LABOR COSTS

I would like to know what is the average to pay a carpenter/electrician/plumber. I just finished a job for a friend which included const. a 400 sf. screened in porch under a camp. Not a easy task, working around steel I beams, hardie planking the top and bottom, installing ceiling fans, outlets, etc... and other various tasks. The cost of materials is around 1700.00. I do not want to ask too much, but do want to get compensated properly. Thanks for any help...

a couple of years back our company charged $65/hour for electrical work and I would do work for neighbors for 20 to 30 an hour depending on how bad the work was and if I really wanted to do it. That was a hell of a deal for them at less than half the price, plumbers were going for around 100/hour and don't know about carpenters, this was 2 years ago but I dont believe the price has come down

Labor and overhead etc. now runs at least 3 times the material cost on the construction market. I would say cash money work like you did is worth at least 2 times the material for the labor IF nothing was out of the ordinary.

This should make BOTH of ya'll happy.

Heck, you can't even get a contractor to do such a little job anymore so really three times the material would even be fair. That's only $17 per square foot for a completed porch. Sounds like a deal to me.

Just my 2 cents. If you want to be OVERLY fair with him, the other way you can figure it is about $30 - $40 CASH per hour which will probably be less than above.

It seems the price should have been negotiated before the work was done. That way both of you would know what you are getting into. Coming up with a price after the fact, especially with a friend, can easily lead to misunderstanding and hard feelings. I hope both of you end up happy with the deal. Good luck.

Double the materials would be a fair price. Since its your friend ya'll shoulda discussed this. If he has $500 in his head and you tell him $1800..... I would tell him what you think and try to work it out peacefully.. U gotta remember u did it without talking about this so if he is cheap, u gonna have to take some of the fault. but double is fair. Triple is high, a contractor would charge around that but then that was the point in getting u to do it huh

Working for friends is a 'double-edged sword'. Someone, either you are him is gonna' get cut. I am a contractor and always get caught in this trap. Most of my customers want to see me fairly compensated for a job well done ,but some want to 'break it off' in me. I would go for $1000 and a few weekends use of the camp. That's when you find out who really loves you...(or whose just 'using' you for your talents)

I am a facilities manager, first thing is this should have been decided before the first nail or screw was drove and any materials purchased. As for rates for electrical I pay $65 and hour for non-union and $85-100 for union, plumbing $85-100 and construction $35-50 and hour. That is pretty much the standards right now. But just remember true friendship goes a long way, Ido things on the side and I charge accordingly, if the friend is a true friend and returns the favor and I'm not hurting to make ends meet, I charge nothing but is a friend that doesn't return the jester I don't know if I would go less than $20 and so on. True friends and family go along way and you should take that into account. Just my 2 cents, I know not everyone would agree with my philospy.

Start around $300.00 per day.($30.00 to $45.00 an hour) But always make a good (detailed) invoice. Be sure to spell out all work thats intended, and note additional work will be above and beyond your invoice. Have the customer sign the invoice before starting any work. Save all receipts for materials and attach them to the customers invoice when job is complete. Remember it's hard to make any profit by pricing by the hour. I always price by the job, It protects you and most importantly the customer. Alot off contractors will charge the customer for 8 hours when they really only worked 4 hours. GARY

All of the responses help. My buddy is not hurting for money in any way shape or form, and we have done work for him in the past, without giving him a cost for the work and he was ok with that. I was just wondering what would be fair, I will probably double the materials, which will come out to about 3000.00 or 1500.00 each for two of us. anyway thanks. dspeckslayer