Summary
- Baltimore plumbers that post a fee charge $69 to $189 to come out or diagnose a problem, and two Baltimore HVAC contractors charge $179, one for a service call and one for a tune-up.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 Baltimore 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*
Baltimore plumbers that post a fee charge $69 to $189 to come out or diagnose a problem, and two Baltimore HVAC contractors charge $179, one for a service call and one for a tune-up. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 Baltimore 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 Baltimore businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what Baltimore-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the Maryland rules that affect the bill.
Baltimore prices at a glance
| Job | What Baltimore businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber service call or diagnostic | $69 to $189 (3 businesses) | $97 (22 businesses) |
| HVAC service call | $179 (1 business) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| AC or heat pump tune-up | $179 (1 business) | $134 (6 businesses) |
| Electrician dispatch fee | $79 (1 business) | $77 (8 businesses) |
| Two movers, per hour | $200 (1 business) | $142.50 with a truck (46 businesses) |
| Roof repair, first two hours | $300, then $75 per half hour (1 business) | No national median |
| Gutter cleaning | $150 for a townhouse, $450 for a single-family home (1 business) | No national median |
Most Baltimore figures come from a single business, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical Baltimore price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many Baltimore businesses post prices
10 of the 72 Baltimore businesses we checked list a price on their website (13.9%), 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 |
| Roofers | 12 | 2 |
| Electricians | 12 | 1 |
| Moving companies | 12 | 1 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What Baltimore tradespeople earn
Baltimore-area tradespeople earn close to the national median in all five trades, within 4% either way, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | Baltimore-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $31.54 an hour | $30.38 an hour | +4% |
| Plumbers | $30.38 an hour | $30.67 an hour | −1% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $30.38 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +4% |
| Carpenters | $29.99 an hour | $29.12 an hour | +3% |
| Roofers | $27.11 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +2% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson 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 Baltimore
Four of the 12 Baltimore plumbers list prices, more than any other trade in the city. Three post a fee to come out or diagnose a problem: $69 for a standard service call, $99 for a heating diagnostic and $189 for a diagnostic. The fourth starts bathroom remodels at $4,995.
The national median to come out is $97, so Baltimore's posted fees run from $28 below it to $92 above. HomeAdvisor's plumber guide gives $50 to $300 for a trip fee and $100 to $250 for a service call that includes the first hour. Across the study, plumbers charge a median of $147.50 to clear a single drain. More in our plumber price guide.
HVAC contractors in Baltimore
Two of the 12 Baltimore HVAC contractors list prices, and both charge $179: one for an AC or heat pump tune-up, the other for a residential service call, with commercial calls at $249.
The $179 service call is about twice the national median of $89.95 and near the top of the $75 to $200 that HomeAdvisor's AC repair guide gives for a diagnostic visit. The $179 tune-up is above the national median of $134 and near the bottom of the $175 to $350 that HomeAdvisor's HVAC maintenance guide gives for a maintenance visit. More in our HVAC price guide.
Roofers in Baltimore
Two of the 12 Baltimore roofers list prices. One bills time and materials: $300 for the first two hours and $75 per half hour after that. The other cleans gutters for $150 on a townhouse and $450 on a single-family home.
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.
Electricians in Baltimore
One of the 12 Baltimore electricians lists a price: a $79 dispatch fee.
Nationally, electricians that post a fee just to come out charge a median of $77, so the Baltimore 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.
Movers in Baltimore
One of the 12 Baltimore moving companies lists rates: $200 an hour for two movers and $250 for three.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck and $190 for three, so the Baltimore rates are $57.50 and $60 higher. For a move to another state, 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.
Carpenters in Baltimore
None of the 12 Baltimore carpenters we checked list a price. Baltimore-area carpenters earn a median $29.99 an hour, 3% above the national median.
Sales tax on Baltimore home repairs
Maryland doesn't charge sales tax on the labor to repair or improve your home. Contractors pay sales tax on the materials they buy and build it into their price, so a repair quote normally won't show a separate sales tax line for the work.
Checking a Baltimore contractor
Maryland requires home improvement contractors to hold a license from the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. In the commission's words, "It is a crime to act as a home improvement contractor or salesperson in the State of Maryland without an MHIC license." Its online License Search shows whether a license is current (Maryland Department of Labor). Electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors are licensed by their own state boards.
How the figures were collected
Baltimore prices come from the websites of 72 Baltimore 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.