Break-Even Calculator for Home Services

If you run a home services business, whether plumbing, HVAC, electrical, pest control, or general repair, your break-even point hinges on one thing: how many billable service calls you need to cover your fixed overhead before profit kicks in. Home services companies carry a unique cost structure. You have truck rolls (fuel, vehicle depreciation, insurance) on every single job, technicians who cost $25 to $55/hour loaded, and parts inventory that ties up working capital. The average residential service ticket runs $200 to $500, but your cost to show up (the "truck roll cost") is $50 to $100 before your tech even picks up a wrench. Industry benchmarks put healthy gross margins at 50 to 65%, with net margins of 8 to 15% for well-run operations. Your fixed costs include vehicle leases or payments ($500 to $1,200/month per truck), commercial insurance ($3,000 to $8,000/year), licensing, dispatch software, and shop or warehouse rent. Seasonal demand shifts everything: HVAC companies see revenue double or triple in peak summer and winter months, while spring and fall can be dangerously slow. This calculator is loaded with home services benchmarks so you can see exactly how many jobs per week you need to cover your nut, plan for seasonal dips, and set pricing that actually sustains your operation.