Job price

[guitey]

I have been out of work for a couple years, doing odd jobs for people etc. and never knowing what to charge them.

Currently doing a job, changing 3 rads down and all piping, repiping under sink area/washing machine etc. stripping bathroom and install new one including towel rail (instead of rad, moved position) re pipe 43 other rads upstairs (they are piped up in 10mm pushfit which he wants changing to copper, so just changing where they reduced to 10mm and changing that to copper, also some piping needing doing in one where they tee'd off the 10mm above floor level and drilled thru wall, which I will be taking back to 15mm and tee'ing from 15mm under floor.

I took out all downstairs rads and got the upstairs ones done as far as I could (no power in the house so couldnt drill thru floor boards/joists, downstairs rads still not here, stuff like that)

He is supplying all materials so I just need an idea of price. Will be 4 - 5 days work I estimate with all materials not being there as I want them etc.

 

[moony]

impossible to price on the work - but just charge what you charge for 4-5 days - id go for more than that if i was doing a bathroom 43 rads ? and a load of re-piping

 

[guitey]

Whats reasonable for 4 - 5 days? I havent been doing plumbing as my main source of income for a couple years so don't really know what to be charging.

 

[moony]

250 a day if your fully qualified insured and have your own business.
350 a day if youve got someone employed by you.

up to you really what do you want to earn and what do you need.

 

[migoplumber]

43 rads, gonna be a big house. if you leave a small leak it will be an expensive repair. charge your rate but make sure it includes a decent insurance policy

 

[guitey]

Oh wow, didn't realise I wrote 43 rads, there is 3 rads to take out and replace and repipe 4 more.

When I read the first post I figured you made a typo,lol.

 

[dontknowitall]

Without knowing the full situation, replacing 3 rads and repipe another 4 should take 2 days. There'll be plumbers who say can be done in one day (and if it goes well I'd agree, but only if they add more time for draining and filling problems and cleaning/flushing the system etc!). Estimating (as opposed to quoting) 2 days takes the pressure off.

But if you've not done this many times then it's wiser to estimate for a longer time and maybe work for less per day to make your quote the same as others so 4 days is probably acceptable and you hope to do it in three and ask for 3 days' money if it only takes 3 days.

What many don't realise is that although experienced plumbers are quick and generally good, it's the chemistry and trust with your customer that counts more than someone being able to whizz around at 90mph. If you make sure you are clean and tidy as you work, you can win many customers. So, instead of sweeping under the radiator when you've finished, why not vacuum the whole room? Takes about 5 minutes but can make all the difference with customer asking you back to change the bathroom or put in a new boiler or recommending you.