The problem is that markets dictate price rather than worth perhaps.
The "law" of supply and demand. If more plumbers/carpenters/electricians are trained, then the customer has more choice and prices will come down. No wonder those already in the trade advise potential entrants not to bother. They can see their own income dropping.
Let's also be frank, many people perhaps feel their work is worth much more than it really is.
I think
all would have been more accurate.
Some Plumbing rates seem to work out at fantastic hourly rates. The usual answer is that "They can afford it!"
Pricing according to size and location of house! My son used to work with a self-employed electrician whose customer-base were extremely rich (multi-millionaires). They didn't bat an eyelid at bills of ÂŁ100 for changing a few light bulbs.
People moan about bankers making a shed load of money, but do the same themselves in a smaller way perhaps.
A banker does a deal which makes his employers a billion pounds profit, so they pay him a bonus of one million pounds. That's 0.1% of the profit. A plumber installs a rad valve for ÂŁ100. Actual cost, including materials and overheads, say ÂŁ50 - profit 100%.
The problem is, the UK does not have much of a consumer champion.
The law is also too lax. I know the last thing we need is more laws - the last government though the answer to everything was to make a law - but there are some areas crying out for legislation. The "builder" is one. Anyone can set themselves up as a builder. They do not even need experience and there are no formal qualifications.
Perhaps we should have national set prices, then companies could make more or less profit by working more efficiently, instead of just asking the customer for more.
Price Controls! Harold Wilson tried that; didn't work.
Today, Brit companies still seem to cut staff and wages before they consider more efficient ways of working.
But they would say that is making the company more efficient.
Who said ÂŁ2850 is a fair price for perhaps ÂŁ850 for materials and 2.5 days work?
How can the customer easily compare prices?
By insisting on a written breakdown of the costs. The tradesman won't like it, but that's tough luck. If I take my car for a service or to have any work done, I get a fully detailed invoice showing parts and labour separately for each job done. Why should a carpenter/plumber be any different? I'm not asking him to show how much mark up he puts on the parts or the profit he makes on his labour charge But it does enable me better to compare quotations.
But you may be able to get a good customer base by charging fair prices and doing quality work efficiently.
Hear! Hear!