Getting your pricing right is the difference between scraping by and building a genuinely profitable mobile barber business. Here’s exactly how to set rates that reflect your worth, cover your costs, and keep you competitive.
You’ve gone self-employed. You’ve got your van sorted (or you’re working in clients’ homes), your tools are professional, your insurance is sorted, and your first few customers are booked. Everything’s in place.
Then someone asks: “How much do you charge?”
And you freeze.
Charge too much and they’ll go with someone cheaper. Charge too little and you’ll be working yourself into the ground for poverty wages. You’ve seen other mobile barbers’ websites, but half don’t list prices and the other half have such wide ranges (“£25-£50 depending on requirements”) that you’re none the wiser.
So you pick a number that sounds reasonable. Maybe £30 for a standard cut. Seems fair, right? Lower than London rates but higher than budget barbershops. Competitive.
Three months later, you’re exhausted, working six days a week, and barely making more than you did in your old barbershop job – despite keeping 100% of your earnings instead of 40%. Where’s the money going? Why isn’t this working?
Here’s the brutal truth most mobile barbers learn too late: the price you charge isn’t the profit you keep. Every haircut comes with costs that eat into your revenue. Travel consumes time and money. Quiet periods leave gaps in your schedule. Equipment wears out. Tax takes its share. And suddenly that £30 haircut that sounded profitable is barely covering your costs.
This guide teaches you to price properly from day one. We’re covering how to calculate your actual costs per haircut (most mobile barbers get this catastrophically wrong), how to set competitive rates that reflect your genuine worth, how to structure travel fees fairly, how to handle premium and discount pricing, and most importantly – how to ensure you’re actually making sustainable profit rather than just staying busy for poverty wages.
Whether you’re launching your mobile barber business tomorrow or you’ve been operating for months wondering why you’re not more profitable, this guide gives you the pricing framework you need to build a genuinely successful business.
Let’s fix your pricing.
Understanding Your Real Costs: The Calculation Most Barbers Get Wrong
Before you can price profitably, you need to know what each haircut actually costs you. Most mobile barbers dangerously underestimate this.
Direct Costs Per Haircut
These are the obvious, immediate costs:
Product Costs:
- Shampoo/damp-down: £0.10-£0.30 per cut
- Styling products: £0.20-£0.50 per cut
- Neck strips: £0.05 per cut
- Hygiene supplies (Barbicide, disinfectant): £0.10-£0.20 per cut
Average product cost per cut: £0.45-£1.00
Equipment Wear and Replacement:
- Clipper blade sharpening/replacement: £0.40-£0.80 per cut (blades last 100-150 cuts, cost £40-£120 to replace/sharpen)
- Scissors sharpening: £0.30-£0.50 per cut (professional sharpening every 3-6 months, £60-£100 per session)
- Equipment repairs/replacement fund: £0.30-£0.50 per cut
Average equipment cost per cut: £1.00-£1.80
Travel Costs: Calculate your average distance per appointment (include round trip from previous appointment or home base):
- Urban areas: Typically 3-7 miles per appointment
- Suburban areas: 5-10 miles per appointment
- Rural areas: 8-15+ miles per appointment
At 20p per mile (reasonable calculation including fuel, vehicle wear, insurance):
- Urban (5 miles): £1 per appointment
- Suburban (7 miles): £1.40 per appointment
- Rural (12 miles): £2.40 per appointment
Average travel cost per cut: £1.00-£2.50 (depending on your service area)
Total Direct Costs Per Haircut: £2.45-£5.30
That’s your baseline – the absolute minimum cost for each haircut before any other business expenses, your time, or profit.
