How much does it cost to finish window frames? I'm shocked!” Zanda doesn’t know who can afford repairs 0 16

This time I found a tweet from Zanda, whose disappointment I completely understand.

She writes on X: “I’m completely on pause. We changed the window in the kitchen. The window frame needs to be finished. I asked GetaPro. The cost of finishing one window frame is from 500 euros!!! How much do I need to earn to afford this? I’ve thrown my hands up. My husband doesn’t know how. Until summer, we’ll manage somehow.”

Once, I publicly asked why the prices of craftsmen are so high. Because sometimes it seems that everyone names their own figure. What is cheap, what is expensive, what is reasonable?

Once, the craftsman Marcis explained his opinion on prices in construction. What did Marcis tell me? Is 800 euros for dismantling a staircase a reasonable price? Is 100 euros an hour too much for cleaning boards? Do craftsmen really say that a job will take a week and cost 1000 euros, but actually complete it in two or three hours while simultaneously working on 10 projects? We, the consumers of services, have many opinions and observations, but now it’s time to listen to an industry representative, certified builder Marcis.

He has a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship and additional education as a professional educator. From a builder, he has grown to his own business, training young specialists in the field. He wrote me a letter saying he wants to clarify why someone might think that the amount named by a craftsman for a specific job might seem too high. He disagrees with my comparisons, and that’s encouraging because the diversity of opinions indicates the relevance of the topic.

“Any work done by a person – a worker (professor or educator) – is planned work with more or less predictable wages. It is wrong to compare it with random jobs. Let me explain why. I have 29 years of experience, and for all this time, I have mainly been involved in construction. Over the years, I have realized that there are two types of clients.

Some plan their wishes in advance and contact me early in the spring or even in winter (there aren’t many of these people), while others, after vacation in July, decide that I need to fix their terrace now while it’s still summer (most of them),” Marcis tells LA.

If the jobs are known in advance, the craftsman can plan projects that are closer, for which the work is more significant in the season or requires specific weather conditions, such as cloudy weather or extreme heat.

“If something needs to be done immediately, I have to drop everything, change my plans, and run because the client needs it – then it needs to be paid for. We builders also want to have planned income and plan our work,” Marcis reveals.

How is the craftsman’s price formed? “In all construction schools, the basic principle of pricing is taught – man-hours versus volume of work. There are even programs for calculations that have norms for the volume of work. When calculating, I usually rely on my personal experience of performing specific jobs. There are many pseudo-builders who learn from what they see; they often look at prices on the Internet, which are not always reasonable.

In construction, there are no clear degrees of difficulty; all work is associated with increased risks. Some jobs require greater physical endurance, while others require mental endurance. You mentioned facades and staircases; I would say that pouring concrete for staircases is easier than making a quality facade, so when preparing estimates, norms are used that can be completed within a specific time frame,” the craftsman notes.

Marcis is not afraid to disclose the price of his work. “I calculate an hourly rate of plus or minus 10-12 euros; the other is for daily work, and then it’s 100 euros.”

Speaking about the new generation of builders, he notes that everyone has different interests, but one thing can be said for sure – those children who have been helping their parents from a young age are capable of working. “I specifically see how my son’s group of scooter assemblers has grown into mechanics and road construction specialists! There is one big ‘but’: vocational schools are preparing a new generation, and many go abroad because even during their studies, they are offered internships and promised higher salaries,” the craftsman reveals.

But what about the work schedule? “If the work is done well, there is something to do all year round. In recent years, I have specialized in facade work; in the winter season, I usually plan such work that is not hindered by frost. The plan for facade work next spring is already known. If nothing changes, everything will be filled up by Ligo (these are all the projects postponed to this year that woke up at the end of August). Those who come up with ideas early in the spring will fill the second half of summer.

It can also be added that cooperation is a compromise, where one has to do something, and the other has to pay for it. “This doesn’t always work, and from experience, the biggest problems with cooperation arise in the suburbs of Riga. Rural residents are much more understanding. In recent years, as prices change under the influence of inflation, I have come to the principle that the estimate is an approximate budget; everything happens based on facts. I agree with my clients that once a week, I provide a summary of the work done and materials,” Marcis notes.

The main thing to remember about money is that there is a big difference in how a team, a craftsman, or a worker operates. A team and a craftsman are people with their own tools and understanding, while a worker is just a person who comes to work. A craftsman should earn an average of 10-12 euros an hour because part of the money goes to tools. A worker earns about 7 euros an hour (assistants are not included in these figures). This does not include taxes; these are figures for hand.