Sponsored thread - Williams & Co 2014 state-of-the-trade and labour rates survey

[Ray Stafford]

Hi All

We are in the process of gathering data for our 2014 "state of the trade" survey, in conjunction with Heating & plumbing magazine.

We have run this for many years now, and publish the results in the mag and online - including on this forum. Our aim is to provide plumbing and heating engineers and firms with market information to enable them to make better informed decisions about their own business.

Obviously the more tradesmen and companies that participate in the survey, the more useful the survey becomes, so please take a few minutes to complete the survey and get the chance to win one an iPhone 5.

If you choose to complete the name and address data at the end (and thus enter the draw for the iPhone) we may use your data for marketing purposes, but will never pass it on to any 3rd party, and we will never disclose your individual responses to anyone. All data is anonymised before analysis and publication.

Just for clarity, in the labour rate questions, the figure we are after is how much you/your company charge the customer, not how much you personally get paid if you happen to be an employee or contractor.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards

Ray

 

[Phil]

Done.

 

[Masood]

Done...

 

[Geyser]

Yep done.

 

[Irish]

Done....

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Done buddy

 

[smtplumbing]

Done Bud

 

[SimonG]

Sorted. Wish there had been something in on oil and renewables.

 

[tonytheplumber]

Done mate

 

[Ray Stafford]

Sorted. Wish there had been something in on oil and renewables.

Maybe next time Simon. We did ask about renewables a few years ago, and got so little response it was meaningless. Might be different now.

 

[Linkyplumb]

All done

 

[Dotty]

Done.

 

[Riley]

Done ray

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

done Ray. will be interesting to see results

 

[mfgs]

Done. As always, I am looking forward to seeing the results. I have a rough idea of prices around my area, but finding out price averages further away is always interesting to see.

 

[Roger Welton]

Done.

 

[Chalked]

Done....

 

[rpm]

Done. As always, I am looking forward to seeing the results. I have a rough idea of prices around my area, but finding out price averages further away is always interesting to see.

I`ve no idea where you live but there is a Paul Williams (plumber) in Marlow, Buckinghamshire who has his fixed price`s on his webpage.

 

[Phil]

When do I get my iphone Ray? I read something briefly this morning about an iphone if i do this.

I'll be a slave to the front door when I wait in tomorrow in anticipation for my delivery.

:lol:

 

[Ermintrude]

Done.

 

[villa_tom]

Done

 

[REDSAW]

sorted innit @:~

 

[erpkid]

Done Ray.

 

[Atouchofgas]

All done ray

 

[Rich8]

Done sorted

 

[leethegasman]

All done Ray

 

[plumber0808]

Painless, all done

 

[PhoenixServices]

Done, look forward to seeing the results.

 

[lame plumber]

oil prices info would help if possible, otherwise done again

 

[Ray Stafford]

Thanks to everyone who contributed data.

Responses were well down on last year, which is disappointing, but here's the final results and analysis.

View attachment Williams & Co 2014 State of Trade Survey.pdf

I hope its helpful. It certainly made me think.

Please keep it private to the Arms until it has been published in HPM Magazine.

 

[SimonG]

Nice to see the slight increase in peoples optimism for the future. Plus I think I will put my prices up again on the next couple of estimates just to test the water.

 

[plumben]

I think this has been posted in the open forum not the arms...

 

[Ray Stafford]

I think this has been posted in the open forum not the arms...

Oops thanks. I have asked the mods to move it.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Ah - moved already. Thanks BOD, much appreciated.

 

[REDSAW]

Thanks to everyone who contributed data.

Responses were well down on last year, which is disappointing, but here's the final results and analysis.

View attachment 19739

I hope its helpful. It certainly made me think.

Please keep it private to the Arms until it has been published in HPM Magazine.

forgot

 

[woodsy]

Thanks Ray, really useful to see, even if it makes you envious with some of the rates people are being able to charge. Is vat factored into any of these rates at all ?

 

[Ray Stafford]

Thanks Ray, really useful to see, even if it makes you envious with some of the rates people are being able to charge. Is vat factored into any of these rates at all ?

It is the total rate charged, so if they are vat registered, it should include VAT.

If people reply to the survey with an answer "£40 + VAT", the the lovely Aneta in our marketing department grosses it up.

 

[woodsy]

Excellent, makes interesting reading and thanks to Aneta

 

[lame plumber]

Thanks Ray, really useful to see, even if it makes you envious with some of the rates people are being able to charge. Is vat factored into any of these rates at all ?

its not being able, more saying thats what I charge, take it or leave it, most take it, believe it or not

 

[Ray Stafford]

its not being able, more saying thats what I charge, take it or leave it, most take it, believe it or not

Dont sell the hourly rate.

Sell the warm house, the beautiful bathroom or the sorted leak.

I don't buy hours from my garage. I'm buying peace of mind that my car will keep running and (in the case of servicing) that the manufacturer will honour the warranty in case of a disaster.

 

[cr0ft]

Whoops! Just filled it in not reading the thread. Will my results be included in 2015?

 

[Ray Stafford]

Will my results be included in 2015?

Nope! 2015 survey will open in April or May next year. You know, in TWENTY FIFTEEN!

Try to keep up Keiran!

 

[woodsy]

its not being able, more saying thats what I charge, take it or leave it, most take it, believe it or not

Totally agree but i seem to be in the bottom in terms of charging rates , yet seem to be frequently told my prices are too high.

 

[lame plumber]

Totally agree but i seem to be in the bottom in terms of charging rates , yet seem to be frequently told my prices are too high.

I'm always being told I am costly, my retort is I turn up, cover any issues and do a good job, unlike some who never answer their phone once they've been as they are to busy playing catch up all hours of the day every day.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

done.

 

[rpm]

Did you see post 41 & 42?

 

[cr0ft]

Nope! 2015 survey will open in April or May next year. You know, in TWENTY FIFTEEN!

Try to keep up Keiran!

LOL I was being daft, didn't really expect them to be included

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Did you see post 41 & 42?

i went back in time,mods have magic powers

 

[rpm]

Brilliant response lol

 

[Ray Stafford]

Totally agree but i seem to be in the bottom in terms of charging rates , yet seem to be frequently told my prices are too high.

Wait until the survey comes out in the magazine, and then carry a copy of that to illustrate to people where you are in the spectrum of pricing. And ask how close to the bottom they think they can get without compromising quality.

Of course it might just be the normal course of business. I spend a lot of time buying, and I often tell sellers that they are too expensive. Whether its true or not is irrelevant - its what buyers say. I'm hardly going to tell him he is too cheap, am I?