Guys, if you are working to the meter and you relatively need to self-employment and you're unsure,
because this is a question that gets thrown up on the community group all the time,
what meterage should I charge for this job? What meterage should I charge for that job?
So I think it's important to say from the get-go, especially for the newly self-employed lads,
if you're being encouraged to work to the meter,
or being enticed, or being incentivised to work to the meter by builders, construction companies,
whoever it is, before you shake hands and agree on a meterage price, just make sure
that the meterage price reflects your minimum daily earnings that you need.
And I've said that from day one. I don't personally work to a meterage,
but if I did today, this is what I would do. I would make sure that the minimum amount of meters
I can get on, and any particular day would reflect the minimum daily earnings that I need.
And to give you a quick example of what I mean, you need 200 quid a day, right, for argument's sake.
You need 200 quid a day. When they say what meterage price can you do us, right, think of it like this
as a simple example. Let's say you've got six meters on that wall, six meters on that wall,
six meters on that wall, and you can hit all them in a day. Let's be generous. You can hit 18 meters
is what you'll cover in this day. So if you divide that against your 200 quid, that's about 11 quid
or 12 quid. However, the next day, you might only be able to get 12 meters on, because there might
be a load of window reveals, or there might be a load of beading or, you know, little nibby bits
and things like that, awkward bits. So you might only get 12 meters on that day. So what is important,
what I'm saying is, work out the minimum amount of meters that you think you're going to cover a day,
make sure that minimum amount equates to your required minimum day rate, 200 quid. So in that
case, if you only got 12 meters on, the meet rich price now goes up to 16 quid a meter. Did you see
where I'm going? So I hope that kind of makes sense. But of course, we're talking minimums. So if you
bash out a load of meters one day and you go, you earn well over your 200 quid, then happy days,
you've earned a decent earner, but make sure it doesn't drop down to the point where you're earning
140 quid or 120 quid, because they're going to be economical to do that, if you know what I mean.
So I think before you commit to a meterage, have a look at the job, even if it's just a video walk
through, have a look at the job and be real and honest about how many meters am I going to get on,
as a minimum on these jobs, like as a minimum. And hopefully that'll give you a good overview
of what you should be charging, because these are your, we're going off your speed as well.
What's great about this lads is you can tailor fit it to your business and how you work.
Okay, it's not about copying copycat and other people.
I mean, let's say you've just come into self employment and that statement or nine months,
and you're getting a couple jobs under your belt, it's no good you going to try to copy Wayne
Cox and what he's doing with his prices, because he's got relationships built up with his suppliers,
so he's going to be getting materials at an absolute steal. He can bash out jobs five times
faster than you, and he's got a team. So it's no good you going all he charges this per hour,
I'm going to charge that per hour, because you're trying to cut corners and short cut the game,
you're trying to shortcut the game, the game will shortcut you. I stole that from Alan Abban,
but I like that one. So what I'm saying is think about how you work today, your speed,
your prices that you're paying for your materials, and all that. And don't be pressured by whoever's
telling you to work to this specific meterage. Stand your ground and say, listen, I've run my
numbers three times. This is my best meterage price. We'd love to help you on your project.
This is my best meterage price at the moment. Hope we can help look forward to hearing back from you.
I respect you for it. And don't feel bad if you don't win the job, because you know you've run
them numbers three times, and you know that if you go cheaper, you know you're going to be mugging
yourself off and earning way below what you need to be earning. And it's no good saying, oh, I'm too
slow, I'm too slow. It's not about speed, it's about you being honest. We're going off your speed
and you're working hours. Nobody else is. It doesn't matter what Joe blog's charges. We're
talking about your speed. How many hours a day can you work? And how many sets are you going to do
a day? Some lads will do three sets. I won't be doing three sets. I did in my 20s. I won't be doing
three sets now. Some lads will do one set, some lads will do two sets, some lads will work till
seven o'clock at night. So leave them to do their thing and be realistic about how you work,
how you like to work, working at a steady pace, not not being lazy, working at a steady pace,
include a break for yourself as well. And we're not dogs, we don't have to be working like a dog
and chasing the meters. So anyway, hope that helps. A bit of information helps because I'm always
seeing posts about meterage. One man's meterage price is going to be different to the other
man's, you know, there's a lot of variables there. The going rate isn't your rate, like I keep saying.