Shocked at the cost of tradesman

[Nooooooou]

3 bedroom, average size.

Costs are for labor only... no materials

install laminate wood flooring across house £1.5k to £2.5k (3 quotes were above £2k).
strip wallpaper, skim and paint walls -£3k to £5k.

based in south east..
I think this is really excessive. I think it works out to more than £400 per day.

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Around £45 per hour for skills that are honed over a period of time. I charged nearly that for when I ran my business (not building).
Tradespeople have to factor in insurance, vehicle, paying someone, perhaps an assistant. Not to mention their own wages, NI, income tax etc.

Most virtual assistants charge nearly that for that for ad hoc admin. Hairdressers and manicurists charge similar. Tradespeople too.

You are paying for a job well done. Check their reviews on checkatrade, even the bad ones.

I think that sounds reasonable, we ar3 getting a shower room done

5k

that does not include a new toilet , or a sink, or a shower or tiles….just a new shower cubicle and the tiling

one quote to replace 12 ft of metal railings with glass was 25k! (Two other quotes were 11k)

everything is more expensive

and to be fair, all those saying you should have learnt a trade…my nephew does very well as an electrician, all the training etc

he can’t plumb a bathroom, or tile or plaster etc…

Yes pretty much in a nutshell, not a particularly competitive market compounded by increase of costs and general cost of living also. Also increased expectations from employers about paying into employees schemes.

They are not a charity, if you think it is easy and shouldn't cost much feel free to do it yourself

Another one who is the wife of a tradesman, your quote is fair unless it's for a dolls house.

It sounds a lot to me but I've been used to DH doing anything that needs doing. He's waiting for a hip replacement and can't do it now so we're waiting for a quote for some work and I'm dreading how expensive it'll be!

I think the flooring quote is reasonable but the plastering is very expensive. I had the back walls of a 3 storey terraced house (high ceilings and big rooms, so not a small job) all done recently following on from a damp issue, at a house in Leeds and it was just over £500.

Do you know what state the walls are in under the wallpaper? Rather than getting them skimmed could you strip and put up lining paper, then paint them over yourself?

Time is money.

those jobs are all time consuming. You have to pay for people’s time.

Plus the skill involved. Plus as pp said, tax, pensions, NI, insurances.

Try doing it yourself. See a) how long it takes you, b) how good a finish you get with your skill set.

Most of that you could do yourself though OP. Skimming walls id probably get someone in.

Get a steamer and strip your own wallpaper. It's not an excessive task.

Sounds about right, I’m always amazed at some people think trades should be cheap, just because they are trades

That's reasonable. Do it yourself if you worried re cost

Do what you can yourself. The wallpaper stripping and painting is easy enough.

£400 a day for skilled labour is about right, and perhaps even the lower end. Trades are expensive but they've got overheads and insurances, not to mention the years of building experience and honing their trade.

To compare to other trades, for example hairdressing, my cut and colour is close to £200, she will see 2-3 clients a day for a similar service, so that's similar to what the tradesperson is earning.

£400 a day is bargainous. If we are somewhere for a day it is a minimum of £750, assuming one guy and no plant.

I think this is really excessive. I think it works out to more than £400 per day.

Seems reasonable.

I think this is really excessive. I think it works out to more than £400 per day.

Seems reasonable.
Its a skilled job that you can’t do, why should they earn minimum wage?

Too many kids doing film studies not plumbing.

When was the last time you saw an apprentice with a tradie?

Get lino fitted, do the walls yourself for much cheaper option 👍

Not excessive. A good price!

Based on an 8 hour day that is £50 p/hr. Which doesn't sound at all unreasonable as a self employed style rate, with insurances, tax, n/I etc etc

Sounds about right to me.

Im shocked at the price of everything these days.

Trades people have to earn enough to live off the same as everyone else. That sounds pretty reasonable to me.

I don’t think £400 a day is unreasonable for someone who is self employed. My husband is a contractor earning similar and while he obviously makes a good income, we’re hardly living the high life once you account for unpaid holidays and sick days.

Even if he only takes the minimum annual leave an employee would and worked every other day of the year (which they don’t, as few jobs line up that nicely and people cancel), that’s £92,000 a year. Great if you were an employee, but not when you’re paying a whole pension, taxes, NI, travel costs, tools, maybe rent on a workshop or storage etc. Plus putting money aside in case your body gives out and you can’t work anymore.