Day rate for an Electrician's mate

[impish15]

Hi All,

I have been asked to work as an electrician's mate with an electrician on a 4 bed domestic re-wire. What is the day rate for an electrician's mate labour only (London/Kent based)? What should I charge?

Many thanks in advance

 

[davesparks]

What experience do you have? Have you worked with them before?

What will you actually be doing? The term 'electricians mate' doesn't really have a solid definition. Traditionally an electricians mate is equivalent to a labourer which could be minimum wage or near to it.
These days the term can also be used to indicate a semi-skilled assistant, someone partially qualified (aka improver) etc

 

[Dustydazzler]

As Dave says a 'mate' covers from someone who literally sweeps the floor and chisels out boxes etc To someone who can be left for hours un-assisted on the job to pretty much do everything

The former would be £10 per hour , the latter could ask £25 per hour

 

[impish15]

What experience do you have? Have you worked with them before?

What will you actually be doing? The term 'electricians mate' doesn't really have a solid definition. Traditionally an electricians mate is equivalent to a labourer which could be minimum wage or near to it.
These days the term can also be used to indicate a semi-skilled assistant, someone partially qualified (aka improver) etc

I have done re-wires before so left unassisted to run cables through, put in back boxes, connect/install new CCU, conducted testing on the new installation etc. I just don't have the qualifications to sign off work. Still building experience but any work I do is checked (where necessary) by the more experienced electrician but in general there have been no issues so far (touch wood).

 

[impish15]

As Dave says a 'mate' covers from someone who literally sweeps the floor and chisels out boxes etc To someone who can be left for hours un-assisted on the job to pretty much do everything

The former would be £10 per hour , the latter could ask £25 per hour

Ok maybe electrician's mate is not the right description then. I'd probably say in most cases in general I can be left to carry on with the job. So at £25 per hour that would be £200 a day. Ok great thanks

 

[Dustydazzler]

Ok maybe electrician's mate is not the right description then. I'd probably say in most cases in general I can be left to carry on with the job. So at £25 per hour that would be £200 a day. Ok great thanks

If you are being left on-site to do 90% of the install yourself then I would say £200 per day is fair for London/Surrey area

 

[impish15]

If you are being left on-site to do 90% of the install yourself then I would say £200 per day is fair for London/Surrey area

cheers for the info

 

[davesparks]

Ok maybe electrician's mate is not the right description then. I'd probably say in most cases in general I can be left to carry on with the job. So at £25 per hour that would be £200 a day. Ok great thanks

If you have been asked to work as an electricians mate then the person asking you to work will know how much they are expecting to pay, have you asked them about this?

Are you working on a self employed basis or are they employing you?

 

[impish15]

If you have been asked to work as an electricians mate then the person asking you to work will know how much they are expecting to pay, have you asked them about this?

Are you working on a self employed basis or are they employing you?

No we haven’t had the conversation yet. I want to get an idea before I meet with him tomorrow afternoon to discuss pay etc

I’ll be working on a self employed basis

 

[telectrix]

£20/hour is about right for up here , subbing, but down there £25 is nearer the mark. don't forget to add any additional costs like travel expenses / parking / congestion charges etc.

 

[swaRRR]

£140 a day. Working for less just drives down prices for everyone.

 

[Dustydazzler]

£140 a day. Working for less just drives down prices for everyone.

If the OP is semi skilled as they say they are then I would say £200 per day would be more suitable for London and the South East

Labourers are getting £160 a day on sites round my way for digging a hole

 

[swaRRR]

If the OP is semi skilled as they say they are then I would say £200 per day would be more suitable for London and the South East

Labourers are getting £160 a day on sites round my way for digging a hole

Didn't see he was in London, deffo £200 a day minimum. £140 minimum everywhere else (around the £17.50-18/hr mark)

 

[Mike Johnson]

Don't forget to divide that rate by the hours you are expected to work on a ten hour day that's not enough, IMO should be at least £150/day when you take into account travel and the cost of food and coffee in London.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I was getting £150 per day as a free lance Mate / Improver in 2008/9 ( I could be left on a job site with a set of plans and do 95% of the install myself , I also had my own car and hand tools )
Prior to that I was Card in on around £90 per day as an improver
If wages haven't moved on since then then what is the point in training to be a Sparks

 

[swaRRR]

I was getting £150 per day as a free lance Mate / Improver in 2008/9 ( I could be left on a job site with a set of plans and do 95% of the install myself , I also had my own car and hand tools )
Prior to that I was Card in on around £90 per day as an improver
If wages haven't moved on since then then what is the point in training to be a Sparks

The wages are what they are mate - £18/hr is around the average now for an improver. It's crap wages imo but it is what it is. People need to start refusing to work for less than £25/hr. The work is out there, if lads start demanding more money they'll have to pay it.

 

[Dustydazzler]

The wages are what they are mate - £18/hr is around the average now for an improver. It's crap wages imo but it is what it is. People need to start refusing to work for less than £25/hr. The work is out there, if lads start demanding more money they'll have to pay it.

I guess the problem is there is always somebody somewhere who is desperate for a job and will work On-site for £13-14 which just drags wages down across the board. If I am a contractor and I can pay someone £13ph to do rewiring houses for me then I will use them over someone who wants £20ph