How much can I get done?

It is normal for people to wonder what jobs will cost and how long they will take, especially when they employ someone like me who charges by the hour or daily rate.

As well as my having clear pricing policy it is important for people to get a feel for me and what I can achieve for them within a given time. So here are a few examples of time that jobs have taken me to complete so you can have an idea of what your job may cost you.

Example 1

I booked a day with a customer to do these jobs.

• fix a back gate that was not shutting properly because the post was coming away from the wall

• shore up a broken fence panel as a temporary fix until it is replaced

• remove render from a garden wall that was approx 5 metres long and bag the waste ready for a waste removal firm to collect

• swap a single electric socket, a double electric socket and 3 light switches for new ones

• replace an exterior front light with a new one

• trim a section of plinth and re-fit it under a kitchen cupboard

• adjust two uPVC exterior doors that were not shutting properly and were draughty

I got all of these done and charged the customer for 6 hours which was less than the daily rate we had agreed when booking the job.

Example 2

I was booked to paint the ceilings and walls in the hallway, landings and stairs in a 3 storey town house. So yes, that is 2 staircases and around all the doors leading off them. 2 days later and I have a very happy customer who is leaving me good reviews

Example 3

I had a customer ask me to complete the following list of jobs.

• Wall mount a TV

• Put up a floating shelf under the TV

• Put up a curtain rail

• Re-hang an internal door that had come off the hinges

• Install a latch on another bathroom door

I estimated 3-4 hours for all of the list and the customer revised that to 4-5 hours when they purchased an IKEA Kallax shelving/bookcase unit and asked me to assemble that as well.

I got it all done and charged the customer for 3 and 3/4 hours work.

Example 4

Sometimes jobs overrun a little compared to my estimates of time, especially if it is a more unusual job that is hard to estimate time for. I recently completed installing new panelling and polymer sealant in a shower and toilet/sink area in a motorhome. I originally estimated a day to a day and a half. It ended up being enough hours to be 2 full days of my time.