Pricing your work properly
Most trades undercharge by 15–25% because they price labour off "what the next guy charges." Build your day rate from the bottom up: cost of living + overheads + tools + van + insurance + holiday + sick + tax, divided by realistic billable days (220, not 365). Add a margin on materials — you're carrying the cashflow risk.
Quotes that win
- Itemise it. Labour, materials, waste, scaffold, certificates, VAT. Lump-sum quotes lose to itemised quotes on RefurbMatch by 2:1.
- Reply within 4 hours. Conversion rates fall off a cliff after 24 hours.
- Include exclusions. "Excludes asbestos removal, hidden structural works, decoration after first-fix" saves you the awkward variation conversation later.
Cashflow & deposits
- Ask for a 20–25% deposit for material-heavy jobs. Don't bankroll the customer.
- Stage payments at clear milestones (first fix, plaster, second fix).
- Send invoices the day work completes — not "end of month."
Tax basics (UK)
- VAT threshold: £90,000 turnover (2026). Register voluntarily if most of your work is for VAT-registered clients — you reclaim input VAT.
- CIS: if you sub-contract or work as a sub, you must register. 20% deduction if verified, 30% if not.
- Ltd vs sole trader: Ltd is usually worth it above ~£40k profit, but factor in accountant fees (£900–£1,500/yr) and Companies House admin.
Marketing without spending a fortune
- Google Business Profile is free and outperforms most paid ads for local trades — keep it active with weekly photos and review replies.
- Ask for a review the day you collect final payment, not a week later. Conversion drops 70% after 72 hours.
- One good case-study video beats 50 stock-photo posts.
Why tradespeople join RefurbMatch
Flat £29.99/month, no pay-per-lead, no commission. A maximum of 4 contractors can express interest in any single job, so leads stay valuable. See the membership or sign up in under 5 minutes.
Ready to get quotes?
Post a job in 60 seconds — up to 4 vetted UK tradespeople will quote.