Trades daily rates
Discussion
Lord Marylebone said:
a311 said:
Decorating is a funny one, as it's something that most able bodied people can do themselves.
It is however time consuming. In our kitchen it's a blank canvas, fresh plaster, mist coat then white emulsion has probably taken ~5 days even with a good selection of steps and ladders-the ceiling is 5M high in one area. Add a couple more days for putting a colour on, another couple for wood work and you're up to 2 weeks quite easily.
I'd still rather do it myself though.
You are right that most able bodied people can do decorating, but whether they can do it well is a different matter. I have seen plenty of poor DIY wallpaper and paintwork in my time.It is however time consuming. In our kitchen it's a blank canvas, fresh plaster, mist coat then white emulsion has probably taken ~5 days even with a good selection of steps and ladders-the ceiling is 5M high in one area. Add a couple more days for putting a colour on, another couple for wood work and you're up to 2 weeks quite easily.
I'd still rather do it myself though.
Sometimes a DIY'er has an eye for it, and can get a nice finish, perfect cutting in lines, perfect wallpaper joins, and so on, but IMO an experienced decorator will leave the whole job looking a lot sharper and better finished than the householder.
Aluminati said:
Olivera said:
Isn't a big 'in the trade' perk being payed cash in hand, pocketing most of it, then declaring (if anything) a vastly reduced amount to the tax man?
Cash is a pain in the arse to get rid of, and most use digital banking nowadays.The bloke who services/repairs my cars is obsessed with cash, and offers the usual 20% discount for cash, as was the plasterer who did a £6500 job for me last year. It was cash or find someone else.
Collectingbrass said:
Lets face it we all would if we could, but how many of us would leave home early enough to be on site and working at 7 or 8, not 9?
Plenty of blokes with kids would pay to be out of the house never mind have an excuse and be paid on top.They will knock off by 2 and be down the pub or fishing or whatever floats their boat.
I’m amazed we still have university and a ‘profession’ as ambitions when you can be a tradie and live the dream.
I live in West Cornwall, where average wages are quite low, but tradesmen seem to get away with London prices because a lot of their work is for incomers and second home owners.
We are currently looking at getting the lounge gutted and redone - new ceiling including loft insulation (currently fibre board and polystyrene tile), a 2.7 metre stud wall built, coving, skim 2 walls, put in 6 downlights and a couple of sockets, sand and refinish parquet floor, sand and prime skirtings and architraves. We will do the final painting ourselves.
I had already priced up the materials at Bradfords - around £1300 without any discounts.
Chap came yesterday, small local building firm, big enough to be VAT registered. He said it would take 3 weeks, but they might get it done in 2. 2 or 3 people on site, plus plasterer (2 days) and sparks (1 day) as required.
His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
Had another chap round today, and asked for a quote excluding the floor, which we will do ourselves with hired equipment. He said he would easily do it in 2 weeks with his labourer, plus 2 days max for his plasterer. No estimate, written quote to follow. Hoping his quote comes in at a lot less.
We are currently looking at getting the lounge gutted and redone - new ceiling including loft insulation (currently fibre board and polystyrene tile), a 2.7 metre stud wall built, coving, skim 2 walls, put in 6 downlights and a couple of sockets, sand and refinish parquet floor, sand and prime skirtings and architraves. We will do the final painting ourselves.
I had already priced up the materials at Bradfords - around £1300 without any discounts.
Chap came yesterday, small local building firm, big enough to be VAT registered. He said it would take 3 weeks, but they might get it done in 2. 2 or 3 people on site, plus plasterer (2 days) and sparks (1 day) as required.
His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
Had another chap round today, and asked for a quote excluding the floor, which we will do ourselves with hired equipment. He said he would easily do it in 2 weeks with his labourer, plus 2 days max for his plasterer. No estimate, written quote to follow. Hoping his quote comes in at a lot less.
clockworks said:
Chap came yesterday, small local building firm, big enough to be VAT registered. He said it would take 3 weeks, but they might get it done in 2. 2 or 3 people on site, plus plasterer (2 days) and sparks (1 day) as required.
His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
No idea why you have written this, the VAT threshold as you would know is only £85k, so a one man outfit fitting 2 or 3 kitchens a year will trip into this, so a small builder even if only one other employee will be Vat registered regardless.His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
See what his quote breakdown reads like.
