Typical hourly rates

[ClarkeTheSpark]

Hello all,

just received an email from our main customer asking us to lower our hourly rate. We're being extremely generous as it is by charging them either £30 p/h for call out jobs or £200 a day for fully qualified 17th edition electrician with 2391 and £150 a day for a fully qualified 17th edition Electrican who is taking the 2394/5 courses. Our company is NICEIC registered and without wanting to blow our trumpet, good at what we do.

Point is, the customer has seen agency sparks offered at £15 p/h and therefore we need to match (or better!) this, which is impossible. We're south eastern so if anyone is willing to reveal their hourly rates or can even offer us suggestions for an amicable resolution we would be very grateful.

 

[Octopus]

Let them go with the monkeys at £15.00 and don't forget that once the Agency has taken its 20% the remaining money won't buy a quality tradesperson.

As a business you offer quality, consistency, etc, etc.

 

[ClarkeTheSpark]

That's the discussion that we as a company are having right now. I haven't mentioned how the jobs all change every 5mins. The dilemma is let them get the monkeys and wait for them to come calling back or risk not having a call back at all

 

[johnh1986]

Not much advice but i think your prices are good maybe state that an agency worker isnt that bothered about the work more about the rate and state you offer a more relaible service that are dedicated to completing work to a high standard where as an agency worker could leave half way through as a better job woth more pay has came along

(no disrespect to people on agencies i know a few friends who are on them and they all say the same if the pay is better see you later pal)

 

[timo1]

Price does not seem unreasonable to me. Depends on how much work gets done in a day I suppose, and if estimates are fair. At some point it pays to stick to your prices, can't compare a firm and agency work, you can buy a house in some parts of the country for next to nothing but I wouldnt want to live in it!

 

[shockboy]

if you give a quality service call there bluff, in my experience agency sparks are agency sparks for a reason.

 

[ClarkeTheSpark]

Thanks for this so far gents. I know it's not the done thing asking you all to name your price, but this is a company who came calling a few years back when it looked like the recession had got us by the short and curlies. It's a tough call for us to make as it is a very valued customer, but, like the rest of you, we all have bills to pay!

 

[johnh1986]

Stick to your price no matter what if you jave other work you could be ok

 

[Sharpend]

You can thank the JIB for the ridiculous rates that are available via agencies. Check their website for rates of pay then try asking them how they expect a trades person to pay the bills?
the truth is the agency probably offer out an electrician for about £20 p/hr ten pay less than Jib rates!

What a crazy country we live in.....

 

[johnh1986]

One of the companies used to charge £24 per hour for a spark on the books and and agency would charge £17 to the company for a spark i can see the reason as an owner of a business's point of view but i would still rather have a lad/lass who is dedicated to one company rather than a person who may leave to earn more pay

 

[KAS1]

Just as a matter of interest, how much do you pay your sparks?

Hello all,

just received an email from our main customer asking us to lower our hourly rate. We're being extremely generous as it is by charging them either £30 p/h for call out jobs or £200 a day for fully qualified 17th edition electrician with 2391 and £150 a day for a fully qualified 17th edition Electrican who is taking the 2394/5 courses. Our company is NICEIC registered and without wanting to blow our trumpet, good at what we do.

Point is, the customer has seen agency sparks offered at £15 p/h and therefore we need to match (or better!) this, which is impossible. We're south eastern so if anyone is willing to reveal their hourly rates or can even offer us suggestions for an amicable resolution we would be very grateful.

 

[stuartcourt]

Just as a matter of interest, how much do you pay your sparks?

silence is golden:carolers:

 

[Sharpend]

£15 p/hr?

 

[ClarkeTheSpark]

What you see at the top is roughly what is paid. We're father son and I'm no. 2, I'm on less than the going rate as its my old man. If I tell you what I get you'll all want o hire me

 

[stuartcourt]

sounds fair to me, I know where I live and what I drive etc if anything needs to go up hair dressers on more stick to your guns but make it known your door always open to them if they need you

 

[Dcf]

Sounds like your customer is calling your bluff.let him
Say you drop your rates ,when are you gonna get them back up to a reasonable sum? never.
ive not put my rates up in 5 year tbh.but ive not dropped them either.
they should be going up but they seem to be plummetting to early 90s levels with boys willing to work for next to nothing.
pay peanuts get monkeys.
they will be back that i can be sure of

 

[NDG Elecs]

Blow your own trumpet mate and explain what the difference in the quality of service provided between yourselves and agency staff would likely be ie they would not give a hoot as others have stated. Whereas you are attentive diligent etc....

Tradesfolks often lack ability in selling themselves in a professional manner ( myself included), if clients knew the hassles, overheads etc we have, they would, or bl00dy well should, be forever grateful!!

Point out what rival companies would charge... £30 callout for London is a steal. If they provide say 30% of your overall work I would maybe knock a tenner off the day rate and claw it back on other jobs. That would at least show willing on your part.

 

[Amp David]

Surely 15 quid an hour is the hourly rate that the electricians is earning and not what they are being charged out at?

 

[ClarkeTheSpark]

It's the price the agency want to be paid in return for supplying an electrician

 

[stuartcourt]

It's the price the agency want to be paid in return for supplying an electrician

that is one cheap agency bet their bloke are red hot

 

[123]

With the agency guys who organises the job and orders materials? Where do they even get materials from, no doubt they won't have wholesalers accounts!

I'd stick to my prices, if you drop this time then you'll be asked to drop again and again.

 

[ClarkeTheSpark]

They have one wholesaler account which they permit us to use (we have one at the same branch) but they wouldn't have a clue what cable to buy, what board, breakers etc. This is the point we're trying to put across to them but all they see is ££££ signs. Sigh.

