Are we too CHEAP

Danny said:
someone said that to me before... down here... I quoted to skim a kitchen £1200 (didnt really want it) she accepted and I had to cancel as my grandfather got ill and I decided to spend teh next 8 weeks at his bedside. I explained this to her and recommended another plasterer.

I phoned the plasterer up and told him what i quoted "I cant charge that much" he said. I said why not? "Thats too much!!!" Ok I said how much would you charge he said some dumb figure. I said fine you do it for that and I will pay you direct.

He soon changed his tune when he cottoned on and he charged the same price and he ended up going through this whole house earning stupid money. The client was over the moon because he did a great job.

He now wants me to go pricing for him on other jobs but sod that :D

you dont need many of them to make a living...

@owls will also no doubt chime in....

he employs lads and I would take a guess they earn day money... but they get all teh benefits of employed.

but the customer could go direct with someone on similar money as the subbies they would save a lot of money but they want the expertise and the whole package that owls offers...

I was taught when giving a price to just brush past it if it is nothing... if you start wincing and and saying oooh it will be expensive and generally warming them up to think it will be expensive you wont get it. BUt just changing the way you say things and teh jwords you use makes people feel they are getting more and £3k is not really a lot of money....

anyway thats enough from me on this subject
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Since being on here I learnt one thing of you Danny. Price a job that makes you want to do a job
 
Get taxi license f**k plastering driving taxi around all day very very quickly dropping customer off to where they want to go U get me bruv! We corona free taxi service driving taxi yeah
 
carys said:
So say you work steady for 6 days whithout killing your self you do 780 a week is that s**t money am I missing something lol
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No it's decent money up north but if your a sole trader I dont think it's a business. Your a self employed sole trader but not a business owner it's a job but not a business...donald trump said in a book I read a business makes you money whether you are physically there or not...
A rental property if the tenant pays is a business..a spread who runs multiple lads and makes money on them all and profits has a business.. the sole trader may earn more than the business owner if it's small but the distinction between business owner and being self employed as a sole trader is still there..
 
Danny said:
I dont think location matters to be honest. every town has poor areas and rich areas...

most people are comfortable selling to people i their same socio economic background but this is what holds them back. Because they would not pay £180 for something the "think" nobody will so they dont feel right charging it. The fact is if you were selling to people who are making £2K a day you could easily charge £500 and they would not think any more of it.

I have a cleaner that works for £15 an hour... thats £120 a day... no tools, no skill, no van.... you can learn to clean in 10 minutes....
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I do a bit of plumbing and I changed a float valve in a toilet for a former employer of my wife. Retired dental practise owner worth a few million...charged him £70 and was in and out in about 45 mins after work so I was happy enough....theres lads who would do that for £30/40 around here....on my way out he said next time make sure you charge me a commercial rate and not do me a favour. Took me a whole for that comment to sink in with me. That's why he has millions and I dont.
 
windy said:
I do a bit of plumbing and I changed a float valve in a toilet for a former employer of my wife. Retired dental practise owner worth a few million...charged him £70 and was in and out in about 45 mins after work so I was happy enough....theres lads who would do that for £30/40 around here....on my way out he said next time make sure you charge me a commercial rate and not do me a favour. Took me a whole for that comment to sink in with me. That's why he has millions and I dont.
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Life is what you make it if I charge 150 a day my way and that the going trade for a one man band bloke and I'm happy becouse of that. And I bet you persantge on here are obsessed whith money to get nice vans cars nice houses to keep up whith families and frends and it true good luck to them. I know a family by me the all got private plate nice cars sados! The secret is don't have wealthy frends have average Jo m8 whith s**t car. And you be happier not competing whith other people.
 
carys said:
Life is what you make it if I charge 150 a day my way and that the going trade for a one man band bloke and I'm happy becouse of that. And I bet you persantge on here are obsessed whith money to get nice vans cars nice houses to keep up whith families and frends and it true good luck to them. I know a family by me the all got private plate nice cars sados! The secret is don't have wealthy frends have average Jo m8 whith s**t car. And you be happier not competing whith other people.
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That’s not always true though. The problem with charging at the bottom end is there’s no room for error. If your van goes down or you need a new mixer. All business related stuff. You break your wrist and can’t earn for two months. If you’re only earning to pay your bills then you can’t put money aside for that. Let’s face it we’re all money obsessed or we’d be working for some other c**t. But it’s not obsessed with money to be able to show what you can buy, for me it’s obsessed with money to have a standard of living that I think my family deserves and for that standard to not have to slip if I couldn’t earn for a period of time. I couldn’t give a s**t about possessions but I don’t want my family to be tramps
 
