what do you charge?

[beezo]

Hi guys,

started up on my own about 8 months ago. Hardest thing I find Is pricing up jobs and charging customers. Just want to see what you guys charge for the following if thats ok. Im in cheshire, not far from warrington/liverpool

toilet install
basin install
bath install
full bathroom suite install (like for like) + swap rad for towel rad (same place) (what about first fixing all this then returning at a later date to final fix due to tiler)
power shower swap
full power shower install (electrician to do electrics)
replace seal on leaky tap
replace shower cubicle with bath (pipes and waste in almost correct position)

just looking for an idea guys as i feel im ripping myself off but dont waqnt to go too expensive and loose the jobs

your help is much appreciated

 

[Boilerman2]

You need to work out what you want to earn (take home) per day
then work out how many hours a day would be productive (i.e. not time spent at wholesalers or in front of computer doing invoices etc etc - I work on working 5 productive hours per day) work out your overheads van, fuel, cost of accountant stationary etc etc, (don't fprget U are going to want a few weeks holiday per year as well after finding out your costs per day add them to your required earnings and devide by 5 (in my example) this should be your hourly rate - you should be able to work out how many hours the various tasks are going to take and there you are one quotaton - obvioulsy if U are at a site all day, the day rate can be adjusted to be more competetive given that you won't be travelling between jobs etc

 

[Dan Robinson]

One thing no civilian on here has ever dared answer when asked, is how much they think someone should earn, or how much profit a small company/one man trader should be earning.

And even fewer would be willing to post their hourly earnings too.

BM's answer is as good as you will get on the open forum i would have thought and makes perfect sense to me.

Don't forget to add all the hours you spend in the office doing paper work each week. No phecker ever appreciates that.

Top marks for going it alone in this economic environment though!

 

[vv2806]

)) It seems to be a top secret )))

beezo, get on the phone, call several plumbers and ask them for a quotation. Then you'll have an answer for your question

 

[seco services]

)) It seems to be a top secret )))

beezo, get on the phone, call several plumbers and ask them for a quotation. Then you'll have an answer for your question

Any sensible plumber will only quote on seeing the job not over the phone.
Can't see can't quote.

 

[Dan Robinson]

)) It seems to be a top secret )))

beezo, get on the phone, call several plumbers and ask them for a quotation. Then you'll have an answer for your question

So what do you earn an hour - and what do you think should be the answer to question I posed? Percentages are fine.

 

[vv2806]

So what do you earn an hour - and what do you think should be the answer to question I posed? Percentages are fine.

If it is of any interest for you, I am paid about £40 per hour of teaching. It includes the time needed for preparation and marking. So it depends - if it is a new subject, obviously I need more time to prepare for the classes but if there are several groups of students having the same lessons, the ratio preparation/teaching time is better. Using software that allows for automated assessment spares me the marking

As for your question - I have no idea. One earns what they can earn, a matter of supply and demand, and for a trade person - also a matter of qualification, experience, and customer satisfaction, I suppose.

 

[vv2806]

Any sensible plumber will only quote on seeing the job not over the phone.
Can't see can't quote.

Surely there would be some not so sensible plumbers. I have had quotations over the phone for different types of jobs.

 

[Dan Robinson]

OK, and how long did it take you to train to teach? After our initial period of training, every 5 years we take (well I take) over a month to retrain. Plus pay an annual subscription etc., etc., in order to trade legally.

Think I'm in the wrong trade .

 

[Agile]

OK, and how long did it take you to train to teach? After our initial period of training, every 5 years we take (well I take) over a month to retrain. Plus pay an annual subscription etc., etc., in order to trade legally.

Think I'm in the wrong trade .

Dan must be a slow learner.

Most people do a one day refresher ( some two or three but mostly one or two ) and then take the assessments over 2-3 days.

Many just do the assessments without a refresher.

Its easy to work out what to charge. See what an employed person would be paid and then work out the overheads, management times, days without work etc. and see what you need to earn.

Then compare it with the local competition, those living in cheap council houses, those claiming the dole, the East Europeans renting in the UK and buying cheap property back home etc.

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

No, just not arrogant enough to assume everything - plus I have plenty of tickets after my name.

I don't like to let them expire either if you know what I mean .

 

[vv2806]

OK, and how long did it take you to train to teach?

I started teaching after 5 years at the university but strictly speaking there is no training that would teach you how to teach (speaking about higher education here, not schools). It requires a lot of studying though but usually you do it yourself. Often you are on your own dealing with complicated tasks. I would say that the university gave me good foundations but 90% of the things I need to know to do my job came by self-learning. So it is one big constant retraining but that is what makes it interesting.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I started teaching after 5 years at the university but strictly speaking there is no training that would teach you how to teach (speaking about higher education here, not schools). It requires a lot of studying though but usually you do it yourself. Often you are on your own dealing with complicated tasks. I would say that the university gave me good foundations but 90% of the things I need to know to do my job came by self-learning. So it is one big constant retraining but that is what makes it interesting.

I should have said it was a loaded question, as I was once going to teach, but after all the work experience, and getting my degree I decided it wasn't worth it - you couldn't even shout at the little shlts

 

[vv2806]

you couldn't even shout at the little shlts

Every profession has its cons

 

[DeltaT2]

OK, and how long did it take you to train to teach? After our initial period of training, every 5 years we take (well I take) over a month to retrain. Plus pay an annual subscription etc., etc., in order to trade legally.

Think I'm in the wrong trade .

Dan must be a slow learner.

Most people do a one day refresher ( some two or three but mostly one or two ) and then take the assessments over 2-3 days.

Many just do the assessments without a refresher.

Its easy to work out what to charge. See what an employed person would be paid and then work out the overheads, management times, days without work etc. and see what you need to earn.

Then compare it with the local competition, those living in cheap council houses, those claiming the dole, the East Europeans renting in the UK and buying cheap property back home etc.

Tony

Aye & don't forget your £84 fee before you get out the Volvo Tony!!
Or your 8 weeks paid Summer Holiday Teacher..............