Highest paying specialty?

[Deuce]

Yes this view is what other treads have said...I am S/E because I have to be...companies do not employ people in the cards these days especially at advanced age.....I assume it's the same all over..would love to get into some branch of the trade that paid a reasonable rate but never quite figured it out.....any suggestions welcome

You're obviously very happy to be direct about your earning and position, so I won't fanny around either, I will just give you my view.

You're quite right, you are less employable as at your age you're not a future investment for a firm - so of course you realise that and go S/E. I think the mistake has been to set your rates at what I can only assume is based on the rates in the early 90's.

Let's do the maths:

Say you work 48 weeks a year, 5 days a week. That is £312 a week. Or £62 per day. I can't imagine what electrical job you could do that would take an entire day and only be worth £60 to your customer!

I think there is a positive here. You can pretty much double your prices starting from tomorrow. No one will care because so long as you do a good job and solve the customers problem, they will be happy regardless of cost - whether they pay you £60 or £120 for your days effort. In either case, it's probably less than they would have expected.

 

[123]

@Brian Taylor How many hours a week do you work, and what is the normal hourly rate? £15,000 is extremely low for a spark even here in Northern Ireland, I was earning more on the cards about 15 years ago over here.

 

[Brian Taylor]

Thankyou for the advice...I'm not too sure how I'm going to explain a doubling of my rate to my customer.....I think from a distance lol.....I would be greatful to hear from those who manage to command an income of £45K or more as to what field of the trade they are in....it seems i have lost my way as far as remuneration is concerned.

 

[Brian Taylor]

Maybe I will have to go back to college to update my qualifications....yet again lol

 

[Deuce]

Thankyou for the advice...I'm not too sure how I'm going to explain a doubling of my rate to my customer.....I think from a distance lol.....I would be greatful to hear from those who manage to command an income of £45K or more as to what field of the trade they are in....it seems i have lost my way as far as remuneration is concerned.

I'm sure you can appreciate that to earn £45k you have to be a bit lively, and you're probably not interested in running around that fast anymore.. But as for £30k (so doubling the current), that's totally realistic.

The 'customer' will understand. If you have regular customers it might be that you're a bit more gentle and let them know you will increase your prices moderately each year until you're back on track. But for new customers... Double what you charged yesterday and you will still be competitive.

And to give you the answer you need most: Yes, you are definitely out of touch with remuneration. Feel no guilt about a price increase - I'm being as realistic about your age as you are when I say it's time to double up. You would still be a good deal by most people's standards.

 

[Brian Taylor]

Many thanks for that advice...I must admit you are the first person in this site to offer constructive criticism..for which I am greatful

 

[Deuce]

Many thanks for that advice...I must admit you are the first person in this site to offer constructive criticism..for which I am greatful

Brian, I have benefited from the advice of various old duffers such as your good self over the years

It's pleasure to repay that in whatever way I can

 

[Brian Taylor]

That's very kind of you sir.

 

[DPG]

And stick around on the forum - it's a good place. You need thick skin though

 

[DefyG]

I think the £15K is what is officially declared!

 

[Powellm]

For huge money in electrics look into robotics. Working with boys clearing 100 to 150k a year but they do put the hours in at 50-72 hour weeks

 

[DPG]

72 hous per week??!! Work/life balance issues there.

 

[Powellm]

Yea thatsbtrue but you also have the guys plodding along at 32 quid an hour that just do 37 to 40 hours

 

[123]

Graveyards are full of folk that thought they where indispensable to work.

I let my ambitions of earning as much as I could go a long time ago. Work to live, not the other way around.

 

[Powellm]

Graveyards are full of folk that thought they where indispensable to work.

I let my ambitions of earning as much as I could go a long time ago. Work to live, not the other way around.

Very true worked with a chap who had missed every birthday of his kids for the last 19 years. Due to work. Said his kids have everything but don't fully know who he is. How is missus never bumped him off

 

[Nigel]

As with most things. Hard work and risk taking gets you places. Whichever field you work in one thingbis for certain - you will not earn those figures working for other people.

 

[TJ Anderson]

yes I'm now 63 and normally do a 5 day week

Brian, I apologise too, I really thought 15k was a typo.

As, already said, double your rate from tomorrow. Not sure how much you work you achieve in a day or how good at fault finding, but if you are a good sparks, you can command a lot more. Kind of cool if you have been working for what you have. Instant pay rise

 

[Brian Taylor]

Hi thanks for the advice..have been giving all the advice a lot of thought...am quite hopeful of a better future...as far as working hours are concerned i work the standard 45 hour week....I'm a bit past doing any more at my age lol

 

[Brian Taylor]

Will let you all know how things go ..sure i will need more advice from you all ..many thanks to you all .

 

[Billsays]

Hi thanks for the advice..have been giving all the advice a lot of thought...am quite hopeful of a better future...as far as working hours are concerned i work the standard 45 hour week....I'm a bit past doing any more at my age lol

Hi Brian, if you was charging £150 a day that's still very cheap for an Electrician in Essex. Most of our guys are on £180.

Back to the OP if you want to earn big money become an Electrical inspector on the council. Basic is about £45K, but the brown envelopes..............Kerching!