Hello everyone.
I found this site after i googled "hourly charge or by the job" after seeing how this subject is very relative. I joined up. Personally I hate pricing per job for the following reasons. let's start with laminated flooring, Recently I've noticed that people are buying the floor and then seeking installation. the last one I fitted didn't go well at all, It was one of those B&Q solid wood types. sounded really good on the phone and a straight forward installation, I've fitted miles of flooring from cheapo laminate to hardwood. but this stuff was new to me.
the customer was pretty clueless and wanted to know how much to install.
I told him like i tell everyone else. I charge £35 per hour and this job sounds pretty straight forward, I've been in the business for 30 years, after detecting from his voice some understandable fear, I gave him my standard answer, which is, If the trader inevitably comes across an obstacle that wasn't visible at first inspection. he has 3 options, swallow the extra time, speak up, which could so easily alienate the customer making them think this was a ploy from the start, or bodge it. if the customer isn't there but his wife is, between the two of them you've got the blind leading the partially sighted. their unlikely going to be happy. In this instance, this flooring was solid wood but softwood, and needed to be glued between the tongue and groove, the fit wasn't tight enough to keep the boards together.he assured me that the underlay he's bought requires no glue. the job was pretty far to just to take a look. the concrete levels were all over the place. in some places 4" lots of high spots. oh and 3 radiators were leaking.The builder who did all the work in the house, buggered off to poland leaving it in this state. I told him it was pointless fitting the floor until these issues were corrected. I realised this was going to get very expensive, and a week before xmas, was likely going to end in tears. I gave him a daily rate of £200 for an 8 hour day, but after the 8th hour i'd charge at £30. The first day was spent on correcting the levels and leaks. We had to go out for the membrane and radiator valves. there wasn't any indication on the phone that this would be necessary. the downstairs toilet needed to be raised 40mm, too much for quick set, I suggested two layers of ply. realising the cost, he said he's got some in the loft, which turned out to be odd bits of chipboard. first day ended around 9pm and cost him £260. luckily he was with me all day, and the relationship was very good, to the point where we became buddies. saving me that awkward phone call.
He was understandably concerned about the rising costs.
I reassured him that I get a huge percent jobs for correcting cowboy builders leaving the job in a sorry state, and the client with open wallet surgery.
Next day started with finishing levels and re routing some cables, refilling and bleeding the heating. the family were living in the upstairs with no kitchen. so I felt heating was a priority especially with young children there.
I assured him that after the 8 hours id give him 3 hours overtime for free.
I also used my b&q trade card and gave him the discount. We started laying the floor around lunchtime. his wife turns up looking quite annoyed. the fact that they were hardly talking to each other and if it wasn't for the kids they'd be divorced. him keeping her in the dark didn't help at all.
The clever underlay was less than useless, being 2mm polystyrene with a sticky side. I came to the conclusion that this floor wasn't selling so b&q came up with the underlay as an after thought. the floor clearly states the use of glue being necessary. I told him that the only way to fit this, would be a few rows at a time, until the glue dries. possibly ok for a keen diyer who could crack on with other jobs or tv or even the missus, oh yeah their not talking.
I urged him to repack the stuff, return it and buy something sensible. all this debating and repackaging as we'd taken half of it out to acclimatise it. all this took time, he told me the missus didn't like laminate, so I said whilst taking it back, pick something you like, take the missus and my trade card, and pick something else. Another £200 labour and still no floor laid. next day he had to work and his dad turned up to help. he ended up attempting to solve other issues the previous builders left like trying to reinstate chopped coax through an outside wall up a wonky pair of steps with my expensive deWalt, anchored with an old Belfast sink.
I came to the conclusion that this was like the first 10 minutes of casualty and right or wrong I stepped in. reluctantly he accepted my help. when i came back to the floor in question, the runs being quite long, and the absence of reliable help, to maintain the 30 degree angle at the other end i fashioned lengths of unused skirting fixed at one end, and maintaining a slight angle.
once the other end clicked in the weight of the board drops the board slightly prevents the boards at the other end from coming apart. feeling a touch embarrassed his attitude has changed, and I'm hearing comments like have you ever done this before. then the missus turn up with the kids and turns a slightly tense but quiet atmosphere into an anadin commercial. the guy turns up to help me, he explained that his dad can't stand the missus hence the attitude, (yeah lets go with that) It took the rest of the day to finish this 20 x 20 room. I'm sure that there are guys out there who are way faster.. but ask yourselves a question why are they calling handymen and not specialist. I can't imagine many chippies who's get involved with plumbing, moving cables, or messing around with cementing dodgy floors. I explained this and he appeared happy. even after spending almost £700 on just labour. I say he appeared happy, he did give me a man hug, and wish me a happy Christmas. So this long arsed reason, is why I insist on charging by the hour
