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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
Hi all
One of my not-too-DIY posts - sorry. I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. Q2 - what sort of labour cost would be expected? - There will be 12 panels in all and one gate to be fitted (14 posts total). Thanks in anticipation Phil |
#2
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
At least a third of the post in the ground.
Labour depends on removal of old fences/obstacles, ground conditions, vegetation, accessibility etc - but very roughly 3 days. |
#3
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
----- Original Message -----
From: "TheScullster" Newsgroups: uk.d-i-y Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 4:45 PM Subject: Labour Cost for Fence Works etc Hi all One of my not-too-DIY posts - sorry. I can lend you a cement mixer and a spade Fence posts are a pice of **** unless you have a glass back. I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. You need at least a quarter of the post in the gound . I will look later for you but there is a recommended size requirement for the width of the concrete base as well. Q2 - what sort of labour cost would be expected? - There will be 12 panels in all and one gate to be fitted (14 posts total). I managed to erect 7 posts (properly aligned and set in 2 feet deep) on a steep garden and built my own fence panels with the help of a friend in 2 man hour days. We staged it over a weekend to let the posts set. Or was that because we went to the pub on the Saturday afternoon? I would expect a pro to do yours in 2 days max on his own. £200 a day is very reasonable for a self employed guy to dig holes. Adam |
#4
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
TheScullster wrote:
I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. 8 foot high would be fine, but if you are really worried, then I'd put 9 feet posts in. Q2 - what sort of labour cost would be expected? - There will be 12 panels in all and one gate to be fitted (14 posts total). To supply and fit, I'd charge £90 per panel (for feather edge board panels, £10 cheaper for cheaper lapped panels), plus £70 for a gate. £1150 all in. For labour only, that'd be taking the old down,digging the holes, then putting the new up, probably 2 days work, £250. Personally, I'd rather do such jobs as labour only, as it takes another day ordering/collecting,and getting rid of the waste, as well as tying up over £500 in cash to pay for the materials. Alan. -- To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'. |
#5
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
Fence posts are a pice of ****
unless you have a glass back. Put me down as glass backed wimp: I found a conventional 2.5m intermediate post weighed around 80kg which I concluded was a bit much. If the OP has not used them before worth checking before ordering or having strong mate(s) to hand? (The "Supreme lite" posts I used were easy-peasy - but I may yet live to regret them if they crack/rust/whatever quickly.) -- Robin |
#6
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"A.Lee" wrote in message .. . TheScullster wrote: I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. 8 foot high would be fine, but if you are really worried, then I'd put 9 feet posts in. Q2 - what sort of labour cost would be expected? - There will be 12 panels in all and one gate to be fitted (14 posts total). To supply and fit, I'd charge £90 per panel (for feather edge board panels, £10 cheaper for cheaper lapped panels), plus £70 for a gate. £1150 all in. For labour only, that'd be taking the old down,digging the holes, then putting the new up, probably 2 days work, £250. Personally, I'd rather do such jobs as labour only, as it takes another day ordering/collecting,and getting rid of the waste, as well as tying up over £500 in cash to pay for the materials. Alan. As discussed in previous threads, you are too cheap. You are also supposed to have a mark up on your parts and materials to allow you to order and collect them. Think bigger. It is a supply and demand world (at least the UK is) so unless you are not in demand put your prices up. £125 a day is not a real day. You have to have days off, go on holiday, pay for tools, transport, advertising, tax, insurance. Your daily rate has to pay for these things on your days off. Adam |
#7
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
ARWadworth wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "TheScullster" Newsgroups: uk.d-i-y Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 4:45 PM Subject: Labour Cost for Fence Works etc Hi all One of my not-too-DIY posts - sorry. I can lend you a cement mixer and a spade Fence posts are a pice of **** unless you have a glass back. I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. You need at least a quarter of the post in the gound . I will look later for you but there is a recommended size requirement for the width of the concrete base as well. Q2 - what sort of labour cost would be expected? - There will be 12 panels in all and one gate to be fitted (14 posts total). I managed to erect 7 posts (properly aligned and set in 2 feet deep) on a steep garden and built my own fence panels with the help of a friend in 2 man hour days. We staged it over a weekend to let the posts set. Or was that because we went to the pub on the Saturday afternoon? I would expect a pro to do yours in 2 days max on his own. £200 a day is very reasonable for a self employed guy to dig holes. I reckon thats under estimated. Fencing is a 2 man job IME. I reckon 2 blokes x 2 days is more realistic for 14 posts. I'd go in at £220 a day, but only because I have a mate who only wants £60 a day. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk 01634 717930 07850 597257 |
