Plumbing charges - self employed

Morricl

Thanks everyone - I hadn't looked at this for a while and the support has been amazing. All posts were helpful but Canucklehead has a major point - any form of physical work leads to 'wear and tear', and therefore pensions and insurances are vital - don't want to say that OH has neither! I will give him a big glass of wine and get him to read all these posts. I have told him what people have been saying but I think seeing so much support in writing will be a big help - will let you knwo how we get on. Thanks again.

sebastianj

I know many plumbers who are not Corgi registered but are reliable and good at what they do. Is it important to be Corgi registered??

seb

Savvy_Sue

It is essential to be CORGI registered if you are doing gas work, AFAIK. However for bog-standard plumbing I don't think you have to be.

Where the line is drawn I'm not sure. For example, if you're called in to change the washer on the hot tap, or for a leaking radiator, can you be sure you won't need to touch the gas supply? If you're not CORGI registered is it acceptable for you to turn the gas off and turn it on again?

self_employed_toolmaker

I've an old customer come back after nine years and thinks the old hourly charges apply! ten hour over-runs of FRANTIC activity for £25 an hour !!!! I'm very cheesed off. So, its up to £30 minimum. he gets designs free yet still wants to give the impression he could buy this anywhere - !!!! off!

Heres a point : you have to make money while you can. As you age your abilities decrease. My 'engineer' customer gets his salary yet I, the self employed fella is guaranteed nothing.

Look at it another way, the difference between charging £25 then £30 is hardly noticeable on the bill, yet to the recipient ie me its a big jump up. £30 is still shy on hourly return, yet its a start. I feel very angry about the tight arsed !!!! I work for.

Nomad25

Hi Toolmaker,

I can empathise with where you are coming from.
Maybe you should make your old customers aware of your rate before he/she 'commissions' you. He/she is trying it on ..... inflation compounded over 9 years at somewhere between 3-5% ...... and expecting the costs to be the same is totally unrealistic.

Bet they are not on the same pay scale as 9 years ago.

theflame69

Hi,

i am starting my own plumbing company. can anybody tell me how much it cost roughly to start this up?

i want to spend around 2k on a van, and i have no tools.

Many Thanks

Matt

stphnstevey

I am training as a plumber at the moment and would be interested what people charge per hour if they are ok about posting it (this is pretty anonymous)

plumberleeds

I charge £70 an hour 9-5 , £45 for half or less than 1 hour . Weekends £80, ( everyone wants you to come weekends obviously

it is more ... obviously obviously did I say obviously ? Parts are on top of this and yes I bump them up!!! just like

resteraunts bump up the cost of a bottle of wine £12 when you know its £3 in asda...I never complain its just business. I run

on 60 % gross profit. Things to take into consideration by customers when they complain or don't understand about what I

charge.

Van
public liability insurance
van insurance ,mot , tax general maintanance.
petrol
training, trade organisations
ADVERTISING ( £200 a month on google, people still think it doesnt cost me anything when they click my sponsored ads ....what

do you think sponsored means???) £ 200 more on local magazine ( yes that costs money too customers...duh!)
Cold callers clicking my add 5 times a day at £3 a pop.!!!!!
Tools and tool replenishment.
parking on jobs
5 - 10 timewasters a week ! Yup 100 miles of wasted petrol this week with no take in .
Free quotes hours and hours typing for insurance jobs you know you probably will not get because the insurance company needs

three quotes and will choose the cheapest non insured non tax paying cowboy he can find.
Tax

No holiday pay
no pension
no sick pay
no bonuses ( unless you drive a car worth more than £15000,and you have obviously bought your two daughters
two brand new minis , then my prices rocket upwards)

Note to the previous newbie. You need to advertise more than you think. How many jobs do think plumbers get in one month
well here is my month so far. i will just print the profits in cash sum :
83
50
44
40
45
60
57
60
65
70
60
50
63
50
40
40
70
45
80
Total is £1029 now minus expenses ( no duck islands here) £314 so £715 total profit in 27 days that is 8500 a year if i were

to have a month this bad again that is!!! Rant over:T

Fleeting_Glimpse

plumberleeds wrote: »

I charge £70 an hour 9-5 , £45 for half or less than 1 hour . Weekends £80, ( everyone wants you to come weekends obviously

it is more ... obviously obviously did I say obviously ? Parts are on top of this and yes I bump them up!!! just like

resteraunts bump up the cost of a bottle of wine £12 when you know its £3 in asda...I never complain its just business. I run

on 60 % gross profit. Things to take into consideration by customers when they complain or don't understand about what I

charge.

Van
public liability insurance
van insurance ,mot , tax general maintanance.
petrol
training, trade organisations
ADVERTISING ( £200 a month on google, people still think it doesnt cost me anything when they click my sponsored ads ....what

do you think sponsored means???) £ 200 more on local magazine ( yes that costs money too customers...duh!)
Cold callers clicking my add 5 times a day at £3 a pop.!!!!!
Tools and tool replenishment.
parking on jobs
5 - 10 timewasters a week ! Yup 100 miles of wasted petrol this week with no take in .
Free quotes hours and hours typing for insurance jobs you know you probably will not get because the insurance company needs

three quotes and will choose the cheapest non insured non tax paying cowboy he can find.
Tax

No holiday pay
no pension
no sick pay
no bonuses ( unless you drive a car worth more than £15000,and you have obviously bought your two daughters
two brand new minis , then my prices rocket upwards)

Note to the previous newbie. You need to advertise more than you think. How many jobs do think plumbers get in one month
well here is my month so far. i will just print the profits in cash sum :
83
50
44
40
45
60
57
60
65
70
60
50
63
50
40
40
70
45
80
Total is £1029 now minus expenses ( no duck islands here) £314 so £715 total profit in 27 days that is 8500 a year if i were

to have a month this bad again that is!!! Rant over:T

LOL.....Damn right...gonna save that and give it to my customers when they start complaining about my new £200 an hour rates.