07/09/2025
💷 £250 a day for a business 💷
That’s what the public think is enough for a business like mine to charge. Let’s actually do the maths:
👉 £250 a day, 260 days a year = £65,000
👉 Take off 28 days holiday (no, I don’t get paid for them) = £58,000
👉 No employer pension contributions (so that’s on me) = £56,260
👉 Fuel – £400 a month = £51,460
👉 Public liability & indemnity insurance = £49,960
👉 Tools (because they don’t last forever) = £47,960
👉 Uniform = £47,460
👉 Accountancy fees = £46,260
👉 Advertising & marketing (because work doesn’t magically appear) = £45,060
👉 Phone & internet = £44,460
👉 Training & certifications (we have to stay up to date) = £43,660
👉 Vehicle maintenance, MOT, tyres, tax = £42,160
👉 Downtime/admin/unpaid quotes = £38,910
👉 Tool theft (average £4,470 per incident) = £34,440
👉 Van breakdown/major repair = £31,940
👉 Other unexpected hits = £29,940
So from £65,000, I’m realistically left with under £29,000 – BEFORE tax, before bad debts, before anything else life throws at me.
And here’s what the public don’t see 👇
• We have to chase and hunt down our own work. No work = no pay.
• No sick pay.
• No holiday pay.
• No employer pension.
• Evenings and weekends spent quoting, doing paperwork, or on call.
• One van breakdown or set of stolen tools can wipe out months of earnings.
❓Do you still think £250 a day is enough for a tradesman?
I saw this post somewhere online and it was an interesting topic. I spend a lot of time day & night plus weekends keeping things going.
