counter tops and kitchen installation costs

[--tom]

a salesman in Wickes DIY said that the fitters that they use charge £65 to mitre a counter top. he had nothing to say on 45 mitres and 90 end cuts. he also mentioned that they charge £35 per flat pack cabinet to install. no mention of sink/hob cut-outs!
does anyone have any info. on such prices and details, would anyone supply a detailed breakdown of a kitchen installation? cabinets,work tops, elec. plumbing, tiling and appliances etc.

 

[DAZB]

No two kitchens are usually the same so fitting costs can vary quite considerably and therefore if I am asked to price a kitchen installation for a private customer then I will always visit the job before even mentioning a cost because then the customer isn't under any illusions by giving a ball park figure which may not be enough to cover a problematic job. Other than that I install probably about 4-5 kitchens a month for a property developer client of mine and I charge him a standard £200 for an 8 unit kitchen rising by £25 for each subsequent unit which includes cutting out for the Hob and Sink, pelmets, cornice, plinth, end panels etc... but not for any mitred worktops or tiling etc. If these were one off jobs then the cost would rise but they are included in the quote for the full renovation of the properties in question and because we are fitting a range from one supplier ( Howdens ) the kitchen units come ready built and like with anything you do regularly, you get faster at it, and I tend to have the whole kitchen fitted in a day. It does make a difference that I am mainly working in empty properties because I don't have to worry about keeping the carpets clean and so on and things like that in a private house all add to the time that a job takes and as you all know in the trade.... time is money.

 

[fitter]

Using MFI prices from 11 years ago, they may have changed since then

£150 to start, that was for ripping out old kitchen, cutting hole for sink, fitting sink and plumbing.
£35 per unit complete
£15 per infill
£35 per mitred joint
£35 per appliance
£35 for new socket
£120 for new cooker feed
£25 unit modification, boiler housing etc.

That's all I can remember, they reckon a team of 2 can earn £100k per year, I really do not know if that's true or not.

 

[masona]

That's all I can remember, they reckon a team of 2 can earn £100k per year, I really do not know if that's true or not.

Geees, I better get me tools out again if it's true, I'm in the wrong job again !

 

[david and julie]

MFI fitted my kitchen 3 years ago average size usual stuff nothing special really. They quoted me £800 for fitting excluding any mitres tiling etc.

Two subbies came and did the job they charged me £45 per mitre(2) and £25 per extra socket(4) this gave the lads just under a grand.(MFI gave them the full £800) They took 41/2 days of reasonable hours 9 while about 4. They offered to do tiling but I did my own. They told me this was an average week and that they grossed about £50 to £60k per year.

Out of this they paid for wages, van, fuel,fixings etc. they said they could earn more but MFI gave them continuity of work and were quite fair with them.

I would think £100k must be in London the same part presumably where plumbers are supposed to earn this much.

 

[masona]

I would think £100k must be in London the same part presumably where plumbers are supposed to earn this much.

I think the problem is that a plumber earn £100k so everyone assumes that all plumbers earn £100k !!!!

 

[fitter]

My son works for an up market kitchen company, he averages £1700 per fit which takes 3 days. No worktops as they are done by specialist granite firm. He also tells me there is nothing special about the product, it's just slightly better than the big three's.( he has fitted for them too)
I have asked a few self employed plumbers I know about this £100k stuff, they all said it was rubbish.

 

[david and julie]

Masona....... I wasn't saying that I believe plumbers earn £100k. I know this was press hype when it was said. Thats what I meant when I said supposeably it is the same place.

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

100K a year...

£100,000.00 / 47 (5 weeks holiday)

/ 37.5 Hours a week...

£56 Per hour.

Where are these stupid and gullible customers! Oh that's right, London! I might start commuting!

I'm knocking my pan out for £500 per week...

That's a full week obviously!

 

[fitter]

Some years ago while going through a very long lean period and against my better judgement I found a job through the jobcenter as a emergency plumber, potential hourly rate £70.

I was invited to attend a 2 hour induction, which was intended to show me how to bleed the customer dry, something they were expert in. The arrangment was a 50/50 split, the top earner regularly approaching £1000 a day, before split.

A few days after this I got a phone call at about 11 am, with my first job and a reminder of what to do. The lady of the house was in a highly distressd state as one of her children had pulled the bathroom sink from the wall and she was worried about it falling down, it would't have.

The job was nothing,all that was required was 2 larger screws and washers and some sealant. Based on the scale of charges I presented her with a bill for £125, labour, materials & vat. She paid £25 cash and the rest by cheque.

Once home I phoned as per instructions and was sacked on the spot, I should have not taken a cheque and he was expecting £200+. I took the cheque back to the lady and she told me to keep the cash, for 12 mins. actual work not bad, £125 per hour.

Now please if any plumbers are reading this I'm in no way suggesting this is the norm, I know the ones earning the top money are on call 24/7 or are killing themselves house bashing on price work.

 

[fitter]

PS
I decided not to do anymore when I left the house, there are better ways of keeping the wolf from the door

 

[masona]

Masona....... I wasn't saying that I believe plumbers earn £100k. I know this was press hype when it was said. Thats what I meant when I said supposeably it is the same place.

I know But I do know one that earn £100k in NW London BUT no family life, holiday and early grave I think ! I keeps telling him money isn't everything but won't listern