Rates? I've been asked to provide some but really not sure! Help pls!

[Jamiediddy]

Hi Chaps (and occasional chappeses...

I've just returned from working in Oz and can't get my old job back so am sub-contracting, before I left I'd just got qualified (NVQ 3).
I've been asked what rate I want for my work with a few of my old bosses, I've only been in the trade 4yrs after doing a career break, but I know, and so do they, that what I do I do very well and I'm very useful (hopefully!!).

I didn't want to take the michael in todays age, and I haven't got a van, just my car (all own tools though). I was thinking of asking for £12/hr, I know that's below JIB (although i have got my gold card), but times is hard! Is that reasonable, as one of the contractors has asked if i can 'trim' it a little?!

Also on an aside, I've emailed a few prospective clients (large manufacturers) about warranty work that can be contracted out to me as I've done this for a few firms in the past, some have replied back asking for the following and I'm not sure what to say!

· hourly rates in normal working hours and also out of hours rates?

· what do you charge for travelling (hourly rate or pence permile + hourly rate)?
· do you charge a call out fee?

I'm not trying to get everyone to do my job for me, I'm just really confused as to what to write back! I think one firm used to charge us out at £20/hr.

Any help is absolutely appreciated as at the moment I'm trying to figure out if it's worth staying an electrician as I just don't seem to be able to find the reasonable money out there anymore!

J

 

[sbelec]

How sad, welcome back to the rain and cold! And unfortunately there is no simple answer but when pricing I work on the principle that sat at home earns nothing.
I would have thought as a start point £12 is fine if that is for a 40 hour week of guaranteed pay, no running about pricing, wholesalers, invoices etc. If that is for a couple of hours here a couple there then it's not enough - unless the option is sat at home not earning. When you start quoting, buying etc then that is unpaid and you have to charge enough on "paid" work to cover the "unpaid" and it's never an easy balance.
Just make sure you are being covered by their insurance and not expected to have your own and watch for being asked to do Part P work if you can't notify.

Tomorrow prospecting with customers, some of whom will expect national minimum wage rates for the 4 hours i'm there and expect me to buy the kit!!!!

 

[darkstar26]

i would be asking for more than 12. As you have stated you are very good at what you do so why would you sell yourself short especially if they know your qualities?

 

[Essexboy7]

Mate if you are travelling around using your own vehicle,petrol etc you want to be asking for £150 a day minimum.Maybe let them knock you down to £140.Otherwise its hardly worth being a spark is it?

£12 an hour @ 40 hours minus your %20 tax is going to give you £384 a week take home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I dont know a single sparks mate who would think that is a decent take home wage.I am working on the underground and i know my governer is charging £334 a shift per man.Now i know rates on the underground are slightly higher but whenever i have had a bit of my own work on and i have been employing blokes i am always looking to make at least £100 a day per man, so if i am giving them £15 i am charging £25 an hour for them and i dont have all the overheads of an office,office staff etc.I would say any electrical firm in the south is charging £45 an hour per man at the cheapest

 

[sbelec]

Anybody got any jobs down there? You must be short of sparks....so be ready for the mass exodus from the north....
Advert in our local paper last night was for a housing association preferred 2391 rate £9.88 to £12 depending on experience!
As for what others can pay, beware making assumptions, I went up against a small company for a small terraced house rewire. I lost the job.... and when I asked about the cost to one of the sparks - they had no work so the boss getting in some money was a loss on wages but not as big a loss as if they had sat at home earning nothing.
Having said that I couldn't agree more with what the guys have said on not selling yourself short but just beware that sitting at home earns nothing. Like any work it is a stepping stone, sometimes you have to accept less to get established.

 

[Jay Sparks]

I applied for a job the other day, only 12 hours a week, thought it would be ideal along side my business. The lady asked me what hourly rate I would want?? I said, if paye, useing my own van, I would be looking at at least £13 p/h. She said it would be sellf employed so would I be expecting £19 p/h, I said no, thats way too much, Id expect around £15/16 p/h but this is negotiable depending on what my duties would be. The lady said oh, ok thats sounds good, Ill call you later today with the details...........Didnt get a call back, so I expect that some one is willing to do it for less. It all depends on what you can live on and what you value yourself at.....there are people out there that will happily do 40/50 hr at £9 p/h, not me though.

Jay