Average Hourly Handyman Charges in South East

Russe11

leveller2911 wrote: »

Agree, but there are plenty of chancers out there who will do anything to make a fast,easy buck.I can only comment on the building industry but we all know the same is true in the motor trade. People just need to be aware and use some common sense and do their homework.

Handyman wise they generally have few overheads (tools,van and hopefully insurance) my main gripe is the fct that most don't know how to do a job properly so why pay a lot of money for a poor job when you can get the job done correctly for less money...

I charge £30-00 hr for my Joinery but I have a list of overheads as long as your arm, I would love to know who charges £80-00 hr for joinery.Charging high rates doesn't mean you get a different type of client.I've worked for Rock Stars,Landed gentry,National Trust,Church Of England and Mrs Miggins at the local Pie shop.

I didn't say £80 for joinery, but just machining. They are a lot more cost effective than a one man workshop, seeing they can do a whole house of windows on the machines in a few hours where as could be a weeks work for a small workshop. All I was highlighting is the fact a hourly rate does not give a true reflection of the value.

I find on the whole the customer 8/10 time does not know if a job is done properly or not, unless its through the architects and even then somtimes they don't have a clue.

Canucklehead

Russe11 wrote: »

I find on the whole the customer 8/10 time does not know if a job is done properly or not, unless its through the architects and even then somtimes they don't have a clue.

Spot on.:T

Canucklehead

novamation

For comparison, ageUK have a handyperson service for the over 60's, the price of which seems to depend on your location.
Ours is £15 per hour, but falls prevention work (changing lightbulbs and fitting rails) is free.
There's a limit to what they'll do though, they couldn't do our banister and told us we'd need to get a carpenter in. They won't fit fire alarms, because the fire brigade have a free service to fit one, though only if you don't have one already.

Decor8or

How I hate and detest the term multitrader. 36 years ago I started my four years apprenticeship as a painter and decorator. Then I was proud of my trade but as the years have went by I have seen it turned into no more than a labouring job. In fact many labourers now have better rates than we painters.

In the late seventies the only people who could employ a decorator were professionals or well to-do pensioners. Now everyone looks to employ someone to do their painting, many with the attitude that "its only slapping a bit of paint on a wall!"

The trade is now also saturated with people who have had no training at all but feel it's OK to start trading having painted their own front room! Then we have those who attend colleges, gaining nvq's by decorating a 2 x 2 metre area of plasterboard day after day for a year or two. Having worked in contracting I have watched these same "experts" struggle to take lids off tins and pouring paint into kettles. Why? Because the colleges employ technicians to give the paint out to students!

All of this leads to shoddy workmanship which the vast majority of the public find acceptable given they too have no idea what a top quality, professional decorating job looks like. hence the remarks "its only slapping on a bit of paint!"

The pay rates have also tumbled to ridiculous amounts with some on the minimum wage.

I also hear the older tradesmen like plasterers, joiners, tilers......having the same problems.

So if you want to employ a multi-trade (ie a capable diyer) you go for it as you deserve to lose your money. Just don't come crying to me when your wallpaper and paint peels off. The public need to take a long hard look at themselves before they start mouthing off about dodgy tradesmen when you haven't got a clue what a tradesman is!
You created the situation by your lack of respect for my particular trade, a trade which is now no more than an embarrassment. However not as embarrassing as some bloke knocking on your door claiming he can do everything to the standard of a time-served tradesman.

property.advert

Why do people think it is acceptable for handymen to have to work for peanuts pay in an area which has high house prices ?

Are such people to be condemned to forever live in crappy rented accommodation ?

I think £35 an hour as a fee is hardly massive, though I would not expect to pay £350 for a 10 hour day. Yet I could not countenance paying only £100 or so for a full day's work as that is bordering minimum wage.