Advise on wages for bathroom fitter.

[Dominic Barron]

Hi im new to this forum and I'm just looking for abit of advise really

Ive been working for the same company for about 5 years now. Been there through all my apprenticeship. Mainly doing bathroom fitting..
Im 22 years old.
Im a fully qualified nvq 2 plumber. (Been fitting bathrooms on my own since 2015)
I can dry line, dot and dab. Do basic joinery and tile as well as normal plumbing procedures.

I feel im not being paid enough for what i do.. bareing in mind the manual handling of my job.. nearly every job we do we take plaster off and go right back to brick work... so its a really hard working job...

I dont drive so i understand you get more for driving. I get dropped off on the job and get taking back home by the company. As i live local to the company...

I have all my own tools and gear for doing the job, the company just supplies materials..

Im just wondering how much you think i should be getting paid a week for doing such work... i always work late where needed.

Its just for some ideas before i jump the gun about asking for a wage increase.

Cheers guys

 

[oz-plumber]

Ballpark figure of what your on at the moment.
- Hourly rate?

 

[Aire]

Depends how good of a job you do and how valuable you are to your company. Do you get many call backs to your work, do you finish your jobs on time and to a high standard. As above, what you on now? If you really feel your underpaid, have a sit down with your boss, explain how your feel and why you think you deserve more.

 

[Dominic Barron]

I very rarely get call backs.. and always get good reviews about my work from the customers. Jobs are done on time... if not ealier then expected.. and i get 270 a week after tax...

 

[rpm]

Where are you? Wages vary up and down the country.

 

[Darren Jackson]

i get 270 a week after tax...

I would say that's' about average for a bathroom fitter. What are your co-workers getting paid?

 

[Dominic Barron]

Where are you? Wages vary up and down the country.

Bradford. But we cover yorkshire

 

[Dominic Barron]

I would say that's' about average for a bathroom fitter. What are your co-workers getting paid?

There is only me who is fully qualified

 

[Scott_D]

Do you do the entire bathroom or the labouring?

Can you get. Driving licences?

 

[Dominic Barron]

Do you do the entire bathroom or the labouring?

Can you get. Driving licences?

I do a bathroom start to finish... and i cant afford to do my driving..

 

[Darren Jackson]

There is only me who is fully qualified

Not a bad rate on the books for Bradford, But if your not happy then as previously suggested you should sit down with your boss and ask to re-negotiate your hourly rate or negotiate a monthly bonus for jobs completed on time and no comeback etc...

 

[Harvest Fields]

Not a bad rate on the books for Bradford, But if your not happy then as previously suggested you should sit down with your boss and ask to re-negotiate your hourly rate or negotiate a monthly bonus for jobs completed on time and no comeback etc...

Or even just giving you your driving license. You may have to sign something to say that you will not leave after you have passed for a couple of years.

 

[Scott_D]

I would say you are paid as a labourer but if you can’t drive you don’t have much leverage

 

[rpm]

£270 after tax is how much before tax, what it your gross figure?

 

[oz-plumber]

Are you a full time employee with all the benefits or are you only paid for the work you do?

 

[Darren Jackson]

Just looked up the national minimum rate for a 21-25 year old and it is £7.38 p/hr. 40 hr week = £295.20 before tax & Ni.
So as a fully qualified professional I would say that you should be on at least £9 - £15 p/hr depending on age, experience & driving licence etc...

 

[rpm]

Some gas safe guys aren`t earning £15!

 

[Harvest Fields]

Some gas safe guys aren`t earning £15!

I’ll second that. I know a few and they are decent.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Some gas safe guys aren`t earning £15!

I know it all depends on what your company thinks your worth at the end of the day. I know 2 unskilled mates who earn more than trained professionals. Makes you wonder if it is worth all the effort, hard work and training on low wages, only to find out you could possibly get paid more doing an unskilled job.

 

[rpm]

There is only me who is fully qualified

Out of how many employees, do you have anybody working with you? I`m starting to think you get paid cash in hand until you state the gross figure from your payslip, is so then it changes things doesn`t it.

 

[Dominic Barron]

Not a bad rate on the books for Bradford, But if your not happy then as previously suggested you should sit down with your boss and ask to re-negotiate your hourly rate or negotiate a monthly bonus for jobs completed on time and no comeback etc...

Or even just giving you your driving license. You may have to sign something to say that you will not leave after you have passed for a couple of years.

I wouldnt leave its a good company

Are you a full time employee with all the benefits or are you only paid for the work you do?

Full time employed

 

[Dominic Barron]

Out of how many employees, do you have anybody working with you? I`m starting to think you get paid cash in hand until you state the gross figure from your payslip, is so then it changes things doesn`t it.

I get 300 pound a week 270 after tax

 

[Darren Jackson]

I get 300 pound a week 270 after tax

So about £7.50 an Hour. 12 pence per/hr more than minimum wage. It wouldn't hurt to point this out to your bosses and see what they come up with. Hopefully they will value more than this and offer you a pay increase. Also the National minimum wage is goint up to £7.70p/hr in april so you will get a pay rise then if nowt else..

 

[rpm]

Get them to give you driving lessons, win win all round then.

