To think that tradesmen take the piss with their rates?

[Pomegranatecarnage]

Just that really. I have had a few repairs needed and some DIY recently. I paid £130 to have a leaking toilet valve fixed (it took 45 mins), £75 to have a pull string light replaced (10 mins) and then £270 labour for 6 hours work putting up some shelves, a small area of tiling and replacing skirting boards. He arrived at 10, left at 12 for lunch, back at 2 then was finished by 4pm. I can’t help wondering why I spent 5 years at University to get paid far less per hour as a teacher.

I think £30/hr or £240 a day is a reasonable amount, given it's not all income and is skilled work. Vans, tools, storage, insurance and admin are all costs taken out of that. Many will charge for a half or full day because otherwise it's not worth their while. Don't forget there is no holiday or sick pay either so that comes out if it too.

Hogwash.

Subtract all expenses, travel time, sixk/holiday pay, pension, and they are left with a very modest amount.

The person who charged £270 lives on the same street and is my friend. He wanted to be paid in cash.

Paid £300 for a plumber to do an “emergency” fix of a burst pipe today. He didn’t even fix the problem just capped off the pipe 😓

Edit- he was here for less than 30mins

£30 per hour for private tutoring-but I have to prepare for that, so it’s more like £20. At school it’s probably £20 per hour as I have to do at least two hours PPA after I finish teaching for the day.

Considering DIY stands for " do it yourself," I quite agree. I'm not paying for work I'm doing myself...

Not sure why you had to employ someone for all those jobs, they've very small and easy to do yourself. £270/6 is £45 ph. Take off (pro rata), tax, NI, public liability, all vehicle costs, certified body/bodies registrations, advertising (if you do it), etc etc, then parts. What are you left with p/h?

This.

We charge £245+ VAT minimum day rate; regardless whether that's an hour or a day.

And it's not as much as you think by the end of it. It's really minimum wage plus a small excess which accumulates to a slush fund for dry times - which there have been a hell of a lot of in recent years!

Some months we can do great and be like wow! But trades aren't sustainable in the same way as a job. All you need is covid, Liz truss or labour and everyone battens down in terror for weeks, months or years.

And that's not including all the outgoings everyone has mentioned above! You think the quoting and invoicing and checking you actually paid costs nothing.

Then obviously you have Corp tax; Employers NI and all that jazz too.

I don't know what you teach but it's clearly not business or economics.

I don’t look down on tradesmen. I feel they charge too much. Especially when it’s cash in hand so they don’t pay tax.

I was asked to pay cash-no tax or NI would’ve been paid.

My toilet was constantly running, I watched a YouTube and fixed it within 3mins with a knife. If I'd called a plumber I'd expect to pay £150. If it was a job I couldn't fix I'd have expected to pay £150

No tax or insurance was paid, this was a cash in hand job from someone who crossed the road to do the job.

Why didn't you do the jobs yourself? The reason why you didn't is the reason you paid what you did!

Presume the problem was that it was leaking and he resolved that.
What else did you expect him to do?

Materials were £80 on top.

So pay someone else or do it yourself?

If you don't like their terms, call someone else.

It’s not unreasonable for tradesmen to charge for a full hour even if they complete the job in less than an hour.
You used the example of having to prepare for a tutoring session meaning that your £30 income is really £20. Tradesmen have to pay things like insurance, petrol, possibly parking and things like congestion charge as well as wear and tear on tools and car. I’m surprised that you’re hiring people who aren’t professionals issuing receipts and charging VAT for their work. I am not a confident DIYer so am careful of hiring people who aren’t professionals who will do a proper job.
Have you considered watching videos on some of your DIY problems ? Things like replacing the string are all on YouTube.

I don't know why posters keep citing "materials" because they are charged for separately!!

There's an excellent south park episode about this. The tradies are all in fancy pimp coats etc.

I tend to just you tube easy jobs.

Did you get other quotes?

If you wanted tradesmen to pay tax then you should have hired a more trustworthy professional and be prepared to pay VAT on top. Yabu to generalise

God I can't stand clueless clients like you OP.

Buying the parts and tools necessary would probably cost you more than you paid, had you the skills to do the job yourself.

You should also be using legitimate companies who pay their taxes but this would cost you even more.

@MartinCrieffsLemon is totally correct. There is so much more than the time they are in your house.

You have asked for a plumber, electrician and carpenter. 3 different skills each requiring training and experience which you don't have.

You are being ridiculous.

@Pomegranatecarnage
I pay my dog walker £20 p/h
If you feel your 'friend' is cheating the system then why did you pay cash?

No tax or insurance was paid, this was a cash in hand job from someone who crossed the road to do the job.

Well don't pay them then if you don't trust they process their cash correctly. Choose someone else!

Doesn't mean trade rates are wrong.