Self employed, change of location, what hourly rate?
Discussion
I'm a self employed sole trader, a decorator, recently moved back to my home town ( Newcastle upon Tyne ), after 18 years of living and working in and around Southampton. I went self employed while living in the south, and was already known locally as a decorator through the various companies I'd worked for, so had little difficulty becoming well established.
When I went on my own, I did a combination of local domestic properties and, through a building co. owned by a friend, worked in Wimbledon in the summers on permitted development extensions, etc, and got to know what to charge.
Now I'm back in the north, I just don't know how to value my trade......it'll almost certainly have to be less per hour than when in the south, but I'm pretty much completely out of touch with what's acceptable here now. Any thoughts, perhaps from others in the area and in the same trade?
I've had a look at local decorators ads, however none I've found quote an hourly rate, so no help there.
When I went on my own, I did a combination of local domestic properties and, through a building co. owned by a friend, worked in Wimbledon in the summers on permitted development extensions, etc, and got to know what to charge.
Now I'm back in the north, I just don't know how to value my trade......it'll almost certainly have to be less per hour than when in the south, but I'm pretty much completely out of touch with what's acceptable here now. Any thoughts, perhaps from others in the area and in the same trade?
I've had a look at local decorators ads, however none I've found quote an hourly rate, so no help there.
[Assuming you want to be self employed]
Are most decorating jobs done by the hour?
I've always had a job quoted as a whole job. The decorator is the expert at judging how long something takes, not me. Paying by the hour is not an incentive to finish a job on time?
Are most decorating jobs done by the hour?
I've always had a job quoted as a whole job. The decorator is the expert at judging how long something takes, not me. Paying by the hour is not an incentive to finish a job on time?
Edited by Vaud on Friday 9th February 09:13
Vaud said:
Are most decorating jobs done by the hour?
I've always had a job quoted as a whole job. The decorator is the expert at judging how long something takes, not me. Paying by the hour is not an incentive to finish a job on time?
I can't help with the original question - but surely that's the point. How can the OP gauge what his overall quote should be if he doesn't know approximately what the market will bear as an hourly rate? There's no point in him basing a quote on a 'down south' rate if his his competition are using substantially lower 'up north' rates.I've always had a job quoted as a whole job. The decorator is the expert at judging how long something takes, not me. Paying by the hour is not an incentive to finish a job on time?
deckster said:
Vaud said:
Are most decorating jobs done by the hour?
I've always had a job quoted as a whole job. The decorator is the expert at judging how long something takes, not me. Paying by the hour is not an incentive to finish a job on time?
I can't help with the original question - but surely that's the point. How can the OP gauge what his overall quote should be if he doesn't know approximately what the market will bear as an hourly rate? There's no point in him basing a quote on a 'down south' rate if his his competition are using substantially lower 'up north' rates.I've always had a job quoted as a whole job. The decorator is the expert at judging how long something takes, not me. Paying by the hour is not an incentive to finish a job on time?
Have a few quotes done on your own house, OP, not letting on that you are a decorator. You can then get a spread of prices and after deducting costs of paint (which you will know) you can work out your rate.
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