A plumbing virtual assistant can cost a few hundred dollars for a small monthly hour block or several thousand dollars for dedicated full-time capacity. The number is useful only when it is paired with the service model. Compare reserved capacity, whether one person learns your business, the work included, and the management you still own.
Early Bird charges $2,750 per month for one dedicated, full-time executive assistant plus an Operations Associate and HR support. The assistant is not hired for one disconnected task. Early Bird maps the full operating scope, then stabilizes one priority lane at a time.
Current virtual assistant prices at a glance
These are public plan prices checked on August 2, 2026. They are examples of different buying models, not a ranking. Providers can change prices, terms, included hours, and availability, so open the linked pricing page before making a decision.
| Provider and model | Published monthly price | Published capacity and support |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | $2,750 | One dedicated, full-time executive assistant, an Operations Associate, and HR support. |
| Time etc | $390 to $2,160 | 10, 20, 40, or 60 hours per month. Published plans include a dedicated assistant and client support. |
| Prialto | $1,500 or $1,600 per unit; full-time from $3,600 | Its current page displays both unit prices for 55 hours, an engagement manager, and backup support, so confirm the quote. The full-time plan lists 165 or more hours. |
| MyOutDesk | From $1,988 | Managed full-time support at the entry tier. Its specialized tier starts at $2,500. |
| Wishup | $1,999 or $2,999 | Published full-day Prime and Elite plans, each with a dedicated manager. Part-day options are also shown on its pricing page. |
Notice what the table does not do: it does not divide every plan by the same number of hours and call the result equivalent. An hour bucket, a shared task pool, a managed full-time placement, and an employee solve different staffing problems.
The four costs hidden inside one monthly quote
1. Purchased capacity
Start with the hours or availability actually reserved for your company. A 10-hour plan may be ideal for a defined backlog or recurring weekly task. It is not full-time front-office coverage. If the provider sells a monthly outcome rather than hours, ask what working schedule, response expectations, and limits are documented.
2. Management time
Someone must define priorities, answer questions, review work, and improve the process. With a direct freelancer, most of that work may stay with you. A managed service may include a relationship manager or operating support, but the role and authority differ by provider. Put your expected management hours into the worksheet instead of treating them as free.
3. Tools, setup, and add-ons
Ask whether the quote includes recruiting, payroll administration, HR support, replacement support, phone tools, time tracking, setup, and the software required for the role. Do not assume every vendor includes the same bundle. Record only costs that your quote or current systems actually require.
4. Scope gaps
The cheapest plan can be expensive if it covers only one step of a larger lane. For example, taking a message is different from updating the customer record, scheduling inside approved rules, sending the confirmation, monitoring the reply, and escalating an exception. Map the whole workflow before pricing the person who will own it.
Use the monthly-cost and scope worksheet
Enter two real quotes. The worksheet adds the monthly fee, add-ons, an amortized setup fee, and the value of the management time you expect to spend. It also shows which option includes more of the office lane you need.
How to choose the right model for your plumbing company
Choose an hour block when the work is narrow
A fractional plan can fit a well-defined weekly queue such as calendar cleanup, reporting, data entry, or a controlled follow-up list. It may also be a sensible first step when demand is irregular and you can batch the work. Confirm what happens when the hour block is exhausted and whether unused time carries forward.
Choose a dedicated full-time assistant when context matters all day
Dedicated capacity is more relevant when one person needs to learn your customers, systems, schedule rules, follow-up cadence, and decision boundaries. The value is not simply more hours. It is continuity across connected work. Ask whether the person is truly reserved for your company and what support exists when questions or performance issues arise.
Choose an in-house employee when physical presence is essential
An employee may be the better fit for walk-in coverage, physical paperwork, inventory access, or work that requires daily in-person supervision. Build that comparison from the wage you expect to offer plus your actual payroll taxes, benefits, recruiting, equipment, software, and management plan. Do not compare a monthly service quote with an employee's wage alone.
Questions to ask before signing
- Who performs the work? Is one person dedicated, one person fractional, or a shared pool?
- What capacity is reserved? Ask for hours, schedule, response expectations, and the overage rule in writing.
- Who manages the relationship? Clarify who gathers feedback, resolves questions, and handles a mismatch.
- What is included? List setup, HR administration, replacement support, phone tools, software, and add-ons.
- What can the role own? Map calls, records, scheduling, confirmations, follow-up, reporting, and exceptions.
- What stays with you? Keep technical plumbing judgment, safety decisions, and promises outside approved rules with the qualified or authorized person.
- What is the commitment? Record minimum term, cancellation terms, billing cadence, and price-change conditions.
Where Early Bird fits
Early Bird is a managed service built around one dedicated, full-time executive assistant plus an Operations Associate. The Operations Associate supports the client and assistant, gathers feedback, becomes the assistant's first point of contact for questions, and can draw on experienced assistants for relevant examples.
Onboarding maps the full operating scope, including systems, people, recurring work, priorities, and decision boundaries. The team then stabilizes one priority lane at a time. Early Bird's service agreement includes confidentiality obligations, and assistants sign nondisclosure agreements. These commitments do not replace your responsibility to set appropriate access and permissions.
Review answering service, virtual receptionist, and dedicated-assistant models, compare your first office-hire options, or see what the Early Bird monthly price includes.