Guides for solo trades.

The questions people actually type into Google about hours, mileage, and getting paid for the time they really worked.

• Can I use Google Maps Timeline as a mileage log for taxes?

  You can mine Google Maps Timeline for evidence of your drives, but by itself it is not a compliant mileage log: it has no business-versus-personal split, no purpose notes, gaps where tracking was off, and distances that are estimates. It works as a backup source for rebuilding a log — expect hours of manual work — not as the log itself.

• How do I prove the hours I worked to a client?

  Provide a detailed log of arrival and departure timestamps for every job site visited. TradesTimer automates this by using background GPS to detect stops and trips, giving you a verifiable timeline of your workday.

• How much billable time do tradespeople actually lose?

  Solo tradespeople typically lose 5 to 10 hours of billable revenue every week due to 'administrative leakage' like unrecorded travel and forgotten stops. TradesTimer recovers this lost time by automatically reconstructing your workday and mileage from background GPS without you ever hitting a timer.

• What’s the best free time tracking app for a self-employed tradesman?

  For a self-employed tradesman, TradesTimer is the best free option because it removes manual effort. It uses background GPS to automatically reconstruct your workday by detecting jobsite stops and driving trips.

• What do I do when I forget to start the timer?

  You don't need to do anything because TradesTimer does not use manual timers. The app uses background GPS to automatically detect when you arrive at a jobsite and when you leave, so your work duration and mileage are recorded even if you forget to open the app.

• Can I track work time without creating an account?

  Yes, you can track your work time and mileage without ever creating an account. TradesTimer is designed to work immediately upon installation, keeping all your location and time data stored locally on your device.

• What mileage rate can I charge a client?

  You can charge a rate negotiated in your service contracts, often using the standard IRS mileage rate as a baseline. TradesTimer helps you justify these charges by automatically recording every trip and distance between jobsites for an accurate, exportable log.

• What is a good profit margin for a trades business?

  A healthy net profit margin for a solo tradesperson typically falls between 10% and 20%. To protect this margin, you must accurately track all billable hours and travel mileage to ensure no costs or billable moments are overlooked.

• What hourly rate should I charge as a solo tradesperson?

  Calculate your rate by totaling your annual overhead, taxes, and desired profit, then dividing that sum by your estimated annual billable hours. Use TradesTimer to track your actual job duration and travel time, ensuring your rate covers the unbillable gaps between stops.

• How should I track time and records for cash jobs?

  Treat cash jobs exactly like digital ones by maintaining a strict log of work duration and travel distance. TradesTimer automates this by using background GPS to capture your jobsite stops and mileage without you ever needing to start a timer.

• How do I track billable hours across multiple jobsites in a day?

  Use an automated GPS logger to identify different locations throughout your day. TradesTimer automatically detects stops at each jobsite and trips between them, providing rounded billable hours without you ever needing to start or stop a timer.

• Timesheet app vs GPS time tracking — which is better?

  GPS time tracking is superior for solo tradespeople because it removes the human error of forgetting to clock in or out. TradesTimer uses background GPS to automatically reconstruct your workday, capturing both jobsite durations and driving mileage without any manual timers.

• Should I charge a service-call fee?

  Yes, you should charge a service fee to cover the overhead of traveling to a jobsite. Using TradesTimer allows you to see exactly how much time and mileage you spend on trips, making it easy to justify this fee based on real data.

• Should I use the standard mileage rate or actual expenses?

  Decide based on which method provides a larger deduction for your specific vehicle costs. TradesTimer simplifies this by automatically logging every trip's distance, providing the precise data you need to compare both methods.

• What mileage-deduction mistakes do solo contractors make?

  The most common mistakes are failing to record the business purpose of trips and neglecting to log mileage weekly. TradesTimer prevents this by using background GPS to automatically detect stops and trips, reconstructing your workday without manual entry.

• Can I reconstruct a mileage log at the end of the year?

  No, you should not wait until the end of the year to reconstruct your log. TradesTimer automates this process by using background GPS to capture trips and stops as they happen, so your record is always ready.

• Mileage reimbursement vs deduction — what is the difference?

  Reimbursement is cash paid to you to cover driving costs, while a deduction lowers your taxable income. TradesTimer automates the tracking of trips and distances to ensure you have the precise logs needed for either method.

• What is the difference between markup and margin for contractors?

  Markup is the percentage added to your costs to set a price, whereas margin is the percentage of the final sale price that represents profit. To avoid underpricing, use TradesTimer to capture every minute of labor and every mile of travel so your cost base is 100% accurate.

