Summary
- Denver moving companies that post rates charge $140 to $159 an hour, close to the national median of $142.50 for two movers and a truck, and one Denver plumber starts basic drain cleaning at $150 to $300.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 71 Denver 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*
Denver moving companies that post rates charge $140 to $159 an hour, close to the national median of $142.50 for two movers and a truck, and one Denver plumber starts basic drain cleaning at $150 to $300. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 71 Denver 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 Denver businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what Denver-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the Colorado rules that affect the bill.
Denver prices at a glance
| Job | What Denver businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| Movers, per hour | $140 flat, or from $159 on weekdays (2 businesses) | $142.50 for two movers and a truck (46 businesses) |
| Basic drain cleaning, starting price | $150 to $300 (1 business) | $147.50 for a single drain (12 businesses) |
| Electrical inspection for a home sale | $100 (1 business) | No national median |
| Electrician dispatch fee, commercial | $199 (1 business) | $77 for homes (8 businesses) |
| Carpentry repair, starting price | From $650 (1 business) | No national median |
| HVAC diagnostic | No Denver business posts one | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
Every Denver figure comes from one or two businesses, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical Denver price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many Denver businesses post prices
6 of the 71 Denver businesses we checked list a price on their website (8.5%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. Across the two Mountain West metros in the study, Denver and Phoenix, 17 of 143 do (11.9%).
| Trade | Businesses checked | With a price |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 12 | 2 |
| Moving companies | 12 | 2 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 1 |
| Plumbers | 12 | 1 |
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 0 |
| Roofers | 11 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What Denver tradespeople earn
Denver-area electricians, plumbers and roofers earn about the national median. HVAC technicians stand out at 17% above it, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | Denver-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $30.36 an hour | $30.38 an hour | 0% |
| Plumbers | $30.72 an hour | $30.67 an hour | 0% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $34.41 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +17% |
| Carpenters | $31.21 an hour | $29.12 an hour | +7% |
| Roofers | $26.84 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +1% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Denver-Aurora-Centennial 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 Denver
Two of the 12 Denver moving companies list rates. One charges a flat $140 an hour. The other starts at $159 an hour on weekdays.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck, $190 for three and $249 for four, and $50 an hour for each extra mover. Both Denver rates sit close to the two-mover median. 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.
Electricians in Denver
Two of the 12 Denver electricians list prices. One charges $100 for an electrical inspection when a home is sold. The other charges a $199 dispatch fee for commercial calls.
Nationally, electricians that post a fee just to come out to a home 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.
Plumbers in Denver
One of the 12 Denver plumbers lists a price: basic drain cleaning starts at $150 to $300.
The national median for clearing a single drain is $147.50, the same as the bottom of the Denver range. Across the study, plumbers charge a median of $97 to come out, and HomeAdvisor's plumber guide puts most plumbers at $70 to $120 an hour nationally. More in our plumber price guide.
Carpenters in Denver
One of the 12 Denver carpenters lists starting prices for repairs: small repairs from $650, trim and fascia repairs from $1,200, header replacement from $2,800 and joist sistering from $3,000.
Carpenters across the study rarely post comparable prices, so there's no national median for these jobs. Denver-area carpenters earn a median $31.21 an hour, 7% above the national median.
HVAC contractors in Denver
None of the 12 Denver HVAC contractors we checked list a price.
Across the study, the median HVAC diagnostic fee is $89.95, and HomeAdvisor's AC repair guide puts a diagnostic visit at $75 to $200. The national median tune-up is $134, and new furnaces start at a median of $4,200. Denver-area HVAC technicians earn a median $34.41 an hour, 17% above the national median. More in our HVAC price guide.
Roofers in Denver
None of the 11 Denver 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.
Sales tax on Denver home repairs
Colorado doesn't charge sales tax on the labor to repair or improve your home. Contractors pay sales or use tax on the building materials they buy and build it into their price. Denver collects its own city sales and use tax on top of the state tax.
Checking a Denver contractor
Colorado has no statewide license for general contractors. Electricians and plumbers are licensed by the state Electrical Board and Plumbing Board under the Department of Regulatory Agencies, and the department's online license lookup shows whether a license is active. In Denver, contractors who pull building permits also need a city contractor license.
How the figures were collected
Denver prices come from the websites of 71 Denver 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.