connection to supply job

[Neil T]

i've got a job which involves connecting up a pre-installed wc, instantaneous heater over sink and install an outside tap. i'm going to look at the job on monday to size up pipework needed and where outside tap is to go but was wondering what sort of labour charge i should put on the job. i've just set up on my own and still up in air over pricing. should i charge each job seperately (inc materials) then add up for total price?

 

[SimonJohns]

Hourly rate + materials + uplift for materials

 

[tom609]

whatever amount of time you think it will take times your hourly rate plus cost of materials plus your mark up on the materials

 

[kay-jay]

if still in any doubt i could say the same thing a third time? :disguise:

 

[Neil T]

Cheers lads. As I'm not up to speed as someone who's been in trade years, I'm going to have to have reduced hourly rate for time being me thinks, but hopefully not enough to undercharge myself. Speaking of which, I did a couple of jobs recently and wondered if they were a fair price.
Replaced lead pipe for mdpe, coz of leak, from house entry to stop tap, took 2 hrs (inc wrestling with mdpe underfloor) for £80. It also inc initial call to cut water off and revisit to check joints,
And unblocked waste pipe from kitchen as it had stone buildup from empying fish tank for £30, took 2.5 hrs, fair prices?

 

[SimonG]

Far too cheap.

 

[mountainman]

For crying out loud Neil, you could have earned that flipping burgers.

The best name to have is for being good and fair, not cheap.

 

[SimonJohns]

But I think Neil is right

He is getting work

Keepin up moral because he has work

Getting lots of proving experience

Making money! Regardless of how much

Yes he may be cheap
But he has bigger balls than many plumbers I know who won't go on their own

 

[kay-jay]

But I think Neil is right

He is getting work

Keepin up moral because he has work

Getting lots of proving experience

Making money! Regardless of how much

Yes he may be cheap
But he has bigger balls than many plumbers I know who won't go on their own

I second that!
By his own admission he is nor as quick as others therefore he can't charge as much.

Keep plugging away

 

[mountainman]

Possibly, but devaluing himself now harms the trade in general and could lead to him going back to work for an employer for peanuts.

 

[SimonG]

But I think Neil is right

He is getting work

Keepin up moral because he has work

Getting lots of proving experience

Making money! Regardless of how much

Yes he may be cheap
But he has bigger balls than many plumbers I know who won't go on their own

Anybody can buy work though. But it won't pay your bills in the long term.

I also don't think the size of your balls has anything to do with going on your own, but that's a different discussion.

At the end of the day though it's all down to the individual on how much they charge, all depends on what you need to live etc. I charge a good whack and am still busy but would hate to think I was earning less and working harder. I'm trying to do the opposite, earn more for less.

 

[woodytheplumber]

personally I agree that he is too cheep but as one of the jobs was for family its hard to comment I spent all last Saturday digging out a 7" thick! No JOKE!! concrete floor in a downstairs loo to enable me to olter the stack so a close coupled loo could go in rather than a lowlevle then sunday came around I put the new loo in and sink and a quick splash back with tiles. the job should have been around £400/£450 ish but as it was family it ended up been a bacon buttie and a case of becks!

 

[SimonG]

Friends and family pay the going rate or can find somebody else. Preferably somebody else.

 

[woodytheplumber]

you have the right idea I spend many a night doing favours for family and friends

 

[Neil T]

Thanks everyone for your input. Like I said earlier, I am just starting out and not up to speed yet so I don't feel justified in charging top whack yet, although I definitely don't want to sell myself short. Was thinking £15-20 p/hr to start as a promo offer till xmas then up it

 

[woodytheplumber]

I would be thinking 20/30 as a start up Christmas special if your a good trades man clean tidy polite music not too loud ect ect you wont have any trouble even if yiour a little slow I tend to price jobs rather than hourly rate then its a learning curve if your quicker than you think its a nice little earner if your slower its an eye opener for next time

 

[mountainman]

Thanks everyone for your input. Like I said earlier, I am just starting out and not up to speed yet so I don't feel justified in charging top whack yet, although I definitely don't want to sell myself short. Was thinking £15-20 p/hr to start as a promo offer till xmas then up it

If you start at £X then it's easier to drop your price as a special than it is to put it up later because your price was 'introductory'.

Look at advertising in general. They always specify the top price before the 'special offer price' is disclosed.

 

[Neil T]

Mountainman/woodytheplumber I like that way of thinking my time should be worth £30+ p/hr so will use that in pricing jobs but have promo to help generate some leads.