Fixed Business Costs (Monthly)
Now add your monthly business overheads:
Insurance:
- Public liability insurance: £150-£400/year = £12.50-£33/month
- Professional indemnity: £100-£300/year = £8-£25/month
- Equipment insurance: £100-£250/year = £8-£21/month
- Vehicle insurance (business use): £50-£150/month
Total insurance: £78-£230/month
Vehicle Costs (if applicable):
- Vehicle tax: £165-£290/year = £14-£24/month
- MOT and servicing: £300-£600/year = £25-£50/month
- Repairs and maintenance: £40-£100/month
- Van/car payment (if financed): £150-£400/month
Total vehicle: £230-£575/month (or £0 if working from clients’ homes without dedicated vehicle)
Business Operations:
- Mobile phone contract: £15-£35/month
- Accounting software: £6-£15/month
- Website hosting: £5-£15/month
- Marketing/advertising: £30-£100/month (optional but recommended)
Total operations: £55-£165/month
Professional Development:
- Training courses: £200-£500/year = £17-£42/month
- Industry magazines/resources: £5-£15/month
Total development: £22-£57/month
Total Fixed Monthly Costs: £385-£1,027
If you’re doing 100 cuts per month, that’s £3.85-£10.27 of fixed costs per haircut. At 150 cuts monthly, it drops to £2.57-£6.85 per cut.
Total Cost Per Haircut (Realistic Example)
Let’s calculate a realistic suburban mobile barber operating without a van:
Direct costs per cut:
- Products: £0.70
- Equipment wear: £1.40
- Travel: £1.40
- Total direct: £3.50
Fixed costs per cut (100 cuts/month):
- Insurance: £1.00
- Vehicle: £0 (using personal car, included in travel calculation)
- Business operations: £1.00
- Professional development: £0.40
- Total fixed per cut: £2.40
Total cost per standard haircut: £5.90
This is what each £30 haircut actually costs you to deliver. Your gross profit is £24.10 – not £30.
The Income You Need
Now factor in what you actually need to earn:
Desired Annual Income: £35,000
Sounds reasonable, right? Here’s what you actually need to charge:
- £35,000 income target
- 220 working days per year (allowing holidays, sick days, quiet periods)
- 5 cuts per day average = 1,100 cuts annually
- Need £31.82 revenue per cut just to hit £35,000
But wait – you’ve got costs of £5.90 per cut, so:
- £31.82 + £5.90 = £37.72 revenue needed per cut
And you haven’t paid tax yet:
- £35,000 income triggers roughly £6,500 in income tax and National Insurance
- You need an additional £5.91 per cut to cover tax
- Final needed revenue: £43.63 per cut
To earn £35,000 annually after costs and tax, you need to charge £44+ per standard haircut. Suddenly charging £30 looks completely unviable – you’d be earning roughly £22,000 after costs and tax despite working full-time.
This is why so many mobile barbers struggle financially – they dramatically undercharge because they don’t calculate real costs properly.
Setting Your Base Rate: Strategic Pricing That Works
Now that you understand your costs, let’s set rates that actually generate profit.
Research Your Local Market
Before setting prices, understand what other mobile barbers in your area charge:
How to Research:
- Google “mobile barber [your area]” and check 8-10 barbers’ websites
- Note pricing ranges:
- Standard cuts
- Fades/detailed work
- Beard services
- Kids’ cuts
- Calculate local average pricing
- Identify premium and budget providers
Example Research (Manchester Suburbs):
- Budget mobile barbers: £22-£28 standard cut
- Mid-range mobile barbers: £28-£35 standard cut
- Premium mobile barbers: £35-£45 standard cut
- Local average: £30-£32
Positioning Yourself in the Market
Based on your experience and target customer, choose your market position:
Budget Positioning (10-20% Below Average):
- Who: Newly qualified barbers, building initial client base
- Pricing: £25-£28 (when local average is £32)
- Risk: Attracting price-focused customers who’ll leave for anyone cheaper
- Strategy: Temporary positioning for first 6-12 months while building portfolio
Mid-Range Positioning (At or Slightly Above Average):
- Who: Qualified barbers with 2+ years experience
- Pricing: £32-£36 (when local average is £32)
- Benefit: Competitive without undervaluing yourself
- Strategy: Sustainable long-term positioning for most mobile barbers
Premium Positioning (20-40% Above Average):
- Who: Highly experienced specialists with strong portfolios
- Pricing: £38-£45 (when local average is £32)
- Justification: Specialist skills, exceptional service, proven quality
- Strategy: Requires strong differentiation and marketing to justify premium
Your Starting Rate Formula
Calculate your minimum viable rate:
Formula: (Annual Income Goal ÷ Annual Cuts) + Cost Per Cut + Tax Allocation = Minimum Rate
Example (Targeting £35,000 annually):
- Annual income goal: £35,000
- Estimated annual cuts: 1,100 (5 per day, 220 days)
- Income per cut needed: £31.82
- Cost per cut: £5.90
- Tax allocation: £5.91
- Minimum rate: £43.63
Round to £44 or £45 for simplicity.
