Am I a mug working for this amount?

[Mranon1989]

Hi everyone I’m just wondering if I’m actually worth more than what I’m being paid now.

I’m not on an hourly rate I get paid daily and on a typical day I earn 60 pounds (take home)

I don’t work for myself, I work for a self employed guy. I’m a time served level 3 qualified plumber, OFTEC qualified with 5 years experience.

What do you think?

 

[Riley]

Why do you work for someone else out of interest?

 

[townfanjon]

equates to 21 K ish a year before tax if my maths is correct .
You are a well qualified guy .
I wouldnt be happy with that to be honest , location could be a factor , where are you ?

 

[Darren Jackson]

8hr day- £60 that's £7.50 per hour. I do believe that's the government's minimum wage. Certainly not a time served fully qualified tradesman wage. I would have thought you should be getting at least double to tripple that wage. Depending on your location and experience.

 

[craftyset]

Hope hes paying into your pension for that as law. For your rate of pay you can come and fit my boiler, lol

serious how much some heating engineer companies charge is ridiculous to how much they then pay there guys

 

[Mranon1989]

South Wales I’m based. To be honest I’ve just done it to keep myself in work. No business experience either so I’m apprehensive about going it alone.

 

[Riley]

I think you could legitimately ask for more if you feel you are bringing him work and contributing to the business

 

[Mranon1989]

I asked about that and he said he’ll go half on every job I bring in, so now I’ll have to carry on as I am whilst thinking of ways to bring more work in. No idea how to get work in to a business as I’ve never owned one.

 

[craftyset]

doubt he pay you half as then you will realise how little he is paying you and how much he is charging. In my eyes he paying you solely as labouring rates

 

[townfanjon]

Does he pay your tax ?

 

[Jock Spanners]

He's having a laugh.

 

[Mranon1989]

What’s the going rate out of curiosity?

 

[Harvest Fields]

My first job of the day mate is more than £60.00. Shop around. You will find something better.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Think about going SE, maybe start by doing some call out jobs for Emergency company's, will need your own transport etc. but you will be earning more than you are now, + you cover oil boilers.

 

[Mranon1989]

I’ve thought about it but to even compete around here I need to be GS. OFTEC is well expensive as well for what it is.

 

[Chester]

having you on big time, 7.50 an hr for fully qualified, some people are so greedy it irritates me.

 

[jtsplumbing]

I’ve thought about it but to even compete around here I need to be GS. OFTEC is well expensive as well for what it is.

But with Emg Co they find your work ! thought you were OFTEC ?

 

[Mranon1989]

I was OFTEC but my employer hasn’t renewed the membership. Only recently it’s run out. Emg Co? What’s that?

I’ve just signed up to buzbee but not sure if it’s any good for plumbers. A sparks I know is on it and he was loving it.

 

[oz-plumber]

For what it's worth, my second year apprentice earns more that you.
Just done exchange rates and he is on @ 20% more than you.

I don't want you to feel I am rubbing it in, just stating the facts

 

[rpm]

For what it's worth, my second year apprentice earns more that you.
Just done exchange rates and he is on @ 20% more than you.

I don't want you to feel I am rubbing it in, just stating the facts

Yeah but your on the other side of world Oz, bet there is a difference in average salary.

Rough rule of thumb for an employee is that you are worth 25% of what you earn the company.

 

[sammathias]

what part of south wales you from?

 

[Roverspete]

I’m in a similar Boat. 38, self employed with 2 years experience only level 2, but with a Gas Safe company. I’m on £60 service days and £100 Heating installs both taxed. I also travel around 50 miles per week for a lift. Only work on average 2-3 days. I do my own work on my days off and I’m trying to get to grips with pricing. I’m told daily I’m being used but it’s money in my pocket each week? This is Bristol.
Great topic as I’m sure there are a few people out there in this situation.

 

[SimonG]

Where there's wolves you'll always find sheep.

 

[Mike Pinard]

You'd get more at Lidl stacking shelves, i pay casual farm labourers more. Maybe no work where you are but it's taking the pee

 

[markadams]

Where are you based and what areas are you working? What type of work have you been doing as I am guessing that you are only doing general water plumbing stuff?

 

[quality]

Get a job cards in and you will earn a decent wage, self employed is good when its good I'm 25 years self employed I have wages to pay and graft myself its good but not good all the time

 

[Best]

Do you know what your boss charges the customers per hour for your rates?

 

[Mranon1989]

I'm in the Carmarthenshire area.

My work varies to be honest. From 1st and 2nd fixing bathrooms, installing new gas boilers and oil (he commissions the gas), servicing oil boilers and maintaining systems. Not doing the same thing all the time.

After reading your answers I've decided to start pursuing another job. My back went on me the other day and I honestly thought 'why am i killing myself with nothing to show'

Wouldn't mind working abroad if the moneys there and digs etc... Couple of lads I know have worked on cruise ships and they were raving about the wage. Ive got no commitments as in wife kids etc so I may go for it. Just no idea where to start looking apart from the obvious places like Indeed etc.

