Running the business
Day rate to m² rate (and back)
- where
- equivalent rate per m² (£/m²)
- day rate you need to earn (£/day)
- finished area per day, all coats (m²/day)
- day rate check (£/day)
- equivalent rate per hour for an 8-hour day (£/h)
Explain this equation
Converts the day rate you need into a price per square metre of finished work, and back again.
D is your target day rate and Pd the area you actually finish in a day, with all coats and cutting in. r is the m² rate that earns D. Dc multiplies back to check, and Rh spreads the day rate over an 8-hour day.
Money per day divided by m² per day gives money per m². Multiplying the m² rate by output reverses it.
Sense check: £200 a day at 25 m² a day is £8/m², or £25 an hour. If your output drops to 20 m² on a fiddly job, the same day rate needs £10/m².
Watch out: base Pd on whole jobs, including preparation and clean-up, not on rolling speed.
Converts the day rate you need into a price per m² of finished work, using what you actually complete in a day.
Enter your values to see the result.
Good to know
Measure output as finished m² (all coats, including cutting in) per day over whole jobs, not rolling speed. Ceilings, stairwells, rooms full of furniture and lots of woodwork are slower. Published labour constants such as Spon's are a useful cross-check. To go the other way, multiply your m² rate by your daily output.
Common mistake
Using your fastest output on an empty new-build to price a furnished refurbishment.
Limits
Labour only. Materials, access and overheads are priced separately.
Sources
Results are calculations from the published methods and figures shown, and depend on the data you enter. Coverage depends on the product, surface and application. Always follow the paint and wallcovering manufacturers’ data sheets and BS 6150 / BS 8000-12. Check prices and VAT with your own records and HMRC.