If local market average is £32, you have options:
- Accept lower income (price at £32, earn £26,000 instead of £35,000)
- Increase client volume (do 6-7 cuts daily instead of 5)
- Reduce costs (operate more efficiently)
- Justify premium pricing (differentiate through quality/service/specialisation)
- Supplement with premium services (beard work, packages, specialist treatments)
Regional Pricing Variations
Your location dramatically affects viable pricing:
London (Central and Inner):
- Standard cut: £40-£55
- Premium cut/fade: £45-£65
- Market supports premium pricing due to higher living costs and customer expectations
London (Outer):
- Standard cut: £32-£45
- Premium cut/fade: £38-£52
- Competitive middle ground between central London and regional UK
Major Cities (Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow):
- Standard cut: £28-£40
- Premium cut/fade: £32-£48
- Sweet spot for mobile barbers – good demand, reasonable pricing
Medium Towns:
- Standard cut: £25-£35
- Premium cut/fade: £28-£42
- Variable – some towns support good rates, others are price-sensitive
Small Towns and Rural:
- Standard cut: £25-£40
- Premium cut/fade: £30-£45
- Wide range reflects travel costs and local economic conditions
Research your specific area thoroughly. Don’t assume London pricing works in Leeds or that small-town rates apply to Reading suburbs.
Service-Specific Pricing Structure
Don’t charge the same price for all services. Create tiered pricing that reflects time, skill, and complexity.
Standard Pricing Framework
Basic Services:
- Simple trim/buzz cut (15-20 minutes): Base rate minus £5-£8
- Standard cut (25-30 minutes): Base rate
- Styled cut (30-35 minutes): Base rate plus £3-£5
Example (£35 base rate):
- Simple trim: £27-£30
- Standard cut: £35
- Styled cut: £38-£40
Specialist Services:
- Skin fade (40-50 minutes): Base rate plus £8-£15
- Detailed fade with design: Base rate plus £12-£20
- Afro-Caribbean styling: Base rate plus £10-£20 (specialist skills, longer time)
Example (£35 base rate):
- Skin fade: £43-£50
- Detailed fade with line-up: £47-£55
- Afro styling: £45-£55
Beard Services (Add-On Pricing):
- Basic beard trim (15 minutes): £8-£15 when added to haircut
- Detailed beard shaping (20-25 minutes): £12-£20 when added
- Wet shave (30-40 minutes): £20-£35 when added
Example pricing:
- Standard cut (£35) + basic beard trim (£12) = £47 total
- Skin fade (£45) + beard shaping (£18) = £63 total
Standalone Beard Services: Price beard-only appointments 50-80% higher than add-on rates (you’re making a trip for a shorter service):
- Beard trim only: £18-£28
- Detailed shaping: £22-£35
- Wet shave: £30-£45
Children’s Cuts: Price based on time and patience required:
- Simple kids’ cut (under 10): £15-£25
- Teenagers: Standard adult pricing
- Difficult/anxious children: Consider premium for extra time/patience
Family Packages: Offer modest discounts for multiple cuts in one appointment:
- Adult + child: Save £3-£5
- Adult + 2 children: Save £8-£12
- Two adults: Save £5-£8
Example package:
- Dad cut: £35
- Son cut: £20
- Normal total: £55
- Package price: £50 (saving £5)
You’re saving travel time between appointments, so passing some savings to customers builds loyalty.
Travel Fee Structures: Getting It Right
Travel fees are contentious – customers hate them, but you need them for profitability. Here’s how to structure them fairly.