• How do I justify my hours when a client pushes back?

  Present a clear, timestamped timeline of your arrival and departure. Using an automated GPS log like TradesTimer allows you to provide objective data on job site durations and travel distances, making it much harder for clients to dispute your recorded hours.

• Is my commute tax-deductible when self-employed?

  Generally, no. The drive from your home to your first jobsite and from your last jobsite back home is considered a personal commute and is not deductible. TradesTimer helps you distinguish these by automatically logging only the trips between jobsite stops.

• What does the IRS require in a mileage log?

  The IRS requires a log recording the date, destination, business miles, and business purpose for every trip. TradesTimer automates this by using background GPS to reconstruct your stops and trips without manual input.

• How do I turn GPS history into invoice-ready hours?

  Review your automatically detected 'stops' and 'trips' within the app. TradesTimer reconstructs your workday from GPS data, providing rounded billable hours and a distance log ready to be typed into your invoice.

• How should I round billable hours fairly?

  Pick a consistent increment, such as 15 minutes, and apply it to every job. TradesTimer automates this by providing rounded billable hours from your detected jobsite stops, removing the need for manual math.

• How do I track mileage for taxes when I’m self-employed?

  To track mileage for taxes, you must maintain a contemporaneous log of every business trip, including the date, destination, miles, and business purpose. TradesTimer automates this by using background GPS to detect stops and trips, creating an exportable log without you ever needing to start a timer.

• How do I track hours for multiple clients in one day?

  You don't need to manually switch between clients; simply let the app detect your movements. TradesTimer uses background GPS to automatically identify each unique jobsite as a separate 'stop,' recording the duration for every client you visit in a single day.

• How do I price a job as a contractor?

  To price a job, calculate your total material costs, overhead, and labor, then add a profit margin. Use TradesTimer’s automated logs to review your actual travel distances and billable hours to ensure your quotes reflect your real-world expenses.

• How do I invoice as a sole trader?

  To invoice as a sole trader, create a document that lists your services, the agreed rates, and your payment instructions. Use TradesTimer to pull accurate billable hours and travel mileage from your automated logs so your invoices are always precise.

• How much is business mileage worth in 2026?

  For 2026, the IRS business mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile. TradesTimer automates this tracking by recording every trip and distance between jobsites without you needing to start a timer.

• How many hours can I honestly bill a client?

  You should only bill for the time you are actively performing the contracted work on-site. TradesTimer helps you separate your jobsite 'stops' from your driving 'trips' so you can provide clients with an honest, accurate breakdown of labor versus travel.

• How many billable hours are there really in a work year?

  While a standard work year is 2,080 hours, your actual billable hours are much lower once travel and admin are removed. TradesTimer helps you identify your true capacity by automatically separating job site time from driving time.

• Is GPS time tracking a privacy risk?

  GPS tracking is a risk when data is synced to a remote server or linked to a personal profile. TradesTimer mitigates this by storing all location and trip data locally on your device, with no account or cloud storage required.

• Does GPS time tracking drain my phone battery?

  GPS usage does consume power, but it is significantly less than active navigation. TradesTimer uses optimized background location services to detect stops and trips without needing your screen to stay on or the app to be actively open.

• What is on an end-of-year mileage deduction checklist?

  An end-of-year mileage checklist includes verifying your total business miles, dates, destinations, and business purposes for every trip. TradesTimer automates this by reconstructing your workday from GPS to ensure no trip is missed.

• Should I charge clients for drive time?

  You can either include travel in your flat rate or bill it as a separate line item. TradesTimer helps you see exactly how much time you spend on 'trips' versus 'stops' so you can price your services to cover your actual movement.

• What mileage records does the CRA require in Canada?

  The CRA requires you to record the date, destination, and business purpose for every business trip. TradesTimer automates this by using background GPS to track your stops and mileage without manual input.

• What counts as business miles vs commuting?

  Commuting from home to your first job site or from your last job site back home is considered personal mileage. TradesTimer automatically detects 'stops' and 'trips' to help you distinguish between these personal commutes and deductible business travel.

• What is the best free mileage tracker app?

  For solo tradespeople who need zero-effort tracking, TradesTimer is the best free option. It uses background GPS to automatically distinguish between driving trips and jobsite stops without you ever needing to start a timer.

• How do I track billable hours without starting a timer?

  Use an app that captures your workday automatically from background GPS, then review and adjust the day once at invoice time. TradesTimer is built this way and the core app is free — it detects stops and drives on its own, so there is no timer to forget and no jobsite to pre-configure.