 

[justlead1]

Your not a mug as you are working and know doubt learning. You have qualifications, so do thousands of degrees owners, along with thousands of pounds of debt which they will never earn enough to pay back. Plumber is just a name, its a case of measuring your position in the league of plumbers before demanding £*** per hour. This is not easy, as other than working on large contracts it unlikely to work along side other plumbers, in order to measure your position regard wages. What i can say is many charge high rate based on a mate in the pub who's a plumber and earns bundles. When researched we find he does
4 bathrooms a week, 1 boiler change and 8 call outs and take the responsibility for same. And guess what he's on a price, its the same next week and the next etc. Earns nice but don't see his wife and children much, thats the choice?
Good Luck

 

[Ric2013]

It's all experience, but worth considering that Booker cash and carry pays its staff at least £7.60 an hour, with a 38 hour contract, time and a half on overtime, EMPLOYED, sick pay, occasional bonuses, (and perks of the job).

In short, YES, but until you find something better, take what you can.

 

[Best]

I will confidently bet your boss will be devastated when you leave him.
He will struggle to get anyone working for that hourly rate, especially as well qualified, and multi tasking as you are.
Out of interest, you are bound to know what your boss charges for labour on some jobs? I know after he pays your cut the rest won’t be all profit to your boss, as running a business has massive costs, but your boss should be covering your proper hourly rate easily, before he adds his hourly rate and other costs.

 

[Ric2013]

In April, the minimum wage for a 25+ year old (aka the Living wage) goes up to £7.83ph, so you should have an increase soon 😉

 

[Mranon1989]

I’m passed the point of caring if he’s disappointed or not. I’ve given enough of my time and been given false promises about my wage increasing so I’ve started looking else where as of today. I have no idea what he charges to be honest because he won’t tell me. I know call out is 50 and that’s it really.

Anybody know where I can start looking in regards to working abroad? I want to get out of here and earn some real money while I can seeing as I haven’t got kids etc

 

[Best]

Really the living wage should only apply to the most basic jobs, like those that require little intelligence or experience or perhaps a job that doesn’t need too much hard graft.

 

[sammathias]

I'm in the Carmarthenshire area.

I'm from Pembrokeshire so only down the road really and get paid over double you daily income working for the local authority doing basic plumbing on shift. so even have days off in the week to do run my on the side self employed business.
hes taking the biscuit out you!

 

[Mranon1989]

You on the books with the council or you subbing to them? I got a relative high up in my local council and if it’s the same rates I may ask.

 

[sammathias]

You on the books with the council or you subbing to them? I got a relative high up in my local council and if it’s the same rates I may ask.

yeah salary so all the benefits, and it being shift work I get a lot of time to do my own stuff. not sure how Carmarthen do it but most of our installs etc are contracted out. so we are basically just a maintainance team....mind numbing but pays a half decent wage into my home.

 

[Mranon1989]

Same with Carmarthenshire, they even sub some of the maintenance out because I done work for the sub contractor the other day. It’s probably better than what I’m on now so may just ask about tomorrow.

Really would love to work on a cruise though, seen what some of the boys were having and it’s mental pay wise, work hard though.

 

[markadams]

Hi,

Send me a PM letting me know what area of Carmarthenshire you are in and if you have your own tools and van. I may be interested in subbing some work out if you are interested? I often get calls for oil boiler repairs and bathrooms which I dont do, I am GAS SAFE and a qualified Electrician so it may be a good fit.

 

[Mranon1989]

I’ve PMed you

 

[firemant]

John, you are being underpaid . But talk of 2 or 3 times your current rate for employed is nonsense. Twice is achievable, but most cards in jobs are not £40K plus.

Self-employed CAN earn a lot more but you have to be good, quick and well organised. Plus have cash to get going.

It may be that your boss is poor at running a business, and may not actually be able to as afford the proper rate, but that is his problem.

As you are young and responsibility free, now is the time, perhaps, to go SE. Don't go straight into a new expensive van. Keep costs under control. Work out your overheads, and charge fees that will give you a decent return.
Get paid straight away before leaving the house, and remember that a 4 hour day at £40 per hour is better than 8 at £20. But insert your own figures.

 

[Mranon1989]

To be honest with you I just don’t have the cash to get myself SE. I have a van (which is off road at the moment) not GS either which I’ll have to pay for so it’s rather difficult to go self employed. Plus I have no idea how to run a business and what to charge etc. So much to learn on the business side of things. That’s why I want to work away to build up cash. I’m still living at home which is embarrassing so I’d love to get a mortgage first, but that’s another thing.

 

[Slippery]

@John Downes , just go travel bud, best thing I ever did, all the mortgage/wife/kids can wait till you are older and wiser