To think that tradesmen take the piss with their rates?

You're paying the business running costs too that's why it looks high. Those trades paying taxes and running a bonafide business lose up to 60% of the bill.

Whatever your hourly rate may be, it won't reflect the true cost your employer incurs to employ you, nor will it be the rate used to bill clients for your services.

This why it's hard to attract people into the trades because people complain all the time.

I agree and think this is a good thing. We don’t need thousands of children saddled with debt from useless degrees. University isn’t for everyone. For some people there are other options.

Not something I’d say of those very good teachers and lecturers I used to work with, training apprentices in crafts and trades. Or most of the teachers I know, in fact.
Maybe work to improve your lazy thinking.

Those that can do, those that can't teach😀

I do all the diy myself ( I’m the wife ) if I spot something that needs doing and as we’ve bought a very old wreck it’s a lot more than diy. ( we always buy wrecks though so I’ve learnt a lot on the job )

I honestly don’t know what you mean by ‘thrashing the errant Austin with a branch’ . 🙃

Learn to do it yourself

They never think of this....it's always it took 10 minutes etc.

Well the tale of a wife telling her husband to get a professional to look at something but he goes and messes it up himself is a tale as old as time. It doesn't always end in him thrashing the errant Austin with a branch though...

If you think the prices are too high then I guess you’d better get yourself an apprenticeship so you can start doing it yourself 🙄

Well that’s a sexist sign err!

Agree @steff13 DIY.

fair points just one extra the more worse ones are the ones that already cost for the job in advance then try to say im only paying x as its eg a 2 min task etc

Exactly this.

It’s amazing how many people like OP have zero clue about what it costs to run a business.

My DP is a plumbing and heating engineer. In addition to all of the above, he also has exams he has to pay for every 5 years to ensure he is up to date and compliant with all the gas regs.

If he’s sick and can’t work, he doesn’t get sick pay. If he wants to take a holiday, he doesn’t get paid any annual leave, he has to ensure he’s earned enough money to cover himself financially for the time he takes off. (Covid lockdowns were a nightmare for many self employed folk, as they got the least amount of help from the government whilst everyone else was being furloughed).

People like the OP are one of the worst types of customer for tradesmen. Expecting everything done cheaply, with zero regard for the costs to that tradesman.

Though many people end up paying for work they tried to do themselves. Hence why some vans even have "we repair what your husband fixed" signwritten on them

Assuming they are all self employed there will be insurance cost, supplies, quickbooks (or the equivalent), website, accountants etc to pay for. Plus money aside for sick/holidays that they won’t get paid for as someone who is employed would

You’re also paying because they have a skill set for something you can’t do yourself that’s worth more than a minimum hourly rate wage. I wouldn’t say anything you’ve listed was scarily over priced

But OP, you chose this person. If you wanted someone who would use their own tools rather than yours, be covered by insurance (what makes you think they weren't covered by insurance?) and ask to be paid by BACs, then you could have found someone else to do the job.

well you could do a course on how to learn x skills, then you need to cost the equipment thats needed, then there is your labour, then there is your insurance costs, then vehicle and fuel costs :

overall based on this op, do you still think they charge too much ?

They seem pretty reasonable rates to me. Did you haggle to get these prices? If you didn't then I think you met some pretty decent tradesmen.

And this is why a cashflow with what someone would like to take home in a year, along with thinking about what if they were off sick, wanted holidays, pension etc is essential if you are starting a small business and deciding what rate to charge

I find that for relatively small jobs there's almost always someone local who will do a good job without fleecing me! It seems that if I ask Person A who's doing a job if he can do some other job, he may say No, but if you ring Person B........... It seems that a lot of big equipment is loaned out among them all!

I do know plenty readies earning decent enough money and I do think that for many kids who are not suited to a classical education, trades is an excellent option. It’s a shame more teachers dont promote them as an real alternative to university

No taking the piss at all.. ask for prices b4 and if you don't accept try it yourself

Assume she meant one that needed wiring in? Hence electrician.
I would have done that myself though as it's just like wiring a plug. Just turn all power off first

They also have transport costs to travel to your home, and the time it takes to travel. I don't think those prices are unreasonable although I'd have had the light pull replaced at the same time as another job to make sure you're not paying travel costs twice

The point is that their hourly rate needs to cover all this - which an employed person’s hourly wage doesn’t.

How could they possibly get any of those things anyway.
They are their own boss
Just like anyone that runs their own business