How much do tradespeople cost?

For all home improvement jobs, big or small, use our guide to how much tradespeople cost to help you budget for the work.

Are you preparing for a large home improvement project? This guide to how much tradespeople cost to hire has everything neatly wrapped up to help you plan your budgets.

From plumbers to plasterers and builders to carpenters, we outline the average rates of the most popular trades in the UK.

How much should a tradesperson charge?

As a guide to help you understand what to expect, take a look at the average tradesperson costs, below:

It's typical to be quoted an hourly rate for labour costs on smaller jobs, and a day rate for larger projects.

Tradesperson rates can vary depending on where in the UK you live, the qualifications and experience of the tradesperson you hire, and the type of business they represent (sole trader or limited company, for example).

What is the average tradesperson hourly rate (UK)?

You'll generally find a bit of variance in a tradesperson's hourly rate, due to the reasons outlined above, including location, experience, and the type of work.

For example, an electrician typically charges between £40 - £70 per hour. However, for specialist work that requires greater experience or where there are challenges with access, you're likely to be charged more.

Likewise, the average tradesperson hourly rate for skim plastering a wall is around £24/m².

If you want the specialist skills of a plasterer trained in polished Venetian plaster, you're looking at around £120/m².

How much does a tradesperson charge per day?

Tradesperson day rates once again vary based on a tradesperson's level of experience and qualifications and your location.

The average day rates for a tradesperson range from £112 - £280 for a labourer up to between £300 - £500 and £320 - £480 for an electrician or plumber respectively.

As you might expect, the higher price reflects the training and qualifications undertaken to work with gas or electricity.

Similarly, experience counts for a lot too. A painter and decorator's day rate ranges from £250 - £350.

At the higher end of the scale, you're paying for a highly experienced painter and decorator with several years of experience under their belt. You'll be amazed at how much they can get done in a day!

Factors that affect tradesperson costs

As we've touched upon, a tradesperson's prices can vary due to several different factors:

• Qualifications and experience - more experience or qualifications will generally increase your tradesperson's rates

• Location - expect a tradesperson's prices in London to be higher than elsewhere in the UK

• Type of business - a self-employed tradesperson is likely to charge slightly less than a tradesperson working for a larger company

• Emergency call-outs - a tradesperson's rates will be higher than normal if they're responding to an emergency call-out

• Scope of the work - if the job requires a specialist skill or is perhaps tricky to access, a tradesperson may charge a higher rate

We recommend always getting at least three quotes from tradespeople so you can be sure you're getting a fair and competitive price for the work.

Compare those quotes like-for-like and ensure you understand what's included. If you're at all unsure, ask your tradesperson for clarity before you hire.

On Checkatrade, you'll only find trades who meet our high standards and pass up to 12 checks.

How much should I pay a tradesperson upfront?

Unless you work within the industry, you'd have little reason to understand a tradesperson's payment terms.

Not having complete clarity on how much you should pay a tradesperson upfront can cause some people to feel a little anxious and uncomfortable, regardless of the size of the project.

Should you take a tradesperson's word for it if they ask for half the money upfront? What's the right thing to do?

Our hiring guide offers plenty of sage advice, but in summary...

• Get it in writing: Before you hand over any money, ask for the deposit amount to be specified in the quote or contract

• Initial deposit: Be extra cautious of paying anything over 10% of the overall project value

• Material costs: Offer to buy the project materials yourself (and have them sent to your property) rather than as part of the deposit - you'll then own them if something goes wrong

What is the safest way to pay a tradesperson?

The golden rule when paying a deposit to a tradesperson is never to pay your deposit in cash.

Cash payments cannot be traced and you therefore have no evidence that the tradesperson has your money should things go wrong.

The safest way to pay a tradesperson is by card (if they have a card reader) or by bank transfer (make sure they write their sort code and account number down for you to avoid falling victim to a scam).

How to find a good tradesperson

The majority of tradespeople are hard-working, reliable and will do a good job, but we’ve all heard of the cowboy horror stories. Let’s help you avoid the bad eggs with this guide that looks at how to find a good tradesperson in your area.

Learn more

Find a tradesperson with Checkatrade

All our members have passed up to 12 checks, so you know you're getting the real deal.

We’re so confident in the quality of the trades on Checkatrade that if you book through us, we guarantee their work up to £1,000. Guaranteed for 12 months – Eligibility and T&Cs apply.

Search your postcode to find reputable tradespeople in your local area.