Complete said:
That’s not always true though. The problem with charging at the bottom end is there’s no room for error. If your van goes down or you need a new mixer. All business related stuff. You break your wrist and can’t earn for two months. If you’re only earning to pay your bills then you can’t put money aside for that. Let’s face it we’re all money obsessed or we’d be working for some other c**t. But it’s not obsessed with money to be able to show what you can buy, for me it’s obsessed with money to have a standard of living that I think my family deserves and for that standard to not have to slip if I couldn’t earn for a period of time. I couldn’t give a s**t about possessions but I don’t want my family to be tramps
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You can say your a idiot. no families are tramps even kids family on benefit are happy and get evrything in life. Doesn't matter how much money you got. You always whant keep whith Jones and that a true fact. Tramps lol.
 
carys said:
You can say your a idiot. no families are tramps even kids family on benefit are happy and get evrything in life. Doesn't matter how much money you got. You always whant keep whith Jones and that a true fact. Tramps lol.
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Why am I an idiot? I didn’t mean literally tramps, you know what I meant.
 
carys said:
Life is what you make it if I charge 150 a day my way and that the going trade for a one man band bloke and I'm happy becouse of that. And I bet you persantge on here are obsessed whith money to get nice vans cars nice houses to keep up whith families and frends and it true good luck to them. I know a family by me the all got private plate nice cars sados! The secret is don't have wealthy frends have average Jo m8 whith s**t car. And you be happier not competing whith other people.
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I know what you mean. I grew up on a rough arse liverpool council estate in the 80s. Massive unemployment alcoholic mum and no father in sight... out of the group of around d 20 ish lads we associated with I think theres 2 or 3 of us that arnt either drug addicts,in and out of jail or dead..scary when you look back...
Gives me a good grounding and I never feel the need to outstretch myself to keep up with the jones. Have a nice family, live In a nice area and have 2 rental properties...I know to some that's nowt special but I am happy with how I've done so far
 
Complete said:
That’s not always true though. The problem with charging at the bottom end is there’s no room for error. If your van goes down or you need a new mixer. All business related stuff. You break your wrist and can’t earn for two months. If you’re only earning to pay your bills then you can’t put money aside for that. Let’s face it we’re all money obsessed or we’d be working for some other c**t. But it’s not obsessed with money to be able to show what you can buy, for me it’s obsessed with money to have a standard of living that I think my family deserves and for that standard to not have to slip if I couldn’t earn for a period of time. I couldn’t give a s**t about possessions but I don’t want my family to be tramps
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Complete said:
Why am I an idiot? I didn’t mean literally tramps, you know what I meant.
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Yes you meant it! People that call family tramps becouse they haven't got the wealth of people like you. Doesn't matter if they got a shity car a shity house ect I bet you most of them are happier than people whith money stressd the tops becouse of work and wher next thousands is coming from next new van car
 
carys said:
Yes you meant it! People that call family tramps becouse they haven't got the wealth of people like you. Doesn't matter if they got a shity car a shity house ect I bet you most of them are happier than people whith money stressd the tops becouse of work and wher next thousands is coming from next new van car
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Amen
 
carys said:
Yes you meant it! People that call family tramps becouse they haven't got the wealth of people like you. Doesn't matter if they got a shity car a shity house ect I bet you most of them are happier than people whith money stressd the tops becouse of work and wher next thousands is coming from next new van car
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Did you even read what I said? I’m not calling anyone tramps and I literally said I couldn’t care less about possessions
 
I dont try to keep up with anyone... I drive a £150 focus....

I have friends that are incredibly wealthy but dont even try to keep up. Most are envious of my lifestyle to be honest. Lots drive in s**t heaps as well.

Never judge anybody by what they have or not.

I judge people on their efforts if you are a bone idol twonk then you dont get anything from me.
 
windy said:
I do a bit of plumbing and I changed a float valve in a toilet for a former employer of my wife. Retired dental practise owner worth a few million...charged him £70 and was in and out in about 45 mins after work so I was happy enough....theres lads who would do that for £30/40 around here....on my way out he said next time make sure you charge me a commercial rate and not do me a favour. Took me a whole for that comment to sink in with me. That's why he has millions and I dont.
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Exactly....

You could have charged 250...

Why skim a room for pennies when you can do the same size job for real money....

