What is driving the crazy labour costs??

[TheEconomista]

We've moved to a house that needs a lot of work. We're only looking at the essentials at the moment, but planning an extension in the next few years.

I cannot believe how much the cost of labour for all trades has risen. We've got quotes for decorating (basic), moving radiators (plumbing already in place) and installing a bathroom (small and not changing the layout). In all cases the labour is coming in at somewhere between £450 and £500 per day!! This is at least double what we were paying five years ago. I know cost of living has risen somewhat but this seems completely bonkers to me.

Is everyone else experiencing the same? And what's driving it if so? I can only imagine people are paying it as it seems consistent across trades.

Brexit… and Covid means a lot of cheap labour provided by immigrants is gone. those people have left and it’s no longer easy for them to come here and work.

How many people are being paid in your daily labour costs please?

@EmmaH2022 - that's for one tradesman

i guess it's because they can charge that, and people will pay it. me, i think it's madness and i'm doing far more myself. you can learn a lot from youtube.

Tiling, for example, is a horrid job but really quite straight forward and does not require expensive tools.

It’s been estimated that 40% of our foreign labour force in building trades have left the country. You might remember that before Brexit, many trades people said they were undercut by foreigners. Now they are charging what they want. That’s Brexit in action.

Your answer is Brexit.
The cheaper labour force has left the UK.

@Handsnotwands - yes, we're doing as much as we can (i.e. decorating) and have definitely learned a lot on YouTube!

It's very depressing that a job which would have been expensive but manageable is now totally out of the question.

[quote TheEconomista]@EmmaH2022 - that's for one tradesman[/quote]
Nice!

There's lots of factors. I think it's good that cheap labour is less available.

Stuff like tiling I would tackle myself.

@TizerorFizz - you are preaching to the converted. It was obvious that everything would get more expensive after Brexit as we're an island with limited resources. The Brexiteers cried remoaner. Think most people are moaning now!

It can't be sustainable though surely? Wages aren't rising to the same rate in the rest of the workforce so there will end up being few people who can afford to pay those kinds of rates?

Brexit
Loads of people having work done so demand out stripping supply.
Skill shortage
Covid staff shortage
Bit of wiggle room for the materials, fuel and general contingency price rises.

Demand is a lot to do with it. There are a lot less people in trades after Brexit so the price has gone up because if you don't pay it someone else gladly will.

@EmmaH2022 - I'm no proponent of cheap labour, believe me. But almost £500 per day for painting and decorating is bonkers, surely.

heEconomista

@EmmaH2022 - I'm no proponent of cheap labour, believe me. But almost £500 per day for painting and decorating is bonkers, surely“

Does that include materials?

A lot of cheap labour has left. There's plenty of work about and good tradesmen can pretty much ask what they like and stay busy.

Supply and demand. Would you say to you boss, it's OK I don't want that much thanks, if the market demanded it for your role?

Anything between £200-300 per day is reasonable for qualified trades, £500 is very expensive.

Cheap labour has crippled a lot of English tradesmen who have spent many years training and have relevant qualifications, experience and insurance.

@MrsSkylerWhite - the decorating was one person and just paint.

The other traders (bathroom istaller, builder, plumber) was labour only - no materials.

@MrsSkylerWhite

heEconomista

@EmmaH2022 - I'm no proponent of cheap labour, believe me. But almost £500 per day for painting and decorating is bonkers, surely“

Does that include materials?

Irrespective of materials that is c.125k pa pro rata.

In which case, unless you’re requesting Farrow and Ball, yes, that is steep.

Part of it is pent-up demand, plus people have spent more time at home staring at the same 4 walls/feeling cramped/noticing every chip in the paint/having kids at home causing an accelerated rate of wear and tear etc etc. Plus demand for home offices etc. Looking at Right Move in my area there seem to be a lot more fixer-uppers on the market than there used to be, whereas when we were house-hunting 4 years ago there were hardly any. I think that’s a Covid effect - there’s been a massive impact on the elderly and many houses are coming up because the person couldn’t cope any more and is moving in with family, going to a care home, moving into sheltered housing etc.

My local area is full of houses with people getting extensions etc. Good traders are in high demand and a shortage thanks to Brexit means that they can charge what they want.

Where do you live? I live in west London and am having a bathroom installed (incl raising ceilings, plastering, building units, changing doors etc) for

@narcdad - I'm intrigued by what people are calling cheap labour though. How much are you talking when you say people were undercut and crippled?

The last jobs we did were 2-3 years ago and we paid about £250/300 per day labour only for more highly skilled trades (plumbing, carpentry etc.), and perhaps £150-200 for the more recently qualified, less skilled (decorating, basic plastering). This seemed consistent - I never came across any dirt cheap undercutting.

@wannabeamummysobad - we live in the South East home counties.

We were quoted £7k to refit the bathroom. No change in layout, no raising ceiling, nothing complicated. That includes no fixtures and no materials apart from things like grout and sealant.

We were quoted between £9k and £14k to paint walls and ceilings throughout the house. It's a four bed house, not a mansion.

[quote TheEconomista]@MrsSkylerWhite - the decorating was one person and just paint.

The other traders (bathroom istaller, builder, plumber) was labour only - no materials.[/quote]
They don't want the job. Simple as that. Decorating is the cheapest of all the trades. £500 a day is extortionate

@fuckyourpronouns - he chased me to see if he could book me in, so yes, he definitely wanted the job!