Plumbing prices and call out charge

[BYP]

I charge £50 minimum call out including VAT for the first hour, plus parts. Depends on job to job though.

 

[Rob Foster]

As always when running a business profit and turnover are two issues to keep a balance with. One expensive job per week or being rushed off your feet doing cheap jobs that make no money Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Last Plumber]

Where most self employed people go wrong is that they under estimate their annual overheads and over estimate in the early years the number of weeks per year they will be working ... which is the perfect storm for being a very busy poor fool.

Bob on That Murdoch.
I come across them a lot. People starting up, selling Boilers for cost, charging a 'wage' on top. No-one can compete and they're mega busy for a while. Following the 'busy while' they either jack it in and go back to being an employee or they get wise and charge properly.

 

[Welder]

Never ever charged a call out fee. Always found people hated 'em. However, I always (okay mostly...) seemed to be able to suss out the idiots from the genuine.
It's not rocket science.
Estimate your hourly rate based on the money you need to earn to live properly (not forgetting all the incidental commitments like tax NI etc) but working just FOUR days a week. Then make sure all materials are at trade plus 20% and once the job is landed buy wisely.
Be confident and work comes in.

 

[Pickwickpick]

I used to add 10% onto materials until I did rough maths a year or two ago about the time spent picking them, planning/shopping around for good price, collecting them... and realised I really was rarely covering my time.

 

[SimonG]

30% for me, minimum. Nozzles and smaller service parts like oil filters it's nearer 100%.

 

[JayTech]

I’m with a plumber now doing my nvq and he has been excellent giving great advise just like the rest of you about pricing and call out charge. I didn’t expect this kind of response thanks to all that’s replied and helped with info much appreciated

 

[Rob Foster]

Fixed costs can kill a business, some are unavoidable like road tax for the truck. Variable costs need close scrutiny buying expensive derv, expensive pipe and fittings is lazy practice , advertising is a subject in itself
Huh I could drone on if you want Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[JayTech]

Fixed costs can kill a business, some are unavoidable like road tax for the truck. Variable costs need close scrutiny buying expensive derv, expensive pipe and fittings is lazy practice , advertising is a subject in itself
Huh I could drone on if you want Rob Foster aka centralheatking

Cheers rob thanks for the advise

 

[WC1]

Choose your customers carefully, a few bad payers can really make a dent. They don't teach that on nvq. Good luck

 

[JayTech]

Choose your customers carefully, a few bad payers can really make a dent. They don't teach that on nvq. Good luck

Yeh they fella that has took me on to do my nvq has told me that he said you can generally tell the good customers and the pain in the butt customers lol

 

[WC1]

You develop your spidey sense very quickly

 

[JayTech]

You develop your spidey sense very quickly

 

[Welder]

You develop your spidey sense very quickly

But only if you let yourself listen... Blokes are typically sh1te at that

 

[WC1]

True, but it's learn spidey sense quick or pack up and put tools on ebay:

plumbers tools job lot 167710439947 | eBay