AIBU that a haircut shouldn't cost £60!?

Can't begin to imagine what the electricity & water bills are like for salons now, they must be extraordinary. If you've a smart meter, maybe go run your hairdryer for several hours & see what impact it has, then think about the fact there were no protections for businesses electricity rates unlike domestic ones.

I haven't voted because there is so much difference in the price ppl are paying, but I do think that there is a lot of cost that is not just the hourly wage. My wash/cut and rough dry for 10 mins (it's curly) is £35-40, which I know is quite cheap for the area, northern town, and a very basic set up. DD1 pays about £65 for the same, DD2 pays about £15-20, but goes to a barbers (that accept women, not all do here). I only go twice a year, partly because of having mad curly hair, and weirdly my hairdresser, although talented, always cuts it slightly too short, so I go through a cycle of "my, it is a bit short" to "now it looks good" (12 weeks in) to "now it needs cutting" (about 24 weeks in). I think if she cut it more to how I want it, I would go more often.

That's City prices
As you go down to town then village it gets cheaper

But renting a chair doesn't earn that much - it can cost you 50% of what you take

I pay £28 for a cut and blow dry outside Glasgow.

It's around £35-£50 in my area, depending on levels etc. It's too much for what is essentially a trim but they always say it's a restyle and not a cut and blow dry.

I'd continue to suck it up if at least I ever had nice results, but literally every time they fail to do what I ask despite it being a super basic cut (a bit of a trim and some long layers) and me having straight hair.

I have tried different salons, different levels, same result. They either ignore me or seem unable to understand what I'm asking or a combination of both.

On top of that, salons are really unpleasant to be in. Lots of noise and lots of waiting around.

I bought a pair of scissors off of Amazon and I'm giving myself a little trim - first attempt this weekend!

YANBU OP. Imo if it was just due to rent, utility costs etc then Barbers for men wouldn’t be so much cheaper (and not all of them just use clippers).

Personally I think about £20- 30 should be about right for a wet cut (no blow dry) dependent on area and hairdressers experience, maybe more like £40 in a major city or for a complete restyle.

Personally I’d never pay more than £40 for a cut - it only costs a bit more than that to groom my dog and that takes at least an hour and looks far harder work than the 10 mins it takes to wet and trim my pixie cut! 🤣

With the massive rises in rents, utilities and wages we are reaching the point in many industries where the job isn’t worth the money. When it comes down to brass tacks people don’t care how much the chair costs or how much their hairdresser pays for insurance or window cleaning or bank fees or conditioner. The job costing £60 and the job being worth £60 to the person paying for it are two different things. Some things you have very little choice (MOT, gas safety cert. GP letter, driving test) because you can’t diy it, do without it, or ask your neighbours niece to do it in exchange for a cheesecake, so you stump up. Haircuts, painting and decorating, cleaners etc. people will do without once the cost is too much for the benefit. It’s just not the sort of economic climate where £400, aka 17% of median monthly take home (every other month? 9% of median take home pay) is being dropped on someone cutting your hair for you by any great numbers of people. You can talk about min wage and overheads until the cows come home - it’s either worth the charge or it’s not. I pay about 0.5% of my take home on my hair - that’s the level of gaf I’m at with hair.

You'll give me 10 mins [lol]

https://www.nocohair.com/salon/our-price-guide/
https://trevorsorbie.com/bristol-pricelist/
https://honeandhowe.co.uk/services
https://www.studiocouture-cs.com/about

Here's four. And I said £300-400

Post links to 5 hairdressers in your area (Bristol) that charge £400 for a cut and blow dry, and highlights.

Go on. I'll give you 10 minutes.

I started cutting my own hair during the first Covid lockdown. I haven't been to a hairdresser since late 2019. Up until then I used to have my hair cut and highlighted every 12 weeks and paid at least £150, often more, so I've saved a fortune in the past 5 years.

Post links to 6 hairdressers in your area (Bristol) that charge £400 for a cut and blow dry, and highlights.

Go on.

I have fine hair of one length, naturally straight. It ends where my shoulders start.

For the last few years my mum trims it every couple of months...snip snip! I do hers, too.

It is actually better than when a hairdresser did it - proper blunt cut like I always wanted.

When I went to a salon it used to cost £40 for two seconds work, no styled blow blow dry either because I never put heat on my hair. I just can't justify the cost considering all the other demands on my finances when I can basically get what I feel is the same at home.

I pay £58 for a cut in a salon in an upmarket city. I only go 4 times a year. It takes about 45 minutes. As an hourly rate I think that’s reasonable. My hairdresser has to pay to rent the space in the salon. He’s good and do I manage fine going at 3-month intervals.

I used to pay £45 in zone 6 20 years ago. That’s not bad!

Happens on every thread about hair. Competitive thrift. ‘I hack at my hair with the kitchen scissors and I look great.’ Etc etc.

Offer her forty to come to your house and do it - you both benefit

Also, most businesses owners are just trying to make ends meet. I don't think anyone is trying to rip you off.

Any decent salon in Bristol, cut, blow dry plus full head of highlights and treatments is best part of £3-400

Lower priced salons are £150-200

Not sure where people are getting these ultra cheap treatments from.

How do you know they're on the payroll and not renting a chair?

How do you know what she’s paid by the hour, and why is it less than NMW? If she has five years’ experience and has never had a pay rise above NMW then she is being exploited.

@Soddingcat couldn’t say it more clearly.

So many people do not understand the costs that businesses have. Even before the recent NI increase the additional cost of employment is huge and many people have no idea what % this is. For the industry I work in the NI, pension, apprenticeship levy costs are around 40% so whilst you think your hairdresser is paid £12 the actual cost to the business is likely to be closer to £20 per hour.

Many also want their hairdresser to know the latest methods and techniques; the cost of training is another cost that people don’t consider then add in the day to day running costs and you’ll be close to the amount your being charged especially for salons in the south where business rates and rents are extortionate, that’s why many high street have empty shop after shop.

Blimey, I wouldn't go there again! Try and find a hairdresser who will visit your house. They can often be found on your local Facebook page. They are often well trained and very experienced, and have gone it alone after getting disillusioned with the overpriced hairdressing salons, and the way they are treated. They are usually 2-3 times cheaper too.

Mine charges £30, works out of her house 2 minutes walk from mine

I just paid £130 for half head highlights toner and cut n blowdry , outer London