Promised Land said:
clockworks said:
Chap came yesterday, small local building firm, big enough to be VAT registered. He said it would take 3 weeks, but they might get it done in 2. 2 or 3 people on site, plus plasterer (2 days) and sparks (1 day) as required.
His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
No idea why you have written this, the VAT threshold as you would know is only £85k, so a one man outfit fitting 2 or 3 kitchens a year will trip into this, so a small builder even if only one other employee will be Vat registered regardless.His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
See what his quote breakdown reads like.
clockworks said:
Chap came yesterday, small local building firm, big enough to be VAT registered. He said it would take 3 weeks, but they might get it done in 2. 2 or 3 people on site, plus plasterer (2 days) and sparks (1 day) as required.
His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
Is the boss hands on, or does he ‘just’ run the firm?His estimate (written quote to follow) was £11,000, plus VAT. To me, being generous, that means he's charging almost £10k for 3 weeks' work by 3 people. I can see a skilled tradesman wanting to earn a grand a week, but charging out one or two labourers at the same rate seems excessive. Massive profit if he gets it done in 2 weeks.
Sounds like the kind of pricing we had from the firm from doing our extension - they employed most trades and I’ve seen them advertising for joiners at £40K so with employment costs and Van etc there’s over £50K.. we were also paying for the boss, the bloke who runs the office and the girl who does the books.
And, if the guys are employees, if they say it’ll take three weeks then it will!
Sheepshanks said:
Is the boss hands on, or does he ‘just’ run the firm?
Sounds like the kind of pricing we had from the firm from doing our extension - they employed most trades and I’ve seen them advertising for joiners at £40K so with employment costs and Van etc there’s over £50K.. we were also paying for the boss, the bloke who runs the office and the girl who does the books.
And, if the guys are employees, if they say it’ll take three weeks then it will!
Boss is "hands on", said it would be him and 1 or 2 others, plus the plasterer and sparks.Sounds like the kind of pricing we had from the firm from doing our extension - they employed most trades and I’ve seen them advertising for joiners at £40K so with employment costs and Van etc there’s over £50K.. we were also paying for the boss, the bloke who runs the office and the girl who does the books.
And, if the guys are employees, if they say it’ll take three weeks then it will!
Mr Whippy said:
ukwill said:
Recently had quote from someone to supply and build a 14x8 pent shed (and build base on wooden frame).
Quoted £9k
On what planet?
Ouch.Quoted £9k
On what planet?
Another DIY job at that kind of price.
We are trying to get a bath moved, literally about 6 inches, with a small amount of boxing in and about 3 m2 of retiling, we'll supply the new bath and all materials, so the price is for labour only.
So far getting anyone to quote less than £1,000 has proved difficult and the two that did quote less have now gone awol after we confirmed that we would like to go ahead.
Last year we had a quote for £24,000 for outside work, mainly block paving, we then got another quote for £8,000 which actually involved a bigger area of block paving, the first firm was obviously taking the mickey.
Lots of tradesmen seem to hike the price up when they see that you live in an OK house.
So far getting anyone to quote less than £1,000 has proved difficult and the two that did quote less have now gone awol after we confirmed that we would like to go ahead.
Last year we had a quote for £24,000 for outside work, mainly block paving, we then got another quote for £8,000 which actually involved a bigger area of block paving, the first firm was obviously taking the mickey.
Lots of tradesmen seem to hike the price up when they see that you live in an OK house.
Enut said:
We are trying to get a bath moved, literally about 6 inches, with a small amount of boxing in and about 3 m2 of retiling, we'll supply the new bath and all materials, so the price is for labour only.
So far getting anyone to quote less than £1,000 has proved difficult and the two that did quote less have now gone awol after we confirmed that we would like to go ahead.
Last year we had a quote for £24,000 for outside work, mainly block paving, we then got another quote for £8,000 which actually involved a bigger area of block paving, the first firm was obviously taking the mickey.
Lots of tradesmen seem to hike the price up when they see that you live in an OK house.
You want a bath isolating and removing then a new one fitted in a different position along with forming some boxing in then prepping for tiling then tiling and grouting.. not a. £1k job that i'm afraid.So far getting anyone to quote less than £1,000 has proved difficult and the two that did quote less have now gone awol after we confirmed that we would like to go ahead.
Last year we had a quote for £24,000 for outside work, mainly block paving, we then got another quote for £8,000 which actually involved a bigger area of block paving, the first firm was obviously taking the mickey.
