Advice on a Sign Fitters Wages, views please?

[George Neagu]

quote Gary Barker:

Hi All need some advice on sign fitters wages, someone that has 3 to 5 years experience, can fit most type of signs and graphics, what kind of money are they paid, average week 40hrs.

A upto 15k per year
B upto 18k per year
C upto 20k per year
D upto 23k per year
E upto 25k per year
F over this

Just a letter will be fine on any response

Thanks Gary

It depends a lot where you are base/he lives.
For example, in London you are just about to die with 18k but could be plenty of money for a small town in Midlands.

But for that experience and skills, should be paid at least 20k in UK and at least 23k in London I would say.

It also depends if:
– he can drive
– he can do other work for you if there are no installs
– he is available anytime you need him (night, early morning, late evenings, weekends etc.).

[John McNickle]

I have the same issue George, I have a guy with over 10yrs experience but has continually refused to learn to drive, we are a 2 man team at the moment and he is pushing for a raise… he is on inbetween A and B on your scale and I can’t go more without a licence

[Robert Lambie]

Geographical location will dictate a lot, so who replies here with views and opinions will greatly differ based on that.
Personally, I do not see a fixed rate based on years in trade.

Finding someone new with experience can be a good start, but you must find out exactly what they can do and "do well".
Just because they have years under their belt, does not mean they are any good at the job or are a good employee, and there is a difference!

First sit down and find out what wage they are after and if you can afford them.
Document exactly what they say they can do and "do well" not just what they have so-called experience in. Get it signed by them.
Agree to "trial period" of say 3-6 months based on attendance, performance at work, working as a team and more importantly "quality of work" which they state as can do well. This gives you a time to properly evaluate their worth but also to let them go at any point should they have lied or be an employers nightmare. Review their performance fortnightly and talk about it, do not let either party assume all is well.

at the end of the day, if you cannot afford what they want then your beat. but do not let someone dictate their worth just based on years in the trade.
e.g. I personally have 26 years experience in this industry, in that time i have worked on tons of Lightbox signs, Trough lights and LED illuminated letters etc. however, in comparison to sign makers doing this type of thing daily for a few years, i personally would regard myself as crap and slow working with electrics, but I bet i could hoodwink good sign companies into giving me a job to do this line of work, only for them to discover once my feet were under the table I maybe not worth what they are paying me. just tread carefully!

quote John McNickle:

I have the same issue George, I have a guy with over 10yrs experience but has continually refused to learn to drive, we are a 2 man team at the moment and he is pushing for a raise… he is on inbetween A and B on your scale and I can’t go more without a licence

Make him a deal John, you pay him for his driving lessons, and you can claim the costs back anyway.
Only once he learns to drive do you give him his rise, which could be the amount your paying for the lesson/s each week.
This way it is in his best interest to pass and pass quickly.
Why should your commitment to him increase if his commitment to you does not?

.

[George Neagu]

quote Robert Lambie:

Personally, I do not see a fixed rate based on years in trade.

Essential point here, I had this in my mind but I missed to write it here.

quote John McNickle:

I have the same issue George, I have a guy with over 10yrs experience but has continually refused to learn to drive, we are a 2 man team at the moment and he is pushing for a raise… he is on inbetween A and B on your scale and I can’t go more without a licence

quote :

quote Robert Lambie:

Make him a deal John, you pay him for his driving lessons, and you can claim the costs back anyway.
Only once he learns to drive do you give him his rise, which could be the amount your paying for the lesson/s each week.
This way it is in his best interest to pass and pass quickly.
Why should your commitment to him increase if his commitment to you does not?

.

Are you sure he can drive the van as soon as he will get the license? Is it going to have enough driving skills to drive the van? Do you have a backup if he will bump it?

Will you afford an insurance for him to drive?

[John McNickle]

Yes rob that’s the offer on the table, he takes it, lumps it or leaves it, the. All is in his court, we are in Northern Ireland and the signage company’s over the 24 yrs I’ve been in it have quadrupled and caused real damage to prices we get on works offered

George I’m part of a bigger family business but independent, we use the main insurance so it covers anyone over 25