Begin with billable capacity

Your paid hours are smaller than your working hours. Travel, estimates, sourcing, admin, training, and time off all take space. A plan that assumes 40 billable hours every week can look profitable while leaving no room to run the business.

Build a floor before testing the market

Divide the annual revenue you need for owner pay, overhead, and a chosen buffer by your realistic annual billable hours. This is a planning floor, not a guaranteed market rate. Compare the resulting price with your service scope and the clients you intend to serve.

Example: the hidden cost of a session

Suppose a four-hour organizing session also needs one hour of travel and half an hour of admin. It takes 5.5 working hours before shopping or donation handling. At a $100 client hourly rate, $400 in revenue equals about $72.73 per working hour before expenses and taxes. These are illustrative assumptions, not an industry benchmark.

Translate the number into a clear offer

Specify whether a package includes organizer-hours or elapsed team hours. List products, travel, and disposal separately where appropriate. Use a written estimate for uncertain scopes and obtain approval before extending the work.