Builder's rates

It varies (a lot) by area. I use a rule of thumb of £200 for trades / £100 for labourer. Minimum wage means you won't get a labourer for much less than that as carrying bricks around and mixing concrete is harder work than stacking shelves ;)
 
JonathanRyan said:
It varies (a lot) by area. I use a rule of thumb of £200 for trades / £100 for labourer.
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Agreed.

Brian, the actual working day seems much shorter these days than it was a few years ago though.
 
That's true, and overestimating time. Sucks teeth, scratches head... That'll be a week... And then they are done by Thursday lunch.. :)

Have to say though, some trades do work bloomin hard. Had a decorator, barely any tea stops or lunch.
 
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Thanks for your replies folks. I'm having some building work done at the moment and am pleased with what they are doing, I just wanted to check how much of a premium I may be paying for it. Given I'm only 30 miles from London, I think I've got a fair price.
 
Just having some building work done now, 160 a day just the builder and I know him so probably pretty reasonable.
 
I charge £150 a day as a self employed plasterer and pay a decent labourer £80-90
 
How many bricks/blocks is a bricklayer and mate expected to lay in one working day?
 
StuartH said:
I charge £150 a day as a self employed plasterer and pay a decent labourer £80-90
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Stuart, being darn saarf, your rates certainly don't seem expensive. :cool:

Out of curiosity, how many hours do the majority of the building trade work these days? When I started as an apprentice joiner nearly 45 yrs ago, it was a 40 hr working week, with most Sat mornings expected too, although @ time & a half.

There's a builder & his labourer (employed by a company) working across at our neighbours. They turn up for 9am, have an hour sat in the van for lunch + a couple of brew breaks & by 3.30 pm the brick is in the mixer & usually they've gone before 4 pm. o_O
 
Some charge £180s mate for plastering but a majority in my area are 150 a day.With regards to hours I try to start at 7.45 and finish at about 3-4pm.Thing with plastering you are dependant on the drying times and each gauge of skimming is approximately 2 hours give or take then all your prep work beading and scrimming up etc.I try to do 3 gauges a day if I can and drink and eat on the go.
 
StuartH said:
Some charge £180s mate for plastering but a majority in my area are 150 a day.With regards to hours I try to start at 7.45 and finish at about 3-4pm.Thing with plastering you are dependant on the drying times and each gauge of skimming is approximately 2 hours give or take then all your prep work beading and scrimming up etc.I try to do 3 gauges a day if I can and drink and eat on the go.
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You should move to Edinburgh and double your rates :)
 
I'm actually working for director of canon printers at the mo!
 
There's a builder & his labourer (employed by a company) working across at our neighbours. They turn up for 9am, have an hour sat in the van for lunch + a couple of brew breaks & by 3.30 pm the brick is in the mixer & usually they've gone before 4 pm. o_O
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Sounds like somebody is being taken for a ride :rolleyes:
 
Ollie B said:
Sounds like somebody is being taken for a ride :rolleyes:
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You aren't kidding.

We had a block paved drive/car standing area, dug out & completed in about 10 days by 2 guys & all by hand.
The 2 guys across at our neighbours took over 6 weeks (lots of days rained off though) & they had a mini-digger! Thing is, at least part of it has dipped & is puddling water, so will have to be sorted too.

God only knows what the new neighbours were quoted for all the work they've had done. o_O

They've had a large `orangery` built & the back garden dug out & hard landscaped, which seems to be coming to an end now.

The aforementioned builder & his labourer have been here since October ................. 7 months!!!!!! (with a 2 week break for Christmas)
 
OldCarlos said:
You aren't kidding.

We had a block paved drive/car standing area, dug out & completed in about 10 days by 2 guys & all by hand.
The 2 guys across at our neighbours took over 6 weeks (lots of days rained off though) & they had a mini-digger! Thing is, at least part of it has dipped & is puddling water, so will have to be sorted too.

God only knows what the new neighbours were quoted for all the work they've had done. o_O

They've had a large `orangery` built & the back garden dug out & hard landscaped, which seems to be coming to an end now.

The aforementioned builder & his labourer have been here since October ................. 7 months!!!!!! (with a 2 week break for Christmas)
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There are muppets in every trade. Not all of the non-muppets are more expensive.
 
kendo1 said:
There are muppets in every trade. Not all of the non-muppets are more expensive.
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Totally agree with that, Ken.
I just can't get my head around how the company would initially price the whole job to make it profitable, or even competitive in the first place to enable them to get the job. :confused:
 
I paid £300 for a plasterer to do our halls stairs landing. He did it in a day. Starting to feel like I got ripped off reading this thread!
 