I am not going to get sucked in to bickering about money. I am currently sat in my garden wondering if I should go fishing or go out on the bike
 
carys said:
Life is what you make it if I charge 150 a day my way and that the going trade for a one man band bloke and I'm happy becouse of that. And I bet you persantge on here are obsessed whith money to get nice vans cars nice houses to keep up whith families and frends and it true good luck to them. I know a family by me the all got private plate nice cars sados! The secret is don't have wealthy frends have average Jo m8 whith s**t car. And you be happier not competing whith other people.
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I can give you an example directly relating to rates in Wales.

I did a house up in Dolgellau that was essentially derelict. One of the jobs was a full rake out and repoint of the stone. I asked around and found a lad there who was recommended, so I spoke to him and got him round for a quote. Three storey end of terrace, rake out and repoint all labour and materials.

At this point I should say that I ask people for a price, I don't suggest a price, tell them a budget, haggle, try to get discounts or fcuk about with payments.

He said £6,000. Now I had £10k - £12k in my head as that's what I'd be looking at in Birmingham/Warwickshire for that work.

So he robbed himself, but still felt that he'd quoted properly. All he had to do to get more was ask for more, but he (like so many don't) didn't ask.

This is the house, front, back and gable inc materials for £6k?

Are we too CHEAP
Are we too CHEAP
Are we too CHEAP
Are we too CHEAP
 
Danny said:
I can rant about this all day but if you don't have the mindset to understand it then I will be talking to a brick wall.

Financial education is the most important education you can ever ever ever have, if you dont understand it then you will always be working and will always be poor.

@theclemo says that "working is for the poor"... think about it for a while... itis probably the most true statement and has personally changed my way of thinking in the last 2 years
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keith is working
he doesn't like it
but hes getting €630 a day skimming 3 small hits (y)

while I'm getting £90 an hour in this heat
4 hours skimming a day (y)
 
carys said:
Im in North Wales il tell you what wages for self employed is 130 up to 180.. South of England 200 250 day. So people going on here about day rate it joke becouse we are in difrent part of the uk so what the point o having this topic.
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Totally agree mate I'm from widnes near liverpool but working in north Wales on site I do 2 gauges a day home for 1.30 everday earn 750‐800 a week I'm happy dont pay materials just the cost of a van with my mate tax rebate every year which covers holiday pay people may say different but I'm happy with that.
 
imago said:
I can give you an example directly relating to rates in Wales.

I did a house up in Dolgellau that was essentially derelict. One of the jobs was a full rake out and repoint of the stone. I asked around and found a lad there who was recommended, so I spoke to him and got him round for a quote. Three storey end of terrace, rake out and repoint all labour and materials.

At this point I should say that I ask people for a price, I don't suggest a price, tell them a budget, haggle, try to get discounts or fcuk about with payments.

He said £6,000. Now I had £10k - £12k in my head as that's what I'd be looking at in Birmingham/Warwickshire for that work.

So he robbed himself, but still felt that he'd quoted properly. All he had to do to get more was ask for more, but he (like so many don't) didn't ask.

This is the house, front, back and gable inc materials for £6k?

View attachment 50784View attachment 50785View attachment 50786View attachment 50787
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I.ve just had another lovely pork pie
 
check a trade?

giphy (57).gif


no wonder you're a cheap ass pal you're quoting against 10's of others for work on these trade sites you'll end up going through life working like a t**t for shite money with nothing to show for it except a broken body in ye 70's.
get ye work word of mouth like me for past 30+ years and no competition and ye get to afford to retire at 55 next year like me :bailando:

your welcome
 
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imago said:
I can give you an example directly relating to rates in Wales.

I did a house up in Dolgellau that was essentially derelict. One of the jobs was a full rake out and repoint of the stone. I asked around and found a lad there who was recommended, so I spoke to him and got him round for a quote. Three storey end of terrace, rake out and repoint all labour and materials.

At this point I should say that I ask people for a price, I don't suggest a price, tell them a budget, haggle, try to get discounts or fcuk about with payments.

He said £6,000. Now I had £10k - £12k in my head as that's what I'd be looking at in Birmingham/Warwickshire for that work.

So he robbed himself, but still felt that he'd quoted properly. All he had to do to get more was ask for more, but he (like so many don't) didn't ask.

This is the house, front, back and gable inc materials for £6k?

View attachment 50784View attachment 50785View attachment 50786View attachment 50787
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he made a nice job at a reasonable price
 
I won't leave the house unless it's a minimum of £1250 for the week...and that has to be an easy job, would never do more than 3-4 bags in a day. In fact I feel disheartened working for that...£1500 for the week is a fair wage.
 
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