Mobile Welding Hourly Rate: What to Charge
Mobile welding typically runs $75–$150 per hour, rising to $125–$200 for certified structural or pressure-pipe work in major markets. Add a service-call fee of $75–$150 and a one-hour minimum, plus materials and consumables at cost-plus. Day rates run $700 for a half day and $1,400 for a full day — and after-hours or emergency work should be 1.5x to 2x standard.
Rates by work type
| Work | Typical hourly |
|---|---|
| General mobile repair | $75–$125 |
| Certified structural (AWS D1.1) | $125–$175 |
| Pressure pipe (ASME) | $150–$200+ |
| Half day | ~$700 |
| Full day | ~$1,400 |
The service call is not optional
$75–$150 call-out plus a one-hour minimum. The rig, gas, consumables, insurance, and drive time are all spent before the first weld. Without a call-out fee, small jobs are charity.
Charge for after-hours
Weekend, evening, and emergency work should run 1.5x to 2x standard. The customer with a broken gate at 9pm on Saturday isn’t out there price shopping.
Materials at cost-plus
Steel, consumables, and gas are billed at cost plus a handling markup, itemized. Buried in an hourly rate they look like padding; on their own line they’re obviously materials.
Related: welding invoice template and mobile welding business invoicing app.
Frequently asked questions
Why charge a service call on top of the hourly rate?
Because the truck is the business. Fuel, the rig, gas, consumables, insurance, and drive time are spent before you strike an arc. A one-hour job with no call-out fee doesn't cover getting there and back.
What does certification add?
AWS D1.1 structural or ASME pressure certifications typically support $125–$200 per hour versus $75–$125 for general repair. You're pricing liability and qualification, not just skill.
Hourly or by the job?
Hourly for repair work where you can't see what's under the rust; by the job for fabrication you can scope from a drawing. Quoting a fixed price on unknown repair conditions is how welders end up working for free.