Summary
- New York HVAC contractors that post a fee charge $90 to $175 for a service call, and two of the three add sales tax on top.
- One New York electrician charges $150 for a diagnostic call covering the first hour.
*Marketit research | October 2026*
New York HVAC contractors that post a fee charge $90 to $175 for a service call, and two of the three add sales tax on top. One New York electrician charges $150 for a diagnostic call covering the first hour. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 New York 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 New York businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what New York-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the New York rules that affect the bill.
New York prices at a glance
| Job | What New York businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC service call or diagnostic | $90 to $175 (3 businesses) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| AC tune-up | $250 to $450 (1 business) | $134 (6 businesses) |
| Electrician diagnostic call, first hour included | $150 (1 business) | $228 (5 businesses) |
| 200-amp service upgrade, starting price | From $1,800 (1 business) | $2,500 for a panel upgrade (7 businesses) |
| Recessed lighting, per fixture | $200 (1 business) | No national median |
| Carpentry site visit | $175 (1 business) | No national median |
Most New York figures come from one to three businesses, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical New York price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many New York businesses post prices
10 of the 72 New York businesses we checked list a price on their website (13.9%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. Across the three Northeastern metros in the study, 12.5% do.
| Trade | Businesses checked | With a price |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 3 |
| Electricians | 12 | 3 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 2 |
| Moving companies | 12 | 2 |
| Plumbers | 12 | 0 |
| Roofers | 12 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What New York tradespeople earn
New York-area tradespeople earn well above the national median in all five trades. Roofers earn 38% more and HVAC technicians 28% more, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | New York-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $37.99 an hour | $30.38 an hour | +25% |
| Plumbers | $37.79 an hour | $30.67 an hour | +23% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $37.50 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +28% |
| Carpenters | $35.72 an hour | $29.12 an hour | +23% |
| Roofers | $36.73 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +38% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the New York-Newark-Jersey City 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.
HVAC contractors in New York
Three of the 12 New York HVAC contractors list prices. One charges $90 for a residential service call and credits it to the repair. The other two charge $175, one for a diagnostic and one for a service call, and both add sales tax. The second of those also lists AC tune-ups at $250 to $450.
The $90 fee matches the national median of $89.95. The $175 fees are almost twice that, though still inside the $75 to $200 that HomeAdvisor's AC repair guide gives for a diagnostic visit. The tune-up range is well above the national median of $134 and close to the $175 to $350 that HomeAdvisor's HVAC maintenance guide gives. More in our HVAC price guide.
Electricians in New York
Three of the 12 New York electricians list prices. One posts a detailed list: $150 for a diagnostic call covering the first hour, $200 per recessed light, $1,000 for a generator interlock, $1,000 to wire a mini-split, $1,500 to wire a pool or hot tub, and 200-amp service upgrades from $1,800. Another lists a $40 call-out fee, $90 for an outlet and $100 for a ceiling fan, plus tax. The third lists a service plan from $130.
The $150 first-hour call is at the low end of the national range for that kind of visit, $149 to $275 with a median of $228, and inside the $100 to $200 that HomeAdvisor's electrician guide gives. The 200-amp upgrade starts below the national median of $2,500 for a panel upgrade and inside the $1,300 to $2,000 that HomeAdvisor's panel guide gives for a 200-amp upgrade. More in our electrician price guide.
Movers in New York
Two of the 12 New York moving companies list rates. One advertises local moves from $150 and long-distance moves from $850. The other starts at $225. Neither says how many movers the price covers.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck, $190 for three and $249 for four. Many moves in the New York area cross a state line into New Jersey or Connecticut, and then 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.
Carpenters in New York
Two of the 12 New York carpenters list prices: one charges $175 for a site visit, the other $300 for a color consultation. New York-area carpenters earn a median $35.72 an hour, 23% above the national median.
Plumbers in New York
None of the 12 New York plumbers we checked list a price.
Across the study, plumbers charge a median of $97 to come out and $147.50 to clear a single drain, and water heater installations start at a median of $1,900. HomeAdvisor's plumber guide puts most plumbers at $70 to $120 an hour nationally. New York-area plumbers earn a median $37.79 an hour, 23% above the national median. More in our plumber price guide.
Roofers in New York
None of the 12 New York 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. New York-area roofers earn a median $36.73 an hour, 38% above the national median and the biggest gap of the five trades on this page.
Sales tax on New York home repairs
New York taxes repair work on a home. State guidance treats repair and maintenance as taxable, while a capital improvement, a lasting addition or alteration to the property, is not. For a capital improvement, the contractor should get a completed Form ST-124 from you and charge no sales tax on the job (New York State Department of Taxation and Finance). In New York City the combined rate is 8.875%.
The study reflects this. Three of the 10 New York businesses with a price say tax is added: two HVAC contractors and one electrician.
Checking a New York contractor
In New York City, contractors who repair or renovate homes need a Home Improvement Contractor license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (NYC DCWP). Plumbing and electrical work needs a master plumber or master electrician licensed by the city's Department of Buildings. Ask for the license number and confirm it with the city, or through 311, before you pay a deposit.
How the figures were collected
New York prices come from the websites of 72 New York 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.