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Builders and Plumbers in the southeast 25 times more expensive

16th January 2019

Regional / local: The UK’s cheapest tradesmen are in Birmingham / Nottingham / Nuneaton / Blackwood / Doncaster

  • North-south divide in builder costs as much as £240-per-hour
  • Surrey and London most expensive for tradesmen/women
  • Midlands offers best value to homeowners, according to HaMuch.com

A new data survey by building work pricing site HaMuch.com has revealed the stark differences between the southeast and the rest of the UK when it comes to the cost of building work. The divide appears to be drawn at Watford Gap, with the Midlands offering best value, whilst Surrey and London have the most expensive tradesmen.

The spread of prices for common household jobs across the recently-launched website’s 12,000 tradesmen ranged from £10-per-hour to an incredible £250-per-hour, with builders in Surrey charging as much as 25-times more than their counterparts in Nottingham. Plumbers in Surrey also charged an eye-watering 20-times more than those in Caerphilly. Meanwhile, hiring an electrician in London could cost you £250-per-hour, compared with a bargain basement £10-per-hour in Birmingham. 

The startling prices were uncovered by the data processing team for https://www.hamuch.com as part of their efforts to ensure that homeowners know the cost of jobs up-front. The website lists a labour cost for each tradesman/tradeswoman listed on the service and allows homeowners to search trades in their area by cost, so that no one busts their budget building an extension to having a boiler serviced. So if you are searching ” heating engineer near me “

“We knew there was a wide disparity in charges between the southeast and the rest of the UK, but we were shocked just how wide that was”, says HaMuch.com founder Tarquin Purdie. “The prices show that the market can take a lot in the southeast, whereas rates in parts of the Midlands and north may not have increased for several years. It is certainly something that will make the industry and even government ministers sit up and pay attention.

“We are committed to making sure homeowners and renters alike know the cost of a job before they even approach a plumber or a painter. Not all builders and trades will like it, but we think that the best are only too happy to be honest and up-front on costs.”

The most inexpensive painter and decorator and carpenter both charged £10-per-hour and were in Nuneaton and Doncaster respectively. The most costly were in Brighton and Islington, at £150 and £100. 

The full breakdown of low and high prices is as follows:

Building work: Cheapest, £10-per-hour in Nottingham, East Midlands. Most costly, £250-per-hour in Camberley, Surrey.

Electricians: Cheapest, £10-per-hour in Birmingham, West Midlands. Most costly, £250 in Edgware, London. 

Plumbing:  Cheapest, £10-per-hour in Blackwood, Caerphilly. Most costly, £200-per-hour in Addlestone, Surrey. 

Painting and decorating: Cheapest, £10-per-hour in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Most costly, £150-per-hour in Brighton, East Sussex. 

Carpenters: Cheapest, £10-per-hour in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Most costly, £100 in Islington, London. 

A Guide to Skimming a Wall: A Breakdown of Costs

9th July 2018
Wall repairs

With the summer sun comes brighter, longer days — the perfect time to implement new inspirations and ideas in your home. Whether you have just purchased a brand new home or you are thinking of renovating your current one, chances are at some point your walls will need an overhaul. This may include re-plastering the wall, and painting or adding new wallpaper.

While it may not be noticeable, minor defects arise through the everyday use of your walls, and heat and condensation are two major contributing factors of deterioration. Renovation, therefore, is necessary not just for aesthetic purposes, but also to improve the overall health of your living space. In this guide, you will find valuable tips on skimming a wall, the costs involved and the best materials to use.

Should I Skim a Wall Myself?

With a little skill and experience, home improvements can be done yourself. However, this requires much planning, time and effort — and a lot can go wrong. Such tasks are best left to the experts, who have the long-term skill and experience to get the job done effectively and produce the perfect finish. There are plenty of plasterers in London and all over the UK that are available to help at an affordable price. However, if you’re set on giving it a go yourself, check out our top tips for a job well done.

What Is the Best Material to Skim a Wall?

Choosing the correct plaster is essential for a long-lasting, healthy wall. Before renovating your home, your plasterer will most likely ask which room in the house the wall in question is in. The plaster that you’ll need to use will depend on the surface of the wall itself — if the wrong plaster is used, you risk being threatened by mould.

Due to their moisture-regulating properties, gypsum-based adhesive plasters are best for indoor use. For wetter rooms such as bathrooms, it is better to resort to lime cement-based plasters. Using a gypsum-based plaster in your bathroom could cause mould due to regular high levels of condensation. If you’re being plagued by mould, it’s a good idea to get rid of it before plastering your walls.

Both types of plaster are available as ready mixes, which only have to be mixed with water.

