What is a sensible daily rate for trades?

[AbstractFlower]

I know everything's through the roof.

I've just had a quote from a carpenter. He says he'll need access to the building for 2 days (ie can't be more than 2 days' work). It definitely needs a skilled carpenter, but isn't a particularly difficult job for someone in the trade - it doesn't need any specialist skills or equipment. We're supplilying all materials so quote is just for labour.

The quote is from someone who offered us (a charity) a favour. I didn't really expect a special rate, but I didn't expect him to try and rip us off either. But maybe I'm just really out of touch on what things cost. Obviously I'll have to get another price, but wondering what's reasonable for 2 days' work, in SE, but not London.

He's quoted £900 plus VAT (which we will claim back).

I've just paid £40 an hour for a trade.

That sounds about right, but I would get another couple of quotes for comparison. We just got charged £300 by an electrician (NW) recently for changing a lightswitch. A 10 minute job which he dragged out to just under an hour by sitting in his van pretending to go and buy a part. I can appreciate they need paying for their time to come out to smaller jobs, but that felt like a piss take. He didn't even sweep up the bits of wire and dust after himself!

Sounds about right to be honest

You say it's something that needs a skilled carpenter so that's a reasonable quote.

so a day rate of £450? equivalent to a gross salary of around £120k?

yes i know overheads, insurance, van, greggs pasty for lunch, tools etc etc but contrary to what one might be led to believe by reading mumsnet a salary of £100k is very much outside the norm, he's ripping you off

My cousin is a plumber. We were chatting the other week and he said the daily rate for most trades now is around £400-450!!!

Well yes, that's how I was looking at it. Allowing 8 weeks' leave pa it's still £100k. But apparently it's perfectly reasonable.

It needs a carpenter, but not an extra special carpenter.

Based on work we've had done over the past year it seems to be about £150-£200 a day here poss £300 at a push for someone with specialist skills. This is in the midlands.

A relative charges £350 a day labor weekdays £500a day weekends and has a waiting list of months! Not Vat registered

Dh charges £60 inc Vat PH or £350 plus vat for a full day 9 to 5 not a carpenter but a skilled person. Again always busy

Are you having an effing laugh? That's a £50 job round my way SE

You were robbed badly!

And dhs 350 plus vat. Does seem a huge amount per year.
But he has 2 wages to pay. Approx 4k a month,
A HP van at 750pm.
Materials bill is between 3 and 4k a month.
NI and tax from business side is around 600pm.
Vat is quarterly varies
Accountant fee monthly £50
Liability insurance £230pm

Then things like fuel, tools, consumables, business phone.

A huge monthly outlay for a 1 man band and office person.

SE and the going rate is 150-200 my way.

It was £200 for a replacement of a high-level cistern toilet in my ensuite. I assumed this meant they were coming and it would be a day job, but they arrived late afternoon and worked into the evening, so it was half a day rate I think.

Around £200 per day here in Yorkshire.But there’s a huge difference in quotes. We’ve just had some decorating done, a two day job, one quote inc materials at £500 another said £150 per day but it would take five days. The other £1200 !
We went with the cheap one, and he’s done a good job.

My DH is an electrician (very skilled and experienced) and his day rate for Labour only is around £250.

London and for skilled trades & small one off that seems about right. Paid £400 for 0.5 days of plumbing but pre this guy couldn’t get anyone to come quote. Plus he was good and experienced with plenty of advice we needed.

£200 to 250 a day Labour only in outer London for a skilled carpenter. 900 plus Vat is a rip off.

Husband is a skilled handyman who specialises in woodwork and he charges £200 a day or £50 per hour - not London but not too far away

He wont have a full days paid work every day, he will be out doing quotes, time buying materials, time finding sources for materials, maintaing his workshop, going to his accountant, dealing with paper work, emails/texts/calls, maintaining his van etc etc etc all to factor into his costs.

Does the £900 + VAT not include any materials?

Our kitchen fitter charged £200 a day or part day.
Other trades including plumber charged £150-160 a day when we did one of our rentals up last year. Electrician who did loads of little jobs but had finished around early afternoon only charged £100.
Some people really take the piss.

@CCSS15 does he work in SW London at all?!

@soffa really sorry but we are the wrong side of SW London

@gymnewbie how does he charge that a day and not pay VAT?