How much to charge for side jobs?

Users who are viewing this thread

Mike Garrod

Mike G
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Location
British Columbia
Not so much a plumbing question as it is a business one. I don't do a lot of side jobs but have a big one coming up. The issue I have is since my experience is not in residential I have no idea how much to charge. I talked to my brother in law who is a plumber and he charges materials + 30% mark up and 50$/hr for labor. Is this reasonable?
 

Cacher_Chick

Test, Don't Guess!
Messages
5,458
Reaction score
213
Points
63
Location
Land of Cheese
If you are pulling the required permits and doing good quality work, you could charge almost the same as the most expensive guys in town. Why waste your free time for anything less?
 

Mike Garrod

Mike G
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Location
British Columbia
Well this is just side work for me. I have no idea what the best guys in town charge either. These are friends of mine so I don't want to charge at the top end of the scale either. I need to jackhammer up slab,
Install plumbing for a bathroom, a sump pump, and redo all the water lines and redo the upstairs plumbing I can reach from downstairs while the ceiling is opened up. My brother in law and I both work for mechanical companies residential isn't what they do. Man, I was feeling bad that I think I charged too much lol
 

Craigpump

In the Trades
Messages
2,436
Reaction score
158
Points
63
Location
Connecticut
Why would you charge less for side work? You still have materials, time and most importantly, you have to guaranty the work you do.

I trade work with friends on occasion, but we always expect to pay the going rate so no one feels taken advantage of.
 

Sylvan

Still learning
Messages
2,757
Reaction score
689
Points
113
Location
New York
If your not licensed and insured you could charge $15 per hr as you have no office, no overhead, no payroll

You can be fined in civilized areas for plumbing without a license

Damagers your not insured so they can sue you personally

This is why I charge $350 PER HR per man minimum and 40%+ mark up on materials as I have an office and have several million dollars insurance coverage and my top employee I was paying $175 PER HR now I handed him 49% of one of my companies

My lead mechanic I pay him $20,000 a month regardless of how little or how much he works

The lady in the office I am paying her $45.00 per hr
 

Attachments

  • crew.jpg
    crew.jpg
    77.7 KB · Views: 115
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks