Labour charge for outside tap

[Ric2013]

Someone I work with in my part-time other job asked me how much to fit an outside tap (he's already bought a kit). I said at a guess £100. He said he'd do it himself. I said I didn't entirely blame him.

But it got me thinking. How much is a fair price? I suspect £100 was a lot to him because he'd be happy with a cheap job that I wouldn't personally be happy putting my name to. In fairness, I think I deliberately threw a high price at it because I got the impression he wanted a cheap job and I didn't want it, and because the words 'I've got a kit from B&M...' seemed like the start of a nightmare.

But to do it properly gets me thinking what's involved. Get to the house, clear space to work as customer has inevitably left all manner of rubbish under sink, drill through wall, fit sleeving of 22 through wall and mortar around it, fit backplate to wall and fabricate pipe run in 15 (or use an outside tap backplate with pipe already connected and then connect check valve and isolator and connect to existing pipework, hoping that the stopcock works and that the pipe drains down okay. Then clean brick debris mixed with washing machine detergent residue from insides of kitchen cupboard, seal between the pipe and sleeve, put everything back and leave site tidy, put tools away etc, and get home, or on to the next job.

I can't see it taking much less than 2 hours, so it makes me think that although £100 labour may be too much, it isn't much too much. I reckon £75 would be perfectly reasonable.

What are your thoughts?

Apologies for lack of contact recently - I've been a month without internet.

 

[WaterTight]

As with all of these it depends a lot on where you are. It's the least I'd want in SE.

 

[Ric2013]

£75 or £100 is the least you'd want? I'm in Colchester, Britain's oldest recorded town, so, yes, SE.

 

[Harvest Fields]

£75 or £100 is the least you'd want? I'm in Colchester, Britain's oldest recorded town, so, yes, SE.

About £115

 

[ShaunCorbs]

£80 labour but done properly

There's 10 people locally that's advertising on fb £45 materials inclu

 

[Harvest Fields]

£80 labour but done properly

There's 10 people locally that's advertising on fb £45 materials inclu

Wouldn’t want to see that job

There is no way that is a tap with a check valve.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Wouldn’t want to see that job

There is no way that is a tap with a check valve.

B and q hose kit I think

 

[quality]

If 2 hours then £90 labour plus materials plus mileage + vat.
PS Ive never fitted an outside tap

 

[Harvest Fields]

I’ve done 3 in 12 years

 

[Scott_D]

I would charge £85
£25 materials £60 labour, not done many but not worth it for any less, as you say would stuggle to do it properly in Under 2 hours.

Diy/handy men are charging £40 customer buys hose kit.
Plumber who wants the job £80-£100
Plumber not bothered if they get it £100+

 

[king of pipes]

Can be done properly for a £100 including materials . Kop

 

[townfanjon]

Yep on average £90 ish

 

[Harvest Fields]

I would charge £85
£25 materials £60 labour, not done many but not worth it for any less, as you say would stuggle to do it properly in Under 2 hours.

Diy/handy men are charging £40 customer buys hose kit.
Plumber who wants the job £80-£100
Plumber not bothered if they get it £100+

I’m definitely the latter

 

[Ric2013]

I suspect that was my thought, KOP. I'd have probably ended up chucking most of his kit anyway, so at least I could have supplied decent materials, done a proper job, and kept him happy by not charging any extra. But if he's happy with a £45 job, I'm sure he'll be equally happy when the hose splits and...

That said, most houses have a washing machine hose constantly at mains pressure and seem to get away with it, but then most washing machine hoses are probably better quality

 

[WaterTight]

They are also rarely forced through a concrete wall, exposed to the elements and secured with jubilee clips.

 

[Ric2013]

I had a look at kits online and was amazed at how bad some of them are. I thought you got a copper tube going through the wall and used a flexi from the copper to the self-cutting tap, but no, they have become far far worse!

 

[Harvest Fields]

I had a look at kits online and was amazed at how bad some of them are. I thought you got a copper tube going through the wall and used a flexi from the copper to the self-cutting tap, but no, they have become far far worse!

So are just a piece of garden hose attached to a tap

 

[hammers4spanner]

The problem with outside taps is that it's always assumed it's a doddle by the customer.
They see these kits for 10 quid and then think it's 20 minute job.
So an assumption of 40 quid all in by the customer

Not worth doing them imho

 

[WaterTight]

Not worth doing them for the money those customers think the job should cost, no. Worth doing them for the money you think the job is worth though. Up to them whether they want to pay it. I have turned down jobs from customers who have accepted my price but were very reluctant and seemed sore about it because I didn't want to start a job with an air of resentment or suspicion involved but thankfully they have been very rare. Not had one for ages. There'll be one tomorrow now I've said that.