Summary
- Seven Boston moving companies post a rate for two movers, with a median of $139 an hour, close to the national median of $142.50.
- Boston plumbers, electricians and HVAC contractors that post a call fee charge $95 to $99.
*Marketit research | October 2026*
Seven Boston moving companies post a rate for two movers, with a median of $139 an hour, close to the national median of $142.50. Boston plumbers, electricians and HVAC contractors that post a call fee charge $95 to $99. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 Boston 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 Boston businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what Boston-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the Massachusetts rules that affect the bill.
Boston prices at a glance
| Job | What Boston businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| Two movers, per hour | $65 to $179, median $139 (7 businesses) | $142.50 with a truck (46 businesses) |
| Three movers, per hour | $89 to $239 (5 businesses) | $190 (25 businesses) |
| Four movers, per hour | $205 to $249 (3 businesses) | $249 |
| HVAC diagnostic, starting price | From $99 (1 business) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| Plumber service fee | $99 (1 business) | $97 (22 businesses) |
| Electrician service call | $95 (1 business) | $77 dispatch fee (8 businesses) |
| Flat roof repair, first visit | $495, then $195 an hour (1 business) | No national median |
The moving figures come from seven Boston companies, enough for one local median. The others come from a single business each, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many Boston businesses post prices
11 of the 72 Boston businesses we checked list a price on their website (15.3%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. Across the three Northeastern metros in the study, 12.5% do.
| Trade | Businesses checked | With a price |
|---|---|---|
| Moving companies | 12 | 7 |
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 1 |
| Plumbers | 12 | 1 |
| Electricians | 12 | 1 |
| Roofers | 12 | 1 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 0 |
Moving companies account for 7 of Boston's 11. With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What Boston tradespeople earn
Boston-area tradespeople earn more than the national median in all five trades. Plumbers stand out at 52% above it, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | Boston-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $38.42 an hour | $30.38 an hour | +26% |
| Plumbers | $46.52 an hour | $30.67 an hour | +52% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $37.75 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +29% |
| Carpenters | $36.16 an hour | $29.12 an hour | +24% |
| Roofers | $31.90 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +20% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton 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 Boston
Seven of the 12 Boston moving companies list rates, and all seven give a price for two movers: $65, $115, $129, $139, $149, $159 and $179 an hour, a median of $139. Five give a three-mover rate, from $89 to $239, and three a four-mover rate, from $205 to $249. Extra movers cost $50 to $75 an hour. One company prices piano moves from $179 an hour plus $250, and another lists Boston-to-New York moves from $1,450.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck, $190 for three and $249 for four. Boston's two-mover median sits $3.50 below the national figure.
Massachusetts may help explain why so many Boston movers post a rate. Movers there must file their rates with the Department of Public Utilities and "may not charge more or less than the rates on file" (Mass.gov). The study can't show whether that rule is the reason. More in our moving price guide.
HVAC contractors in Boston
One of the 12 Boston HVAC contractors lists prices: a diagnostic from $99, waived if you go ahead with the repair, and tankless water heater maintenance from $260.
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.
Plumbers in Boston
One of the 12 Boston plumbers lists a price: a $99 service fee.
That's $2 above the national median of $97 to come out. Across the study, plumbers charge a median of $147.50 to clear a single drain, and water heater installations start at a median of $1,900. Boston-area plumbers earn a median $46.52 an hour, 52% above the national median, the largest wage gap of any trade on this page. More in our plumber price guide.
Electricians in Boston
One of the 12 Boston electricians lists prices: a $95 service call and a $585 emergency call.
Nationally, electricians that post a fee just to come out charge a median of $77, 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. More in our electrician price guide.
Roofers in Boston
One of the 12 Boston roofers lists a price: $495 to repair a rubber or PVC flat roof, and $195 for each additional hour.
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, so the Boston starting price sits near the bottom of that range.
Carpenters in Boston
None of the 12 Boston carpenters we checked list a price. Boston-area carpenters earn a median $36.16 an hour, 24% above the national median.
Sales tax on Boston home repairs
Massachusetts 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 Boston contractor
Massachusetts requires home improvement contractors to register with the state. Registration comes with a Guaranty Fund that can pay eligible homeowners up to $25,000 for unpaid judgments against a registered contractor. The state's Look Up a Contractor tool shows whether a contractor is registered (Mass.gov). Electricians and plumbers need their own state licenses.
How the figures were collected
Boston prices come from the websites of 72 Boston 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.