How to Skim Coat a Wall

To skim a wall, you will first need a shovel. This should be made from stainless steel, or else the plaster may cause rust spots. A shovel is used to raise the plaster and to work around the areas on windows and door frames. A sponge board is also needed to felt the plaster surface during the setting process.

To create the right consistency for your plaster mix, apply water in the middle of the dry plaster. The plaster will then need to be mixed under high pressure while using the shovel. At this stage, the mixing must be done very quickly to avoid the plaster drying up.

Now it’s time to prepare your wall! The preparatory work must be done carefully to save you a lot of work later on. Before applying the plaster mixture, remove any dirt and loose particles from your wall. When plastering an old building wall, it’s also important to first use a brush to wet the surface so that the plaster will last longer.

When applying the plaster to your wall, begin by using a cleaning gauge to apply the plaster evenly. Once dried, any stains and bumps can be finished with sandpaper.

If you are planning to paint your wall or add wallpaper, you should only do this when the plaster has fully dried and hardened. It is critical to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your chosen plaster, because the materials used can affect the drying process.

How Much Does It Cost to Skim a Wall? Labour Costs and Materials

Like most handyman jobs, the cost of skimming a wall will depend on how big the job is. There will likely be a minimum cost per job, which you can see outlined in the table below.

You can also check out Hamuch.com, where you will find an extensive list of experienced plastering companies in London. Our database of experienced plasterers also includes regularly updated hourly and daily prices, allowing you get an accurate estimate for the job you need.

Description

Price

Duration

Patch Repair

£150

2 – 3 Hours

Whole Wall

£200

3 – 4 Hours

Whole Room

£300

6 – 8  Hours

Are you looking for a plasterer in London for your wall-skimming needs? We only list fully vetted and qualified traders, giving you peace of mind that any job you need will be completed to a high standard and at a competitive cost. Find a tradesman in your area and get an instant quote today!

Home Improvement on a Budget: Add Elegant Crown Molding

14th May 2018
Add elegant crown molding for home improvement on a budget

Today’s households include mouldings in innumerable forms. Mouldings offer elegance and class to home settings. Each mould is intended for a precise purpose, whether it be framing a door or window in order to make it look more modern or offering a visual alteration at the connection between walls and floors. There are so many types of mouldings that decorate our homes in today’s time that it’s challenging to differentiate between them.

Types of Moulding

Moulding of the walls or ceilings is a modern way of making the walls appear wider or narrower, depending on how the molding is done. The term “trim” is often used when going through the process of moulding. If you’re one to enjoy repairing or installing staircase parts, fireplace mantles or paneling, you will find a broad range of trims that fit right into your area of interest.

Trim includes pretty much any form of practical decorative component one can think of, whether it’s window and door casings, baseboard, picture rail, chair rail, columns, pilasters, celling medallions, fireplace surroundings, etc. You want to make sure to not go overboard with the trimming when moulding the interiors of your home though, as too much moulding might end up giving your home a completely opposite look to what you were aiming for.

Wall moulding can include a complete wall or just a part of it. It can be created using panels, frames, bead board, battens and plywood, all contingent on the final style you are aiming for.

Crown moulding includes a host of mouldings designed to give a flaring edge touch to the walls. This process is generally used to cap walls, cabinets and plasters. It’s used extensively for interior home designs. It is also known as “cornice moulding”.

Wood mouldings include different types of wood that you can choose from. As such, you want to have knowledge regarding the different types of wood that are available in the market. Certain woods are harder than others, some easier to maintain than others. You want to make sure the type of wood you choose for your home setting will not be easily susceptible to damage due to the weather.

Door mouldings include setting up designs around the doorframe. Exterior casing is often used to trim the exteriors of windows and doors. Similar to door moulding, window moulding includes designing around the window frame. Panel moulding is an option that refers to trimming out raised-panel constructions on your window panels or frames.

There are several well trusted companies that do excellent moulding work for homes. Décor Mouldings are quite well known and offer modern designs of moulding that can be suitable for your home.  

Keep in mind that your home will look best if the entire trim work follows a single architectural style rather than a whole range of styles. You want to attain a look of unity within the home’s interior.

If you are unable to find reliable professionals to help get your moulding done around your house, do refer to hamuch.com for great rates on experienced professionals.

First time buyers: Top Five Tips to Avoid Homeowner Hassles

27th March 2018
Gas

Buying your first house can be a stressful experience. Once all of the legal dealings are out of the way, and you’ve popped the cork on your ‘welcome to your new home’ bottle of champagne, the reality sets in – everything from the bricks and mortar to the knives and forks are now your responsibility.
We at HaMuch have put together our top five tips to help make your first home run like a dream.

