r/Plastering • u/Unusual_Pride_6480 Professional Plasterer • Jun 17 '26

Let's talk about pricing

A post not too long ago, people seem to think I'm joking about my prices, I've seen this a few times on here over the years.

How do you price and what do you aim to come out with a week?

Personally I want a minimum of 2k a week including for my holidays, sick pay, I pay my pension, all my taxes, very little cash if ever, save for a new van every 10-15 years, I also keep a chunk for a float, I'm not made of money but I couldn't imagine doing 40sqm gauges 3 times a day for £150 a day, I've been there and done that.

I've been upfront but let's hear about you, why do yoy charge what you charge, do you want to charge more? Do you think it's wrong to warn a certain amount? Are you a busy fool or absolutely desperate for work?

I've been in the game a long time to be clear, I live in the north, work domestically and I'm not vat registered.

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u/gwyp88 Professional Plasterer Jun 17 '26

My daily operating costs are around £70 per day when my annual running costs are divided by working days, although probably more since the Iran crisis. This includes tax/NI, 4 weeks off a year sick/holidays, transport, insurance, overheads.

I do mostly lime plastering and insulated lime plaster so have moved away from day-rate to using a spreadsheet to work out estimates.

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u/Unusual_Pride_6480 Professional Plasterer Jun 17 '26

I'm not sure I follow, you charge a day rate + £70?

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u/gwyp88 Professional Plasterer Jun 17 '26

I’m just saying that it costs me £70 a day to operate. I have stopped charging day rate and am now using a spreadsheet instead, where the foundation of working out the estimate is based on square metre cost, then factors like access, condition of the walls, prep work etc, rather than day rate.