UK Why are new build prices so bad?

[Dustydazzler]

I'd have to use a lot of restraint to beat the urge to kick them in the b0ll0cks. What is this obsession with impact drivers ? Hate the things.

speed / looks cool ( dint worry if you mangle all the terminals)

 

[Dave OCD]

Yeah I do think it's to do with image, just like waving the latest phone about in public. Pathetic isn't it ?

 

[snowhead]

Yes you're spot on but when a tiler pulls up holding a £20 trowel telling you he earns 250 -300 a day you wonder what it's all about

Has anybody actually seen the wageslip or yearly accounts of these so called high earners.
It's easy to talk B*llocks.

He may earn 250 - 300 a day but is that every day or occasionally, how many hours a day do they work and what do they earn on the rest of the days / months / years.

 

[Dustydazzler]

What do site tilers get these days , used to be £25-35 pm Labour only , most could easily do a sq mtr per hour

I think we paid our tiler £60-65 pm to do our bathroom but he provided all the adhesive/ grout/ trim etc in that , we just supplied the tiles

pretty decent money if you are fast

 

[Dom7177]

Even light switches and fittings ?? It's quite depressing the way this trade is heading isn't it ?

It is in this particular part of it . I came into new builds after 15 years employed by a small company where it was customer based ,all about quality of work but unfortunately not great pay. So a friend who had been doing new builds for some time got me into price work on new builds .I was instantly shocked by the quality of work and was constantly told that i had to drop my standards to be able to make money. Something I'm not happy doing however I did ok ,but it seems recently there is a lot more involved but prices have been cut to a level where to do the job in the time the price allows is frankly dangerous

 

[Leesparkykent]

My lads are on £800 a 1st fix atm. 3 story, 3 bed house with one en-suite. Data and coax to each TV point, downlights in kitchen and bathrooms.

 

[7029 dave]

The trouble Is the developers will always find somebody to throw the cables in for £10 a hour , there is no shortage of cheap Labour out there.
It’s been this way since I started out.
It’s not a bad starting point for a young sparks to cut their teeth lashing in new builds for a 100 quid a day.
Most decent sparks after a year or so will move into private jobs and small building works where the rates are much much better

Yep I remember the boss saying to a first year apprentice, just copy the first fix of the other house. lol

There's your cheap labour Been going on for years.

 

[Dom7177]

My lads are on £800 a 1st fix atm. 3 story, 3 bed house with one en-suite. Data and coax to each TV point, downlights in kitchen

 

[pirate]

Checked out some new builds a few years back, TV points in every room. That wasn't a lie, but there was no coax connected to them...
Correction...there was a short length attached but only about a foot long, disappearing into the cavity. The loft aerials were there with a length of coax attached to them, but the end of the cable was just buried under the insulation. You can do a 3 bed an hour that way, then off you go in your van with cash in your pocket, and swap your PAYG SIM-card and no-one can get in contact with you. Inspection? None...

 

[Edtwozeronine]

?

 

[Dom7177]

That's a good price . I'm sure you have lads that want to do a good job for that . If you get short of labour I'll be available

 

[Dustydazzler]

the last lot of new builds I did we didn’t connect the coax , data or phone points , we just had to coil em up in the boxes and the new owners would have to pay to get them connected

We 1st fix the boiler wiring but wet pants had to wire them up

 

[pirate]

Push-fits...everyone's a plumber
Wagos...everyone's an electrician
Nail gun...everyone's a builder
Impact driver...everyone's a flash bast*rd
Proper but modest set of the correct tools, and a day to wire up a dozen sockets and install some downlights properly...oh, just call me, and I'll turn up on time, stay til the job's done and switch my mobile off on arrival too
it'll cost you though!

 

[Leesparkykent]

That's a good price . I'm sure you have lads that want to do a good job for that . If you get short of labour I'll be available

Where abouts are you based?

 

[pirate]

Faster than my arthritic fingers can manage...but not exactly great, is it?
still, i have time on my hands and don't have to earn a living doing it quickly.
I like wiring plugs, it's therapeutic. OK, I don't exactly ferrule them all, but might double over, tighten the terminal screws, pick up the bits of insulation and bin 'em, then just give the terminal screws a final tighten in case of "creep"
Jeez...I sound like my dad!

 

[nicebutdim]

Yes you're spot on but when a tiler pulls up holding a £20 trowel telling you he earns 250 -300 a day you wonder what it's all about

Either there are less tilers than available jobs or enough of them aren't prepared to work for peanuts.

 

[nicebutdim]

Has anybody actually seen the wageslip or yearly accounts of these so called high earners.
It's easy to talk B*llocks.

He may earn 250 - 300 a day but is that every day or occasionally, how many hours a day do they work and what do they earn on the rest of the days / months / years.

We needed a tiler a few months back and were let down by three in a row - several others didn't want to know as they were flat out with new builds. In the end we got a guy that sells himself as a "high-end" tiler and charges accordingly. Nothing high-end about his work, but average was good enough to get the job done (albeit at at a high price).

Then again, I've struggled to get an electrician here as well.

 

[nicebutdim]

What do site tilers get these days , used to be £25-35 pm Labour only , most could easily do a sq mtr per hour

I think we paid our tiler £60-65 pm to do our bathroom but he provided all the adhesive/ grout/ trim etc in that , we just supplied the tiles

pretty decent money if you are fast

£420 to do a small ensuite, with us supplying all materials. Tiler paid the plumber for his couple of hours.

Still haven't managed to get rid of the mess he left outside.

 

[Electrics]

Has anybody actually seen the wageslip or yearly accounts of these so called high earners.
It's easy to talk B*llocks.

He may earn 250 - 300 a day but is that every day or occasionally, how many hours a day do they work and what do they earn on the rest of the days / months / years.

300 a day isn't going to help their bone on bone knees and wrecked back in their 50's.

 

[cliffed]

Even light switches and fittings ?? It's quite depressing the way this trade is heading isn't it ?

Yep...it’s got worst over the years it’s the i don’t care attitude,if it looks rough leave it.