#8
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"neverwas" wrote in message m... Fence posts are a pice of **** unless you have a glass back. Put me down as glass backed wimp: I found a conventional 2.5m intermediate post weighed around 80kg which I concluded was a bit much. If the OP has not used them before worth checking before ordering or having strong mate(s) to hand? (The "Supreme lite" posts I used were easy-peasy - but I may yet live to regret them if they crack/rust/whatever quickly.) -- Robin I forgot to tell my mate that helped me about the trench across my garden for the new water supply. It was covered over by the grass I had not cut. He fell straight down it whilst carrying a 7 foot post. I have it somewhere on my CCTV records. Concrete fence posts are much easier fitted with two people. Adam |
#9
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message m... ARWadworth wrote: ----- Original Message ----- From: "TheScullster" Newsgroups: uk.d-i-y Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 4:45 PM Subject: Labour Cost for Fence Works etc Hi all One of my not-too-DIY posts - sorry. I can lend you a cement mixer and a spade Fence posts are a pice of **** unless you have a glass back. I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. You need at least a quarter of the post in the gound . I will look later for you but there is a recommended size requirement for the width of the concrete base as well. Q2 - what sort of labour cost would be expected? - There will be 12 panels in all and one gate to be fitted (14 posts total). I managed to erect 7 posts (properly aligned and set in 2 feet deep) on a steep garden and built my own fence panels with the help of a friend in 2 man hour days. We staged it over a weekend to let the posts set. Or was that because we went to the pub on the Saturday afternoon? I would expect a pro to do yours in 2 days max on his own. £200 a day is very reasonable for a self employed guy to dig holes. I reckon thats under estimated. Fencing is a 2 man job IME. I reckon 2 blokes x 2 days is more realistic for 14 posts. I'd go in at £220 a day, but only because I have a mate who only wants £60 a day. I am only £40 out on my estimate then. Adam |
#10
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"TheScullster" wrote in message . uk... Hi all One of my not-too-DIY posts - sorry. I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. Q2 - what sort of labour cost would be expected? - There will be 12 panels in all and one gate to be fitted (14 posts total). The guy who did mine and the neighbours either side 4 years ago, (all fences are concrete posts 1' gravel boards and 5' high 6' long Heavy Duty weatherboard(?) panels) told me as a rule of thumb he worked on £50 a panel installed and the old stuff removed, then again he had a big wood burning stove/heater in his workshop so was glad of the scrap. I am in West Yorkshire if that helps. Chheers John |
#11
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
TheScullster used his keyboard to write :
Hi all One of my not-too-DIY posts - sorry. I am about to invite quotes for the erection of a fence to 2 sides of my back garden. As the site is quite exposed I intend to specify conrete posts. Q1 - what height of post would be recommended (ie how much post in the ground)? - The fence will be 1800 high panels on top of 150 high gravel board. 2 to 3 foot into the ground. The gravel board is a good idea - helps stop the panels rotting too soon. If the site is very exposed, it might be worth looking at some measure to prevent the panels being blown out by the wind - extra battens plus some wire around post and through panels. -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk |
#12
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
ARWadworth wrote:
"A.Lee" wrote in message ... To supply and fit, I'd charge £90 per panel (for feather edge board panels, £10 cheaper for cheaper lapped panels), plus £70 for a gate. £1150 all in. For labour only, that'd be taking the old down,digging the holes, then putting the new up, probably 2 days work, £250. As discussed in previous threads, you are too cheap. You are also supposed to have a mark up on your parts and materials to allow you to order and collect them. Think bigger. It is a supply and demand world (at least the UK is) so unless you are not in demand put your prices up. £125 a day is not a real day. You have to have days off, go on holiday, pay for tools, transport, advertising, tax, insurance. Your daily rate has to pay for these things on your days off. Well, yes, i know that, but actually getting the work is not quite