When to put your prices up
Most trades leave it too long, because asking feels awkward. These are the signs it's time:
- Your costs have gone up. Fuel, insurance, materials, tools, the van. If your prices haven't moved, your pay has gone down.
- Your diary is full. If you're turning work away, your price is lower than people are willing to pay.
- New customers pay more than old ones. Long-standing customers on an old price are often the ones you earn least from.
- It's been a year. A small rise every year is easier for everyone than a big one every few years.
How much to put them up by
Start from what you need to earn, not what you think people will accept. The pricing guide and the day rate calculator show how to work that out. Then round to a price that's easy to say: £18 to £20, not £18 to £19.80.
The worry is losing customers. A rise means you can lose some and still take the same money, for less work:
| Price rise | Share of customers you could lose |
|---|---|
| 5% | 4.76% |
| 10% | 9.09% |
| 15% | 13.04% |
| 20% | 16.67% |
| 25% | 20% |
So with 100 customers and a 10% rise, you could lose 9 and take the same money for nine fewer visits. That's the arithmetic, not a prediction of how many will leave.
Notice, and what you can't change
- Give regular customers notice. At least one visit's warning, so they can decide before they're charged. A month is easy to remember.
- Keep to written agreements. If you've agreed a price for a period, such as a yearly contract, it stays until that period ends, unless the agreement says otherwise.
- An accepted quote is a fixed price. Citizens Advice says a quote can't go up because your costs went up after the customer agreed it. Put the new price on new quotes. The quote or estimate guide explains why.
- Put an end date on quotes from now on, such as "valid for 30 days", so an old price can't be held to forever.
Messages you can copy
Short and plain works best: the new price, when it starts, a reason in one line, and thanks. Replace the bracketed parts.
To a regular customer, by WhatsApp or text
Hi [name], it's [your name] from [business]. Just letting you know that from [date], your [clean / visit / service] will be £[new price], up from £[old price]. Fuel, insurance and materials have all gone up this year. Thanks for sticking with me, and any questions, just ask.
To a yearly service customer, by email or letter
Dear [name], thank you for having your [boiler service / gutter clean] with us. From [date], the price will be £[new price], up from £[old price], the first change since [year]. Your next one is due in [month], and I'll be in touch to book it as usual. If you have any questions, please call or reply to this email. [Your name], [business]
To a business customer
Dear [name], I'm writing to let you know our prices will change from [date, at least a month away]. [The service] at [site] will be £[new price] a [visit / month], from £[old price]. Work booked before then stays at the current price. Thank you for your continued business. [Your name], [business]
If someone pushes back
I understand, thanks for letting me know. The new price is what it costs me to keep doing the job properly. If you'd like to stop, no problem at all, and thank you for having me. If you'd like to carry on, I'll see you on [date].
When the replies come in
- Don't over-explain. One reason is enough. A long apology makes it sound like a favour you're asking.
- Don't make exceptions you'll regret. One customer on the old price soon becomes several.
- Thank anyone who leaves. They may come back, and they'll still recommend you.
- Charge the new price from the date you said. Change it on your list straight away, so the first invoice is right.
Price rises in Knockround
In Knockround, put everyone up by a percentage or a set amount a visit, for the whole round or one area, and see exactly what changes before anything is saved. Reports show what your round is worth a year, so you can see the difference a rise makes. Then message each customer from your own WhatsApp, one tap each.
Try it on the window cleaning round demo, with made-up customers. It's free for 7 days with no card needed, then £19.99 a month.
Written by the Knockround team. The table is plain arithmetic; the rule on quotes is from Citizens Advice (England), read on 29 October 2026. This is a guide, not legal advice.