Distance-Based Travel Fees
Most mobile barbers use distance-based travel charging:
Common Structure:
- 0-5 miles: £0 (core service area, no fee)
- 5-10 miles: £5-£8 travel fee
- 10-15 miles: £10-£15 travel fee
- 15-20 miles: £15-£25 travel fee
- 20+ miles: Typically decline or negotiate specific fee
Rationale: At 20p per mile (covering fuel, wear, insurance, time), a 12-mile round trip costs you £2.40 plus approximately 30 minutes travel time. If you value your time at £20/hour, that’s £10 of time cost. Total cost: £12.40. Charging a £10 travel fee barely covers your actual cost.
Travel fees aren’t profit centres – they’re cost recovery mechanisms.
All-Inclusive Pricing (No Separate Travel Fees)
Some mobile barbers build travel costs into their base rate and advertise “no travel fees within X miles”:
Example:
- Your actual desired rate: £35
- Add average travel cost: £4
- Advertise: “£39 all-inclusive, no travel fees within 10 miles”
Advantages:
- Clearer pricing (customers know exact cost upfront)
- Marketing advantage (“no hidden travel fees”)
- Simpler administration
Disadvantages:
- Customers very close to you subsidise those far away (might feel unfair)
- Can’t adjust for particularly long distances without complicated exceptions
Minimum Booking Values for Distance
Some mobile barbers set minimum booking values for longer distances:
Example:
- Within 5 miles: Any service, any price
- 5-10 miles: Minimum £40 booking
- 10-15 miles: Minimum £60 booking
- 15+ miles: Minimum £80 booking (or decline)
This ensures travel time investment is worthwhile. A 20-mile round trip for a £20 kids’ cut isn’t profitable; requiring £60+ minimum makes it viable.
Communicating Travel Fees Clearly
Critical: State travel fees explicitly before customers book. Nothing destroys trust faster than surprise fees after service completion.
On Your Website/Profile: “Standard haircuts £35. Travel fees: £0 within 5 miles, £5 for 5-10 miles, £10 for 10-15 miles. Total cost confirmed before booking.”
When Booking: “Your address is 8 miles from my base, so total cost will be £35 for the cut plus £5 travel fee = £40 total. Does that work for you?”
Transparency prevents disputes and builds trust.
Premium Pricing Strategies: Charging What You’re Worth
Once you’re established, consider premium pricing strategies that increase profit without proportionally increasing work.
Time-Based Premium Pricing
Charge premiums for inconvenient times:
Weekend Premiums:
- Saturday morning (peak demand): £5-£10 premium
- Sunday (unsocial hours): £5-£10 premium
Early/Late Premiums:
- Before 8am: £5-£8 premium
- After 8pm: £5-£8 premium
Example: Standard cut normally £35, Saturday morning £40-£45.
Many mobile barbers don’t charge time premiums, viewing flexible scheduling as competitive advantage. However, if your Saturday mornings are consistently booked solid weeks in advance, you’re underpricing peak demand.
Last-Minute Booking Premiums
Same-day or next-day emergency bookings command premium pricing:
- Same-day booking: £10-£15 premium
- Next-day booking: £5-£10 premium
Rationale: You’re disrupting your schedule, potentially turning down better-scheduled bookings, or working unplanned time. Premium pricing compensates for inconvenience.
Exception: If you have empty schedule slots and want to fill them, don’t charge rush premiums. These fees apply when accommodating rush bookings causes genuine schedule disruption.
Specialist Service Premium
Justify premium pricing through specialisation:
Afro-Caribbean Hair Specialist:
- Requires specific training and experience
- Limited competition in many areas
- Justify 20-40% premium over general barbers
Beard Specialist:
- Advanced beard styling, treatments, and maintenance
- Traditional wet shaving expertise
- Justify 15-30% premium for specialist beard work
Kids’ Cuts Specialist:
- Patience and gentle approach with anxious children
- Child-friendly techniques and environment
- Justify 10-20% premium for particularly difficult children
Corporate/Events Specialist:
- Professional service for business/wedding clients
- Reliability and time-specific requirements
- Justify 25-50% premium for corporate and event work
Package Deals and Memberships
Create recurring revenue through packages:
Monthly Membership:
- Offer regular monthly cuts at discounted rate for committed customers
- Example: £35 per cut normally, £140 for 4-month package (£35/month, saving customer nothing but guaranteeing your income)
- Or: £35 per cut, £130 for 4-month package (£32.50/month, £10 total saving for customer, guaranteed income for you)
Family Packages:
- Regular multi-person bookings at package rates
- Example: Dad + 2 sons monthly, normally £70/month, package £65/month
- Guaranteed recurring revenue worth the modest discount
Benefits to You:
- Predictable income
- Reduced marketing costs (existing committed customers)
- Schedule stability
- Customer retention
Avoiding the Race to the Bottom: Don’t Compete on Price
New mobile barbers often panic when they see competitors pricing lower and slash their rates to compete. This is usually a catastrophic mistake.