as easy as people think. I've had a reasonable past 2 months, as I'm starting to get repeat customers, but it is difficult getting work at all times, and if I started asking for £200 a day, then I'd get no work. I put an ad in the local paper, and got around 25 phone calls that weekend. It made me feel really busy. But, a week later, it dawned on me that I had got no work whatsoever out of the ad. 1 bloke asked if I could do block paving. I told him no, as it was a bit too specialised. He insisted that I go to have a look, so I went round, said, OK, I'll do it, (it was a small section in a garden, around 5m x 1m with a curve at one end). It'll take 2 days (though I expected it to take only around 10 hours), so I said £160 labour only. The bloke thought I was joking, he said I could do it for £50 the next day if I wanted. I declined. I charge a fixed rate of £30 to fit a new internal door. A woman wanted 5 new doors putting on. OK, as they are all in one place, I'd do it for £100. She again thought I was taking the ****, and tried to bargain me down to £75. To show what I'm up against, a Pikey came up to me when I was cutting down some conifers (I started off doing a bit of gardening, but dont do it any more apart from existing customers who ask). He said he'd cut all the trees down, and take away the waste for £60. I was charging £200, which included £100 to hire a skip. If my customer had heard him, I'm sure I'd have got the boot, and pikey man would have been there with his flat bed, chopping them down, then fly tipping. So, yes, I know I should be charging more, but getting it is more difficult. Alan. -- To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'. |
#13
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
John wrote:
The guy who did mine and the neighbours either side 4 years ago, (all fences are concrete posts 1' gravel boards and 5' high 6' long Heavy Duty weatherboard(?) panels) told me as a rule of thumb he worked on £50 a panel installed and the old stuff removed, then again he had a big wood burning stove/heater in his workshop so was glad of the scrap. I am in West Yorkshire if that helps. That'd be close to material cost price now. Cheapest panels are £18, posts £10, gravel board £10, cement £1, ballast £1.50. Better quality panels are £7 - £10 more. I'm cheap, but couldnt even get near £50 per panel. I start at £65 a panel for an all wood fence with the cheapest panels.I'm not a fan of the concrete posts, mainly as they are so ugly, but they are also not as long lived as people think, the wooden posts in my garden are 15+ years old and are still very solid, but younger concrete posts in the neighourhood are started to chip/crack/break, with occasional rust spots showing through from the rebar. Alan. -- To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'. |
#14
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"A.Lee" wrote in message ... ARWadworth wrote: "A.Lee" wrote in message ... To supply and fit, I'd charge £90 per panel (for feather edge board panels, £10 cheaper for cheaper lapped panels), plus £70 for a gate. £1150 all in. For labour only, that'd be taking the old down,digging the holes, then putting the new up, probably 2 days work, £250. As discussed in previous threads, you are too cheap. You are also supposed to have a mark up on your parts and materials to allow you to order and collect them. Think bigger. It is a supply and demand world (at least the UK is) so unless you are not in demand put your prices up. £125 a day is not a real day. You have to have days off, go on holiday, pay for tools, transport, advertising, tax, insurance. Your daily rate has to pay for these things on your days off. Well, yes, i know that, but actually getting the work is not quite as easy as people think. I've had a reasonable past 2 months, as I'm starting to get repeat customers, but it is difficult getting work at all times, and if I started asking for £200 a day, then I'd get no work. I put an ad in the local paper, and got around 25 phone calls that weekend. It made me feel really busy. But, a week later, it dawned on me that I had got no work whatsoever out of the ad. 1 bloke asked if I could do block paving. I told him no, as it was a bit too specialised. He insisted that I go to have a look, so I went round, You failed, A No should mean a NO. Be stronger. said, OK, I'll do it, (it was a small section in a garden, around 5m x 1m with a curve at one end). It'll take 2 days (though I expected it to take only around 10 hours), so I said £160 labour only. The bloke thought I was joking, he said I could do it for £50 the next day if I wanted. I declined. I charge a fixed rate of £30 to fit a new internal door. A woman wanted 5 new doors putting on. OK, as they are all in one place, I'd do it for £100. She again thought I was taking the ****, and tried to bargain me down to £75. Tell her to **** off (in a polite manner). To show what I'm up against, a Pikey came up to me when I was cutting down some conifers (I started off doing a bit of gardening, but dont do it any more apart from existing customers who ask). He said he'd cut all the trees down, and take away the waste for £60. I was charging £200, which included £100 to hire a skip. If my customer had heard him, I'm sure I'd have got the boot, and pikey man would have been there with his flat bed, chopping them down, then fly tipping. The best tool to under cut a Pikey is a scythe. So, yes, I know I should be charging more, but getting it is more difficult. Alan. Stick with it mate. You will get there if you want to. Adam |
#15
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
Well, yes, i know that, but actually getting the work is not quite as easy as people think. I've had a reasonable past 2 months, as I'm starting to get repeat customers, but it is difficult getting work at all times, and if I started asking for £200 a day, then I'd get no work. Whereabouts are you? Around here (London E5) the going rate would be much higher; and the quality of your English would allow you to command a premium from a minority of the residents. And that's before even thinking about going over the borders into Islington, the City etc. Indeed, looking ahead to when/if I get the spare bedroom sorted, what'd be your daily rate for London (with free bed/meals/beer/wine/jasmine tea/whatever included) to help do a bathroom, garden shed, dry lining, kitchen, ...................? -- Robin |
#16
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
A.Lee wrote:
ARWadworth wrote: "A.Lee" wrote in message ... To supply and fit, I'd charge £90 per panel (for feather edge board panels, £10 cheaper for cheaper lapped panels), plus £70 for a gate. £1150 all in. For labour only, that'd be taking the old down,digging the holes, then putting the new up, probably 2 days work, £250. As discussed in previous threads, you are too cheap. You are also supposed to have a mark up on your parts and materials to allow you to order and collect them. Think bigger. It is a supply and demand world (at least the UK is) so unless you are not in demand put your prices up. £125 a day is not a real day. You have to have days off, go on holiday, pay for tools, transport, advertising, tax, insurance. Your daily rate has to pay for these things on your days off. Wise words from Adam. Well, yes, i know that, but actually getting the work is not quite as easy as people think. I've had a reasonable past 2 months, as I'm starting to get repeat customers, but it is difficult getting work at all times, and if I started asking for £200 a day, then I'd get no work. There is certainly an upper limit on what you can charge, but I remain busy at my prices (check the web site) and some consider me too cheap. I put an ad in the local paper, and got around 25 phone calls that weekend. It made me feel really busy. But, a week later, it dawned on me that I had got no work whatsoever out of the ad. Its not as simple as that. The occassional ad in the local rag won't keep you busy. You need to generate enough enquiries to be selective in what you take on. SNIP The bloke thought I was joking, he said I could do it for £50 the next day if I wanted. I declined. I charge a fixed rate of £30 to fit a new internal door. A woman wanted 5 new doors putting on. OK, as they are all in one place, I'd do it for £100. She again thought I was taking the ****, and tried to bargain me down to £75. You have to consider how your customers are seeing you. How you present your 'brand'. They obviously see you as a cheap odd job man - not as a professional handyman. Thats why they are surprised at your prices. To show what I'm up against, a Pikey came up to me SNIP You will always lose some work to people who undercut you. Many customers are willing to pay a reasonable rate to avoid pikeys & cheap jobs. You need to direct your marketing towards them. So, yes, I know I should be charging more, but getting it is more difficult. Where abouts in the UK are you? ISTR Leicester? -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk 01634 717930 07850 597257 |
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"A.Lee" wrote in message ...
So, yes, I know I should be charging more, but getting it is more difficult. The Medway Handyman wrote: You have to consider how your customers are seeing you. How you present your 'brand'. They obviously see you as a cheap odd job man - not as a professional handyman. Thats why they are surprised at your prices. To show what I'm up against, a Pikey came up to me. Think about this Alan. You recently spent £400 on a Festool drill driver when you could have bought a Challenge Extreeme from Argos for £30. A small proportion of the members of this group would consider the Festool good value. I suspect the majority would consider it too expensive. A large proportion would consider the Challege Extreeme too cheap to be any good, a minority would think it adequate for their needs. Many would consider Bosch Blue, Makita & DeWalt a good balance between price & quality. Some would think Ryobi or Green Bosch a better match for their needs. You are getting Challenge Extreeme customers & quoting Makita prices. Its all about 'positioning'. Andy Hall seems to know a thing or two about this and may be along shortly - he can probably explain it better that I. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk 01634 717930 07850 597257 |
#18
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
Thanks to all.
