Summary
- Dallas plumbers that post a diagnostic visit charge $39 or $49, well under the national service call median of $97, and one Dallas moving company charges $160 an hour for two movers.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 71 Dallas electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, carpenters, roofers and movers in October 2026, as part of the US Home Services Price Transparency Report 2026.
*Marketit research | October 2026*
Dallas plumbers that post a diagnostic visit charge $39 or $49, well under the national service call median of $97, and one Dallas moving company charges $160 an hour for two movers. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 71 Dallas electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, carpenters, roofers and movers in October 2026, as part of the US Home Services Price Transparency Report 2026.
For each trade you'll find what Dallas businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what Dallas-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the Texas rules that affect the bill.
Dallas prices at a glance
| Job | What Dallas businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC diagnostic, starting price | From $150 (1 business) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| AC or furnace maintenance, starting price | From $89 (1 business) | $134 (6 businesses) |
| Plumber diagnostic visit | $39 and $49 (2 businesses) | $97 service call (22 businesses) |
| Drain cleaning | $299 flat, or from $200 for a blockage (2 businesses) | $147.50 (12 businesses) |
| Water heater, installed | $750 to $1,400 (1 business) | From $1,900 (5 businesses) |
| Electrician troubleshooting, trip and first hour included | $228 (1 business) | $228 (5 businesses) |
| Electrical panel change | $2,800 to $8,500 (1 business) | $2,500 (7 businesses) |
| Two movers, per hour | $160 (1 business) | $142.50 with a truck (46 businesses) |
Every Dallas figure comes from one or two businesses, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical Dallas price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many Dallas businesses post prices
10 of the 71 Dallas businesses we checked list a price on their website (14.1%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. Across the 11 Southern metros in the study, 13.0% do.
| Trade | Businesses checked | With a price |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbers | 12 | 4 |
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 2 |
| Moving companies | 12 | 2 |
| Electricians | 12 | 1 |
| Roofers | 12 | 1 |
| Carpenters | 11 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What Dallas tradespeople earn
Dallas-area tradespeople earn less than the national median in all five trades. The gap is small for HVAC technicians and plumbers, 2% and 4%, and widest for carpenters, who earn 20% less, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | Dallas-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $28.37 an hour | $30.38 an hour | −7% |
| Plumbers | $29.45 an hour | $30.67 an hour | −4% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $28.63 an hour | $29.33 an hour | −2% |
| Carpenters | $23.44 an hour | $29.12 an hour | −20% |
| Roofers | $22.59 an hour | $26.65 an hour | −15% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area. They show what workers are paid, not what customers are charged. A business's rate also has to cover travel, vehicles, insurance and overhead.
Plumbers in Dallas
Four of the 12 Dallas plumbers list prices, more than any other trade in Dallas. Two post a low fee to diagnose a problem: $39 for a diagnostic visit, and $49 for a diagnosis that is waived if you hire the company. The second also lists faucet and shower installations at $150 to $350, water heater installations at $750 to $1,400 and drain blockages from $200. A third charges a flat $299 for drain cleaning. The fourth posts its after-hours fee: $99 for members of its service plan, $149 for other customers and $250 on holidays.
Across the study, plumbers charge a median of $97 to come out, so the two Dallas diagnostic fees are less than half of that. The national median for clearing a single drain is $147.50, about half the Dallas flat rate. Water heater installations start at a median of $1,900 nationally, and HomeAdvisor's water heater guide gives $600 to $2,500 installed for a tank model. More in our plumber price guide.
HVAC contractors in Dallas
Two of the 12 Dallas HVAC contractors list prices. One charges from $150 for a diagnostic and from $150 for a repair. The other posts a full price list: maintenance from $89, a condenser fan motor for $550, a blower motor for $550 to $750, and complete system replacements at $9,200 to $11,500 for 1.5 to 3 tons and $13,750 to $15,000 for 3 to 5 tons.
The Dallas diagnostic price is above the national median of $89.95 and inside the $75 to $200 that HomeAdvisor's AC repair guide gives for a diagnostic visit. Nationally, the median tune-up is $134. Complete system prices are rare in the study: only five HVAC contractors nationally post even a starting price for a furnace. More in our HVAC price guide.
Electricians in Dallas
One of the 12 Dallas electricians lists prices: $228 to diagnose and troubleshoot a problem with the trip and first hour included, EV charger installation from $650, a generator interlock kit for $828 and a panel change for $2,800 to $8,500.
The $228 matches the national median for a first-hour visit among the five US electricians that post one. HomeAdvisor's electrician guide gives $100 to $200 for a service call that covers the first hour. The EV charger price falls inside the $554 to $1,380 that HomeAdvisor gives for a Level 2 installation, and the panel range starts above the national median of $2,500. More in our electrician price guide.
Movers in Dallas
Two of the 12 Dallas moving companies list rates. One charges $160 an hour for two movers, $220 for three, $310 for four and $375 for five. The other offers loading and unloading of a rental truck from $90.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck, $190 for three and $249 for four. The Dallas rates are higher at every crew size, by $17.50 for two movers and $61 for four.
Moves within Texas are regulated by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Movers must be licensed with TxDMV, show their certificate number on both sides of their trucks and give you a written proposal before loading. After you sign, a licensed mover can't add charges unless you both agree in writing. TxDMV's Truck Stop lookup shows whether a mover is licensed (TxDMV). More in our moving price guide.
Roofers in Dallas
One of the 12 Dallas roofers lists a price: $299 for an attic and roof penetration inspection.
Roofers are the trade least likely to post a price nationally (7.5%). HomeAdvisor's roof repair guide puts a typical repair at $395 to $1,968, with an average of $1,174. Roofers in the study that do post prices mostly give starting prices for repairs, from $250 to $500.
Carpenters in Dallas
None of the 11 Dallas carpenters we checked list a price. Dallas-area carpenters earn a median $23.44 an hour, 20% below the national median and the widest gap of the five trades on this page.
Sales tax on Dallas home repairs
Texas doesn't tax the labor on home repairs. The state Comptroller's guidance says: "Labor to repair, remodel, or restore residential real property is not taxable." On a lump-sum job, the contractor pays tax on materials when buying them and doesn't charge you tax. On a contract that lists materials separately, the contractor can charge sales tax on those materials (Texas Comptroller). Work on commercial property is taxed on the full charge.
Checking a Dallas contractor
Texas licenses some trades and not others. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses electricians and air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, and the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners licenses plumbers. Both have free online license searches (TDLR, TSBPE). Texas has no state license for general contractors, roofers or carpenters, so for those trades ask for proof of insurance and check whether the job needs a city permit.
How the figures were collected
Dallas prices come from the websites of 71 Dallas businesses, the top Google Maps results with their own website for each of six trades. The sites were read in October 2026 and coded with an AI-assisted process against a written codebook. National medians come from all 1,782 businesses in the study, each counted once at its lowest price for a job. Wage figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, via O*NET OnLine. Full method and limitations: US Home Services Price Transparency Report 2026.