For me if I measure a job and really want to get it I tell the homeowners that if they just pay me 37.5 an hour I will come out less then other quotes that they may get. That gives me $300 a day $1500 a week , and more if I work longer hours. To me thats a good weekly wage for a guy with little bills. Sometimes I measure a job by the foot and walk out with $80-$100 an hour although that doesn't happen very often. Usually falls around the $40-$50 range.
I've landed many jobs by asking for $300 a day.

What do you guys do? By the foot? By the job? I would think most of you are by the job and just break it down to SF price if they ask.

I also buy all my material wholesale and charge retail. Do you guys do that? Good way to make a few extra hundred per job. I buy tile too if I can. Did it this afternoon, made $280 in 2 hours.
My thoughts are that I set tile for a living but I'm in the business of making money.

Would like to hear what others have to say.

Well, I'm slaving like a pig dog right now, for a hundred bucks a day, if that makes you feel any better.

Randy and I were talking about this the other day.Yeah,I wish I could make consistently $1500 a week for my labour...for a five day week,six even.I've had a hard time doing that this year.

Me,I think that I should be able to get $50 an hour for my company and pay myself as a employee $40.Customers don't seem to feel the same way.At least,not around these parts.
I have a hard time squeezing money out of rich people.Most of them have no problem buying expensive stuff but will squawk when they hear how much this guy in dirty workclothes wants for installing said expensive item.

For me,this year has sucked as far as contracting goes.I think I've made between $27 to $30 average...just worked a lot to pay the bills.Still owe taxes from 2006 ...about $4200.I know my bills are high but I should be able to get better paying jobs at this stage in my career.It's time for me to promote myself better.Advertise,website and such.

Sorry if I bummed anyone out. :p

Not all jobs suck though...One that came from this site(a travertine tile floor in a kitchen at Dufferin and Lawrence)was a good one.The customer even gave me some shirts and a vest from the company he works for and $150 bonus.Good people.

I should add that for me I don't work every day of the year, although this year has been great and I'm good till February. Competition here isen't the same as in cities, mind you many jobs are still an hour away due to driving so far in the bush.
One thing I've started to do was stopping in at new houses being built around here. Especially if I know the homeowners are contracting the house themselves. If they are getting any tile they are always up to getting a quote while I'm there. I've only got one house this year doing that but I'm expecting another next spring.

I've written the test and I'm on the list to join the local electrical union. Journeyman are around $32 an hour $3 and hour for vacation and taking home $200 a week for pension. Thats over $40 an hour when you add in benefits.

Nice goin' Randy!

I'm in about the same situation as Ron. By the time I take out expenses, it seems I'm working for bills. I did incorporate a few years ago and get a set salary no matter how much or little I work. Most of my jobs make around $50 per hour.

Over the past few months, though, I've looked at a lot of jobs, including a lot of remodels. I noticed that I was doing a lot of extras for little or no extra charge, and I decided that I wouldn't do that anymore. If someone decides to go with a cheaper contractor, I'll come back in a few months and repair/redo at an even higher price. At least I won't work myself to death for peanuts. There will always be some fly-by-night tile setter that can do the job cheaper, but the people will get what they pay for.

I don't get premium price for everything I do, and I still do some charity work when I can. I just don't believe a qualified tile setter should have to work for the same price as a hack.

Incidentally, Randy, I wanted to try the electrician thing years ago, but the training and schooling was so long, I let it go. Good luck with it.

It is long so the sooner for me the better. I'll be around 40ish assuming i stay working for 6 years straight in the apprenticeship. The plan is to be self employed again once I'm qualified.
I can get a job tommorrow as a sheet metal worker in the Ottawa union, there is absolutley no one on the waiting list. Journeyman again is $35 an hour with benefits and pension. Pushing $50 an hour. Problem there is what do you do if you want to work for yourself again down the road. You dont see to many sheet metal only businesses. Lose your freedom of self employment of course.
With proper investing pension money in 25 years I'd have half a million in pension. Won't have that doing this.
Mind you I'm swamped with work now for a while but I know it will eventually end, Probably in the spring time. I'd prefer to get out when the getting good. I cant see myself crawling around on peoples floors when I'm 50 anyhow.
Hats off to you older folks that are still doing it.

ONe more thing. I stopped at a convenience store about a year ago and there was this refrigeration mechanic working there on a cooler. I would say he was pushing 70 still working. He could barely get into the back of his truck. JUst by looking at him you could be 99% sure that he had to be there, for whatever reason he was there because he had to keep working. I don't want to be like that at that age.

I hear ya, Randy. I make more per hour setting tile than I do working at my full time job. The problem is that the full time job provides me with benefits (full pension at 52, health insurance for the whole family with no premiums, dental/vision ins., etc.) that construction doesn't provide. The main thing is that I can't see myself at 65 or 70 still scooting around on the floor trying to earn enough money to buy Geritol and Depends.

It's smart of Randy to be looking ahead with the pension and benefits and such.That old mechanic probably didn't look into that or,if he's working for himself,didn't invest anything.

I guess I should put money into some good investments...I'll ask my accountant.

I don't think I could work for someone else anymore after having been on my own so long.Or,I think that I'm just too proud to give up on my little business to do something else.I know it's gonna get better soon.The problem with contemplating working for a company is that the starting salary is kinda low and currently my monthly bills are over $3000 a month and that doesn't include gasoline,food and other stuff.