7 min read · Updated October 2026 · By Dalton Carroll
What a trades recruiter costs: every fee model, explained with numbers
A trades recruiter costs either a percentage of first-year pay (standardly 20-25%), a flat fee per hire, or a monthly retainer, and the honest comparison is about what the fee includes and how often you hire, not just the sticker. This guide prices every model with real numbers, including our own published rates, shows the math for choosing between them, and lists the red flags that mean you should keep your money regardless of the model.
The four fee models, priced
| Model | Typical pricing | On a ~$60,000 tech | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contingency (percentage) | 20-25% of first-year pay standard; some national schedules reach 35% | about $12,000-15,000, paid only on a hire | One-off urgent searches; no exclusivity |
| Flat fee | Fixed price per placement (ours: $7,500-9,000) | $7,500-9,000, known upfront | Operators who want cost certainty before starting |
| Monthly retainer / fractional | Flat monthly for ongoing recruiting (ours: $3,500-4,500/mo, 1-2 placements included; executive fractional market rates run $5,700-10,400/mo) | Covered by the month | Shops hiring 2+ techs a year that want a bench, not a scramble |
| Temp / contract markup | 25-65% markup on the worker’s hourly pay, billed weekly | roughly $13,000-27,000+ per year of assignment | Surge crews and uncertain demand; see the staffing-vs-recruiter guide |
Market reference points for the table: 20-25% is the standard contingency band across the recruiting industry, published national direct-hire schedules run as high as 35%, trades temp markups run roughly 25-65% per industry rate guides, and fractional-recruiter market rates come from published rate benchmarks. Our own numbers are on the pricing page and repeated here unchanged, because the figures on this site do not vary by page.
Which model is cheapest for you (the 30-second math)
- Hiring once this year: flat fee or contingency; a flat $7,500-9,000 undercuts the standard percentage on any tech earning above roughly $38,000.
- Hiring twice: the models converge; two flat fees ($15,000-18,000) versus several retainer months. Choose on whether you value the between-hires bench.
- Hiring three or more times: the retainer wins almost mechanically ($42,000-54,000 a year, placements included, pipeline always warm) against $22,500-45,000 in per-hire fees with cold starts between each.
- Needing bodies for a season: none of the above; that is temp-markup territory, priced in the staffing-vs-recruiter guide.
What the fee should always include
A placement fee is not for a stack of resumes; it is for a verified, guaranteed hire. At any price, the fee should include real screening (a human interview against a scorecard, credentials verified at the source, background and driving checks run to your policy), offer management through the counteroffer, and a written replacement guarantee, commonly 30-90 days with ours at 90. It should not include exclusivity you did not agree to, payment before a start date on contingency work, or surprise add-ons for the checks themselves beyond pass-through costs disclosed upfront.
Red flags worth walking away from
- Fees charged to the candidate: in this market, reputable firms charge employers only.
- No written guarantee, or one that quietly excludes the ways hires actually fail.
- Resume forwarding without screening: if the "recruiter" cannot describe their verification process, the fee buys you an inbox.
- Pay-to-post packages dressed up as recruiting: ad placement is not a search.
- Pricing that will not go in writing before work starts, on any model.
And one flag in our own favor worth checking everyone for, including us: published prices. A firm that hides its rates behind "call for a quote" is planning to price you by your desperation, which is exactly the energy you are hiring a recruiter to escape. Every number we charge is on the pricing page, and the first conversation, including the local pay-band data, costs nothing.
Common questions
What percentage do recruiters charge for trades placements?
The standard contingency band is 20-25% of first-year pay, with some published national schedules reaching 35%. On a $60,000 tech that is roughly $12,000-15,000 at standard rates, which is why flat-fee models ($7,500-9,000 with us) have gained ground with trades operators.
Do you pay a recruiter if no one is hired?
Not on contingency or flat-fee models: payment triggers on a start, which is the point of those structures. Retainers bill monthly regardless because they buy continuous work and a standing bench; that is the trade you are making, stated plainly.
Is a recruiting retainer worth it for a small trades shop?
At two or more hires a year, usually yes: the math converges at two hires and tilts clearly by three, and the bench between hires is what turns a resignation into a calendar event instead of a crisis. At one hire a year, take the flat fee and skip the subscription; we tell callers exactly that.
What does a 90-day guarantee actually cover?
With us: if a placed tech leaves or is let go within 90 days, we rerun the search and replace them at no additional placement fee. Read any firm’s version for exclusions (resignation versus termination, payment-timing conditions) before signing; the guarantee is a quarter of what the fee buys.