I think the fact of the matter is, if HMRC are saying the average window cleaner Is earning 25k then even if there not declaring it all, there not earning an extra 25k and stuffing it under the bed. Not even an extra 10k.
This is one man bands of course. Two operatives can clear £250 + easily.
But on the whole, most one man bands will be earning between £100-150 a day.
That doesn’t mean some aren’t earning more, we can see lees guys are far over that average, I don’t doubt that. I doubt weather they do as good a job as a sole trader. By nature employees care less.
I’ve employed 3 people over the years, and it’s very hard to get a good worker who thinks like yourself and works hard with attention to detail. They will be more tempted to fly through work and cut corners, whereas the business owner is more inclined to be careful.
Where I am in the south east, £20 houses are pretty normal, so it doesn’t take long to hit £200, but for someone like Adam Thompson up north, that’s not possible, but then, his cost of living is less.
I think in conclusion, the average daily rate varies hugely by area, but the overall average is proabably somewhere near what HMRC say. Especially with electronic payments becoming so much more popular.
For me to hit £400 a day, I’d need all my houses around the £30-40 mark, at the moment that’s not the case, and for most, they’d probably be in the same boat.
Commercial is a different story, for me commercial is king. £400 a day for commercial work is very very achievable. It’s just a shame it’s not everyday!