Pricing emergency and after-hours work
Emergency calls cost you sleep, schedule, and crew morale. The pricing has to reflect that.
Set a clear after-hours rate, written
1.5x to 2x standard, posted on the website and in the voicemail. No surprises. Customers who call after hours expect a premium.
Charge the trip whether or not you do the work
After-hours trips that result in 'just take a look' cost you the same as the ones that turn into work. Price the trip.
Track the real cost of emergencies
Tired crews underperform the next day. Track callbacks and quality on emergency jobs. If it's costing you elsewhere, the rate isn't high enough.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.