Why Undercutting Doesn’t Work
Problem 1: Unsustainable Profit Margins Charge £28 when your costs are £6 per cut and you need £44 to meet income goals = earning £17,000 annually instead of £35,000. You’re working full-time for part-time income.
Problem 2: Attract Wrong Customers Customers choosing you purely on price will leave you the moment someone undercuts you by £2. You build no loyalty, no recurring revenue, no stable business.
Problem 3: Difficult to Increase Later Once you’ve trained customers to expect £28 cuts, raising to £38 loses many of them. You’ve locked yourself into unsustainable pricing.
Problem 4: Devalues Your Profession When you undercharge, you tell the market that professional barbering isn’t worth fair rates. This harms every barber, including you.
Compete on Value Instead
Differentiate Through:
Service Quality:
- Consistently excellent cuts
- Attention to detail
- Professional approach and communication
Reliability:
- Always on time
- Clear communication
- Respectful of customer schedules
Customer Experience:
- Friendly but professional
- Clean, organised equipment
- Thorough cleanup after cuts
Specialist Skills:
- Expertise with specific hair types or styles
- Advanced techniques (complex fades, beard artistry)
- Problem-solving difficult cuts
Convenience:
- Flexible scheduling
- Responsive booking
- Accommodating reasonable requests
Customers paying fair market rates (£32-£42 for standard cuts in most UK areas) want quality and reliability. Deliver these and you’ll build loyal customer base without racing to bottom on price.
When Budget Pricing Makes Sense
Legitimate Budget Pricing Situations:
- First 3-6 months: Building portfolio and reviews (temporary strategy)
- Quiet weekday slots: Discount Tuesday-Thursday afternoons to fill empty schedule
- New service launch: Discounted rates for first 20 customers trying new service
- Student/OAP discounts: Modest discounts (£5) for specific groups
Even then, don’t go below £25 for standard cuts unless you’re accepting this as loss-leader pricing to build business.
Price Increases: When and How
Most mobile barbers undercharge initially and need to raise prices. Here’s how to do this without losing customers.
When to Increase Prices
After 6 Months: If you started with “new barber” discount pricing below market rate, increase to market average after 6 months and 100+ cuts completed.
Example: Started at £28, increase to £33 after 6 months.
After 12 Months: If you’re at market average but consistently booked solid with waiting lists, increase to above-average pricing.
Example: Currently £33, increase to £37 after year one.
Annually Thereafter: Increase rates annually in line with inflation (3-5% typically).
Example: £37 increased to £38-£39 for year three.
When Costs Increase Significantly: If insurance, fuel, or other major costs increase substantially, pass reasonable increases to customers rather than absorbing them entirely.
How to Communicate Price Increases
Notice Period: Give existing customers 4-6 weeks notice before increases take effect.
Communication Method: Text or email all regular customers:
“Hi [Name], wanted to give you advance notice that from [date], my rates are increasing to £37 for standard cuts. This brings me in line with current market rates and reflects increased business costs. Really appreciate your continued support, and looking forward to continuing to keep you looking sharp. Let me know if you’d like to book in before the increase. Cheers, [Your Name]”
Justify Briefly: Simple explanation (“bringing in line with market rates” or “increased business costs”) without extensive justification. Don’t apologise – you’re running a business.
Honour Existing Bookings: If someone’s booked before your increase notice, honour old pricing for that appointment. Professional courtesy builds goodwill.
