ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Hourly Rates

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Many have alot to say about this. I'm assuming you mean price from a business standpoint.

Only you can determine your price. You've got some good and some not so good advice.
My advice is
1. Make sure you charge enough to pay liab insurance.
2. You should charge enough to be able to pay people to perform the work including all labor burden. Taxes, Work Comp, etc
3. If you lowball, tell the customer you are as an incentive to use your company but to expect higher price afterwards.
4. Price varies by region and type of work.

I thought when I started that 45 an hour was great, but soon found out it was nothing. Your material mark-up should be at least double. Most jobs should get you up around 200-300 per hour. You will spend alot of time doing things you don't get paid for so as some have said they charge 20 something is a joke. Any journeyman should be able to find a job 20-30 per hour with bennies working for someone else and not have the responsibilities of be self-employed.

$55 hourly journeyman, scale goes down on the less experienced fellows according to their abillities to a low of $20.

Commercial rates go up to $65-$80 depending on jobs. Specialty hours for business conveince may be at triple time in commercial.

All of our contractors have done the shopping thing, they don't bother anymore. Typically they just accept the bid and sell to the client. All work is word of mouth. We have not had really any slow periods, usually the scramble is on for competent help.

We drive nice new vehicles. and keep them washed to boot! Vehicles have no signs.

$30 per hour plus 20% markup on materials.

$25 for loyal customers and little old ladies...

I'm still slowly pushing the limits... It seems to not be enough money, which is a very gross understatement for me at this point in time... I can't believe that I have to admit it after a record breaking quarter so far... (4x my average for the last two years...) but it still isn't enough to be worth it yet.



patience, grasshopper...

Also, it must be said that the best wage job I could hope for would be about $12 per hour, no benefits, (and they'll even insist upon saving OT for "rainy days- off the record, of course"...I got fired once for having a "bad attitude" when I questioned the legality of such once...) so, I'm still better off this way I guess.


[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 08-29-2002).]

Today I got my property tax statement. It said my house was worth $355.000. I paid $112,000 for it in 1988. This place aint no palace folks. It's an average house in an OK near in-city neighborhood. If I wanted to buy it (or a house like it) today I would have to pay about $3,300 a month. With this in mind, what should my hourly fee be?
Bob in Seattle

(and they'll even insist upon saving OT for "rainy days- off the record, of course"...I got fired once for having a "bad attitude" when I questioned the legality of such once...)

I once had a boss that paid me every time I got close to 40 hours (every 3 or 4 days) to avoid OT.