Anyone know of someone who is a DIY/handyman in London?

[GimmeAy]

AIBU to think that £150 a day for a bit of sanding and painting is a bit steep?

DIY?

That's 18.75/hour!

That’s what I have just paid

Not well enough to and wouldn't have the tools required to sand etc. i.e. electric sander and stuff. Nor the muscle. Plus I wouldn't have a bog's notion what I was doing.

Well if I ever get fit enough to re-train, I know what industry I'll go into......

Sounds reasonable to me.

That is a perfectly standard rate in London tbh

I wouldn't be getting out of bed for £150. And like you, I sure as hell wouldn't know where to start. It's not very much money for a day's skilled work

I think you've probably answered your own question really.
That £150 a day is covering labour, tools and knowledge.
We all assume jobs like this are basic, anyone can to them and hence cheap - then when we need someone to do it for us discover they're not!

I guess maybe it's reasonable. I know labourers (which is very tough work and relatively skilled too), would find it hard to get even £120 a day in London - more like £100 a day. I know as my ex was one and I think he got about £80-90 per day.

AIBU to think that £150 a day for a bit of sanding and painting is a bit steep?

150 a day, every day for a month is a bit steep for such a thing, but for casual days, it's very difficult to charge less - the overheads of a job are simply too high and it would not be worth doing it for less unless you were unreliable/unskilled/desperate and needed anything you could get your hands on.

Outside of the day, you also need to buy, maintain and repair the equipment and consumables, transport to move the equipment around, insurance for it and you, a place to store it. Also of course time and money advertising and bidding on jobs, chasing up payments etc. accounts etc.

They don't get to pocket all the money.

It's a standard day rate. Not extortionate for London, tbh.

This is the full quote. I'm presuming he's assuming 3 days work.

"To do bathroom,hallway and front room
Rub down walls and paint 2 coats of magnolia Matt emulsion
Rub down the 4 x doors and woodwork, remove wire on skirting and fill than undercoat and gloss finish ( water base)
You supply paint
Matt emulsion
Undercoat
Gloss
I will supply filler,Caulk
£500
As I said to you the woodwork will look fresher but it would need more time on it which would be more money ,Paint glass above the door instead of boarding to keep cost down"

Sounds cheap to me!

£150 per day is reasonable for casual days. For an ongoing job Id want a single all-in quote tho. I'm spectacularly shit at DIY but I'm sanding my stairs as I want them painted. Watched YouTube clips (a godsend) and read basic DIY forums, then bought a Mouse Sander with dust extractor for £30. I'm getting on with it in my own time and not rushing as I don't want to feel stressed so, it'll probably take 10 days-ish. I've also sanded 3 internal doors. & I've done a very good job of it. So at least the groundwork is done which will make it cheaper when it comes to getting it painted. It's the only way I've found to get around paying out what I can't afford right now.

Handyman cheaper than decorator. Latter I would budget about 400/500 a room (London). You don’t need an electric sander to prep doorways and skirting but it took me a few days to do it myself by hand sanding.

I’m in Bucks and that’s what we pay our handyman. Unlike a labourer who works for others he has to maintain all his own equipment, quote etc - and has empty days/half days when he doesn’t work at all, plus unpaid holidays!

If he manages to get paid for 85% of week days that’s 220 days a year which is £33,000 before tax, insurance, travel and equipment. He’s probably not going to be buying a yacht on your buck anytime soon.

We are paying £210 per day just outside of London. That is the going rate all over it seems. I guess there is a lack of skilled people.

Seems to be in demand as he said it would be 2-3 months before he could start.

I've asked him whether he was willing to negotiate on the daily rate and he has replied - No, as there will be two of us on some of the days. He also clarified that he was estimating it taking 3 days.

I guess it'll stay the way it is for now!

I guess it's reasonable if he's having to pay a labourer too. He only lives around the corner so wouldn't have travel costs really. He seemed to know his work very well. Very personable too.

It's a council property and the state of the woodwork is utterly appalling - while I'm glad and grateful to have a roof over my head - the state of the place when I moved in is a disgrace.

You could DIY
Buy the paint & tools
It takes time to do the preparation
The actual work takes time too

If you are not a professional, it takes you longer

In London the prices are high. A handyman will cost you between £30 -60 an hour although the cheaper ones usually are first times or ones with little or no overheads such as tools or insurance. Most decorators work about £300 a day, One I know charges £400
a day and he is never short of work. I always told customers is that if you found a good builder the keep using them, even if more expensive, There sure is a lot of bad ones and the traveller ones who rip off unsuspecting folk and can never be found again if there is a problem.

That's bloody cheap for London!