A frugal life is an easy life!

I have an absolute gutfull this week, of "tradesmen" quoting times and money for jobs, that are a complete joke!

I always compare what they will charge with the better half's wage - who does a job that only four companies in the world can do. Constantly in demand, her job has taken her all over the world over the years.
If I spent five years training, I doubt that I would be able to do her job, the same would apply without any shodow of a doubt, to so called tradesmen.

Rendering job:
I asked a plasterer working nearby, if he was available for a "foreigner" (Doing a job for cash in hand payment) that he could do in his spare time.
"Yes" came the reply, "I do them with my mate and we charge £100 per day each"
He had a quick look around to see how much the half a house would need and told me roughly, it would take around four days.

Some would say this is good value.... they would be wrong!
The better half would have to work overtime, after her 40 hour week and on a Sunday, to get £14 an hour BEFORE the taxman takes his cut of 33% (For a specialist trained job)
The tradesmen who can plaster, expect to be paid more than £1 per hour more, for working on a Saturday and having me labour for them.
It would take our lass more than three weeks wages to almost break even, with what the plasterers want for four days work.

How is this not a complete joke?

The company the plasterers work for don't pay them anywhere near £15 per hour and the cost of the full job to me the customer would be almost the same price overall, than any so called "foreigner" that these two jokers propose!

Rewiring:
I was quoted by a local electrician, that it would take four lads to come in and blitz the job, probably taking around four days to complete a full rewire. Price quoted was close to £4000!
That's a staggering £28 per hour per each of the four tradesmen I was told would be required!

I enquired through my contacts on the actual cost of wire - 100 metre rolls of twin and earth etc (100 metres is the maximum recommended length for a ring main, ie, all the downstairs plugs)
The cost per roll of wire would be around £67 each - surely there must be some mistake?
£67 per roll?
No mistake, roughly four rolls would be needed for main sockets/lights. etc. If I am generous and add on two rolls to cover any other wiring required, this brings the total cost for the wiring to £402 - a huge gap between the cost of wire and the price quoted of almost £4000 I'm sure you'll agree.

These tradesmen want wages, for four days, which would almost equal a months wage for our lass!
This quote is even more of a joke, as we don't have any ceilings, all wiring is open so there would be no floor boards to lift, just a pair of step ladders is required.

Don't get me wrong, I am not doubting that these tradesmen have worked hard and learned their chosen trade. I am not doubting their skills are up to scratch, but these quotes belong in a joke book!
Many will say that the tradesmen need to make a living, but this is just greed, plain and simple.

In the example of the plasterers - when we built the extention, our friend who is a roofer, ripped out, rebuilt and repaired the old roof and beams. They then fitted all the new beams, fitted all the new felt and then carried and laid two pallets of new roof tiles and reused half of the old tiles, charging me around the same money as both plasterers want for four days work, putting on a scratch coat and render.