Going rate for builder?

BlackEdelweiss

I have a guy coming round to give me a final price for our extension and I think he mentioned €100 a day for him and his co-worker. This is €1000 a week for 8 weeks which I think is alot of money. Is €100 a day each too much to pay?

Carpenter

What are you getting for 100 per day ??????? what do you think is right

BlackEdelweiss

Carpenter wrote: »

What are you getting for 100 per day ???????

An extension built!

Carpenter wrote: »

what do you think is right

I dont know, that is why I asked this question!!

Carpenter

If they served there time as an apprentice and are proper trades men then it is a good price after all they have to supply tools and insurance and also pay tax

Ayla

Wait, is that €100 per guy per day or is that €100 total?

Regardless, that's actually quite cheap, depending on exactly what type of work is happening. You've said extension...does that mean these guys will be taking it from foundation to roof? Also, are these guys qualified/certified or are they off-the-cuff guys? Will you be paying tax or is this a cash job? Are they providing materials & tools, or will you be expected to have everything on site for them?

There is a massive amount of work in building (we built our house from the ground up & are still breaking our backs with it almost 5 years later). It pays now to ask all the questions & be sure of everything - get it in writing (very unpopular but essential if you want to protect yourself).

BlackEdelweiss

From what I have heard between €70 and €90 a day is more the going rate these days. It might be a small difference but for 2 people over 8 weeks it mounts up.

Carpenter

70

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90 are you paying there tax

Ayla

It pays to have quality guys - if your guys charge more b/c they're qualified/experienced then I'd pay it. Get recommendations & check them up...these guys literally have a lot riding on them and if you make a mistake in picking your labourers you'll regret it.

The rates are also negotiable, so if you think these are the guys for you, try to talk to them & see if you all can work a deal.

Senna

Can you not just get a quote for the whole job? i.e. €10k for what you want done, doesn't mater if it 1 or 10 fellas doing the job or if it takes 4 weeks or 10 weeks.
I be sceptical paying people by the day, i'd prefer if they get all the details of the job and gave me a price.

BlackEdelweiss

I got a quote for the job which includes this amount for labour. If I were paying less the overall quote would be less.

sanbrafyffe

ya say to him i have no bother giving him 100 a day aslong as he can prove hes legit

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I have a guy coming round to give me a final price for our extension and I think he mentioned €100 a day for him and his co-worker. This is €1000 a week for 8 weeks which I think is alot of money. Is €100 a day each too much to pay?

Ayla

Yeah, but what Senna's talking about (I think) is getting a fixed contract, so that regardless of any delays that occur you pay the same amount.

If the guys are basing their quote on a per day labour rate, then the contract isn't fixed & you could wind up paying a lot more if they run into problems. Also it gets sticky then b/c if one of the guys doesn't show one day...you'll have to be keeping track of who was where when, and it gets ugly pretty quick.

Get a fixed contract, then it'll be in their best interest to get in, get the job done & get out.

Firblog

Have to agree with Ayla, get a fixed contract for the job... penalties for them if it isn't done on time, you pay extra (daily rates) if they sitting on their arse because you didn't have supplies there for them to work with (cement/blocks etc)

On the notion of €100 being too much... well it works out @ €12.50 per hour... not a helluva lot more than min wage for (hopefully) fully qualified experienced men... bit of a bargain if you ask me.

Senna

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I got a quote for the job which includes this amount for labour. If I were paying less the overall quote would be less.

Right, i understand. You got a quote and the labour works out at €100 per day based on what they have told you. I would thinks that fair enough, but of course, it entirely depends on the level of expertise and the length of time they think it will take to complete the job. I assume their quote is competitive.
Dont be afraid to ask what work they've done in the past, they might have worked for someone local that you know and so could get feedback from them.

baz5291

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I have a guy coming round to give me a final price for our extension and I think he mentioned €100 a day for him and his co-worker. This is €1000 a week for 8 weeks which I think is alot of money. Is €100 a day each too much to pay?

that wouldnt be far off the going rate for a good builder in donegal.is it going to take 8 weeks to finish it?and are they doing all the work themselves ie plastering painting etc?

