The problem
How much do you charge for a hot water heater install? You know the number. But you're typing it into every bid and every invoice, and every time there's a small risk of entering it wrong or quoting it inconsistently to two clients who compare notes.
Why we built it
Your prices shouldn't live in your head. The price book stores standard services, common materials, and their rates. Add any saved item to a bid or invoice in two taps — consistent, fast, no re-entry.
How it works
- 1
In Settings or from a bid, tap "Price book" and add a new item: name, description, unit rate.
- 2
When building a bid or invoice, tap "Add from price book" and select the item.
- 3
Line item lands at your saved rate. Adjust quantity if needed.
What changes for your business
Before
Retype the same services on every quote. Inconsistent rates. Occasional errors.
After
Price book holds your standard items. Two taps to add. Same rate every time.
Common questions
What is flat rate pricing for HVAC and trades contractors?
Flat rate pricing means charging a fixed price for a specific service regardless of how long it actually takes. Instead of billing by the hour, you tell the client "a furnace tune-up is $189" and that's the number. You carry the risk if the job runs long, but you keep the upside if you run it efficiently.
What is the difference between flat rate and hourly billing?
Hourly billing ties your revenue to your time — you earn more when jobs run long, but clients also watch the clock nervously. Flat rate billing prices the outcome. The client knows the total before you start. Your profit comes from doing the job efficiently, not from taking longer.
Should HVAC and trades contractors switch to flat rate pricing?
Most experienced contractors make more on flat rate than hourly once they've learned to price their work correctly. The risk is in the transition — getting your prices right takes discipline up front. The upside is predictable revenue and clients who don't negotiate over time.
How do I build a flat rate price book for my trade?
Start with your most common services. For each one, calculate the real cost — materials, your labor time at your target rate, an overhead share, and margin. Set a flat price that covers all of it. Save each service to your DIRT price book. When you quote a job, pull from the book instead of recalculating from scratch.
How does DIRT's price book keep pricing consistent across bids?
Your saved rates in DIRT don't change unless you change them. Every time you add a water heater install to a bid, it comes in at the same price. Two clients who compare quotes see the same number. Consistency is one of the practical advantages of flat rate pricing over hourly.
How do I add a new service to my DIRT price book?
In Settings or from a bid, tap "Price book" and add a new item: name, description, and unit rate. Once saved, it's available on all future bids and invoices. You can also add to the price book by voice from the job site if you want to capture a new rate in the moment.
What do I put in a contractor price book besides service labor?
Common materials and their typical cost, service call or diagnostic fees, disposal or haul charges, standard trip fees, and any specialty items you quote repeatedly. The more complete your price book, the faster you can build an accurate bid without doing fresh math on every line.
Can I adjust the price book rate on one specific bid without changing the saved price?
Yes. When you add a saved item to a bid, the rate pre-fills from the price book but you can override it for that job. The saved rate stays unchanged for future bids. This is useful when materials costs have spiked or when a job has unusual access or conditions.
Start free
Try it free.
Every DIRT plan includes this feature — Solo included. No credit card, no trial that expires. Set up in minutes and use it on your next job from the truck.