Summary
- Washington, DC plumbers that post a fee charge $49 to $150 to come out or diagnose a problem, and DC handyman services charge $65 to $130 for the first hour.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 Washington, DC 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*
Washington, DC plumbers that post a fee charge $49 to $150 to come out or diagnose a problem, and DC handyman services charge $65 to $130 for the first hour. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 Washington, DC 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 DC-area businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what DC-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the District rules that affect the bill.
Washington, DC prices at a glance
| Job | What DC businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber trip or diagnostic fee | $49 to $150 (2 businesses) | $97 (22 businesses) |
| Drain snaking, starting price | From $125 (1 business) | $147.50 for a single drain (12 businesses) |
| Water heater, installed | $1,900 to $11,000 (1 business) | From $1,900 (5 businesses) |
| HVAC service call | $95, can be waived (1 business) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| Two movers, per hour, starting price | From $139 (1 business) | $142.50 with a truck (46 businesses) |
| Handyman, first hour | $65 to $130 (2 businesses) | No national median |
| Single-ply flat roof, per square foot | From $6.25 (1 business) | No national median |
Most DC figures come from one or two businesses, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical DC price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many DC businesses post prices
12 of the 72 Washington, DC businesses we checked list a price on their website (16.7%), 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 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 4 |
| Moving companies | 12 | 2 |
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 1 |
| Roofers | 12 | 1 |
| Electricians | 12 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What DC-area tradespeople earn
DC-area electricians, HVAC technicians and plumbers earn well above the national median, 20%, 18% and 13% more. Carpenters earn the same as the national median, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | DC-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $36.50 an hour | $30.38 an hour | +20% |
| Plumbers | $34.55 an hour | $30.67 an hour | +13% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $34.58 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +18% |
| Carpenters | $29.23 an hour | $29.12 an hour | 0% |
| Roofers | $28.05 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +5% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area, which includes the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. 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 Washington, DC
Four of the 12 DC plumbers list prices. One charges a $49 trip fee. Another charges $75 for a diagnostic in Virginia and $150 in DC and Maryland, and lists hydro jetting from $950, sewer repairs from $1,500, water filtration systems from $1,600 and water heaters installed for $1,900 to $11,000. A third snakes drains from $125, typically up to $280. The fourth repairs toilets from $289.
Across the study, plumbers charge a median of $97 to come out and $147.50 to clear a single drain. The $1,900 starting price for a water heater matches the national median starting price, and HomeAdvisor's water heater guide gives $600 to $2,500 for a tank model and $1,400 to $3,900 for a tankless one. More in our plumber price guide.
Carpenters and handymen in Washington, DC
Four of the 12 DC carpenters list prices. Two are handyman services: one charges $65 an hour, the other $130 for the first hour and $100 an hour after that, $380 for a half day and $630 for a full day. A third charges $95 an hour for work outside its service plan, and the fourth starts remodels at $100,000.
Carpenters across the study rarely post comparable prices, so there's no national median for these jobs. DC-area carpenters earn a median $29.23 an hour, the same as the national median.
Movers in Washington, DC
Two of the 12 DC moving companies list rates. One starts at $139 an hour for two men, $169 for three, $195 for four and $215 for five. The other lists crew rates from $165, $185 and $205 an hour.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck, $190 for three and $249 for four. The first company's starting rates sit close to the national medians for two and three movers and below them for four. A move between DC, Maryland and Virginia crosses a state line, so federal rules apply: the mover needs a USDOT number, which you can check through the federal regulator's Protect Your Move site (FMCSA). More in our moving price guide.
HVAC contractors in Washington, DC
One of the 12 DC HVAC contractors lists prices: a $95 residential service call that can be waived, $250 an hour for labor and $370 for a commercial service call.
The residential call is close to 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 and new furnaces start at a median of $4,200. More in our HVAC price guide.
Roofers in Washington, DC
One of the 12 DC roofers lists a price: single-ply flat roofing from $6.25 a square foot.
Roofers are the trade least likely to post a price nationally (7.5%). For repairs, HomeAdvisor's roof repair guide puts a typical job at $395 to $1,968, with an average of $1,174.
Electricians in Washington, DC
None of the 12 DC electricians we checked list a price.
Nationally, electricians that post a call fee charge a median of $77 just to come out, or $149 to $275 for a visit that includes troubleshooting or the first hour. HomeAdvisor's electrician guide gives $100 to $200 for a service call that covers the first hour. DC-area electricians earn a median $36.50 an hour, 20% above the national median. More in our electrician price guide.
Sales tax on DC home repairs
The District taxes some home maintenance services. The Office of Tax and Revenue lists services such as pest control, cleaning, pool maintenance, snow removal, trash removal and "furnace and A/C cleaning and lubricating" as taxable. Major repairs such as waterproofing, masonry repair, pump repair and re-tiling are listed as not taxable (DC Office of Tax and Revenue). If a DC quote is for maintenance rather than repair, ask whether sales tax is added. Maryland and Virginia suburbs follow their own state rules.
Checking a DC contractor
The District requires all home improvement contractors to hold a Home Improvement Contractor license from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, backed by a $25,000 surety bond. DLCP's SCOUT system shows whether a contractor is licensed, and plumbers and electricians can be checked in its professional license search (DLCP). In the suburbs, Maryland contractors are licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission and Virginia contractors by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
How the figures were collected
Washington, DC prices come from the websites of 72 DC-area 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.