[derek west]

think it was bob who said painters and decorators earn a nice crust, was doing the carpets in a house today and the P&D was there, got talking (as ya do) and asked him how much he was charging, £80 a day he said, all though some guys round here get £150 a day. not sure about the rest of the country but that hardly seems like a good wage. £80 a day equates to £400 for a standard week, less expenses, hmmmmmm. might as well not bother. luckily, he never asked me how much my 2 hour job was.

[Paul Moss]

My thoughts exactley.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Ditto and I'm poor!

Shaun

[JandS]

Don't forget Derek that he probably hasn't got
even half the outgoings you've got.
No expensive gear to buy, keep serviced and
replace.
Most of the P and D's I know don't even need
to advertise.
No marketing, flyers to buy etc.
Did a P and D house just round corner from where
I live who also goes in my local.
He started at 16 and has just retired at 65 and he
told me he advertised for his first 4 weeks in business
and never bothered after that and was always booked
solid 5 and 6 days a week.

John

[Carpet Dawg]

John has a point about the outgoings.

Aparantly I should be spending £100 a day 

Still wouldn't swap jobs though!! 

[derek west]

john, yeah suppose to some degree your right, but they still have petrol insurance accountants wear and tear etc... and at £80 a day that just don't add up, okay £150 a day and its a nice earner especially with no advertising etc... but then at £150 a day, your competing with the rug painters who charge £80 a day and so you still have to sell yourself. ps... i'm no P&D myself but his work looked spot on.

[wayne zabel]

My late dad was a P&D,always told me to avoid the trade due to people doing their own jobs and too many cowboys.Bit like CC really

When you think about it now,work for P&D must have diminished a lot due to UPVC windows and doors ect.Outside work was the mainstay of his business for 8 months of the year in those days.

[Neil Williams]

The P&D we got in to do my mother-in-laws place whilst we were away on holiday charged £130 a day and that with a 40 mile round journey for 4 days, and we had to book him 4 months in advance of the job.
How many on here would work for that?

Umm thought so....not many

[Mike Halliday]

double his prices and spend 20% of his earning on advertising, he will lose some jobs for being too expensive but still will be fully booked with 80% pure profit extra.

they think becuase they are constantly booked they must be doing something right......... but we all could be fully booked if we charged £10 a room

[Carpet Dawg]

They are not all cheap cheap cheap. I had my livingroom painted recently and the chap charged me £400. Took him 2 days, 9am till 3pm.

That included the paint, two coats on the walls and ceiling, radiators painted, all wood worked painted i.e. cornice, three door frames, bay window, skirting boards etc. And he sanded all the walls and wood work too.

He's been self employed for three years, doesn't advertise, works out of an estate car and has the same ladders and brushs since he started.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

When you start off cc then it's slow then it starts to roll a bit 20 years on you can earn a small mint, a P & D will start off with a full week and 20 years later he'll be 5 weeks+ in front but the difference is we get paid by the job and if you have the work all year round then it pays better than day rate which most P & D's are on.

Shaun

[JandS]

The guy who does mine charges £130 per day.
Materials are extra.
He needs booking a minimum 6 week in advance.
Sometimes if it's a small job he's off by 3.
That's say £2800 per month with a couple of saturdays
thrown in.
Less say 22% for taxes and NI after his yearly allowance
is taken into account.
That's say £620 w/o any fiddling so £2180 per month.
Say £70 per month fuel round here because it's well
populated so most work won't be far away.
£20 per month insurance.
£50 per month tackle which is probably on topside.
Let's say £2000.
£20 tax and £20 insurance for van.
£160 for lease/loan for van if he don't own it yet.

£1800 profit per month.
I could live on that.

John

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Many P and D's work 7 days also.

Shaun

[Paul Moss]

My P & D is the wife 

[Robert Watson]

Mine to.
Cutting in is not her forte or is considering dust sheets.
If I was to criticize, you know what the answer would be.

[Mike Halliday]

The guy who does mine charges £130 per day.
Materials are extra.
He needs booking a minimum 6 week in advance.
Sometimes if it's a small job he's off by 3.
That's say £2800 per month with a couple of saturdays
thrown in.
Less say 22% for taxes and NI after his yearly allowance
is taken into account.
That's say £620 w/o any fiddling so £2180 per month.
Say £70 per month fuel round here because it's well
populated so most work won't be far away.
£20 per month insurance.
£50 per month tackle which is probably on topside.
Let's say £2000.
£20 tax and £20 insurance for van.
£160 for lease/loan for van if he don't own it yet.

£1800 profit per month.
I could live on that.

John

whats interesting about this is it illustrate how a small increase in price can make a big increase in profit.

on a £130 a day he earns  £450 profit a week if he put his prices up by £20 a day he would make a full £120 extra pure profit a week.... so a small increase makes him an extra 25% more money.

[Paul Moss]

A little secret we found a while ago
http://www.easywalls.co.uk/?gclid=CPHmhfz6hK0CFUVTfAod4yc0SA

Cutting in is so easyyyyyy

[Colin Day]

double his prices and spend 20% of his earning on advertising, he will lose some jobs for being too expensive but still will be fully booked with 80% pure profit extra.

they think becuase they are constantly booked they must be doing something right......... but we all could be fully booked if we charged £10 a room

I thought you had a problem retaining customers?

I hardly think a P&D would want advice from you.....

[Mike Halliday]

double his prices and spend 20% of his earning on advertising, he will lose some jobs for being too expensive but still will be fully booked with 80% pure profit extra.they think becuase they are constantly booked they must be doing something right......... but we all could be fully booked if we charged £10 a room

I thought you had a problem retaining customers?

I hardly think a P&D would want advice from you.....

obviously you missed this bit I've put in bold

[Colin Day]

double his prices and spend 20% of his earning on advertising, he will lose some jobs for being too expensive but still will be fully booked with 80% pure profit extra.they think becuase they are constantly booked they must be doing something right......... but we all could be fully booked if we charged £10 a room

I thought you had a problem retaining customers?

I hardly think a P&D would want advice from you.....

obviously you missed this bit I've put in bold

I'm only pulling your leg....