Summary
- The Houston HVAC contractor that posts a diagnostic fee charges $85, just under the national median of $89.95, and one Houston moving company advertises rates from $99 an hour.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 70 Houston 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*
The Houston HVAC contractor that posts a diagnostic fee charges $85, just under the national median of $89.95, and one Houston moving company advertises rates from $99 an hour. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 70 Houston 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 Houston businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what Houston-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the Texas rules that affect the bill.
Houston prices at a glance
| Job | What Houston businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC diagnostic | $85 (1 business) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| Electrician dispatch fee | $75 (1 business) | $77 (8 businesses) |
| Movers, per hour, starting price | From $99 (1 business) | $142.50 for two movers and a truck (46 businesses) |
| Each additional mover, per hour | $30 (1 business) | $50 |
| Carpentry repair, starting price | From $650 (1 business) | No national median |
| In-person carpentry estimate | $175, credited to the job (1 business) | No national median |
Every Houston figure comes from a single business, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical Houston price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many Houston businesses post prices
8 of the 70 Houston businesses we checked list a price on their website (11.4%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. Across the 11 Southern metros in the study, 13.0% do.
| Trade | Businesses checked | With a price |
|---|---|---|
| Moving companies | 12 | 3 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 3 |
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 1 |
| Electricians | 12 | 1 |
| Plumbers | 12 | 0 |
| Roofers | 10 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What Houston tradespeople earn
Houston-area tradespeople earn less than the national median in all five trades. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians are 3% to 6% below it, while carpenters and roofers both earn 18% less, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | Houston-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $28.45 an hour | $30.38 an hour | −6% |
| Plumbers | $29.47 an hour | $30.67 an hour | −4% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $28.34 an hour | $29.33 an hour | −3% |
| Carpenters | $23.88 an hour | $29.12 an hour | −18% |
| Roofers | $21.87 an hour | $26.65 an hour | −18% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands 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.
Movers in Houston
Three of the 12 Houston moving companies list rates. One advertises moves from $99 an hour. Another bills two movers at $25 per 15 minutes once the first two hours are up, which works out to $100 an hour, and adds $2 a mile beyond 25 miles. The third charges $30 an hour for each additional mover.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck and $50 an hour for each extra mover. The Houston starting rate is well below the national median, and the Houston extra-mover rate is $20 below it.
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.
Carpenters in Houston
Three of the 12 Houston carpenters list prices. One charges $175 for an in-person estimate and credits it to the job. Another builds media walls from $3,000. The third posts starting prices for structural repairs: small repairs from $650, joist or subfloor repairs from $1,800, beam sistering from $3,500 and load-bearing wall removal from $10,000.
Carpenters across the study rarely post comparable prices, so there's no national median for these jobs. Houston-area carpenters earn a median $23.88 an hour, 18% below the national median.
HVAC contractors in Houston
One of the 12 Houston HVAC contractors lists a price: an $85 diagnostic fee.
The national median diagnostic fee in the study is $89.95, and HomeAdvisor's AC repair guide puts a diagnostic visit at $75 to $200. Nationally, the median tune-up is $134 and new furnaces start at a median of $4,200. More in our HVAC price guide.
Electricians in Houston
One of the 12 Houston electricians lists a price: a $75 dispatch fee that can be waived.
Nationally, electricians that post a fee just to come out charge a median of $77, so the Houston fee is in line with it. Others charge $149 to $275 for a visit that includes troubleshooting or the first hour, and HomeAdvisor's electrician guide gives $100 to $200 for a service call that covers the first hour. More in our electrician price guide.
Plumbers in Houston
None of the 12 Houston plumbers we checked list a price.
For a guide, plumbers across the study charge a median of $97 to come out and $147.50 to clear a single drain, and water heater installations start at a median of $1,900. HomeAdvisor's plumber guide puts most plumbers at $70 to $120 an hour nationally. Houston-area plumbers earn a median $29.47 an hour, 4% below the national median. More in our plumber price guide.
Roofers in Houston
None of the 10 Houston roofers we checked list a price, and roofers are the trade least likely to post one 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. Houston-area roofers earn a median $21.87 an hour, 18% below the national median.
Sales tax on Houston 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 Houston 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
Houston prices come from the websites of 70 Houston 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.