1. Find the essentials

When you first move in, it can be tempting to focus on where the TV will go and what colour the spare bedroom will be, first make sure you find the essentials. Locate your gas and electricity meters, the fuse box, and the stopcock on day one. Once all your boxes are unloaded from the moving van, you should take readings from your meters, as your suppliers will need this information, and it will avoid you getting over charged.
If you can find your fuse box in the dark and can access (and shut off) your stopcock valve quickly, you will be covered for most major emergencies. When you need the services of an electrician or a plumber, they will ask you where these are, so it’s handy to tell them straight away.

A fresh coat of paint or new wallpaper can help to make it your own

2. Put your own stamp on it

One of the best things about owning your own home is that you can decorate it the way you like. A fresh coat of paint or new wallpaper can help to make it your own. If you’re not keen to get out the pasting table or paint brushes, it’s worth finding a good local decorator who can work their magic on your walls and get the look you want.
If you peel back the paper to reveal a cracked or problematic wall, a good plasterer should be able to skim it for you, making it the perfect surface to paint. You can then hang your mirrors, pictures and shelves to your heart’s content.

Find trusted certified tradespeople in your area

3. Make friends with tradespeople

You’ve committed a lot of money to your new home, so it’s easy to become nervous when jobs too complicated for DIY need doing. Find trusted, certified tradespeople in your area, so you won’t need to worry next time your boiler needs servicing or you need a new plug socket.
Make sure your electrician is regulated to meet UK safety standards, your plumber is WIAPS approved and your gas engineer is on the Gas Safe Register. You can check all of this information from HaMuch when finding a tradesperson.

Double-glazing will also save your money long term on your heating bills

4. Check your security

When you first move in, it is worth making sure you’re happy that the doors and windows are secure. Consider changing the locks if the house is not a new build, or replacing the windows if they’re not double-glazed. This will make your home feel safer and give you peace of mind. Double-glazing will also save you money long term on your heating bills.
You may also choose to invest in a burglar alarm or security lights to help keep your home safe when you’re away. Make sure you choose a reputable company to fit these to make sure you get a reliable service.

A good local gardener on the case will help you fool the neighbour into thinking you're Monty Don with minimum effort

5. Consider the extras

If your house or garden is large, or if you’re working full time, think about hiring a cleaner or a gardener to help keep your house looking its best. It can lift your spirits considerably to come home to a spotless house, and having a cleaner to look after this for you can take a load off your mind.
Gardens can start to look drab without regular TLC, and if you’re not green-fingered, this can start to feel like a chore. Getting a good local gardener on the case will help you fool the neighbours into thinking you’re Monty Don with minimum effort.

HaMuch has more than 11,000 trusted local tradespeople who can help with every homeowner hassle.

How to Avoid Kitchen Sink Dramas

27th March 2018
Check costs by the hour

House maintenance can seem like an endless battle with homeowners banging their heads against the wall when it feels like yet another repair needs doing, or the boiler is on the blink – again!

Whatsmore, homeowners tend to agree that finding the right tradesperson for a job can be a real challenge, and many people are left scratching their heads not knowing where to start their search or who to trust.

Here are three simple steps to find the right person for the job, avoiding the pain and strain of poor services, and instead feeling confident while the true professionals take care of your much-loved home.

1. Check and compare costs

You might have a quick job that will only take a couple of hours, or you may be considering a project in your home that will take weeks or months to complete. Likewise your budget may be tight and you need to get the job done on a shoestring, or you could have a big pot to play with to wave a magic wand, transforming your house.

Whatever your budget, you will want to check and compare costs quickly and easily. HaMuch allows you to simply check costs for jobs by the hour, and by the day. All the costs are open and visible on the website, there is complete transparency. So, all you need to do is search for a tradesperson in your area, and use HaMuch to compare the costs. Easy!

check availability

2. Check and compare availability

HaMuch has created a unique feature to make your life considerably easier when searching for available tradespeople.
With a cost-comparison feature to save you time when finding a service makes HaMuch stand out from the crowd. You can breathe a sigh of relief as the days of fruitless calls to unavailable traders taking you back to the drawing board time and time again – are over!

HaMuch has transformed finding an available tradesperson: one click, add your details, and the tradesperson will swiftly let you know their availability without the fuss.

check credentials

3. Check credentials

Everyone has heard a ‘rogue trader’ story, or has watched programmes on the telly where people’s houses have been worse off for hiring the wrong person for the job. However, there is a quick and simple solution to get the very best people to work on your home and that is to check the credentials on the HaMuch website.

Simply search for the service you require in your area, click on a tradesperson and their credentials will appear alongside comments and ratings.

After your chosen tradesperson has completed their job, share your story by returning to HaMuch and rate their hard work, praise their performance with a high star rating and post a comment.