Need help in priceing work up...please

[jordancorey]

Hi everyone, can anyone please give me some advice. I have just been laid off from work this week due to lack of work. (This is the 4th time I have been made redundant) Anyway I have been thinking of going self employed as a general handyman, doing home repairs, building walls and garden work. I have done a one year course on bricklaying and general construction and also been on a plastering course. I have owned my own home for 22 yrs and have done all the work in my own home from decorating, to fitting kitchens and bathrooms for myself and for friends. I am very good at diy in general.

My question is this:
I don't know what to charge people. In the past I have undercharged people and not made very much in return. I have got a patio to price up for a neighbours daughter and to be honesty I haven't a clue what to charge her. I don't want to undercharge her but I also don't want to over charge her. Can anyone please help me??
I would apprectiate any help in pricing this job up.
All the best
Chris

 

[cajar]

Work put how many hours it would take you including time buying and fetching materials, decide how much you want per hour, add the cost of materials and maybe add 10%

 

[foxhole]

You could ask a local firm to quote , this will give you an idea, if pricing a large job always add an extra couple of days to it so if you have to correct anything or come across unforeseen delays you are not out of pocket.
Try and get in writing what is required, just like builders who continually add cost as a job goes on you also get customers who add work and expect no extra charge.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Many many years ago when I first started, I asked several builders how to price work. Their reply was to work out how many days work would the job take plus materials (you should know what you want a day) and then double it.

For many years I was getting 9 out of 10 jobs that I priced.

Sadly times have changed.

So do as above has mention and work out your day rate plus material plus 10 - 20.

Also be on time and work cleanly!!!

Andy

 

[Johnmelad]

Your first question is how much you need to earn per year in order to pay all your bills (including replacement tools motoring expenses etc) and have a bit left over for emergencies and holidays etc.

So if you need to earn £30k, you then need to decide how many weeks a year you are going to work. If say 49, you divide £30k by 49 which is £612.00 a week.

From this you can work out how much you need to earn a day having decided how many days a week you want to work and you now have your day rate. From this you can work out your hourly rate.

The only problem is, when you first start up you are unlikely to be working more than a couple of days a week, especially as a handyman.

Get an ad in the local paper, if you can afford to pay a year in advance you should attract a decent discount.

Your best advert will eventually be word of mouth, but that could take years to bring in a lot of work.