Poole Key Locksmiths Ltd

07/01/2026

Big thanks to Susan Fox, Jo Elcoat

for all of your support! Congrats for being top fans on a streak 🔥!

25/12/2025

That's a rap for Christmas day on call. Now off until Monday. Have a good one all.

25/12/2025

One job today, so far, let's hope I don't have anymore. Merry Christmas everyone

24/12/2025

For emergencies only but I will be on call tomorrow should you need me.
01202377446

22/12/2025

15/12/2025

Saw this posted and thought that I should also post it, as it is a good explanation of self employed tradesman and why they charge the rates they do.

Have a read:

I see it on this page a lot, so when you ask for a trade to drive to your house for a 30 minute job and wonder why it costs £70 and moan that it should only cost you about £20 for what you think is a simple job, that takes 30 minutes.

That 30 minute job will literally take around 2 hours out a working day, driving to and from you, plus fuel costs

Just look at the maths

💷 £250 a day for a self employed tradesperson 💷

That’s what the public think is enough for a business like mine to charge. Let’s actually do the maths:

👉 £250 a day, 260 days a year = £65,000
👉 Take off 28 days holiday (no, I don’t get paid for them) = £58,000
👉 No employer pension contributions (so that’s on me) = £56,260
👉 Fuel – £400 a month = £51,460
👉 Public liability & indemnity insurance = £49,960
👉 Tools (because they don’t last forever) = £47,960
👉 Uniform = £47,460
👉 Accountancy fees = £46,260
👉 Advertising & marketing (because work doesn’t magically appear) = £45,060
👉 Phone & internet = £44,460
👉 Training & certifications (we have to stay up to date) = £43,660
👉 Vehicle maintenance, MOT, tyres, tax = £42,160
👉 Downtime/admin/unpaid quotes = £38,910
👉 Tool theft (average £4,470 per incident) = £34,440
👉 Van breakdown/major repair = £31,940
👉 Other unexpected hits = £29,940

So from £65,000, I’m realistically left with under £29,000 – BEFORE tax, before bad debts, before anything else life throws at me.

£29000, minus 20% tax - minus 6% national insurance

After tax thats £21,500

So after paying everything out on a 40 hour week which in reality is about 50 to 60 hours

That's £10.31 per hour

And here’s what the public don’t see 👇
• We have to chase and hunt down our own work. No work = no pay.
• No sick pay.
• No holiday pay.
• No employer pension.
• Evenings and weekends spent quoting, doing paperwork, or on call.
• One van breakdown or set of stolen tools can wipe out months of earnings.

So when you think about having someone come and change a broken socket, fixing a leaking tap, repairing a damaged door, changing a broken lock, there's a reason it costs £40 or £50 an hour