Expect Some Customer Loss: Most customers accept reasonable increases. You might lose 5-15% who are highly price-sensitive. That’s fine – you’re often better off without customers who’ll leave over £3.
Grandfathering Loyal Customers
Consider special pricing for extremely loyal customers:
Example: New rate £38, but customers who’ve been with you 18+ months with 15+ cuts continue at £35.
This rewards loyalty, maintains your best customer relationships, and costs relatively little (your most loyal customers are also your most profitable due to zero acquisition cost and schedule reliability).
Don’t announce grandfathering publicly – handle it case-by-case with genuinely loyal customers.
Calculating Your Actual Hourly Rate
Many mobile barbers think they’re earning well because they charge £35-£40 per cut. Let’s calculate what you’re actually earning per hour:
Realistic Hourly Calculation
Example Mobile Barber:
- Charges £35 per standard cut
- Travel fee £5 (average)
- Average 5 cuts per day
- Works 5 days per week
Daily Revenue: 5 cuts × £35 = £175 Travel fees: 5 × £5 = £25 Total: £200 per day
Daily Costs: Direct costs: 5 cuts × £5.90 = £29.50 Fixed daily costs (monthly costs ÷ 22 working days): £385 ÷ 22 = £17.50 Total costs: £47 per day
Daily Gross Profit: £200 – £47 = £153
Time Investment Per Day:
- Cutting time: 5 × 30 minutes = 150 minutes (2.5 hours)
- Travel time: 5 × 15 minutes average = 75 minutes (1.25 hours)
- Setup/cleanup per cut: 5 × 5 minutes = 25 minutes (0.42 hours)
- Admin/scheduling: 30 minutes (0.5 hours) Total: 4.67 hours
Actual Hourly Rate: £153 ÷ 4.67 hours = £32.76/hour
That’s before tax. After 20-25% tax: £24.57-£26.21/hour net
For comparison, UK minimum wage 2025 is £11.44/hour. You’re earning roughly 2-2.5× minimum wage despite being a skilled professional working self-employed.
Improving Your Hourly Rate
Option 1: Increase Prices Raise to £42 per cut:
- Daily revenue: £210 + £25 = £235
- Daily profit: £188
- Hourly rate: £40.26/hour (before tax)
- After tax: £30-£32/hour
Option 2: Reduce Travel Time Geographic schedule optimisation:
- Reduce average travel to 10 minutes per appointment
- Save 25 minutes daily = 0.42 hours
- New total time: 4.25 hours
- Hourly rate: £153 ÷ 4.25 = £36/hour (before tax)
Option 3: Increase Daily Volume Add one more cut daily:
- 6 cuts × £35 = £210 + £30 travel fees = £240 revenue
- Additional costs: £5.90
- New daily profit: £187
- Time: 5.5 hours approximately
- Hourly rate: £34/hour (before tax)
Option 4: Combine Strategies
- Raise to £38 per cut
- Optimise scheduling
- Add sixth cut when possible
- Achieve £40-45/hour before tax, £30-35/hour after tax
That’s starting to look like genuine skilled professional income rather than glorified minimum wage.
Seasonal Pricing and Demand Management
Mobile barber demand varies seasonally. Adjust pricing strategies accordingly.
Peak Periods (Higher Demand)
Pre-Christmas (November-December):
- High demand for smart haircuts before parties and family gatherings
- Consider small premiums (£3-£5) or prioritise booking regulars
- Opportunity to increase volume rather than prices
Summer Holidays (June-August):
- Families travelling need pre-holiday cuts
- Wedding season creates demand for smart cuts
- Potential for premium event/wedding pricing
Back to School/Work (Late August-September):
- Parents getting kids ready for school
- Professionals returning from holidays wanting fresh cuts
Quiet Periods (Lower Demand)
January-February:
- Post-Christmas slowdown, people budgeting
- Offer modest promotions to maintain volume
- Example: “New year special – £5 off January bookings”
Mid-Summer (Late July):
- Many people on holiday
- Consider discounted Tuesday-Thursday slots to fill schedule
Strategy: Maintain base rates even in quiet periods, but offer time-specific promotions or package deals rather than blanket price cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I publish my prices online?
