Did they agree on a time and payment before you started? Tell them to stop moaning and next time get someone from a company to do the same work and see how much they charge. I hate cheeky people like that who expect a job done for nothing. I would have taken all the stuff out again and left without taking any payment from them to teach them a lesson. So many people now seem to want work done and refuse to pay or don't see why they should pay.
I've got an alloy one in the toolbox, brilliant for plumbing jobs.
Agreed - I wonder what they believe is the going rate locally?
In message , The Medway Handyman writes
Should have asked them why they didn't get one of their mates to do it then. I generally stay away from either doing jobs for neighbours, unless it's quick and easy enough to do free or for barter I'm generally 'too busy'
Sounds very cheap to me, last time I got a rad moved three foot to one side using one of the existing pipes and 'speedfitting' the other side, it was closer to £200 including a new rad and TRV for under an hour's work.
Got any plans to move up to the Northwest? You'd be very busy here for those rates.
Just done that exact same job for the extension, and took around the same time. I would have charged someone similar to you if I were to do it for someone else. They sound like pisstakers!! ask them if they go to Tesco and haggle over their grocery bill !!! I'm an obstanate git at times so i think I would have told them the bill's the bill and run the risk of "falling out". I've got my mates so losing a casual hello from the neighbours wouldn't worry me !!
Why would they think that anyway, especially as you aren't "mates"?
Given that they'd accepted your quoted hourly rate beforehand, why/when did they think the job would become cheaper? That you'd suddenly drop your rate by 25% at the end, or that you'd do it 25% quicker? (Presumably they weren't arguing about the length of time it took you).
If they'd expected a discount they should have negotiated on your hourly rate upfront.
(All very well everyone pontificating at their keyboards hundreds of miles away after the event - if it makes you feel any better, at the time I'd have probably done what you did as well!)
David
Pro's & Cons Stuart. The hourly rate has two benefits 1) that you can charge a higher 'first half hour (double)' to recover the travel, and 2) it works when you can't accurately estimate or hit problems. I often quote "between one and one & a half days" and quote a day rate or "between 2 & 3 hours" with the hook "but I will only charge you for the time it actually takes".
Yesterday & today I've been doing a fencing job. I qouted 'between one & one & a half days - depending on what I find when I start'. Just as well in this case, found buried railway sleepers where the new posts had to go.
I do sometimes charge a fixed rate, especially for jobs where I can earn a good mark up on the materials etc. Decking is a good example.
Thats where the hourly rate 'between 'estimate is a good thing. As long as the customer appreciates there is a real unexpected problem and that you are not trying it on.
The above example is difficult. Did you charge for the extra hour?
Very wise indeed.
You have a good point. I think I've learned a lesson here.
I guess I'm still not hard enough. I do take the point though that Tesco don't discount my grocery bill.
Good point. Would you look at
Alas no!
No, far from it.
I thought they were for roofing?
I have got that bit sorted. My 'first half hour' is double my hourly rate. I'm also fortunate in living in an area of 250,000 population 10 miles x 10 miles, so my travel costs are relatively small.
I do wonder about going to get bits though. If I know in advance I'm going to need say a light switch I'll pick it up the day before and only charge for the switch (I do mark it up a bit).
But how about bits I can't reasonably expect to know about? Or tools I can't reasonably expect to know I'll need? Yesterday was a good example, when I found railway sleepers where I needed to put fence posts. I had to go home & get my chain saw. I'm also going to have to sharpen it now, who pays for that time?
Thanks Dave - makes me feel better :-)
Sounds like you charged a reasonable amount but you should really have done a proper estimate before you started the work and told them up front what it would cost.
Otherwise it's a bit of a lottery.
Martin
250,000 bleedin' 'ell that's crowded. I doubt that there are more than 2,500 in the same area up here...
Swings and roundabouts for that one I think. How many jobs do you do that are much simpler than expected, thus you complete quicker but still charge the amount quoted? Maybe you don't do that, in which case you need to think of an acceptable method of charging for "extras" without upseting your customer. That won't be easy, I'd expect a handy man to have a reasonable stock of items from CH circulator, valves, etc down.
Complicated(ish) I guess the extra =A315 does cover your transport costs= given that you don't have to go far. The half day and full day is nice but the =A325/hr is the "complicated" bit compared to the =A330/hr other= wise. I can see the resoning, the maths, but it doesn't come across as easy an= d raises questions about which hourly rate will be charged. What defines "pre-booked"? Is "pre-booked" calling you tonight for a job tommorow rather than now?
I wonder how they got there? Screwing anybody and everybody down that works for 'em no doubt.
Your price structure seems very good. Simple for the customer to understand. (I liked the rest of the website too).
Should it be 30% higher or 10% lower? I don't know!
How close to 100% utilisation are you?
A common maxim is to charge as much as the market will stand.
If you make the same or more money after a price increase then the market can take it.
If a price increase reduces your overall income then it is too much (unless you like the easier life).
And January 1st is a good time to adjust prices.
One other possibility is to charge an "urgency" premium. If someone says "Drop everything, come now!" then there is a price penalty for upsetting the customer you are with or disrupting your family time.
On the same basis you can charge a "today", "tomorrow", "upsetting my wife by working at the weekend" premium (that premium being at least the price of a pair of nice shoes for her).
You could at your discretion then use those extra earnings to offer a goodwill discount when and where necessary e.g. "Sorry your job was delayed, I'll knock 10% off your bill".
In article , Jim writes
Tell U what I have noticed over the years its those who are on a very good screw themselves, solicitors, accountants, doctors, local gov and civil service execs, are the piss awkward ones to deal with, most all who work in blue collar jobs are very understanding that they will get charged for work done!...
Thank you!
That varies. Sometimes I'm booked 3 weeks ahead, sometimes two days. I'm never left without work though, something always seems to come in.
It's odd. Most people think I'm 'reasonable' or even 'cheap'. Some think I'm very expensive. I quoted a pensioner '£160 a day' over the phone the other day. She answered '£1:60 a day?'. I explained. She came out with the old 'I'm a pensioner' ploy. But some think £20 an hour is outrageous.
There are some numpties around here who will work for £5 per hour.
That would be difficult I think. I often get jobs that take two, three or four days. A major selling point is that I guarantee I will finish the job. People like that because they have all heard of the builder who disappears for days and the job that hangs on for months.
Thanks for the input.
I know. What I'm trying to say is that the longer you employ me the cheaper I am. Maybe I should drop the half day rate?
Problem is that if I work for 5 hours, it should be £30 first half hour, then 4.5 hours at £30, which would be £165. 6 hours would be £195 which I think puts me out of the local ball park for a days work.
What I mean is that you would agree to employ me fo a whole day or half day in advance. Don't know how to phrase it better.
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