Cost guides · 5 min read
What do builders and trades charge per day in 2026?
If you are pricing up building work, sooner or later you ask what the trades cost per day. Here are honest 2026 figures for the Cheshunt, Enfield and North London area, from a contractor who books these trades every week.
2026 day rates in our area
| Trade | Typical day rate (2026) |
|---|---|
| General labourer | £140 to £180 |
| Painter & decorator | £180 to £240 |
| Plasterer | £200 to £260 |
| Carpenter / joiner | £220 to £280 |
| Bricklayer | £240 to £300 |
| Plumber / heating engineer | £250 to £320 |
| Electrician | £250 to £320 |
Rates run higher inside North London than out in Hertfordshire, and higher again for certified work like gas and electrical sign-off. A genuinely good tradesperson at the top of these ranges is usually better value than a cheap one at the bottom, because they get it right first time.
When day rates are the wrong way to buy
- Day rates reward slow work. A fixed price rewards finishing properly.
- On a multi-trade project, the expensive part is sequencing: a plumber waiting on a plasterer is money burning.
- Nobody on day rates owns the finished result. A main contractor does.
Day rates make sense for small, single-trade jobs. For anything involving several trades, a fixed, itemised price from one accountable team almost always costs less overall, and the price cannot creep.
What we do instead
Every Cheshunt Build quotation is fixed and itemised trade by trade, so you see what each part of the job costs before anyone starts. Our instant estimator gives you that itemised budget in about a minute.
Frequently asked questions
Why do quotes vary so much between builders?+
Different overheads, different quality, and sometimes a low quote that plans to grow once you are committed. Judge a quote by how itemised it is: vague one-line quotes hide the differences, itemised ones expose them.
Is a day rate cheaper than a fixed price?+
For a one-day job with one trade, often yes. For a project with several trades, a managed fixed price is usually cheaper overall because the sequencing is handled and the risk of overrun sits with the contractor, not you.
Do these rates include materials?+
No, day rates are labour only. Materials are typically 35 to 45% of a project on top, which is why itemised quotes matter.