Would you pay a daily rate?

Rileybaby · 20 January 2017 at 1:16PM

Hi,

I'm currently looking at tradesmen for my house. I need a celing de-artexing, skimming and a false fire place removing & the wall skimming. The guy hasn't give me a price for the job but a price per day of £100. He's come recommend and apparently this is how he works. Does this sound like a reasonable daily rate?

He's also offered to hand the doors I need fir the same rate but told me he can do 3 a day I have 9 so £300 which sound okay I think! God this is hard lol

Wookey · 20 January 2017 at 1:23PM

A £100 a day for a self employed tradesman doing general domestic jobs is about the going rate, you may well be able to get a non qualified "handyman" for less but that is down to you, if he is recommended and you have seen examples of his work nothing wrong with his rate, just check if he has adequate insurance in place.

phill99 · 20 January 2017 at 1:25PM

As a builder, don't do this. Day rates are the worst method of payment.

It means he can just hang the job out and a £200 job ends up costing you £500. If he is decent he will know how long the job will take and quantities of materials and give you a fixed price on the back of it.

Make sure you get a fixed price from him or you may as well give him a blank cheque.

And in terms of hanging doors as well, NO. get a carpenter in to do the job properly.

Sorry he sounds like a chancer.

Rileybaby · 20 January 2017 at 1:25PM

Thanks Wookey, he is qualified and whilst I've not seen what he has done I've been assured by a friend that he is excellent. I guess I'm just worried about jobs taking longer than I expect!

phill99 · 20 January 2017 at 1:28PM

Wookey wrote: »

A £100 a day for a self employed tradesman doing general domestic jobs is about the going rate.

No it is not.

Plumber/ electrician/chippy £200 + /day
Plasterer £150 - £180
Decorator £140

Pay the going rate or your home will look like an explosion at B & Q

Rileybaby · 20 January 2017 at 1:34PM

Thanks Phill99. He is a plasterer & a joiner with over 20 years experience. He works for a firm but works for himself evenings & weekends which is why I think he charges £100 a day. I've given him a list of what I want he's coming back with samples & prices so we shall see I suppose.

phill99 · 20 January 2017 at 1:36PM

So whose liability insurance is he working off then? Make sure he has his own.

Wookey · 20 January 2017 at 1:56PM

phill99 wrote: »

No it is not.

Plumber/ electrician/chippy £200 + /day
Plasterer £150 - £180
Decorator £140

Pay the going rate or your home will look like an explosion at B & Q

That depends a lot on where you live, and if you are paying a firm or a sole trader in a busy or quiet area.

phill99 · 20 January 2017 at 2:29PM

Wookey wrote: »

That depends a lot on where you live, and if you are paying a firm or a sole trader in a busy or quiet area.

No its doesn't. I sub-contract to 18 tradesmen. These are the rates that I am paying them. All are self employed. We work in the South East, not in London. When talking to family in the North East, I was surprised that the day rates were virtually the same.

Sorry but if you think you can employ a decent tradesman for £100 a day, then you are very much mistaken.

brightontraveller · 20 January 2017 at 2:57PM

They can drag a job out yes if you let them but you simply need to ask “what are you doing today” if managed correctly you leave in morning come home in evening they have done what they said how is that a problem?

I would say there is less incentive to rush / bodge the work but that doesn’t go hand in hand with it costing more, taking longer or being cheaper?

Most that work for companies work for less for the employer whom charges the client more ? ( the luxury of having a guaranteed wage each week) so chances are the wage they wish from you will be lower than someone self employed or a company you weigh up the extra cost someone self employed would need to charge against the difference in day rate (plenty that work for companies that work hard so no guarantee they would be slower)

They will likely have a speed they work for there employer which you assume would make employer money is this speed really likely to change?

You also have the difference of paying a day rate but this only being paid on completion as opposed to day rate paid daily.

Its simple you get them to do a day and see what they do? At worse you’ve lost a hundred pound if they do absolutely nothing? At best you get the works done for half the price a self employed or company would do it.

From an employers point of view it annoys some as they perceive they are getting less profits as there employees are doing the work “on the side “ but that is easy counted by paying them a living wage, with enough hours/days to start with? If they work for a firm during the week so do works at weekends/eves etc likely he cannot get these from his employer? If there self employed then it can be a different story altogether but not sure what this person is ?

brightontraveller · 20 January 2017 at 3:23PM

phill99 wrote: »

No it is not.

Plumber/ electrician/chippy £200 + /day
Plasterer £150 - £180
Decorator £140

Pay the going rate or your home will look like an explosion at B & Q

Interesting pay scale Plumber/ electrician/chippy can normally get to about retirement age there eyesight and knees may go , Painters can go on normally the longest of most trades if there lungs don,t pack up ?

Ive found plasterers are f upped 40 mid 50s and comparison they charge a high rate the young less knowledgeable tend to be cheaper but those with the experience , skill etc late twenties to late thirties seem to be more expensive than you pay or want meters opposed to day rate or many we have used do South East and London those that day rate or should i say its two knocks and finish as opposed to say a complete day so to speak ? Do you find for rates you pay they work the day or job and knock ?

We do have some on the cards but I'll admit they are not as quick as many subbies maybe for a day or so but week in week out not so they should really be put out to pasture but if I had a field I'd develop it ?

Would you pay a daily rate?

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