Lots of tradesmen seem to hike the price up when they see that you live in an OK house.
Tradesmen are able to raise their costs in real time to match the inflation affecting us all.
Square Leg said:
I’m into my 38th year of decorating for a living, and currently price jobs between £180-200 per day.
I’m at that stage in life that I don’t need to work 5 days a week, so if I don’t get a job it’s no bother.
Over the years though, I’ve made good money - wallpapering can pay very well - I now charge £25 per roll to hang paper with a value of up to £50 per roll, between £50 - £100 per roll my rate goes up to £35 per roll to hang.
I can easily hang 10 rolls in a day (I work 9-4) with the new paste the wall stuff.
Anything over £100 is open to discussion on hanging costs - once had £1k per roll paper and they paid me £100 per roll to hang.
That was a nice 3 day job.
I used to contract to a company hanging Muraspec wide vinyl, mainly hospital corridors. Used to clear around £300 a day, that was around 20 years ago. I did the reception of a new JCB factory once, 15m drops, had to have 2 lads glueing and holding the vinyl on the tower scaffold.I’m at that stage in life that I don’t need to work 5 days a week, so if I don’t get a job it’s no bother.
Over the years though, I’ve made good money - wallpapering can pay very well - I now charge £25 per roll to hang paper with a value of up to £50 per roll, between £50 - £100 per roll my rate goes up to £35 per roll to hang.
I can easily hang 10 rolls in a day (I work 9-4) with the new paste the wall stuff.
Anything over £100 is open to discussion on hanging costs - once had £1k per roll paper and they paid me £100 per roll to hang.
That was a nice 3 day job.
Just had an electrician rewire our kitchen (it was back to brick already) and install it all on a new consumer unit in the garage. Rest of the house was left on the old consumer unit for now until we rewire all of that to the new board.
Came to £4500 inc VAT.
I roughly calculated materials to around £1500 which was probably generous and it took him 5 days.
Works out to around £600 per day.
He seemed to charge per item so a socket was £75 x as many as you want
Same for downlights, it was £60 per item.
Expecting the rewire for the rest to be about £5-£6k so around £10k all in.
Came to £4500 inc VAT.
I roughly calculated materials to around £1500 which was probably generous and it took him 5 days.
Works out to around £600 per day.
He seemed to charge per item so a socket was £75 x as many as you want
Same for downlights, it was £60 per item.
Expecting the rewire for the rest to be about £5-£6k so around £10k all in.
Wagonwheel555 said:
Just had an electrician rewire our kitchen (it was back to brick already) and install it all on a new consumer unit in the garage. Rest of the house was left on the old consumer unit for now until we rewire all of that to the new board.
Came to £4500 inc VAT.
I roughly calculated materials to around £1500 which was probably generous and it took him 5 days.
Works out to around £600 per day.
He seemed to charge per item so a socket was £75 x as many as you want
Same for downlights, it was £60 per item.
Expecting the rewire for the rest to be about £5-£6k so around £10k all in.
So he charged £3750. The vat just goes straight to the vat man and the contractor doesn’t benefit from it in any way. Take off the materials and that’s 2250, so £450 a day. That is not too crazy as he will have budgeted in 150-200 a day to cover business expenses so he’s probably only earning 250-300 a day which isn’t a lot for a professional to do a good job. Came to £4500 inc VAT.
I roughly calculated materials to around £1500 which was probably generous and it took him 5 days.
Works out to around £600 per day.
He seemed to charge per item so a socket was £75 x as many as you want
Same for downlights, it was £60 per item.
Expecting the rewire for the rest to be about £5-£6k so around £10k all in.
Douglas Quaid said:
So he charged £3750. The vat just goes straight to the vat man and the contractor doesn’t benefit from it in any way. Take off the materials and that’s 2250, so £450 a day. That is not too crazy as he will have budgeted in 150-200 a day to cover business expenses so he’s probably only earning 250-300 a day which isn’t a lot for a professional to do a good job.
£200 per day (£1000 per week) to cover business expenses? Does he have all his electrical gear in the back of a Bentley Bentayga? If the materials were estimated at £1500 by the poster then that probably includes VAT, which the sparky can reclaim. So he's earning approximately £500 per day, minus a small amount for expenses.Let's be honest and admit that many trades earn very good money indeed, often way in advance of other professions that require far more onerous formal qualifications and higher intelligence levels
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff