Tradesmen - What day rates are you paying?

[MeMeMeow85]

Hi - currently updating our new house house. Nothing major, but requires multiple different trades. So far, it looks like I’ll be paying:

Decorators: 2 guys working together, fixed price job, which works out at approx £250 a day combined (10 day job)

Plumber: 2 guys working together, quoted £350 a day combined (1 day job)

Carpenter: 1 guy working alone, quoted £300 a day (1 day job)

Electrician: 1 guy working alone, quoted £120 a day (seems to be creeping up)

This is labour only. In Surrey.

Any thoughts please? I think the carpenter seems expensive.

Please can you advise what you’re paying your tradesmen? Many thanks

Probably doesn't help you, but I always prefer to pay by the job. Otherwise how do you know that they aren't going slowly on purpose?

Carpenter price is crazy as a day rate should be under 200

Gas plumber or electrician max 250
Brickie carpenter normal plumber plasterer max 200
Painters max 150
Labourers max 100

South London rates

I paid recently £700 for a decorator (one person), 5 days work including materials. £2700 for a carpenter (One person for most of the job, 2 for acouple of days) for a 10 day job, inc materials.

I'm not in the SE though!

I'd always get a price for the job rather than day rate.

Day rate and price rate have their own advantages and disadvantages. As fabulousathome says "how do you know that they aren't going slowly on purpose?" Although in my experience this is not that common, most tradesmen are just keen to get on with the job and move onto the next one. By the same token, if you are paying by price, how do you know they are not just rushing the job and taking shortcuts? Personally I think if you get a good tradesman you will usually get a good day's work on day rate and is better if you also want to make sure the job is spot on, likewise most will do a good job on price work but not all will go that extra mile on quality. Many still do of course.

We recently paid our Berkshire plumbers (2 men) £550.00 for the job which turned out to be just a morning's work. Materials were paid for separately.

I’ve decided to redo our bathroom floor tiles. We are getting a qualified professional in to do it. I’ve compared quality of work and quotes from two different people in the last week alone. My advice is to get some quotes from a few different people and then look at the quality of work too.
Look at pictures of any work if possible. Ask questions. Make sure that you trust your gut feeling. We have decided to supervise the work being done for now. Find out what people think. Insist on your questions being answered as well.
Having a contract drawn up helps build trust for me personally along with the conversation regarding their skills, experience and expectations. Get recommendations from friends or family members. Only sign the dotted line if everyone is happy and everything is reasonable as far as possible too. Make sure that they have read the contract properly.

In West Midlands. Trades typically seem to be around £200 per day. I had a chap who was £150 per day (garden work, external decorating) and have paid £250 per day for decorator.