Flat Rate pricing is sometimes referred to as Upfront Pricing where the customer is given a repair price before the work begins. It is usually arrived at as a calculation of part cost, part market and a time component in which a trained HVAC or Plumber can complete the work. The hourly rate the company charges the client is usually derived from an overhead amount which typically runs from $150 to $220 per hour depending on the company’s competition and overhead. Unlike Time and Material billing in which the technician charges for the time they spend on the job flat rate uses a fixed time, part cost and part markup to calculate the repair cost.