What router should I get

Hi Gary, have you thought about hiring one? Much cheaper and you'll probably get a decent choice of a good router. You'll need a 1/2 inch version, go for a de Walt or a Makita. You'll need a worktop jig and again I think these can be hired. But consider getting a tradesman in to do the worktops.

Finally, a router is a very powerful piece of kit and really should be left to a professional.

Good luck.

 

Agree by the time you buy a router, jig and risk mistakes better off getting a fitter in. Its less than a mornings work and will be cheaper

 

No offence but you can't tell him it's less than a mornings work, how many joints is there to router, walls may not be anywhere near square, sink hobs to cut in etc as these can only be done once worktops have been cut to length and routered to fit.

 

Once all the units are in place and leveled, a good kitchen fitter won't take long to joint the jobs, scribe walls where necessary and or cut outs for hobs/sinks.

 

Doesn't quite work like that though does it. Especially if if someone else has fitted the kitchen!!! I couldn't see many kitchen fitters fitting 3 lengths of work top on a u shaped kitchen with a hob and a sink with good quality scribes in about 3 hours as you say it's less than a mornings work!!! And how much would you expect said kitchen fitter to be paid for these 3 hours work???

 

I agree with the above, peeps who spout off about things just taking a couple of hours usually don't consider buying materials, carrying the work tops up the stairs, setting up. Etc. And of course teabreaks

 

TBH, I do lots of work in old buildings and have no idea how many worktops fitted over the years and never had them take a long time, U shaped kitchens with double joints on one board. radiussing edges on breakfast bars etc.

Experience and the right gear makes it easy.

Depends on what your fitter costs - down here they get a £100 a day so elsewhere in the country it would probably be around that for half a day - depends on how you would pay them . A lot of guys would fit a job like this in on the way home.

 

I also do a lot of work in renovations etc, and each to their own etc but I don't believe anyone could do that amount of work in 3 hours either.
And for £100 a day getting out your router ,plunge saw/circular saw jig for mitre cuts, benches etc if your doing that job in less than half a day and charging £50 (half a days work).it's not worth getting out of bed for in my opinion!!!

 

My principle that has worked quite well over the years, is that these little jobs lead to more work if not immediately with the householder but their friends and family.

 

It's not really a little job though is it..you haven't answered me if you could do it in 3 hours (I doubt it very much as I know from experience) and how much would you charge for these 3 hours work??

 

An average price for job like that is £50 per hob or sink cut out and £50 per each but and scribe joint, so a u shaped kitchen with sink and hob equates to £200 for the job and that's reasonable prices.

 

Charge by the day or proportion of the day and on the relationship with the customer - £50 to £75 for a few hours work.

 

You still know it's a lot more than 3 hours work that's why you won't answer the question, plus some jobs are priced on the the amount of work needed and the amount of tools used, and getting out over a £1000 worth of tools to do the finishing touches of the kitchen at a quality standard is worth lot more than a measly £50.

 

Why havem't I answered the question said what I would charge, the value of the tools used doesn't enter into it - or are you saying if I pull out a load of Festool gear the price goes up ?

 

No I'm saying if I turned up to a job and the client had say supplied a load of wany edge fencing and I just had to nail it to the existing 4"x2" supports for a whole day using just my hammer I would quote a day rate of £130. But if say I was asked to spend a day fitting a kitchen and I had to use all the power tools involved ie, portable table saw, router, electric plane, sds drill, impact driver, jigsaw, router, plunge saw, worktop jig and so on so on I would e charging £180 ish. These tools don't pay for themselves and if people want a quality job which is what they get of me they pay the going rate.

 

Also it's about the risk ratio, spending a day nailing fence boards not a lot can go wrong, spend a day lifting work tops in and out, moving units etc always the small chance of something going wrong. These need to be accounted for.

 

£50 for all that work? A guy turning up with a jigsaw and joining strips would charge more than that!