Wage! How much should the going rate be?

[tree-fancier123]

1 hour ago, Woodworks said:

 I dont want to be poorly paid but given choice between better pay and a crap job or poor pay and a fun job I would take the later. We spend so much of our lives working to do something you hate.

I kind of feel the same - but if you're doing a fun job that doesn't pay enough it can make time off work less enjoyable if you can't afford to buy a nice home with plenty of outdoor space

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

This thread started with a question regarding sub-contracting rates and several posters have compared these rates with the cost of hiring a mechanic, electrician, plumber etc.  However, this is a bit like comparing apples and apple pie.  The trades mentioned are a lot more difficult to enter requiring studying at college to gain a qualification and usually serving a three or four year apprenticeship.  To be a "groundy" just about any fit and able bodied person can pick up a chainsaw and cut wood or drag brash and feed a chipper and I know there are many out there doing it quite well without any formal training or qualifications.  Furthermore many seem to be comparing what they would pay a "subby" with the hourly rate charged by one of these trades.  But surely the final cost of that subby to the customer will be greater than what you pay him?  After all if you are employing someone to work for you, surely you will want them to bring you a profit?

Do people here charge out their subbies at cost price?  If you put a mark up on them how do you calculate that?

 

Just my two penneth

[mikedrums69]

On ‎14‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 12:01, James905 said:

 

Lately I'm finding private sub contracting is stuck in the past with wages.

 

I started on £60pd 3years ago

I am now lead climber and well qualified, I load the truck, do the climbing come down do the clearing chipping and tidying I tip and un load.. I currently get paid £100pd and on the odd day £120 but quite rare.

 

I know on the railways bort rate seems to be £120 for un experienced scrub clearance.

 

What are the going rates for Sun contract climber?!

 

Surely we need to move things into the modern era as any old Labourer on a site is paid between 80-100

 

500/600 quid a week isn't something to moan about. Put a bit more effort in on a Saturday and it could be 720.