materials mark up?

[whitestu]

As a customer I wouldn't be happy paying more that I could buy materials for. If the mark up brings the price in line with DIY shop costs then fine, but if it is for revisit costs then that should be covered in the instalaltion cost. The level of mark up people are talking about (40%) is way higher than most suppliers can get away with. I agree that this should be discussed in the private forum!

 

[drew35]

I thought we tailor our prices to how old and vulnerable our customers are???

Wait! Sorry that's plumbers!

10% unless I get something really cheap!

 

[DaveyD]

depends on what discount i get. anything from 20% to 50% mark up.

Same here.

 

[1shortcircuit]

As a customer I wouldn't be happy paying more that I could buy materials for. If the mark up brings the price in line with DIY shop costs then fine, but if it is for revisit costs then that should be covered in the instalaltion cost. The level of mark up people are talking about (40%) is way higher than most suppliers can get away with. I agree that this should be discussed in the private forum!

The way I believe it should be done is, know what price the client can get the materials for (like for like) and charge that. Then know where you can apply your trade discounts in order to get the materials cheaper.

I document everything on my estimates so my mark up/error/revisit factor gets included in the price I set as labour - Which also includes my time and business expenses such as Part P, Insurances etc.

 

[Paul.M]

This is only like any local corner shop going to the wholesalers and buying a tin of beans for 50p and retailing that tin of beans for 89p. Although we dont spend thousands of pounds on stock that sit on a self until a customer wants it, we have to buy materials for every single job which takes up time. Ok I'll buy a cu at about £60-£70 and charge it at around £80-£90 which pays for my time driving out to buy it, only fare. If the customer wants to buy their own materials fine, but I dont guarantee anything that I did'nt supply so if anything goes wrong its a chargeable call out. End of the day we are the retailer selling items to customers.

 

[dagrat]

As far as I'm concerned mark up on materials is a legitimate business expense, and as such I always include it separately and openly on my invoices. I've never had any problems with customers over this.
I think most people accept this and prefer it up front rather than hidden away.
By the way I usually charge 15%-20% depending on job.