Where are you in the UK prices differ

Work out how many hours you would need to spend and your hourly or daily rate if you look on jobsites for consultancy work you will see what they are offering I would think around 22-25 per hour for your area

Kathryn

Not only your location that should influence your hourly rate, but your experience, qualifications, level and scope of professional indemnity insurance etc. Also if competent to deliver the rate is likely to increase in some client sectors e.g. rail and nuclear.

P

Start with a low fee rate and do a good job. You may then get some recommendations - word of mouth is better than paying to advertise.

You may wish to start at £25.00 per hour, do the first part of the job i.e. the Policy and get feedback from the Client.

Then discuss the fee for the second part i.e. fire risk assessment. Then do the same.

Be there when the client needs to know more, without charging for further advice.

Take it slowly and build up a client base. Don't forget to return to the client after a year or so and remind them they need to review.

Most important do not take the client for a fool. They may have done the market research as well.

Hi

Pricing is typically done two ways. Cost plus or value based. Cost plus takes all costs into account and then adds profit, typically between 25% and 40% for professional services. Value based is designed on the market value and prepencity to pay a certain amount, i.e. suppy and demand.

Hope this helps. Don't charge too little, it damages the profession. Consultancy typically ranges from £400 per day for a one man band SME consultancy to the £900+ and upwards per day margin for complex corporate. Average day rate for a management consultant in the UK is £1400 per day (chartered management institute research).

Hope this helps.

Ian

I'm with Peter G on this one. Maybe £20-£25 an hour might cut the mustard for a level 3 practitioner taking on simple tasks but most consultants I know are all CMIOSH with varying levels of experience.

I consult mostly in Somerset & Devon and include London (at the wish of a client) once a week. I travel first class on the train and charge for it. I make no difference to going to London to work as the work I do is all pretty 'General Practitioner' stuff. Sec 21's a plenty, an occasional 22, FRA's, creation of H&S management systems, training, etc. I do actually offer other services and on occasion work for a % of recovered funds when working on Landlord Tenant disputes (service charges management fees etc).

For HS&E work I currently charge out at £380 a full day, travel is at full hourly rate of £52 per hour (minimum charge two hours for work based) this however is going up in June to £440 a day (based on turning work away right now). With a new or prospective client I give the first hour without charge...some you win, some you don't.

I have one client who gives me one day a week, every week, I have reduced my charges slightly to reflect the profit on volume basis. Expert witness testimony can be much higher than my usual rates depending on the nature of the case, they are few and far between though...(speaking of which I have one soon which will run on a bit...it was a fatality).

I think it is next best to impossible to tell you what to charge...what precisely is the work, how qualified and experienced are you? How much work is this client going to give you? Geographical areas has already been mentioned.

I personally do not offer a retention and prefer ad-hoc (fairer to the client IMO). On occasions...well, fairly frequently, I follow some of the big corporate organizations that provide a H&S advice line some manuals and an 'audit' (if you can call it that) I feel certain you know who I mean, there are at least four big players in this market. They charge an annual fee for a fixed term 3/4/5 year contract. Initial fees are of course higher, but settle down once the initial work is completed, and ultimately save the client many thousands over the 3/4/5 year period.

Much then for you to consider and decide upon. Good luck.

CFT