As I am looking at fancy panels and want long posts, I'll budget on £1500 total. Should have pointed out that the fence is to replace a line of unruly conifers, so these will have been removed prior. Phil |
#19
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Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
neverwas wrote:
Well, yes, i know that, but actually getting the work is not quite as easy as people think. I've had a reasonable past 2 months, as I'm starting to get repeat customers, but it is difficult getting work at all times, and if I started asking for £200 a day, then I'd get no work. Whereabouts are you? Around here (London E5) the going rate would be much higher; and the quality of your English would allow you to command a premium from a minority of the residents. And that's before even thinking about going over the borders into Islington, the City etc. Sorry, a bit too far for me - I'm in Leicester. And if I advertised on here, it could upset the 'locals'! Alan. -- To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'. |
#20
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
The Medway Handyman wrote:
"A.Lee" wrote in message ... So, yes, I know I should be charging more, but getting it is more difficult. You have to consider how your customers are seeing you. How you present your 'brand'. They obviously see you as a cheap odd job man - not as a professional handyman. Thats why they are surprised at your prices. Think about this Alan. You recently spent £400 on a Festool drill driver when you could have bought a Challenge Extreeme from Argos for £30. A small proportion of the members of this group would consider the Festool good value. I suspect the majority would consider it too expensive. The Festool drill is worth every penny IMO. It really is good. You are getting Challenge Extreeme customers & quoting Makita prices. Its all about 'positioning'. Andy Hall seems to know a thing or two about this and may be along shortly - he can probably explain it better that I. Yes, I know. I'm working on my new advert in the next few days, I think I'll be targetting bathrooms and kitchens, both of which I am good at, and I like doing them. The trouble with being a 'handyman', is that people expect you to be cheap, (well, thats what I've found). Saying you are a kitchen fitter immediately makes you stand out a little, but obviously narrows the market. I dont really advertise, but will be making an effort over the next weeks, as, TBH, I'm probably below minimum wage now, but, on the up side, I have a lot of good kit that I didnt have 6 months ago, so can tackle jobs that I couldnt do then. All of my profit goes back into new kit etc, I do expect to see some profit back in future years, but at the moment, it is a struggle. Ta Alan. -- To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'. |
#21
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"A.Lee" wrote in message ... The Medway Handyman wrote: "A.Lee" wrote in message ... So, yes, I know I should be charging more, but getting it is more difficult. You have to consider how your customers are seeing you. How you present your 'brand'. They obviously see you as a cheap odd job man - not as a professional handyman. Thats why they are surprised at your prices. Think about this Alan. You recently spent £400 on a Festool drill driver when you could have bought a Challenge Extreeme from Argos for £30. A small proportion of the members of this group would consider the Festool good value. I suspect the majority would consider it too expensive. The Festool drill is worth every penny IMO. It really is good. You are getting Challenge Extreeme customers & quoting Makita prices. Its all about 'positioning'. Andy Hall seems to know a thing or two about this and may be along shortly - he can probably explain it better that I. Yes, I know. I'm working on my new advert in the next few days, I think I'll be targetting bathrooms and kitchens, both of which I am good at, and I like doing them. The trouble with being a 'handyman', is that people expect you to be cheap, (well, thats what I've found). Saying you are a kitchen fitter immediately makes you stand out a little, but obviously narrows the market. I dont really advertise, but will be making an effort over the next weeks, as, TBH, I'm probably below minimum wage now, but, on the up side, I have a lot of good kit that I didnt have 6 months ago, so can tackle jobs that I couldnt do then. One thing that stands out clearly in your posts in this thread is that you would prefer to work/charge labour only. I think that is where you go wrong. Customers want a full package and are prepared to pay for it. Remember that people who use a handyman service usually do not have the confidence to do the job themselves and will also be as unsure about what parts to buy for you to do the job. All of my profit goes back into new kit etc, I do expect to see some profit back in future years, but at the moment, it is a struggle. Keep it up and good luck. Adam |