Is there an 'industry standard' for builders rates?

Broadly speaking I would start by being more interested by how good is the builder/tradesman and his references! Once satisfied then negotiate the job.

With building works of any type you are going to live with the result for years so why risk it based just on price ???
 
OrangeCanon said:
I paid £300 for a plasterer to do our halls stairs landing. He did it in a day. Starting to feel like I got ripped off reading this thread!
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It really does depend on where you live. I'm in Surrey and I've just paid £420 for exactly the same job. Used the same father & son team that the builder used when we had an extension built last year, so I knew it was going to be a quality job.
 
OldCarlos said:
They've had a large `orangery` built & the back garden dug out & hard landscaped, which seems to be coming to an end now.

The aforementioned builder & his labourer have been here since October ................. 7 months!!!!!! (with a 2 week break for Christmas)
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Have you been inside to see what other work they've had done? That can be where the time goes.

We've had an extension built and from the outside it looks like the builders have stuck a box on the back of the house. A very nice box, to be sure, but still, they've been on site since September and you wouldn't expect it to take that long.

Until you see what has also been done internally. That's where all the time (and effort, and cost) has gone...
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StewartR said:
Have you been inside to see what other work they've had done?
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Hi Stewart. No not been inside, the neighbours only moved in in Sept, so don't really know them. Hopefully at some point I'll get a peep.

The 2 fellas on site haven't done any internal work as far as I know, a plastering/skimming/rendering firm turned up for a few days, the orangery roof was fitted by a different team & the big bi-fold doors delivered & fitted by 2 other guys.

I'm presuming the whole job was priced initially by the same firm, Advanced Windows & Conservatories, as they seem to be involved in it all. (would love to know what the quote was though!!!! :jawdrop: )
 
OldCarlos said:
The aforementioned builder & his labourer have been here since October ................. 7 months!!!!!! (with a 2 week break for Christmas)
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I had a side extension built some years ago, garage, bedroom above, a front porch, and a kitchen extension behind the garage (L shaped)
A couple of guy's full time and a couple of guys part time ie evenings and weekends (all hired by the company doing the work)

All done and dusted, with new central heating and windows through-out, in 6 months.
I thought they were a bit slow, seems they were bloody quick in that case!
 
StuartH said:
Seems pretty fair mate
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Just a bit disconcerting when he finished at 2pm and handed him £300! Wish I could get that day rate :)

To be fair, same chap did both my reception rooms for £400 the pair, so probably evens out.
 
Say he cleared 250 for him and his mate for the work done after materials I don't think that's bad as guessing they didn't stop much to get all that done. Makes me chuckle a mechanic can charge £50/60 an hour and no one bats an eyelid. Plastering is one of the most skilled trades in construction imo yet often the lowest paid
 
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StuartH said:
Makes me chuckle a mechanic can charge £50/60 an hour and no one bats an eyelid. Plastering is one of the most skilled trades in construction imo yet often the lowest paid
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A mechanic won't but a garage will. A Garage will have a lot more to pay for out of that hourly rate. Average mechanic is on less than £100 a day and you have to hope he has put your car back together properly.
 
StuartH said:
Plastering is one of the most skilled trades in construction imo yet often the lowest paid
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Many years ago sparkies used to be the best paid, then it was joiners & builders, then plasterers. Presume it's still the same?

Where do double glazing fitters sit on the pay scale?
 
Yeah and let's hope that plasterer puts your ceiling back up properly lol
 
Anyone who does a job properly is worth a decent days money.
A decent plasterer makes life easy for a decent painter so has to be worth paying well.
I've spent a day clearing up and another sanding down after a plasterer has been in, but recently found and used a good plasterer who left NO mess and I could paint without any prep what so ever.
Well worth the extra few pounds...
I cover most trades but will pay a good plasterer good money !
 
Kitchen/bathroom fitters, sparkies, and then joiners, builders and plasterers :banana:

Plastering is one thing I don't do. I have a tame one I use regularly. (and gas, now I think about it)
 
Agree with the comments about plastering being an art you cannot learn in a day. Refurbed most of my house DIY, but would never touch plastering. Especially on a ceiling, it is brutal work.
 
Lol very true! Well if anyone local to me needs a good plasterer :Dgive me a shout!
 
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