Why are tradesmen so expensive

[Deus Ex]

In medicine one of my biggest jobs seems to be sticking load of pipes in different pipes or cavities, my girlfriend says I am in effect a tradesman and I wouldn't disagree, I actually see a useful outcome as opposed to seeing a bunch of paperwork get thrown round the office carousel.

 

[the_r_sole]

Care to quantify the issue? All I said was residential electrical was relatively easy (it is) and that I try and do all my own work because hiring someone is expensive, even though their prices are justified.

I fully understand that doing it yourself on your own house is very different to doing it for someone else however and that there are significant extra costs for someone doing it as a job (for example the time it takes to actually get the materials to do the job, you may not be there, but you're still working).

I'm also pretty sure a professional could have reworked the house faster, but it works and it's safe, so what if it took a bit of extra time.

Have a rolleyes back

Not talking you down or anything but I've worked on lots of building sites in the UK and in Canada and the Canadian wiring methods and regulations are pretty lax compared to the UK, thats not saying the tradesmen are any better or worse in the standards they apply to themselves...
I actually worked a bit with an English guy who was doing high end homes in Vancouver island, he had given up working for Canadian contractors who were installing the minimum code requirements to do what he called "European safety" levels!

 

[Amp34]

Not talking you down or anything but I've worked on lots of building sites in the UK and in Canada and the Canadian wiring methods and regulations are pretty lax compared to the UK, thats not saying the tradesmen are any better or worse in the standards they apply to themselves...
I actually worked a bit with an English guy who was doing high end homes in Vancouver island, he had given up working for Canadian contractors who were installing the minimum code requirements to do what he called "European safety" levels!

Oh, I'd agree. Some of it's downright silly and I think probably due to their fundamental issue of having to deal with 120v over 240.

As I said I'm not pretending to be an electrician or particularly good at electrical work, and I certainly wouldn't do it for pay in someone else's house (that's a whole different ballgame), however reg are regs and they can be listed and followed.

There are easy and difficult parts to every job - heck plenty of my current job is likely to be easy to many people, I'm quite happy to admit. But just because some people find parts of a job pretty easy doesn't mean it's a slight on what you do. The actual electrical work is is only a small part of the job of a tradesman.

On the other hand I don't go near plastering, and as much as I can build a wall (although to be fair I have been taught the basics by a brickie) it's not going to look pretty.

 

[Millwall.FC]

At the end of the day Fez you need him he does not need you. Maybe he's worried his van will be broken into while parked in sidcup?

 

[chaparral]

You can tell me that being an electrician or plumber is a skilled job as much as you like but its a really simple job. Anyone with half a brain could learn to do it very quickly.

My work place just had a new larger Electrical Substation built/fitted so they can change some there 30ton diesel machines to electric powered ones

I would love to seen you being able to choose what is needed and fit and wire all this up..

 

[Haggisman]

This thread makes me think of this story:

https://www.buzzmaven.com/2014/01/old-engineer-hammer-2.html

Same with most skilled/semi-skilled jobs really. You're not just paying for the work they're doing for you at that particular moment, you're paying for the years of education and experience which allows them to do that work safely, efficiently and correctly.

As someone else already posted, any idiot can pick up a scalpel and start cutting someone up; it's knowing where and how to cut that makes them a surgeon, the same goes for mechanics, computer programmers, bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians etc.

 

[NvidiaDan]

One of the most idiotic and condescending posts I have seen in long time.

Maybe the OP should go through the 4 years of training and buy all the equipment required to be a Plumber/electrician and then see how much he needs to charge to still make a living.

 

[Telecaster]

You're not paying simply for the parts to be fitted, that indeed is usually the easy bit that most people attempt to bodge DIY after watching a YT vid.

The knowledge is what you're paying for, knowing exactly what fittings, parts, the dos/don't of the job in hand and what regs have to be considered before going ahead with it.

A lot of it is indeed common sense, but as can be witnessed in thousands of offices across the nation every day, common sense isn't very common.

 

[FurryLemon]

Top quality trade starts around 250-300/day here.

You get the usual English crowd who'll take 120-150 a day, but most of them are just cowboys with a bit of DIY knowledge taking money off clueless ex-pats.

A quick example - an outbuilding (200sqm) has a sagging roof as a couple of the oak support beams have rotted at the end.

English quote - Half the roof tiles need to come off. This, that etc needs replacing. Will take 4 guys x amount of weeks - rough estimate 10k

French quote - Creases himself when I mention the Englishman's assessment. Says he'll support the beams, cut away the rot and patch up and inject the wood with sort of plastic. 700 euro. He even popped in while we were out and popped a couple acro props under the sagging beams.