 

[Dominic Barron]

Just looked up the national minimum rate for a 21-25 year old and it is £7.38 p/hr. 40 hr week = £295.20 before tax & Ni.
So as a fully qualified professional I would say that you should be on at least £9 - £15 p/hr depending on age, experience & driving licence etc...

I feel i should be on at the very least £8.50 and hiur without driving.. its not like ive just come to company ive been for 5 year

 

[rpm]

I feel i should be on at the very least £8.50 and hiur without driving.. its not like ive just come to company ive been for 5 year

And in another post you said "Good company, wouldn`t leave", time for that chat I reckon.

 

[Dominic Barron]

Thanks for the advice people

 

[Aire]

Personally I think your getting underpaid, it also depends on what sort of bathrooms your installing, Ask your boss this, if he employed a seperate plumber, tiler and a plaster to do the job, how much would it cost him? If your doing a good job of everything then you should be on more.

 

[Dominic Barron]

Personally I think your getting underpaid, it also depends on what sort of bathrooms your installing, Ask your boss this, if he employed a seperate plumber, tiler and a plaster to do the job, how much would it cost him? If your doing a good job of everything then you should be on more.

Thanks for the advise ill keep that in mind

 

[deg]

4th year apprentices are getting that at my place. Not doing much for it either. I would say you are well underpaid
Based in N. Ireland btw

 

[Dominic Barron]

4th year apprentices are getting that at my place. Not doing much for it either. I would say you are well underpaid
Based in N. Ireland btw

What does a 4th year apprentice consist of?

 

[Scott_1979]

Genuinely, you would be getting more stacking shelves in Aldi.

Have a word with them, you deserve way more based on what you say you do.

 

[Inverness]

Get you driving then start up on your own!

 

[Inverness]

Get you driving then start up on your own!

 

[Chalked]

You need to make yourself irreplaceable. Make them need you!
Once you are in this position, you can negotiate for a wage that you are worth. It’s a shame it’s that way. But not many owners will give a rise without you asking for one.
To get a rise, you should go in for a meeting explaining the things you already do,for the company. Then say what you would like to achieve. Driving is the bit where you are loosing out. So instead of a rise, why don’t you say you will commit to the company if they pay £1500 towards your diving lessons and test. That’s a £1.32 an hour rise. After you have been with the company one more year, it’s paid off.
At that point you will be in a better place to negotiate more money.
Good luck

 

[Matthew Score]

Are you carrying out private work or is it for councils?

I think the fact you can't drive is having a big impact on your wage, speak to you boss about paying for you driving lessions and taking it out of your wages, I use to do if for all my guys. It means you will save Tax and Ni off the cost of the lessions.

Employees who don't drive can be a burden, I insisted that all my guys started lessions and made it apart of the offer of employment.

Speak with your boss, it's hard to find good employees that deliver a good job and can be trusted not to take the Sod.

 

[Aire]

At the end of the day, if your boss truly values you, he will listen to your concerns and act on them. Whatever you do though, don't put a gun to his head (because it's illegal 😛) and say I'm leaving if you don't up my wage. No employer will back down to an ultimatum, they will fear that if they do, you will keep using it or tell others to do the same.

 

[Dominic Barron]

Thankyou all for the advise

 

[Elgordo]

Thankyou all for the advise

Beg borrow steal or get a bank loan ,and get driving - then go self employed . It’s hard to find someone who’s good at complete bathroom makeovers and you will make a lot of money once you get established . You work hard for a living and deserve to be paid well for it , ring a few bathroom fitters and get quotes for a new fit and this will give you an idea of what you could be earning.

 

[Ben-gee]

Yeah thanks Elgordo, we all love quoting for non-existent work. Why not just be honest with the fitter and explain your situation.

 

[Jerry]

I am based in Buckinghamshire.
If i could find half a dozen guys with your skills and pay them the same wage, I would be cleaning up.
For my area you are underpaid. A fully qualified bathroom fitter who cant afford driving lessons? What happens if one of your expensive tools breaks?
Listen to the older and wiser gentlemen here. Find a better paying job and then negotiate with your emplyer.
if you are living at home or dont haver kids, this is a no brainer. Go self empoloyed

 

[malx42]

I am not in the trade but from what you say you are young and getting little more than the minimum wage, you provide your own tools. I really think you are being exploited.

See if you can work out how much your boss is making from your labour. See if you can find the cost to the customer of a job, and see if u can work out how many days the job takes. You cost your employer £300 a week + on Costs, NI,Pension contributions then ther is insurance, and transport for you. Say that’s £400 a week. Now there are other costs that you need to earn to keep the business going, and your boss pays those. Premises, office staff, advertising etc etc. It would be possible to make informed guesses and work out approximately how much profit he makes from you a year after all the other costs.

He could easily be making £10k a year from you and each of his employees. Does he work at the job himself?

Are you confident to ask for a rise. Don’t ask, can’t get. Have you got any older relatives you could talk to.

You say you don’t really want to leave ... but you can’t, and stay in the same line of work , as you don’t drive. He knows that and will pay you as little as he can.

Driving qualifications will really help you. But that’s been said before.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.