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"A.Lee" wrote in message ... I dont really advertise, but will be making an effort over the next weeks, I think you have answered the question Alan. I'm always busy, at my prices, because I never stop trying to generate business - even when I'm already busy. The odd advert in the paper simply won't do the job. I advertise in two local free papers, they are relatively small & low circulation compared to the main local - but they get read. The Leicester Mercury may have a huge circulation, but its difficult for you to stand out. Costs me £80 a month in total. Ads just feature the logo & contact details. I can leaflet drop specific areas via those papers, even down to individual streets - £3 a 100. I do that every other month. My van is highly visible. The logo is 4' x 2'6" and it has a list of what I do on the side. I wear overalls & polo shirts with the same logo. Does this work? Yes! Got a job last month, couple moved from London into a new build. They called in a local blind company who have a shop at the end of the road they live in. They asked the guy fitting the blinds if he knew anyone who could do some jobs for them. He said he didn't, but he kept seeing this Medway Handyman van all over the place. Two days later they saw my van parked in Tesco Express. They didn't want anything in Tesco, but turned around, parked up & searched the shop for me. My web site gets me work. I've been on courses from the local enterprise agency & had some great help from people on this group. My Google rank is now pretty good. I grab free listings on any site I can - Landlordzone, Gay to Zed, Vivastreet, The Best Of, HandyLocals etc. I get work from the councils Fair Trader Scheme. All the independent places I buy stuff from have a pile of my cards. Every customer gets a fridge magnet & 3 normal cards. The logo is important. Its on my web site, my adverts, my van, my clothing, my letterheads, my flyers. I'm not in Yellow Pages or Thompson Local because of the outrageous charges. I think they are yesterdays papers anyway. Leicester has a larger population than the Medway Towns. My daughter lived in Saxby St for two years whilst on her fast trac paramedic course with EMAS. We visited every month, so I know & like the town. Its a prosperous lively place, there must be enough work about. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk 01634 717930 07850 597257 |
#24
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
My web site gets me work.
Yep excellent simple easy to use and rather helpful in that you know a man who can if you can't... -- Tony Sayer |
#25
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
On 2008-03-25 22:10:29 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said: My van is highly visible. The logo is 4' x 2'6" and it has a list of what I do on the side. I wear overalls & polo shirts with the same logo. Does this work? Yes! Same dimensions? ;-) Got a job last month, couple moved from London into a new build. They called in a local blind company who have a shop at the end of the road they live in. They asked the guy fitting the blinds if he knew anyone who could do some jobs for them. He said he didn't, but he kept seeing this Medway Handyman van all over the place. Two days later they saw my van parked in Tesco Express. They didn't want anything in Tesco, but turned around, parked up & searched the shop for me. My web site gets me work. I've been on courses from the local enterprise agency & had some great help from people on this group. My Google rank is now pretty good. I grab free listings on any site I can - Landlordzone, Gay to Zed, Vivastreet, The Best Of, HandyLocals etc. Vivastreet identified you if I enter "Rochester" and handyman but not Gillingham or Chatham. I get work from the councils Fair Trader Scheme. All the independent places I buy stuff from have a pile of my cards. Every customer gets a fridge magnet & 3 normal cards. The logo is important. Its on my web site, my adverts, my van, my clothing, my letterheads, my flyers. I'm not in Yellow Pages or Thompson Local because of the outrageous charges. I think they are yesterdays papers anyway. Waste of time. |
#26
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Marketing. Was Labour Cost for Fence Works etc
"Andy Hall" wrote in message news:47e98247@qaanaaq... On 2008-03-25 22:10:29 +0000, "The Medway Handyman" said: My van is highly visible. The logo is 4' x 2'6" and it has a list of what I do on the side. I wear overalls & polo shirts with the same logo. Does this work? Yes! Same dimensions? ;-) Alas no, I only have a 48" chest :-) My web site gets me work. I've been on courses from the local enterprise agency & had some great help from people on this group. My Google rank is now pretty good. I grab free listings on any site I can - Landlordzone, Gay to Zed, Vivastreet, The Best Of, HandyLocals etc. Vivastreet identified you if I enter "Rochester" and handyman but not Gillingham or Chatham. Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham & Rainham became the Medway Towns a while ago. A lot of these 'free link' companies haven't yet realised that Medway is a Unitary Authority, so you only get the choice of 1 town, usually that where you are based. I'm not in Yellow Pages or Thompson Local because of the outrageous charges. I think they are yesterdays papers anyway. Waste of time. An expensive waste of time. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk 01634 717930 07850 597257 |
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