What do people pay?

[ChrisPlumpton]

Just wondering what the general price is for a subby groundy (northwest area)? I use the same lad for most of my stuff. I'm currently paying £100 a day. But he's asking for £125 a day. My problem is I can get a subby climber for that money. What's people's thoughts?

[Chris Sheppard]

Everyone wants a bit more but I think anyone asking for a 25% payrise is taking the piddle.

[skyhuck]

Depends what he actually does and how replaceable he is.

 

Sounds a lot for a basic groundie, but maybe he's very good and you would struggle to replace him?

[Dean O]

you'll get a massive range of answers to this question.

you'll have to work out - does his standard of work/ work ethic justify it and secondly can you afford it.

 

would you be better off taking someone on full time paye (if your regularly using him you need to make sure he shouldn't be on the books any way).

 

your work load would dictate this perhaps but if you take on someone to train, by the time you trained, qualified, spent on paye, kit for them and just 'development' time I would argue they would cost this much to you anyway.

 

and of course, once you invested in them, if your unlucky they may then leave and go elsewhere.....

[matelot]

give him an extra tenner?

 

try other subbies out and see how they compare?

[ChrisPlumpton]

I'll only started up in June last year so taking someone on full time isn't an option just yet. He's a good grafter but no really climbing experience and he's no experience of rigging. He's a good friend who I can rely on but he has a limited skill set for that kind of money and for what I ask of him. I understand he's self employed too and he has costs to cover but I know I can't justify paying essentially a brash dragger that kind of money. I could bring a climber in on all my jobs for £120 a day and do the groundwork myself. Which I'm more than happy to do. I can manage the jobs and sites better from the ground.

[Haironyourchest]

Could think about a profit sharing structure?

[Dean O]

extra tenner and you shopping elsewhere could be a good and simple compromise.

 

also depends on his situation too. Discuss his request with him and see what the reasons are,

I have no idea of living costs in your area -

he might be struggling on £100 (and I mean due to genuine living costs not just because he's ditched the moped and now drives a Humvee into work).

 

maybe he can just fill his diary with work elsewhere for more money.

[WillTimberlake]

£125 seems a bit steep for someone who doesn't have rigging experience and is essentially a brash dragger.

 

I pay my sub by groundies between £65 & £90 a day. The latter with lots of experience in rigging, competent with a chainsaw (doesn't go digging), good at dragging (more than 1 stick at a time). (Very annoying when it's a 100m drag!!!!), and can rake up properly! Well worth the money and he's happy with it.

 

For bigger jobs & longer drags I also use a 16 year old family friend who has little experience, no tickets, (but has first aid), can drag and move logs etc reasonably well but always has to be prompted. I pay him £30. He's also happy with it, and so am I.

[Aunt Maud]

Wow!

 

If it was me, I'd take the climber at £120, as long as he's not just all bulsht and bravado, and stay on the ground for ever.