A fill is a service, not a favor. The client has grown out, the product has lifted at the cuticle, and you're rebuilding structure on a foundation that's no longer fresh. That is real work and it deserves to be priced as such.
What a tech should always charge for a fill
- Time — typically 45–75 minutes, not 20. You're lifting, de-bulking, re-structuring, and re-sculpting.
- Materials — product is consumed (gel, monomer, acrylic, brush tips).
- The structure — a well-done fill re-establishes the apex and balance of the nail, which is harder to do than it looks.
What NOT to do
Do not discount a fill to "save the client." You're telling them a full set is the only "real" service, and they'll start shopping for one. A full set should be 1.5–2.5× the price of a fill, depending on length and art.
The "foreign fill" problem
If a client walks in with a set another tech did and the structure is off — bad apex, lifting, short free edge — that's a foreign fill, and it's priced higher than a standard fill because you're correcting a foundation, not maintaining one. Say that out loud. It's a value justification, not an insult.
How to price it
Set a base for structural work, then add art and bling. Keep a "foreign fill" line item visible so the client understands why this specific visit costs more than "just a fill." The Lacqr Lens does this automatically and shows the reason in the line item — no mystery, no haggling.
Price the work, not the relationship.