 

[123]

1 agency spark £15
1 agency foreman £19
The look on their face when they had to call you back - priceless

 

[stuartcourt]

really is stupidest thing I have heard in ages, an agency bloke only works well alongside someone who knows the installation, and then when next week comes and its a different guy from agency he can work well alongside someone who knows the installation

 

[Octopus]

Moral of the story - don't be too reliant on big customers.

Last year my largest customer accounted for only 7% of my revenue!

 

[stuartcourt]

Moral of the story - don't be too reliant on big customers.

Last year my largest customer accounted for only 7% of my revenue!

yes and they rarely offer you biscuits the fat f...........

 

[ClarkeTheSpark]

When they get an agency sparks in, we would like to be there just to see the chaos that will ensue. Cue the smug grin. And stuartcourt, sometimes you don't even get the tea to dip the biscuits into!

 

[Guest55]

Let them go with the monkeys at £15.00 and don't forget that once the Agency has taken its 20% the remaining money won't buy a quality tradesperson.

is that right ?
well im a "agency monkey" murdoch , and i'll beat hands down on skill and experience alot of cards in nic sparks.
many of which come on here without a clue.
bit of an insult that considering me and thousands other jib subbies quietly get on building this countries bigger projects while scheme sparks just do a bit of housebashing.
pfft.

 

[Redvanman]

Don't drop your rates mate it will never stop if they want to pay that low then they can't be that bothered about the standard

 

[shanky887614]

is that right ?
well im a "agency monkey" murdoch , and i'll beat hands down on skill and experience alot of cards in nic sparks.
many of which come on here without a clue.
bit of an insult that considering me and thousands other jib subbies quietly get on building this countries bigger projects while scheme sparks just do a bit of housebashing.
pfft.

i guess you could call what we are doing atm as house bashing but were actually building it and not electrics atm, going to be mixing cement all day tomorrow and my jtl assesor is coming out to see my handywork inside with t+e

 

[Sharpend]

I have to say that having done the odd bit of agency work, recently testing a government building, not all of us are monkeys, however whilst subbing to many Niccy firms over the years I have seen more of a circus than just monkeys!

I guess that's just the way the ring mistress wants it, otherwise she'd have to be answerable to the sub standards that many of her acts perform.

 

[shanky887614]

I have to say that having done the odd bit of agency work, recently testing a government building, not all of us are monkeys, however whilst subbing to many Niccy firms over the years I have seen more of a circus than just monkeys!

I guess that's just the way the ring mistress wants it, otherwise she'd have to be answerable to the sub standards that many of her acts perform.

seem many dodgy work from a so called niceic companies.

take this house for example. they reused an adaptable box so there is a 20mm hole in it, looks like they hacksawed a section of the circle out.

what takes the biscuit as well is they havent earthed the screen as well. i don't know why they payed extra for swa when there not bothering and they put it in pipe anyway

 

[JD6400]

Surely just the fact of traceability and quality control , with out pointing out who will stand the cost of any warranty work if needed ? Should make them realise what a total load of balls they are talking !
Just out of interest what sort of work do you do for them ?

 

[rmc86uk]

So this company you do work for are going to ring up an agency and say, "Our lights arent working." So the agency ring an Electrician up and give them the job and then they buy the parts? Six months down the line the parts become faulty and then the company ring the agency back and say send that Electrician back because have a warranty with them...I don't think so!

 

[123]

As the company are supplying the parts, then any repairs to faulty parts would be charged for, or at least I'd like to think so

 

[peterhardacher]

There are loads of good sparks on agency the reason being that company's do not want to take u cards in , u have more rights and benefits then agency money is awful they pay u sane as Jib if ya lucky and expect ya to be great full agency's how been the downfall of our industry. Company's do not want organised unionised lads on the books cos we would get want we was entitled to and would not be getting shafted . Government should ban agency's DIRECT EMPLOYMENT FOR SPARKS !!!!

 

[MDJ]

Hello all,

just received an email from our main customer asking us to lower our hourly rate. We're being extremely generous as it is by charging them either £30 p/h for call out jobs or £200 a day for fully qualified 17th edition electrician with 2391 and £150 a day for a fully qualified 17th edition Electrican who is taking the 2394/5 courses. Our company is NICEIC registered and without wanting to blow our trumpet, good at what we do.

Point is, the customer has seen agency sparks offered at £15 p/h and therefore we need to match (or better!) this, which is impossible. We're south eastern so if anyone is willing to reveal their hourly rates or can even offer us suggestions for an amicable resolution we would be very grateful.

stick to your guns M8, 200 a day for a spark is the going rate I reckon almost everywhere, may have to drop it 30 quid or so for local domestic works though, but 200 sounds right to me, tell them you won't do it, or do it and add the difference on to the kit you supply

 

[mselect]

I would honestly say that you are cheap as it is!

We are in west yorkshire and we charge more than that!

If you offer an unbeatable service, call the customers bluff, and they will come crawling back!

Or, you could say that the relationship is important, blah blah blah, and as a result reduce you hourly rate slightly. (the day rates are fine)!

Hope this helps...

 

[Spark1979]

I find the difference here is you are going in and basically designing a job as well as installing, then signing the job off as an Niceic company hence the company your working for is covered with their insurance should anything happen. Agency guy will turn up and pester them all day wanting to know what to do how they want it done etc etc etc then when complete who liable for the work ??????i think your rates fair sometimes you just gotta walk away and move on hard decision I know!

 

[ClarkeTheSpark]

Surely just the fact of traceability and quality control , with out pointing out who will stand the cost of any warranty work if needed ? Should make them realise what a total load of balls they are talking !
Just out of interest what sort of work do you do for them ?

Everything, refurbs, maintenance, EICR's, rewires, fire alarms and more. We blew our own trumpet and we think they've seen the light