Daily rates for tradesmen

Katykat

I've been quoted £150 day by a tiler for a small job ( corner
shower encloser and 3.5mx2.5m floor tiles). He told us it will take approx 3 days. Now I'm not comfortable with daily rates. I was bitten once when a workman turned up at 12pm on his 2nd day. I had to tackle him about it and felt really embarrased. He said his van had broken down. So I try and avoid this now. I'd rather pay a set price, but my neighbour thinks £150 is a good rate. Is it? I'm also not sure that it should take 3 days

Lutonkitchenbathroomtile

£150 a day if it includes materials is a good price, if you're buying materials then its a quality tilers rate. My only issue is this job shouldnt take more than 2 days by the measurements you give.

trf1960

My husband is a sole trader (not a tiler though) and will quote for the job not a day rate and I would be unhappy too if someone quoted me a day rate as you have been. I would query why he has not quoted you a total job price.

Gra76

£150 for a day isn't bad for a tiler - but a fixed price on tiling isn't difficult to give. Ask him why he can't give you a fixed price.

southcoastrgi

i charge £25 m2 plus adhesive & grout (standard rate around here), hope that helps

Cazza

My OH's day rate is £150; he'll either estimate on a day rate or quote depending on what the client wants. Generally, most people would pay less on a day rate as if he's quoting then he has to add a bit more on top to allow for things going wrong. He would charge for materials on top of that. We live in the South East, so other parts of the country may be cheaper but I certainly wouldn't say £150 is a lot when it comes to trying to make a living once you paid for all the costs associated with running a business!

Forgot to add - his normal working day would be 8-6, any short days and he'd charge on a pro-rata basis.

Katykat

Thanks for your advice folks. The £150 doesn't include materials, and I live in the north, so I guess it should be cheaper . Cazza, i dont think I've ever met a tradesman round these parts who works 8-6. Thats why I'm so sceptical about daily rates, a day could be contrued as any hours really. I think I will choose someone who quotes a set price. £25 m2 sounds OK to me.

Cazza

Katykat wrote: »

Cazza, i dont think I've ever met a tradesman round these parts who works 8-6.

I have told him he's the exception to the rule in that way and to make sure he explains this to people when he's giving estimates and quotes! He feels bad if he doesn't think he's working hard enough for people to pay him! Bless!

Hope you get it all sorted out and you have a lovely shiney bathroom at the end!

Oldsoak

As one of my trades I would be looking at doing that job for £300 and it would only take 2 days. It would not include materials at that price. As I always say, I can't see if there are any other difficulties involved such as toilet and sink out and back in again for the tiling, if that is the case then £450 over 3 days is not unreasonable even for up here in the North.
By the way I start at 7.30 and finish at no earlier than 4.30 as I live around an hours drive (each way) from where most of my clients tend to live.
Good luck

artha

Think it depends on the trade but I've just been, I believe, ripped off for damp proofing. Posted on "Is this quote fair?" but didn't get any replies. Was in a rush so didn't have time to shop around. Lesson learnt. My damprooofer has charged me £180/hour to do a job that I expected to be hi-tech but when I saw what was done realised that I could have done this with a bit of time and a mastic gun and bought the £14-£15 cartridge that was used! These people are accredited and approved suppliers of a technology that , now I look into it, is techno babble! Angry but wiser! (and quite a few pounds lighter)

Edit: sorry for my rant but the point is that I would expect most good quality tradesmen to charge at £100 - £200/ day+ materials. I would include electricians, plumbers, plasterers in this category. Why do damp proofers seem to be outside of this loop?

McKneff

He has said £150 a day and it may take 3 days, the trouble is
if he gives you a written quote, he will charge you £450 no matter how long it takes.

Ask him for an hourly rate, then you can see how many hours he actually works.

Daily rates are really way open to abuse.