How to Calculate True Job Profit (Not Just Gross Revenue)

A step-by-step guide for solo operators and small service teams to measure what you actually keep from each job and what your time really earns per hour.

1. Why Gross Revenue Is Misleading

Invoicing $800 for a day’s work feels productive until you subtract $210 in materials, $88 in lead or platform fees, 45 kilometres of vehicle travel, and 2 hours of unpaid quoting and pickup time.

True Job Profit = Gross Payments Received − Platform/Lead Fees − Direct Job Expenses − Team Labour Costs.
True Hourly Rate = True Job Profit ÷ (On-Site Work Hours + Travel & Pickup Hours).

2. Comparing Projected vs Actual Margin

By recording your expected hours and materials when you create the job and comparing them against actual receipts and logged hours at completion, you quickly spot which job types deserve higher rates.