Trades

JPU Trade Labour Day Rate Guide 2026

James Property University

Trade Labour
Day Rate
Guide

Every trade you need on a refurb. What to pay. What to check. How to get better prices. Verified May 2026.

Sourced from:

JPU

20+

Trades

Regions

2026

Verified

Labour Only Rates exclude VAT, materials and waste disposal

North of England Rates at the lower end of national range

London / SE Add 30–40% to national average rates

Rates correct as of May 2026. Sources: Checkatrade, MyBuilder, TradeCalculator, TradeDayRates.co.uk, Concretemath. Always get at least 3 quotes. Rates are indicative — individual trades vary by experience, location and job complexity.

JPU TIP: James invests in the North of England (Hull, Yorkshire). Use the North / Midlands column as your baseline. Always get 3 quotes — and use this guide to sense-check them.

Trade	What They Do	North / Midlands ★ (Day Rate)	National Avg (Day Rate)	London / SE (Day Rate)	Hourly Equiv.	Typical Job	JPU Notes
Groundworks & Structure
General Labourer	Site clearance, fetching and carrying, assisting all trades	£120–£150	£130–£160	£165–£210	£15–£20/hr	Any refurb or build	Always use one to keep your trades productive. A £130/day labourer saving a £250/day plasterer 2 hours pays for itself.
Groundworker	Foundations, drainage, concrete, excavation	£160–£220	£180–£250	£220–£320	£22–£31/hr	Extensions, foundations, drainage	Essential for any structural groundworks. Always check drainage before you buy.
Bricklayer	Brickwork, blockwork, repointing, extensions	£160–£220	£180–£280	£220–£350	£22–£35/hr	Extensions, garden walls, structural blockwork	Can be priced per 1,000 bricks laid (~£70–£90). Ask for both options on larger jobs.
Scaffolder	Erecting and dismantling scaffold for access at height	£160–£220	£180–£260	£220–£300	£22–£32/hr	Roof work, external render, chimney repairs	Usually quoted as a contract not a day rate. Get a fixed price including erect and strike.
Roofing
Roofer	Re-tiling, flat roofs, felt, flashing around chimneys, gutters and fascias	£160–£220	£200–£300	£240–£380	£25–£37/hr	Re-tile, flat roof replacement, lead flashing	Always get a written scope. Flat roof and pitched re-tile are very different jobs — get both itemised separately. NFRC Member Recommended
Dry Lining & Plastering
Plasterer	Skimming, boarding, render, coving — often priced per room or per m²	£150–£220	£180–£280	£220–£350	£22–£35/hr	Full replaster, skim after boarding, render	Skim per m² typically £6–£10 labour. Get a room-by-room fixed quote — easier to track and hold them to it.
Dry Liner / Boarder	Fixing plasterboard to stud walls and ceilings	£140–£190	£160–£240	£200–£300	£20–£30/hr	Stud walls, boarding out rooms, ceilings	Faster than a plasterer for boarding only. Use a boarder to fix and a plasterer to skim — saves time and money.
Carpentry & Joinery
Carpenter / Joiner	First fix (studwork, floors, joists) and second fix (doors, skirtings, architrave)	£160–£220	£180–£280	£230–£380	£22–£35/hr	Stud walls, floor, doors, skirtings, staircases	Split into first fix and second fix on larger refurbs. They don't have to be the same person.
Kitchen Fitter	Supply and fit or fit-only kitchen installation	£150–£200	£175–£250	£200–£320	£21–£31/hr	Kitchen installation, worktops, units	Fit-only is cheaper — supply the kitchen yourself. You control quality and cost.
Floor Layer	Laminate, vinyl, engineered wood, tiles — all floor coverings	£140–£190	£160–£230	£190–£280	£20–£28/hr	All floor coverings	Tiled floors often priced per m² (~£25–£45/m² labour only). Get per m² and per day and compare.
Electrics
Electrician (Domestic)	Full rewire, consumer unit, sockets, lighting, EICR testing and certification	£180–£260	£200–£350	£280–£480	£35–£55/hr	Full rewire, consumer unit upgrade, EICR	Must be Part P registered. Full rewire typically quoted as contract price (£2,000–£4,000 labour). Always get the EICR certificate — you need it legally before letting. Part P Registration Required Verify: NICEIC or NAPIT
Electrician (First Fix)	Cable routing, back boxes, consumer unit — first fix stage only	£170–£230	£200–£300	£250–£380	£25–£37/hr	New build or full refurb first fix stage	Full rewire typically quoted as a contract. Always confirm what stage the quote covers.
Plumbing & Heating
Plumber	Pipework, bathrooms, hot and cold water systems, radiators, soil stacks	£170–£240	£200–£300	£280–£420	£30–£45/hr	Bathroom fit, new pipework, radiators	Bathroom fit often quoted per room (£800–£1,500 labour). Supply the sanitaryware yourself for better quality control.
Gas Safe Engineer	Boiler installation, gas pipework, commissioning and gas safety certificates	£180–£260	£220–£350	£300–£480	£32–£52/hr	Boiler swap, gas pipework, commissioning	Must be Gas Safe registered. Verify card number at gassaferegister.co.uk before they start. Non-negotiable. Gas Safe Registration Required Verify: gassaferegister.co.uk
Heating Engineer	Full central heating systems, radiators, underfloor heating installation	£170–£240	£200–£320	£260–£400	£25–£40/hr	Full heating system, radiator installation	Often same person as the plumber on smaller jobs. Confirm scope clearly before work starts.
Tiling
Tiler	Wall and floor tiling in bathrooms, kitchens, hallways	£140–£200	£160–£250	£200–£320	£20–£31/hr	Bathroom tiling, kitchen splashback, hallway	Often quoted per m² (~£20–£50/m² labour only). Large format tiles take longer — factor this into the quote.
Painting & Decorating
Painter & Decorator	Prep, filling, priming, painting walls, ceilings and all woodwork	£130–£190	£150–£250	£200–£330	£18–£31/hr	Full decoration after plaster, woodwork painting	Per room quotes are more manageable than day rates. Ask for a room-by-room breakdown including prep and two coats.
Specialist Trades
Damp Specialist	DPC injection, membrane, replastering after treatment	£180–£280	£200–£350	£260–£420	£25–£43/hr	Rising damp treatment, DPC injection	Always insist on a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee. Get the quote before making your offer — use it as your negotiation.
Structural Engineer	Calculations, inspections, crack assessments, sign-off on structural work	£400–£600	£500–£800	£600–£1,000	£50–£125/hr	Beam calculations, crack assessment, RSJ sign-off	Usually quoted per project not day rate. If you see diagonal cracks through brickwork — get a report before making an offer. MRICS or CEng Required
Asbestos Removal	Survey, testing, safe removal of asbestos materials from pre-2000 properties	£300–£500	£400–£700	£500–£900	£37–£87/hr	Pre-refurb asbestos survey and removal	Must be licensed. Costs vary massively by quantity. Always survey before demolition or major work begins. Licensed Contractor Required
Japanese Knotweed	Survey, professional treatment programme, insurance-backed guarantee	£300–£500	£400–£600	£500–£800	£37–£75/hr	Knotweed treatment and management plan	Usually a 3–5 year treatment contract. James negotiated £8,000 off one purchase price using knotweed as the lever. Costs from £1,500 to treat.
uPVC Window Fitter	Fitting replacement windows and external doors	£150–£220	£180–£280	£220–£340	£22–£35/hr	Full window replacement, door fitting	Often supply and fit — get a labour-only quote separately and supply windows yourself to control cost.
Surveyor (RICS Level 2)	Condition survey and written report before purchase	£300–£500	£400–£700	£500–£900	£37–£87/hr	Pre-purchase survey before making an offer	Level 3 full structural survey: £500–£1,500. Always recommend Level 3 on pre-1970 properties or where structural issues are suspected. MRICS Qualification Required

