Rates of Pay

[Matt]

I know it can be a bit of a sensitive subject but how much is everyone paying their ground workers and machine drivers at the minute? We’re looking to take on another machine driver and ground worker and everyone I talk to wants silly money. I think the labour shortage and high volumes of work has pushed up the prices. We re based in Surrey/ South London and I know that keeps the price of everything up but surely these high prices aren’t sustainable!

 

[Smiffy]

I know it can be a bit of a sensitive subject but how much is everyone paying their ground workers and machine drivers at the minute? We’re looking to take on another machine driver and ground worker and everyone I talk to wants silly money. I think the labour shortage and high volumes of work has pushed up the prices. We re based in Surrey/ South London and I know that keeps the price of everything up but surely these high prices aren’t sustainable!

Speaking to everyone I work with the rates in reality are not what people are asking and definitely not what they claim on FB.
Also the rates up north for unskilled labour actually seem to be more ATM as down here has been worse affected by covid especially as alot of London is shut down and Gatwick has layed off a lot of People.
Also speaking to a few other gangs if you can offer PAYE people will throw themselves at you even if only a zero hours contract as alot are starting to realise the benefits.

 

[doobin]

Bring on the crash, would be nice to see the end of these entitled *****.

 

[Gunners]

We re based in Surrey/ South London and I know that keeps the price of everything up but surely these high prices aren’t sustainable!

What you paying? Ill come and work for you. I'm jealous of my mate @JD450A who is getting all the bacon sandwich's while I slave my guts out to break even.
£180-200 per day seems to be the going rate for anyone with any brains in North Hampshire. And even at that price they are thin on the ground...

 

[JD450A]

All depends on calibre and package. I know that you can go from £120 a shift through to £250 a shift.... And even £300+ on nights.

Van and fuelcard is worth £5 a hour easy, off books is easily a third more than cards in for a firm.

 

[Grahams]

I know it can be a bit of a sensitive subject but how much is everyone paying their ground workers and machine drivers at the minute? We’re looking to take on another machine driver and ground worker and everyone I talk to wants silly money. I think the labour shortage and high volumes of work has pushed up the prices. We re based in Surrey/ South London and I know that keeps the price of everything up but surely these high prices aren’t sustainable!

What do you call silly money? I think Gunners comments about rates and scarcity are about right.

 

[Jimoz]

I worked for a firm with lads on the books with fuel card and company vehicles. The vans were tracked, the phones were tracked, they got bollocked if the van needed owt doing, they got docked if they stopped at a cafe outside of official break hours and they got docked minimum 15mins even if finished 5 mins early. f**k that. I'd be unemployable nowadays.

 

[JD450A]

I worked for a firm with lads on the books with fuel card and company vehicles. The vans were tracked, the phones were tracked, they got bollocked if the van needed owt doing, they got docked if they stopped at a cafe outside of official break hours and they got docked minimum 15mins even if finished 5 mins early. f**k that. I'd be unemployable nowadays.

That's why Rory is Feral..... someone a long time ago told me you make your own luck..... I get good money

 

[Jimoz]

These blokes were literally sitting down for 3hrs a day and the firm thought they were being clever docking them 15mins. What a s**t show

 

[Brendan]

The rates claimed over FB are high, and even when you see a Good rate put up either no one replies or people still want more.
One way to do it would be call local agencies and get prices then add a few quid on that way if your stick you won't be out of pocket if you have to use the agency

 

[Jimbo69]

£14-16/hour plus van and fuel card on the books up here. Some groundworkers I know are on £18+ but they’re at the top of their game.

 

[V8Druid]

dunno what they are round here, but at 200ish a day I'd think about a few weeks now and again

 

[Mark]

paying anything over 12/13 pound an hour isn’t sustainable in plant hire. By the time you take into consideration overtime pay, company pension, travel, grease money. The driver is walking away with near enough £20 an hour of the hire rate and if 20t excavators are going out for £34 ish it leaves you with £14 per hour for your £120k investment.
If you add in a van and fuel card to that your not making money.

Edit: that’s if books in.

 

[Mogman]

paying anything over 12/13 pound an hour isn’t sustainable in plant hire. By the time you take into consideration overtime pay, company pension, travel, grease money. The driver is walking away with near enough £20 an hour of the hire rate and if 20t excavators are going out for £34 ish it leaves you with £14 per hour for your £120k investment.
If you add in a van and fuel card to that your not making money.

Edit: that’s if books in.

£34 ish for a 20 tonner that seems cheap I’m on £45 to regulars and upto £60 for one offs

 

[Mark]

£34 ish for a 20 tonner that seems cheap I’m on £45 to regulars and upto £60 for one offs

Believe it or not that’s the going rate mostly across Scotland for a 20T excavator operated without fuel and there a few people out there who will even do it cheaper. All power to you if that’s what you can get down your way, is that with or without fuel?

 

[Mogman]

£45 they supply for £60 I’ll put a drop in her plus transport which is £150 minimum as soon as I turn the key in the truck got fed up of being a busy fool

 

[T whiting]

paying anything over 12/13 pound an hour isn’t sustainable in plant hire. By the time you take into consideration overtime pay, company pension, travel, grease money. The driver is walking away with near enough £20 an hour of the hire rate and if 20t excavators are going out for £34 ish it leaves you with £14 per hour for your £120k investment.
If you add in a van and fuel card to that your not making money.

Edit: that’s if books in.

10-15 is about all you'll get on the books but 20 is possible self employed but you'll probably not get that on every job mostly on short hires

 

[Mark]

£45 they supply for £60 I’ll put a drop in her plus transport which is £150 minimum as soon as I turn the key in the truck got fed up of being a busy fool

We stick mostly to contact earthworks and drainage, plant hire is a stop gap between contracts. Can’t compete with the big hire companies.

 

[Mark]

10-15 is about all you'll get on the books but 20 is possible self employed but you'll probably not get that on every job mostly on short hires

We will pay 17/18 for self employed. But nine times out of ten the people that show up are money chasers and can’t hold down a decent job or spell with a company.

 

[JD450A]

Can’t compete with the big hire companies.

This is the issue through and through..... Trouble is the big firms make there money back sneakily whilst telling a client a machine should be earning f**k all.

I do like threads like this..... make me feel very smug tbh