BlackEdelweiss

As far as I know that is for the finished product. He is going to come out tonight to talk over the finer details and get everything sorted.

muffler

Keep us posted.

ICE HOUSE

Going rate for builder?
I believe its somewhere around 188 euro a week these days

creaghadoos

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

As far as I know that is for the finished product. He is going to come out tonight to talk over the finer details and get everything sorted.

i have done work on a day rate in the past.

just remember that every cup of tea and every phone call that they make is costing you money. if they go to the loo with the indo, it is costing you money, and if they have to nip down town to the bank(most common excuse for going off site), it is costing you money.

offer to pay a lump sum for the work, if cash flow is a problem for him you could offer staged payments, but, do not pay anything up front and always owe the builder money, that way he will come back.

cosanostra

There is plenty of good builders crying out for work, get as many prices as you can, don't just open the phone book and phone up aaaaabuilders phone them all and make sure they have a good track record.

acwxx

Have they put a time on the job? The actual job should be priced, otherwise you might find yourself paying for slow workers who deliberately make the job last a little longer for themselves. Manual workers are not known for their honesty!

Klim

acwxx wrote: »

Have they put a time on the job? The actual job should be priced, otherwise you might find yourself paying for slow workers who deliberately make the job last a little longer for themselves. Manual workers are not known for their honesty!

Spot on. Why couldn't we be more like the good old honest politicians or the bankers, eh?

yourpics

Between 80 and 100 euro a day

Madam

Any work I've ever had done to the house I've always had at least three quotes done. I don't always pick the cheapest but at least you know the going rate(if it's an honest to God good builder), also try and get numbers of other folk he's done work for - good luck with it - thankfully all the upheaval that goes with new building work is over for us at the moment:)

BlackEdelweiss

I havent agreed on anything yet but I was chatting to the guy about the foundations and he said he would pour them and start building the next day. I thought you had to wait a few days at least to let founds dry but as it is only a sunroom extension it dosent matter that much as there is no great weight going on them. It is a fairly big sunroom though. Is he right about this?

muffler

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

Is he right about this?

100% wrong.

If that's the type of guy you are considering employing well do yourself (and your wallet) a favour and dont.

PM me and let me know what part of the county you are in and I might be able to give you a couple of recommendations.

cosanostra

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I havent agreed on anything yet but I was chatting to the guy about the foundations and he said he would pour them and start building the next day.

Oh dear God! You need to run a mile from this one. Do yourself a favor and get a reputable builder!

Satanta

Friend of mine just started a build in Lifford. He is paying €60 a day to 3 men. 2 builders and a labourer. OM me if you want his number.

Ayla

€60 a day? That's not even minimum wage, let alone a wage for a qualified builder who has insurance, qualifications, equipment, etc etc etc. I'd be nervous of that one, even in the current economic climate.

OP - you get what you pay for, and if you're feeling out of your element in picking a proper builder who won't do you over, get someone who's been through it to guide you along. This is a crucial decision & you don't want to get it wrong.

the bolt

why do people think a builders price is only a starting point .when i go to the shop for 20 benson and the shopkeeper asks for 8.55 would you think it would be okay for me to offer him a fiver.:mad:

Carrickman

Satanta wrote: »

Friend of mine just started a build in Lifford. He is paying €60 a day to 3 men. 2 builders and a labourer. OM me if you want his number.

60 each I take it? if so along with the dole they are doing ok, that is a fact of the way things are I know plenty of very good workers who will work for less a day just to pay their depts because they were stung by the big guys who went bust and I can tell you their are plenty of guys who were stung while the big guys are still driving around in their big 4x4s.

Satanta

Cleared this up with him yesterday. It is £60 STG each they are getting.