Typical Full Refurb Labour Costs

3-bed terraced house — North of England — labour only excl. VAT and materials

Labourer	5 days	£600 – £750
Plasterer	5 days	£750 – £1,100
Dry Liner (3 days)	3 days	£420 – £570
Carpenter 1st Fix	3 days	£480 – £660
Carpenter 2nd Fix	3 days	£480 – £660
Electrician — Full Rewire	Contract	£2,000 – £3,500
Plumber — Full Bathroom	Contract	£1,200 – £2,000
Gas Safe — Boiler Swap	1 day	£300 – £600
Tiler	3 days	£480 – £750
Painter & Decorator	5 days	£650 – £950
Total Labour Estimate	Labour only · Excl. VAT	£7,360 – £11,540

How To Get Better Prices

Always get 3 quotes

Never accept the first price. Use quotes 2 and 3 to negotiate quote 1 down. On a £10,000 job this alone can save £1,000–£2,000.

Separate labour from materials

Never pay for both in one lump sum. Ask for a breakdown. If they won't provide one, walk away.

Pay in stages

Never pay upfront in full. Agree stage payments tied to completion milestones. A reputable trade will never refuse this.

Offer repeat work

If you're building a portfolio, say so. Ongoing work means better rates. Be the client they want to keep.

Use this guide to challenge

If a quote comes in higher than the ranges here, challenge it with evidence. "I've been quoted X by two others" is a complete sentence.

Pay on time, every time

The best trades have choices. Being known as reliable and fair is your single biggest edge over other investors.

Credentials To Verify Before You Hire

Electrician

Must be Part P registered. Verify via NICEIC or NAPIT. Work must be certified and notified to building control.

Gas Engineer

Must be Gas Safe registered. Verify card number at gassaferegister.co.uk before they start. No card, no work.

Structural Engineer

Should hold MRICS or CEng status. Ask for professional indemnity insurance certificate before engaging.

General Builder

Check for FMB (Federation of Master Builders) membership. CSCS card for site workers. Public liability minimum £2 million.

Roofer

NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) membership recommended. Always ask for a written workmanship guarantee.

All Trades

Ask for public liability insurance before work starts. Check Checkatrade or Trustpilot reviews. No insurance = do not hire.

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All day rates are indicative benchmarks for 2026, sourced from Checkatrade, TradeCalculator (tradecalculator.co.uk), MyBuilder (mybuilder.com), TradeDayRates.co.uk, and Concretemath.co.uk — updated May 2026. Rates are for self-employed tradespeople, labour only, based on an 8-hour working day. They exclude VAT, materials, and call-out charges. Always obtain at least three written quotes before committing to any work. James Property University accepts no liability for costs incurred. This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or construction advice.