A Tradesmans rant

Oldernotwiser

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Higher rate tax is almost certainly not payable on t/o of "only" £40k a year

I repeat - turnover - NOT gross pay. There is a difference which many here seem to be missing out on

But YOU were the one who mentioned paying higher rate tax, so you were presumably talking about income rather than turnover.

Li0nhead

Dan_Thomas wrote: »

Charge what you want. I've paid a lot more than £180/day in the past for excellent work, but it doesn't matter how much or little you charge - you're going to get people disagree with your prices. If you're too cheap they assume you're rubbish, if you're too expensive you get scoffed at. Just make sure that when the job is done, you can justify what you charged.

The best paragraph i have read in this entire debate. Right for both sides.

Lets take that £180 figure. Most customers would willingly pay £180 per day to Chipy A if they knew Chippie B offering to do the job for £150 per day but was not as good at the job as Chippie A.


But if the customer was happy that the job from Chippy B would be as good as A then of course they are going to go with the cheaper option. Its Human nature.

Then if Chippie C comes in offering to do it for £50 per day cash, then i think all but the biggest of tight fisted idiots would smell a rat and tell him where to go.

Debt_Free_Chick

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But YOU were the one who mentioned paying higher rate tax, so you were presumably talking about income rather than turnover.

It's irrelevant. If you're employed, your employer meets the costs of running the business.

If you're self-employed, you meet the costs of running the business. Yes - you get a tax deduction for those costs (in most cases). So the actual cost to you - assuming you're a tax payer - could be 80% of the face value or 60% of the face value. That's still more than the employed pay - they pay nothing!

To be clear - whether you pay 80% or 60% of the business costs, you still pay - and your daily rate has to include those costs.

Regards

brownsauce

i completely agree with the OP, why shouldnt he get 180 a day?
My brother just spend five years training to be a plumber (in ireland). He is working in dangerous conditions on building sites and isnt guaranteed work constantly so this is reflected in his pricing.
Im studying at a university for the next four years and would be demanding just as much if not more when i graduate as a pharmacist.Why shouldnt a qualified plumber be getting just as much money as me? god knows he works hard enough!:p

freeride

@The Chippy, In order to bring your argument into context and to justify that you are worth £180 per day can you tell me what carpentry/joinery work you do?.

I'm guessing that you specialize in making and fitting expensive oak staircases or another niche product/service or are you just doing 1st and 2nd fix in peoples houses.

freeride

sodamnfunky

dacouch wrote: »

Public Liability for a chippy is more like between £70 and £120 a year...

Yep £88 per year for me.

advent1122

Li0nhead wrote: »

Then if Chippie C comes in offering to do it for £50 per day cash, then i think all but the biggest of tight fisted idiots would smell a rat and tell him where to go.

Do you have chippie C's number?

marleyboy

Customers (those of us that are prepared to pay for a job well done), I will say again, are not interested one Iota, in how much Tax, revenue, phone bills, VAT or indeed any running costs that a self employed professional tradesman has to pay, when I ask for a job to be done, I am not likely to say "How much is your take home pay", whether its £180 - £500 a day they earn PRIOR to outgoing costs. I couldnt care less.

All I or any other customer would care to know is "How much will this cost ME", then I would compare prices with other "just as qualified" tradesmen, to look for the best possible deal for ME the customer and NOT you the tradesman.

Its called business, that's how anyone would work with their money, the whole idea of a good deal (at least in the customers eyes), is the cheapest price, for the best deal, that includes professionalism, service, guarantee's, trust, customer satisfaction, qualification and more importantly...COST!

If I think a job is too expensive to justify its purpose, I would either get someone cheaper or attempt to do it myself, if it all falls apart as a result, I only have myself to blame, but satisfied that I had a choice. I wont be dogged with guilt about turning one down for the other.

70% of the general public, cant afford the solid oak family table or Georgian Sideboard, so opt for Ikea or B&Q, at those prices you expect them to fall apart after a length of time, I cant imagine hiring a professional tradesman to French Polish a Flat Pack, especially if it works out cheaper to just go out and buy another.

It all boils down to economising, looking for a better deal, and NOT being bullied by someone who has sour grapes about you finding a cheaper equivalent.

thechippy

freeride wrote: »

@The Chippy, In order to bring your argument into context and to justify that you are worth £180 per day can you tell me what carpentry/joinery work you do?.

I'm guessing that you specialize in making and fitting expensive oak staircases or another niche product/service or are you just doing 1st and 2nd fix in peoples houses.

freeride

Hi,

To answer your question.
There are many that consider themselves carpenters as they can fit skirting (often badly - I rarely see a scribed joint on the internal mitres!) Hang a door (often badly) and fit wood / laminate flooring (often badly)

I do all these (properly), as I suspect you do.
I also make built in wardrobes / bookcases etc and freestanding made to measure furniture. Bedside tables, hi-fi storage etc.

My original trade for many years was refrigeration and a/c (which I still do now on a sub contract basis)
I learnt carpentry as it was my fathers passion and I enjoy it. The fridge and a/c trade was usefull as it incorporates complicated electrics and being able to install pipework which has to withstand pressures WAY above that of plumbing.
Due to these various skills, my work also involves kitchen and bathroom fitting. I learnt tiling through necessity as it is part and parcel of kitchens and bathrooms and I was fed up with either sub standard work from "tilers" or being let down.

thechippy

dacouch wrote: »

Public Liability for a chippy is more like between £70 and £120 a year...

Mine is over £500 due to being multi skilled and they take all aspects of risk into account.