The Framers Forum

I was wondering what you thought the going hourly rate is for a part time framer?

Max 15 hours per week, for a framer with a few years experience in 'home' framing who will be doing straight forward bespoke work; cutting and joining frames, single/double mounts, glass and back cutting and then assembly. Maybe also some filling and sanding of bare wood frames. They would benefit from watching gilding etc. and learning the basics of this process over time. They would not have to deal with customers.

searching on the web I have found a price of £6 to £8 per hour for full time and according to an survey in ABT (2004) the average part time framer wage was £5.75 ph

This topic may not get many response but hopefully some will give their opinion, obviously I want as much for as little cost as possible! but I also want to pay a fair amount.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Full or part time we start at £6:50 - up to £8:50 when they can do all above unsupervised, plus a bit more, like lacing needlework.

After that increases come with speed, plus ability to take orders.

I worked out my hourly rate last month. Do you want to know it? I don't.

£2.50



(its a new business 6 months and going well so far)

Is that what you charge or what you end up with?

If it's what you charge, then put another 0 on on the end and then some.

Minimum (pt) wage to me smacks of no skills what so ever and I wouldn't want that kind of bod anywhere near artwork Hand finishers are often handling.

framemaker wrote:I was wondering what you thought the going hourly rate is for a part time framer?

Max 15 hours per week.

The new national minimum wages goes up to £5.80 in October. So whatever you pay will have to be more than that. As Robo comments you need a range which will depend on experience, actual skill versus what they say they can do and how much actual work they can do to the standard you require. Does up to £10 per hour sound out of the question? You’ll also need to be clear on when they might achieve a rise in the future.

This link below gives a salary range starting at £12,000 pa, rising to £15 to £20,000 pa depending on experience. This is for full time hours normally 37 hours, which would by my calculations equate to £6.24 per hour based on £12,000 pa. It also incidently provides a job specification for what a framer does!

http://www.connexions-direct.com/Jobs4U ... ledArticle

A recent job advert that appeared here on the forum for the Royal Academy stated £17,500 pa (full time).

Hope this helps.

Rolf

I'm obviously not working for the right owner.

I have been in the same framers for over 10 years. There are only 3 of us, the owner, a full timer and me.
I work 19 hours a week and extra when needs must- the odd Saturday ON MY OWN, Christmas etc.

The present owner was taught all he knows by the full timer, a GCF, and myself, when he retired from his previous job and the old owner moved out of the area.

I have always been paid 50 or so pence per hour over the minimum wage, and have to ask for a pay review when I can get up the nerve- sometimes with 2 years between them-. I have never had a written contract either. The full timer has always been paid a better hourly rate even before his GCF.

I love where I work as it's only 2 miles from home and I get on very well with the other 2 and obviously all the customers know me very well, so I wouldn't want to leave, but after reading this, maybe, like all the artists out there know, I'm undervaluing myself.

I have a part timer who is very flexible, gets on with the job and will do extra time if required. He is pretty good at most framing tasks and looks after customers well. He also has the same sense of humour as I do (we're both grumpy old men) and I pay him £10 an hour gross which is about the same as a cleaning lady or gardner gets around here; he is also my diving instructor so if I don't say nice things he will leave me at the bottom of the ocean.

elly-d wrote:I worked out my hourly rate last month. Do you want to know it? I don't.

£2.50

I know picture framing is competitive and has too many exponents but I have always felt that this trade undervalues itself particularly on tasks outside the norm, ie football shirts, gold slips in mounts, reglazing pictures for little old ladies etc where time is primary and materials minimal. If you have shop premises an hourly labour rate (out of which you pay your o/heads, part time staff and, if there is anything left over, pay yourself) is going to be in the region of £50-60 unless you are situated in a very poor area. I could go on- in fact I will start a topic!!

I pay £10 ph Plus a small bonus and i also let him do a little framing for friends and family, i do find that if im fair then i get a little more work and when needed he will work a little later too....It works for me and believe a working man deserves to be paid a living wage.Id rather put my prices up 5% to cover his salary rather than paying myself or him under our worth....Although of late i think i may be paying too much with all the blunders he has made, but thats another story.......

I feel a move to Sussex in the air

Or maybe Scotland

The weather's better hear and you can understand us.

A framer that could replace me could, within reason, name his/her price.

I think most people on this forum would agree that YOU are irreplaceable

OUCH!!!!!! And you got a fan ....Sweet

I'd work in Scotland but the cycling commute from down here would be a killer.

Thanks for the replies on this, have started the part timer at £7 ph going up to £9 when a reasonable level of speed, ability, and quality is reached. We will see how it goes from here.