What sort of prices should I be charging?

[Kjb Electrical]

Hi all, I was wondering how much hourly rate I should be charging? I recently quoted a job only to be questioned if I was an electrician due to being too cheap.
I’m thinking of upping my rates but want to keep at an honest and fair price.

 

[Octopus]

I have a subby that earnt 39K from me last year.

Good on him .......... was that including overtime / weekend rates?

 

[Anthony S]

you must of gave him half decent prices lol

 

[Anthony S]

More than likely price work

 

[Octopus]

Who care about what Joe is earning ............. I'm happy with what I earn ............ I nobody to report to ............... I have nobody to let me down ................its that simple

 

[Anthony S]

You got involved in the thread now you don't care lol

 

[Octopus]

You got involved in the thread now you don't care lol

That's funny ...........I mean I don't care if people earn more than I do ...... just look at my earlier responses - I was trying to get somebody to realise that they are under selling themselves

Its gone way off topic now anyway

 

[Anthony S]

Being content is the most important thing, money comes 2nd imo

 

[Leesparkykent]

Good on him .......... was that including overtime / weekend rates?

No just Price work. I have a site with 400 small commercial units being built. He gets £250 a unit which consists of a bit of dado with 3 sockets, a flood light on a photocell, roller shutter door power, 4x fluorescents, board with 3x RCBO’s, water heater power, Batten Holder and switch in WC and bond to structural steel. Does 3-4 a week when the works there. I can do one a day on my own if I knock my socks off. To give you some scale here’s a few pics of the 1st phase of 100 units.

 

[Nigel]

If some of the sparks on this forum are earning some of the figures being bounded about they should be mortgage free living in a reasonable size house and in a nice area, living a decent life style with two good holidays a year by the age of 40 years old or if not a lot sooner I would imagine.
Good Luck to them if they are.

Yes to everything except mortgage free and I have more holidays than two.

But.........

I have taken a lot of risks. Moved my family three times and worked a lot of hours to get here. People expect me on the phone 24/7 and I spend a lot of nights worrying.

 

[Nigel]

I'm not on about you I'm just refering to the 50/60k a year, that's a lot of money to earn for one man band.

£60k is just over a grand a week.

 

[Nigel]

And how many one man band sparks are earning this much?

very few IMHO

If a one man band is not doing a grand a week then he may as well go work for someone on a day rate.

 

[Nigel]

What I'm earning.

And no I'm not a high rate tax payer!

Neither am I

 

[Nigel]

You get people on here quoting figures of 50/60k for self employed other wise not worth it. That's all I was refering too, so its kind of trying to put people down if they can't or don't earn it imo.

I am not putting anyone down. Just saying that all the crap and pressure and responsibility that goes with being self-employed you may aswell do something else that pays and gives you zero stress and responsibility.

Even the bottom end PAYE jobs are paying £30k.

 

[Nigel]

They are quoting figures out of thin air ...................

I would say you need to be making £30K to make it worthwhile MINIMUM ............ and if you go SE, it could take 3 to 5 years to achieve this ............. yet in some parts of the UK it may never be achievable

Then that is bananas. I could earn that stacking shelves at night. I don’t mean to be disrespectful but all that risk for £30k possibly after 5 years is mental.

 

[Nigel]

I have a subby that earnt 39K from me last year.

My supervisor was £45k PAYE with van, expenses, pension etc.

He put the hours in mind.