Summary
- San Diego HVAC contractors that post a diagnostic fee charge $75 to $99, close to the national median of $89.95, and three San Diego moving companies charge $119 to $139 an hour for two movers and a truck.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 San Diego 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*
San Diego HVAC contractors that post a diagnostic fee charge $75 to $99, close to the national median of $89.95, and three San Diego moving companies charge $119 to $139 an hour for two movers and a truck. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 San Diego 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 San Diego businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what San Diego-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the California rules that affect the bill.
San Diego prices at a glance
| Job | What San Diego businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC diagnostic | $75 to $99 (4 businesses) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| AC or furnace tune-up | $129, or $99 for plan members (1 business) | $134 (6 businesses) |
| Plumber diagnostic or dispatch fee | $79 and $89 (2 businesses) | $97 (22 businesses) |
| Tank water heater, installed | $2,450 to $3,250 (1 business) | From $1,900 (5 businesses) |
| Two movers and a truck, per hour | $119 to $139 (3 businesses) | $142.50 (46 businesses) |
| Handyman, first hour | $100, then $75 an hour (1 business) | No national median |
| Roof leak diagnostic | $149, credited to the repair (1 business) | No national median |
Most San Diego figures come from one to four businesses, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical San Diego price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many San Diego businesses post prices
15 of the 72 San Diego businesses we checked list a price on their website (20.8%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. San Diego is one of the five Pacific Coast metros, where one in five businesses lists a price, compared with one in eight elsewhere.
| Trade | Businesses checked | With a price |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC contractors | 12 | 6 |
| Moving companies | 12 | 4 |
| Plumbers | 12 | 2 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 2 |
| Roofers | 12 | 1 |
| Electricians | 12 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What San Diego tradespeople earn
San Diego-area tradespeople earn more than the national median in all five trades. HVAC technicians earn 23% more and electricians and carpenters 21% more, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | San Diego-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $36.62 an hour | $30.38 an hour | +21% |
| Plumbers | $34.86 an hour | $30.67 an hour | +14% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $36.00 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +23% |
| Carpenters | $35.19 an hour | $29.12 an hour | +21% |
| Roofers | $29.90 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +12% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 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 San Diego
Six of the 12 San Diego HVAC contractors list prices, more than in any other metro in the study. Four post a diagnostic fee: $75 per unit and $89, both of which can be waived, $95 per unit ($81 for members of the company's maintenance plan), and $99 if you don't go ahead with a repair. The $95 firm also lists a tune-up at $129, or $99 for members. A fifth charges $150 extra for same-day or after-hours service, and the sixth replaces tankless water heaters from $3,949.
The national median diagnostic fee is $89.95, so San Diego's posted fees sit close to it, from $15 below to $9 above. The national median tune-up is $134, and HomeAdvisor's HVAC maintenance guide puts a maintenance visit at $175 to $350. More in our HVAC price guide.
Movers in San Diego
Four of the 12 San Diego moving companies list rates. One charges $129 an hour for two movers and a truck, $169 for three and $209 for four, plus an $80 gas fee. Another charges $139 an hour for two movers and a truck, with a three-hour minimum. A third charges $129 by card or $119 in cash for two movers, $169 or $159 for three, $219 or $209 for four, and $40 an hour per extra mover. The fourth prices crews by home size, from $139 for a one-bedroom to $339 for four bedrooms or more.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck, $190 for three and $249 for four. All three San Diego two-mover rates sit below the national median, and so do the three- and four-mover rates.
Moves within California are regulated by the state's Bureau of Household Goods and Services. Movers need a permit from the bureau, and its Maximum Rate Tariff 4 sets the maximum rates for moves within the state: a mover can charge less, but not more (BHGS). More in our moving price guide.
Plumbers in San Diego
Two of the 12 San Diego plumbers list prices. One posts a full price list: a $79 diagnostic, leak detection from $350, tank water heaters at $2,450 to $3,250 installed, tankless units at $3,800 to $5,600, hydro-jetting at $650 to $1,800 and whole-house repiping at $6,000 to $16,000. The other charges an $89 dispatch fee.
Both fees sit below the national median of $97 to come out. The tank water heater range starts above the national median starting price of $1,900 and above the $600 to $2,500 that HomeAdvisor's water heater guide gives for a tank model. HomeAdvisor gives $1,400 to $3,900 for a tankless one. More in our plumber price guide.
Carpenters in San Diego
Two of the 12 San Diego carpenters list prices, both for handyman-style work. One charges a $150 minimum visit and lists drywall patches at $150 to $325, outlet replacements at $150 to $275 and garbage disposal installs at $200 to $350. The other charges $100 for the first hour and $75 an hour after that.
Carpenters across the study rarely post comparable prices, so there's no national median for these jobs. San Diego-area carpenters earn a median $35.19 an hour, 21% above the national median.
Roofers in San Diego
One of the 12 San Diego roofers lists a price: $149 to diagnose a leak, credited to the repair.
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 San Diego
None of the 12 San Diego 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. San Diego-area electricians earn a median $36.62 an hour, 21% above the national median. More in our electrician price guide.
Sales tax on San Diego home repairs
California doesn't charge sales tax on the labor to install or repair things in your home. Contractors are treated as the buyers of the materials they use: "Construction contractors are generally the consumers of the materials they use," according to the state's tax guide for contractors (CDTFA). They pay sales tax when they buy materials and build it into their price, so a quote normally won't show a separate sales tax line for the work.
Checking a San Diego contractor
California's Contractors State License Board licenses general contractors and specialty trades, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing contractors. Since January 2025, a license is required for any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined, up from $500 (CSLB). CSLB's Check a License tool shows whether a license is active and which trades it covers (CSLB).
How the figures were collected
San Diego prices come from the websites of 72 San Diego 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.