 

[ttaskmaster]

And there's the picking up and selecting materials. They may not be in the house because they're picking xyz up for the job they are doing for you. Should they charge for that, or should they end up doing that on their own time?

If a customer wants to go choose their own materials and pick them up, I'm sure most tradesmen will be happy for them to do so.... I'm also sure most tradesmen will make sure it's not THEIR problem if the customer got the wrong part and will still charge the customer for wasting their time.

Maybe the OP should go through the 4 years of training and buy all the equipment required to be a Plumber/electrician and then see how much he needs to charge to still make a living.

Joiner would be better - Just the cost of the tools you need to buy before you turn up for your first day of training!!

 

[Dan103]

learn it yourself or suck it up and pay a sparky/ plumber to do it for you. Hate the ignorance of other professions.

 

[SC0TTRS]

spend the same amount of time interviewing people for the job to ensure they are going to do it properly.

Does this go for every job that needs doing?

Can imagine you sitting down a number of different landscapers, "So my friend, can you tell me what that is, and how do you use it?" *points to a lawnmower* LOL!

 

[Solus]

Does this go for every job that needs doing?

Can imagine you sitting down a number of different landscapers, "So my friend, can you tell me what that is, and how do you use it?" *points to a lawnmower* LOL!

Based on my experience with recent landscapers doing my patio I think I would be nothing but wise (check out my thread).

 

[Kutter]

I assume its due to supply and demand because I can't think of that many other jobs that require no real education, limited intelligence and basic training which allow you to earn as much as plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc earn.

WOW. I spent 8 years learning cabinet making then carpentry and joinery. Do you think City and Guilds just hands out qualifications like party invitations? Yes you do get cowboys who rip people off, but there are lots more qualified tradesmen whos work is their name and reputation.

 

[Telecaster]

If a customer wants to go choose their own materials and pick them up, I'm sure most tradesmen will be happy for them to do so.... I'm also sure most tradesmen will make sure it's not THEIR problem if the customer got the wrong part and will still charge the customer for wasting their time.

I had this recently, bar owner in nottingham we were doing the work for hadn't mentioned the relocation of a load of water and waste supplies so when we got there we didn't have the bits for it, he thought himself a bit handy and said to give him the list and he would go and buy the stuff to save us leaving the job. Sound with me because the suppliers are the other side of town and it would mean fighting traffic and then having to pay for parking again on return.

I started to call out the bits whilst he wrote them down and after about the 4th or 5th set of stuff he just admitted he didn't know what any of it was and it was probably safer/cheaper/easier if I just went and got it all.

 

[Amp34]

If a customer wants to go choose their own materials and pick them up, I'm sure most tradesmen will be happy for them to do so.... I'm also sure most tradesmen will make sure it's not THEIR problem if the customer got the wrong part and will still charge the customer for wasting their time.

I think you misunderstood what I wrote.

I'm saying that most trademen need to go and buy materials for a job. This can take some considerable time. They are still working on the job and as such should be being paid for their time, even though they aren't in the house actually doing the "job".

 

[ttaskmaster]

They are still working on the job and as such should be being paid for their time

Ah. Sorry, you phrased it as a question... as if there were any other sensible option!

 

[ChrisD.]

I can't think of that many other jobs that require no real education, limited intelligence and basic training which allow you to earn as much as plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc earn.

Can't believe I've just read this. Do you wear tweed, talk with a posh accent and look down your nose at people?

 

[fez]

Wow, this has really hit a sort point with some people. I wanted a couple of doors hung. I wasn't requesting the finest artisans to carve me a beautiful chair out of solid oak. I never claimed that every aspect of trades is simple work but you average carpenter who does 90% of his work as a residential carpenter has not spent 10 years perfecting his craft and is capable of making anything from wood.

If you say you work in banking you could be the CEO of Barclays or you could be a cashier in a local branch. They don't have the same skill set and don't earn the same amount. I wouldn't expect to get the accountant for a multi million pound corporation if I went down my local accountants and paid a few hundred for them to do my taxes. I wouldn't expect a carpenter who has a list of skills that covers all the usual tasks involved in putting a house together to also moonlight as a high end cabinet maker.

 

[Martynt74]

Yes, but you're generalised all tradesmen and have come accross as a bit of an ass so you can't blame people for being defensive.

Hanging doors can be pretty time consuming depending on how knackered and out of square the frames are. As above £60 to hang a door isn't that excessive.