What’s a good rate for a Subby CIS?

[Tony Soprano]

Hi guys. Just wanting some opinions on rates? I consider myself to be a pretty decent spark. I’m a good all rounder. 22 years in. But my favourite type of work is metal containment jobs, bigger stuff. But I can turn my hand to most stuff. I currently just sub myself to companies. I look for big long running jobs. Anything from like 3 months or longer. I Turn up to jobs with my tools and get stuck in. Once I build a relationship with the company and get a feel for the way they do things, I generally offer do take on a bit more responsibility. I find that when I’m on jobs and the shit hits the fan, I like being the problem solver and the one with the experience to solve issues. I generally get put in this position once the people I’m working for get a feel for what I can do. I feel that this is what justifies the rates that guys with more experience generally ask for. I try to stay around the £200 a day mark. But I’m just wondering if this is right? Or should someone with my experience be on more? Im on my 3rd year of subbying. Just after some opinions.
Thanks

 

[Sharpend]

For how many hours? Home or away?

 

[Tony Soprano]

For how many hours? Home or away?

Only local. I’ll do 8 to 10 hours a day. Plus the hour commute each way.

 

[Andy1733]

I can answer this and I'm not a sparky. No your under valuing your time/experience.

 

[Tony Soprano]

I can answer this and I'm not a sparky. No your under valuing your time/experience.

I sort of knew that already but it’s getting the companies I work for to pay it. They typically only wana pay around £23 an hour and only want you to do 8 or 9 hours.

 

[Andy1733]

I guess since you have asked the question you know your cheap. Yes there's always youngsters coming through who are willing to work for that rate. And company's who are willing to pay for cheap rates.
Your working upto 50 hours a week plus 10 hours traveling time. Plus expenses. You do the math's. If you can afford to stand your ground with these company's do so. If your skint and need every penny then as my mum always said. Shut thi gob and get on with it.

 

[Andy1733]

Btw. There's always work for Electrician's. Good or bad.
If your as good as your OP makes out you will be fine

 

[Tony Soprano]

I guess since you have asked the question you know your cheap. Yes there's always youngsters coming through who are willing to work for that rate. And company's who are willing to pay for cheap rates.
Your working upto 50 hours a week plus 10 hours traveling time. Plus expenses. You do the math's. If you can afford to stand your ground with these company's do so. If your skint and need every penny then as my mum always said. Shut thi gob and get on with it.

I agree to be fair. I can’t push it to the point that I don’t get the work. But I could probably negotiate a bit of travel time or fuel allowance. I’m in the process of setting up a job that will pay time and half after 40. So that should bump it up slightly. It’s all local work and long term. But I’ll push for a higher rate once they know what I’m capable of. I don’t mind coming in a bit lower to start with if it secures a couple of years worth of work because it means no looking for other work and messing about.

 

[binky]

I sort of knew that already but it’s getting the companies I work for to pay it. They typically only wana pay around £23 an hour and only want you to do 8 or 9 hours.

It's not long ago £17 an hour, on the books, was considered good money.

 

[Sharpend]

You are up against agencies that will pay £21-23 per hour for a spark, with the company paying anywhere £26-29 per hour to agency.
So unless you are known to them or can offer something a little special then it’s a tough hill to climb.
Perhaps negotiate a higher Rate on a trial basis, if you don’t prove your worth then they drop to agency rates? If all you want/enjoy doing is containment then I think you’ll struggle to get a better rate?

 

[Tony Soprano]

You are up against agencies that will pay £21-23 per hour for a spark, with the company paying anywhere £26-29 per hour to agency.
So unless you are known to them or can offer something a little special then it’s a tough hill to climb.
Perhaps negotiate a higher Rate on a trial basis, if you don’t prove your worth then they drop to agency rates? If all you want/enjoy doing is containment then I think you’ll struggle to get a better rate?

I can do anything mate. I didn’t mean I just do containment. I meant more industrial or commercial work. Rather than twin bashing. I can pretty much go to any job and install most things. And if not straight away I could pick it up. So the experience is there. And the knowledge is there. And I just feel that after 22 years I should be getting a bit more because I have that experience. I can turn my hand to anything pretty much. And there’s not many who can. Not from what I see anyway. I don’t shy away from anything. for eg. Had an agency guy in one job who turned up and refused to wire lighting. I mean, what is that all about.

 

[Tony Soprano]

It's not long ago £17 an hour, on the books, was considered good money.

It’s only at about £18.15 now I think mate. Which is not great unless you get time and half after 40 plus Van.

 

[Sharpend]

It’s a shame you don’t want to travel, I could have perhaps used you. However that said how about starting with agency then that will give you and them an insight to each other but more importantly will give you somewhere to go with upping the price if they want you direct?

 

[Andy1733]

It's not long ago £17 an hour, on the books, was considered good money.

It's also through CIS,
Add own vehicle Wear and tear.
Fuel.
10 hours travel.

 

[Tony Soprano]

I’ll see how this work goes I got lined up and go from there

 

[Andy1733]

GL m8. Any job is better than no job. I always tell my kids. I will shovel sht if the pay is right.

 

[binky]

It's also through CIS,
Add own vehicle Wear and tear.
Fuel.
10 hours travel.

Travel always amuses me, I spent 2 hours a day commuting to and from a factory I used to work in, for which I certainly didn't get paid. Nor did I get paid for any commuting to any other factory I used to work in. If a job is in a particular location, it's up to you to decide if the commute is worth it.

 

[Tony Soprano]

Travel always amuses me, I spent 2 hours a day commuting to and from a factory I used to work in, for which I certainly didn't get paid. Nor did I get paid for any commuting to any other factory I used to work in. If a job is in a particular location, it's up to you to decide if the commute is worth it.

This is why I won’t go more than an hour. The hourly rates don’t cover the fuel to go further. They barely cover it to go an hour. My rule of thumb is if I can’t drive to a job for one week on a full tank without running out of fuel, it’s too far. And not cost affective to go there.

 

[binky]

This is why I won’t go more than an hour. The hourly rates don’t cover the fuel to go further. They barely cover it to go an hour. My rule of thumb is if I can’t drive to a job for one week on a full tank without running out of fuel, it’s too far. And not cost affective to go there.

I don't like to drive far these days. Half an hour is quite enough for most things.