Yes – transparent pricing builds trust and filters customers. Publish clear base rates and explain travel fees. This saves you time explaining prices repeatedly and attracts customers who respect fair pricing.
What if customers say I’m too expensive?
Politely explain your pricing reflects your qualifications, experience, and professional service. Suggest they explore other options if your rates don’t suit their budget. Never justify pricing defensively – you’ve calculated costs properly, so you know your rates are fair.
How do I compete with mobile barbers charging £22?
Don’t compete on price – compete on quality, reliability, and service. Customers paying £30-£40 aren’t the same market as those paying £22. Build reputation with reviews, portfolios, and word-of-mouth. Quality customers happily pay fair rates.
Should I offer discounts for new customers?
Generally no. Discounting to acquire customers attracts price-focused customers who’ll leave for anyone cheaper. Build business through quality service, reviews, and word-of-mouth instead. Exception: Strategic temporary discount (£5 off first cut) for early reviews when launching.
How much should I charge for corporate/care home work?
Corporate and care home visits warrant premium pricing (20-30% above standard rates) because they involve:
- Specific time requirements (less flexibility)
- Professional liability (representing yourself in business environments)
- Coordination complexity
- Regular committed volume
Example: Standard cut £35, corporate rate £42-£45 per person.
What’s fair pricing for family packages?
Offer 5-10% discount for multiple cuts in single appointment. You’re saving travel time between appointments, so modest discounts make sense. Example: Adult £35 + child £22 normally £57, package £52-£55.
Should I price different postcodes differently?
Generally no – pricing by postcode feels arbitrary and potentially discriminatory. Use distance-based travel fees instead, which fairly reflect actual travel costs regardless of postcode affluence.
How do I justify price increases to customers?
Simple, honest communication: “Bringing pricing in line with current market rates and increased business costs.” Don’t over-explain. Most customers accept reasonable increases without issue.
What if I’m consistently booked solid weeks in advance?
You’re underpricing. Demand exceeds supply at current rates. Increase prices by 10-15% and reassess after 2-3 months. Continue increasing until demand/supply balance achieves your target schedule density.
Should I charge different rates for different hair types?
Charge based on time and skill required, not hair type. Afro-Caribbean hair requiring specialist techniques justifies higher rates because of skill requirements and time investment, not because of the hair type itself. Price services, not people.
Final Thoughts: Price With Confidence
Here’s the uncomfortable truth most new mobile barbers need to hear: you’re almost certainly undercharging.
You calculated costs properly, worked out what you need to earn, researched market rates, and logically know you should charge £42 per cut. But you’re still charging £32 because you’re scared of pricing yourself out of the market.
Stop it.
Undercharging doesn’t build business – it builds resentment, exhaustion, and eventual failure. Customers who choose you purely on price aren’t loyal customers. They’re transactional relationships that evaporate the moment someone undercuts you by £3.
Your real customers – the ones who become loyal, regular clients who recommend you to friends – don’t choose you primarily on price. They choose you because:
- You’re reliable (always on time, never cancel)
- You’re skilled (consistently good cuts)
- You’re professional (clear communication, proper setup)
- You’re convenient (flexible scheduling, come to them)
These customers happily pay £35-£45 for quality service. They’re not comparing you to budget barbershops charging £18 – they’re comparing you to other mobile barbers charging similar rates, traditional barbershops charging £22-£28 plus their time and travel costs, and the overall value proposition you offer.
Price yourself fairly, communicate value confidently, deliver excellent service consistently, and build a genuinely profitable mobile barber business. Your pricing should generate £30-£40/hour after costs and before tax for competent barbers, £40-£60/hour for experienced specialists.
Anything less means you’re working for poverty wages despite being a skilled professional. You deserve better, and fixing your pricing is the fastest way to get there.
TraderStreet’s zero-commission platform means every pound you charge is a pound you keep (minus your legitimate costs and tax). No platform taking 15-25% of your hard-earned revenue, no monthly subscription fees draining profit. Just direct connections between you and customers who value your service.
Now stop undercharging, raise your rates to reflect your genuine worth, and build the profitable business you deserve.