Plumbers earnings

[lancenotalot]

My friend is a plumber with about 6 months experience.He has prices that I think are not correct as regards to hourly rate and day rate.
He has been talking about £35 per hour or £200 per day (8 hours).
Is this right,i've tried to tell him that his prices are a bit high in my opinion but he doesn't listen.Based in the east midlands if thats any help.

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

>£200 per day

for someone with experience not 6 months.

>£35 per hour

i charge more than that for a callout for the first hour then second hour is cheaper

 

[Biggles..]

Depends how he intends to work, self employed he can charge what he wants but if works not good he maybe asked why he charges so much.

A reputaton for poor work or over charging cant be lost easily.

Some firms in Notts pay between £11-£20 per hour for domestic more for commercial(gas qualified)

 

[gas4you]

I charge £60 + VAT first hour or part of, £36 + VAT per hour charged in 1/2 hour blocks afterwards, or £300/day as a discounted day rate. I don't do plumbing, just gas and heating work.

 

[namsag]

200 Is not excesive because he has tax off of this, allow for holidays, van , insurances,tools etc etc etc by time everything allowed for its prob only 120/130... People think whatever we charge is straight profit its not

 

[gas4you]

I always reckon on a full new ch install I am lucky if I get 25% of my quote for myself in real terms

 

[Biggles..]

I wish my days were 8 hours, its the 1 hour drive to site a full days plumbing, drive back, call outs, estimates/invoices.

 

[John M]

The name of the game is to charge as much as that market can withstand

 

[Softus]

My friend is a plumber with about 6 months experience.

What are the symptoms of the plumbing or central heating problem you need help in solving?
___________________

Edit: topic was subsequently, and silently, moved to Trade Talk.

 

[lancenotalot]

Sorry,it wasnt a question more a general enquiry,forgot to mention that hes not corgi registered and just does domestic plumbing also self employed.

 

[Softus]

In that case, your friends intentions aren't unreasonable. It's very easy for new sole traders to undervalue themselves, and it quickly creates cash flow difficulties.

He'll soon know whether he's got the price right, because he'll get referrals or he won't, but most word-of-mouth business comes from being competent and having a good attitude, not from being cheap.

However, if his plumbing experience is limited to six months, he has a long way to go before being fully up to speed, and he might find that he has to give some time away here and there to keep each job to a reasonable price.

 

[Shutpa]

The guy who did the plumbing on my extension, quoted and got £5,300. His quote was part of an overall quote from a local one man builder and although it was £2100 dearer than other plumbing submissions the overall quote from the builder was cheaper than those from other builders. He, the plumber, completed the work in less than 60 hours but good luck to him. I still made a £2500 saving on the extension.

 

[lancenotalot]

I think from most of what I have read on this topic that his prices are not as high as I thought so I will stop nagging at him.He has said to me that hes not up to speed yet,I suppose time will both build his reputation and experince. thanks for everyones input and advice!

 

[namsag]

Off subject a bit but ,Thats it mind made up giving up all the hassle of this job to become a dog walker i was speaking to a friend today that does it £10 an hour per dog and she takes 6 at a time one person pays her a £100 a week to take her two dogs out. only outlay plastic bag and a shovel ....

 

[Paul Barker]

200 Is not excesive because he has tax off of this, allow for holidays, van , insurances,tools etc etc etc by time everything allowed for its prob only 120/130... People think whatever we charge is straight profit its not

Exactly, his income will be about £6,000 a year. Makes me sick how the public think we are all earning more than brain surgeons. If I we ran an open book accounting and charging system they would all insist on paying us more.

I still haven't made as much money as I did as a nurse with no overtime 5 years ago.
The ones making a good living are the firemen doing guvvy jobs.