Rate for a plumber

[Purdey]

Could someone please advise me of the average hourly or daily rate for a plumber in France

[andykAndy k]

Hi,

Our plumber charges 25 euro and hour, to be honest i have never compared the cost only with that of plumbers in the UK  and 25 euro's an hour I believe is fantastic in comparison.

Andy

[Teamedup]

I rather think it is fantastic for France too. I would imagine that around 35-40 euros an hour would be the going rate.

[Alcazar]

£80 an hour, St Helens,  nearly £100 an hour, Kingston on Thames

 

Alcazar, (sorry, not really helpful, I know)

[Plato comes homePlato]

Most countries have a view of trades exploitation..he was here two hours and charged me $200...but when we gt down to say daily...in a country where an electrician has a base rae of around 600 quid wages..ie he business may require say 900 quid to support him... a charge out rate of 30 quid an hour seems more the point and in fact around $45/50 is more it...The tradesman runs a van and tools tyres and telephone and support mechanisms..and needs profit to move ahead.

Generally in the West..currencies are manipulated..in Australian terms a fish and chips meal in Dorset cost me $22.50 which is 4 times the typical Australian price..but the pommies said..that's ok mate at 7 pound 50p! If we pay $4.50 for a big mac meal or some such you probably pay 4 quid 50p..currency conversions then enrich the capitalists in multinational terms.

So a plumber in France costing say 200 eu for a morning's work isn't so bad whereas an aussie there would say "I just paid $400 for a morning's work!!" and be very unhappy!

So look at the real situations before getting overwrought...in a country on euros I'd say 45 to 70 eu for a short term job (up to a day) <script language=JavaScript></script>  would be ok...handles his loading unloading and travel and expenses hidden but get quotes as well because I think the system the french use to cream people is the "quote system" and I shudder at the way they spin jobs out so you lose track of time and costs and you get so desperate you will pay through the nose...

Never pay them all upfront or until the job has some testing time..like witholding 10% for a month..and make sure your work is certified by an inspector..I have seen not only pommie shonks but frnch shoks mercilessly riping off people especially the aged...

Some demand 30% up front but I want a contract for that with every detail of the tradesman and his locality on it. Don't hesitate to use a supervisor and pay him or her but make sure they are absolutely clear as to your instructuons and demands..have specifications...

As an example..when restoring a friend's house she had an electrician (couldn't wait for me!! as he told her the house was dangerous (what rubbish!!) completely rewire it..his work was quite good BUT he misconnected the active and neutral and fortunately my esp told me...I checked every light and GPO and all were reversed and switching neutrals...I eventually altered it after 6 months offf trying to gt her to get the 'friendly" electrician to return..oh no we mustn't offend this poor darling!!...Having spent the money to have seperate circuits as I advised for heating..as electrical heaters can be very cheap...she decided too go gas!!...even though the electricity ws very effective and the capital paid...the plumber charged her nearly 6000 euros for the heater and 3 radiators and the pipework back to the front of the house..well, that was 3000 less than another one!!..but when I made it clear I knew the plumbing game he started not coming..never had the courtesy to say hello to me when he did come and then after finding when I was leaving france..left her without hot water for 2 weeks(I got her to get temporary) even though I did all the difficult stuff for them to save their time whe they used that section as an excuse to 'delay" ...and funny that ..kept being 'delayed! " We are now in the 4th month!! for a simple job...delayed  until I had left and then returned two days later..why?? because conning women is a French "trades" art!! The actual worker said the boss hated me because I was an etranger, because I knew about the work ad because I made sure he discussed issues with my friend..reaction..use the French method of walking over me and frustrating her so as to cause dissention...

Many are very very nasty and threatening con men and not real tradesmen at all. Anyone can paint "artisan peinture " on a truck!! or letterhead it...You should always protect your self but you MUST be clear in wroting at the OUTSET and before saying 'yes" just what you want and what the metier will bring...type quality, everything..

As well always photostat their licence and assurance details at the quote and at the time of commencement.. ..no give..no money..and never fall for agreeing to avoid TVR because ifyou do..you will be in their hands in the event of a disaster....there are solutions but better not to go there..

I have deviated but hope it raises issues of value...

Cheers

[Ron Avery]

This post may well spawn many "my plumber charges .... " but here in 12 my plumber/electrician charges €27.50 HT for devis work.  The actual cost TTC depends on whether he is on repairs at 19.6TVA  or refurb work at 5.5%TVA  On top of the hourly rate he charges for all materials.

I have called him out a couple of times and there has been no call out charges, just been charged for time spent.  Unlike in the SE UK where my son was ripped off by an emergency plumber after putting a nail through a pipe, he charged £ 220 call out for the first hour and after making the repair last 55 minutes while all the time looking at his mobile and telling us he had been 10 minutes in his van looking for 15mm tubing, a rare commodity for a plumber of course, he then announced that he was into his next hour and could he help put the floor boards back. We told him to go forth and multiply, but we still got charged for two hours as they do not come out without your credit card number being validated.