Summary
- Seattle HVAC contractors that post a diagnostic fee charge $89 to $199 to come out, and one Seattle moving company advertises $149 an hour for two movers and a truck, plus a $39 fuel fee.
- We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 Seattle 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*
Seattle HVAC contractors that post a diagnostic fee charge $89 to $199 to come out, and one Seattle moving company advertises $149 an hour for two movers and a truck, plus a $39 fuel fee. We found these and the other prices on this page on the websites of 72 Seattle 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 Seattle businesses advertise, the national figures from the same study, what Seattle-area tradespeople earn according to federal data, and the Washington rules that affect the bill.
Seattle prices at a glance
| Job | What Seattle businesses advertise | US median in the study |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC diagnostic or service call | $89 to $199 (4 businesses) | $89.95 (37 businesses) |
| AC or furnace tune-up | $129 (1 business) | $134 (6 businesses) |
| New furnace, starting price | From $4,200 (1 business) | $4,200 (5 businesses) |
| Electrician service call including the first hour | $275 (2 businesses) | $228 (5 businesses) |
| Two movers and a truck, per hour | $149 plus a $39 fuel fee (1 business) | $142.50 (46 businesses) |
| Drain or sewer line cleaning | $99 (1 business) | $147.50 (12 businesses) |
Most Seattle figures come from one to four businesses, so treat them as examples of what local firms charge rather than a typical Seattle price. The national medians come from all 25 metros in the study. All of them are advertised prices, not final bills.
How many Seattle businesses post prices
16 of the 72 Seattle businesses we checked list a price on their website (22.2%), against 13.8% across all 25 metros. Seattle 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 | 5 |
| Electricians | 12 | 4 |
| Moving companies | 12 | 3 |
| Carpenters | 12 | 3 |
| Plumbers | 12 | 1 |
| Roofers | 12 | 0 |
With about 12 businesses per trade, read these as counts rather than rates.
What Seattle tradespeople earn
Tradespeople in the Seattle area earn well above the national median. Electricians earn 61% more and plumbers 49% more, according to federal wage data.
| Trade | Seattle-area median wage | US median wage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $48.93 an hour | $30.38 an hour | +61% |
| Plumbers | $45.78 an hour | $30.67 an hour | +49% |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $38.51 an hour | $29.33 an hour | +31% |
| Carpenters | $36.74 an hour | $29.12 an hour | +26% |
| Roofers | $30.81 an hour | $26.65 an hour | +16% |
The figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 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.
Electricians in Seattle
Four of the 12 Seattle electricians we checked list a price. Two charge $275 for a service call that covers the first hour of work. After that hour, one bills $145 an hour per electrician and the other lists $176 an hour, charged in 15-minute steps. A third lists $125 an hour for first-time customers and $125 to $250 for emergencies. The fourth prices a home EV charger installation from about $700 and a basic new outlet from $150 to $250.
Nationally, electricians that post a call fee split into two groups: a median of $77 just to come out, or $149 to $275 for a visit that includes troubleshooting or the first hour. Seattle's two $275 charges sit at the top of that second group. More in our electrician price guide.
HVAC contractors in Seattle
Five of the 12 Seattle HVAC contractors list a price, and four post a fee to diagnose a problem: $89, $95, $119 and $199. Two of them say sales tax is added. One posts a flat $129 heating-season tune-up. Another gives starting prices for new systems: a furnace from $4,200, an air conditioner from $7,800 and a heat pump from $8,400.
Across the study, the median diagnostic fee is $89.95, so Seattle's fees run from that level to more than twice it. The national tune-up median is $134, and the median starting price for a new furnace is $4,200. More in our HVAC price guide.
Plumbers in Seattle
Only one of the 12 Seattle plumbers lists a price: $99 to clear any drain or sewer line with a cable machine.
For other jobs, the national figures are the best guide. Plumbers across the study 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. More in our plumber price guide.
Movers in Seattle
Three of the 12 Seattle moving companies list rates. One charges $149 an hour for two movers and a truck plus a $39 fuel fee, $189 for three movers and $229 for four, each plus a $79 truck fee, and $129 an hour for packing. Another advertises hourly rates from $90 to $220, and a third lists crew rates of $120 to $135 an hour.
Nationally, the median is $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck, $190 for three and $249 for four.
Moves within Washington are regulated. Movers need a permit from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and the commission's Tariff 15-C sets maximum rates: a mover can charge less, but not more. A temporary supplement raised those maximums by 5.8% from August 1 to October 31, 2026 (UTC). You can look up a mover's permit on the commission's website. More in our moving price guide.
Carpenters in Seattle
Three of the 12 Seattle carpenters list a price, all for specific jobs. One charges about $1,100 per interior door replacement, all-in, $250 for an on-site consultation and about $1,500 per linear foot for painted custom built-ins. Another prices exterior door installation from about $1,800 plus tax. The third charges a flat $200 to visit a home.
Roofers in Seattle
None of the 12 Seattle 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, based on its customer surveys. Roofers in the study that do post prices mostly give starting prices for repairs, from $250 to $500.
Sales tax on Seattle home repairs
In Washington, contractors must collect retail sales tax on the full contract price for construction work on a customer's property, and a quoted price is presumed to exclude tax unless the tax is itemized (Washington Department of Revenue). Expect tax on top of most Seattle quotes.
The study shows it. Five of the 16 Seattle businesses with a price say their prices exclude tax. Across all 25 metros, only 9 of 246 do.
Checking a Seattle contractor
Washington requires all construction contractors to register with the Department of Labor & Industries, carry a surety bond ($30,000 for general contractors, $15,000 for specialty contractors) and hold liability insurance. Electrical and plumbing work carries extra licensing requirements, and contractors must show their registration number on ads, bids and estimates. L&I's "Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson, or Business" tool shows whether a business is registered (L&I).
How the figures were collected
Seattle prices come from the websites of 72 Seattle 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.