US residential and commercial electrician needs to understand – particularly around AFCI expansion, EV charging infrastructure, surge protection, and battery energy storage. Here are the changes that matter most for residential contractors. Key 2023 NEC Changes for Residential Electricians 1. AFCI Protection Expansion (Article 210.12)…
