Prices of trades

markhobbs Member

Member since 01 June 2022

markhobbsMember01 June 2022 11:07:43

Hi there,,

Trying to find out the price of skilled labour in and around the veliko tarnovo region local and or English

Many thanks for any advice 👍

Carpenters day rate ?

Plastering day rate?

Electrician ?

Plumber ?

Decorating?

janemulberry ViP

Member since 23 January 2021

janemulberryViP06 June 2022 16:41:20

1625

Mark, I don't know the answer, but maybe I can point you in the direction of someone who does. Chris, partner of Karen who runs the VT English-language bookstore in Opalchenska Street, got into renovating village houses after doing up their own, in a beautiful authentic style. He has contacts for reliable skilled tradepeople, and would be able to let you know the going rates.

kaththomas2017 Contributor

Member since 09 June 2022

kaththomas2017Contributor16 June 2022 07:17:12

127

Ive been ripped off by British " builders" and by Bulgarian ones. There's quite a few jobs that I need doing around my home from new windows, tiled floors to gardening. I've no idea how to find someone capable of doing the work although I'm sure that there are people or how much to pay. So I suppose we're in the same boat Mark.

Guest7632 Guest

Guest7632Guest16 June 2022 18:24:58

Easiest way to find out is by asking your neighbours or people in your village.

Arranging labour online is never recommended. There are far too many expat cowboys out here.

gwynj Bulgaria Expert

Member since 30 June 2020

gwynjBulgaria Expert17 June 2022 10:48:35

2398

I haven't found many who are willing to do hourly/day rates. Most seem to want to give a quote for the particular job (or give a quote per m2 for the particular type of work such as painting, laying laminate, etc.).

I just started work on a brand new apartment ("Bulgarian standard") with a local worker who came highly recommended for both quality and cost of his work.

His rate is 12 euros per m2 (of actual wall/ceiling, not area of your room) for finishing the walls and ceiling. This is labour and materials. His plan of work is primer + 2 coats of plaster (rough coat, fine coat) + smoothing down of plaster + primer + 2 coats of good quality paint. So I think this will come in at 3k euros give or take (2 bed apartment, 80 m2).

My Bulgarian (so I assume he knows how to get local prices) teaching buddy just finished a new studio (large one of 65 m2 because of balcony). He said that his total cost to finish it (including all decorating work, bathroom, kitchen, all furniture, all appliances, ready to rent out) was 30k euros (and inflation just hit 15% this month, so prices are still going up quickly). Bulgaria is definitely not as cheap as in the good old days.

Mike Stallone Drysdale Member

Member since 14 July 2022

Mike Stallone DrysdaleMember14 July 2022 02:49:48

@GB_2_BG fully agree . Lee Griffith from Glavan, is the worst cowboy roofer and builder, I have ever come across

Mike Stallone Drysdale Member

Member since 14 July 2022

Mike Stallone DrysdaleMember14 July 2022 02:52:32

Wow so many cowboy builders, roofers and other so called trades in Bulgaria... More than any other country I have lived in, and no one seems to punish them.???

janemulberry ViP

Member since 23 January 2021

janemulberryViP14 July 2022 18:05:07

1625

Gwyn, good to have some numbers for finishing costs of apartments, as so many are sold unfinished.

Rosebub New member

Member since 20 July 2023

RosebubNew member20 July 2023 11:14:46

A word of warning. There are many so called builders, Brits and Bulgarian that are no more than con men. A brit named D and his partner K are such. They " ripped off a 75 yr old pensioner in a village near Yambol, took his money and left a reck of a building. They asks for money, then disappears, finally he says he been in hospital, so you feel sorry for him. But never finishes the work started. We have since found out from our Bulgarian translators that he has done this to at least 4 other people.

Moderated by Bhavna last year
Reason : Removal of names to avoid any form of defamatory content. You may share the names in inbox
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct