Summary
- Detroit plumbers that post a fee charge $65 or $124.99 to come out, and one Detroit HVAC contractor installs new gas furnaces from $3,870.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 67 Detroit 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*
Detroit plumbers that post a fee charge $65 or $124.99 to come out, and one Detroit HVAC contractor installs new gas furnaces from $3,870. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 67 Detroit 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 Detroit businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what Detroit-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the Michigan rules that affect the bill.
Detroit prices at a glance
| Job | What Detroit businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber service charge or assessment | $65 and $124.99 (2 businesses) | $97 (22 businesses) |
| Drain cleaning | $99 for a single drain, from $299 at another firm (2 businesses) | $147.50 for a single drain (12 businesses) |
| HVAC diagnostic outside normal hours | $95 (1 business) | $89.95 during normal hours (37 businesses) |
| New gas furnace, 80% efficiency, starting price | From $3,870 (1 business) | $4,200 (5 businesses) |
| Beam sizing report | $99 (1 business) | No national median |
Every Detroit figure comes from one or two businesses, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical Detroit price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many Detroit businesses post prices
7 of the 67 Detroit businesses we checked list a price on their website (10.4%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. Across the four Midwestern metros in the study, 9.9% do, the lowest share of any region.
| Trade | Businesses checked | With a price |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 2 |
| Plumbers | 11 | 2 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 2 |
| Electricians | 12 | 0 |
| Roofers | 12 | 0 |
| Moving companies | 8 | Not reported |
Only eight Detroit moving company sites could be read, too few to report. With about 12 businesses per trade, read the rest as counts rather than rates.
What Detroit tradespeople earn
Detroit-area plumbers and electricians earn well above the national median, 35% and 30% more. HVAC technicians, carpenters and roofers earn 4% to 14% more, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | Detroit-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $39.42 an hour | $30.38 an hour | +30% |
| Plumbers | $41.53 an hour | $30.67 an hour | +35% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $30.37 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +4% |
| Carpenters | $31.64 an hour | $29.12 an hour | +9% |
| Roofers | $30.48 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +14% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn 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 Detroit
Two of the 11 Detroit plumbers we checked list prices. One charges a $65 service charge per visit and $99 to clear a single drain. The other charges $124.99 for an assessment, credited to the job, and drain cleaning from $299.
Across the study, plumbers charge a median of $97 to come out and $147.50 to clear a single drain, so the first Detroit plumber sits below both. HomeAdvisor's plumber guide gives $50 to $300 for a trip fee and puts most plumbers at $70 to $120 an hour nationally. Detroit-area plumbers earn a median $41.53 an hour, 35% above the national median. More in our plumber price guide.
HVAC contractors in Detroit
Two of the 12 Detroit HVAC contractors list prices. One charges $95 for a diagnostic outside normal hours. The other installs 80%-efficiency gas furnaces from $3,870.
Nationally, the median diagnostic fee is $89.95 during normal hours. Five US HVAC contractors post a starting price for a furnace installation, from $2,000 to $4,970, with a median of $4,200, and HomeAdvisor's furnace guide puts a replacement at $2,823 to $6,897. More in our HVAC price guide.
Carpenters in Detroit
Two of the 12 Detroit carpenters list prices, both for planning work rather than building. One prepares beam sizing reports for $99, multi-wall reports for $125 and truss drawings for $300. The other charges $125 for a consultation on an FHA 203(k) renovation loan.
Carpenters across the study rarely post comparable prices, so there's no national median for these jobs. Detroit-area carpenters earn a median $31.64 an hour, 9% above the national median.
Movers in Detroit
Only eight Detroit moving company websites could be read, too few to report local rates. 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. 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 Detroit
None of the 12 Detroit 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. Detroit-area electricians earn a median $39.42 an hour, 30% above the national median. More in our electrician price guide.
Roofers in Detroit
None of the 12 Detroit 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 Detroit home repairs
Michigan doesn't charge sales tax on labor. Contractors pay tax on the materials they install instead. The state Treasury's guidance says: "A contractor is required to pay sales or use tax on all items used to provide the contractor's service" (Michigan Department of Treasury). That tax is built into the contractor's price.
Checking a Detroit contractor
Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) licenses residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors, and its Bureau of Construction Codes licenses electricians, plumbers and mechanical (HVAC) contractors. LARA advises homeowners not to assume someone is licensed and to check the license themselves (LARA). Builder licenses can be searched at michigan.gov/licenselookup.
How the figures were collected
Detroit prices come from the websites of 67 Detroit 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.