I am looking to start my own book-keeping business asap. I am not sure how much to charge and am looking for ideas on how I can find out what other book-keepers charge locally in Northants.
If me, i will to call local book-keeping business and pretend i want to be their client, so i can find out how much they will charge hourly and how often they charge for work.
When i was starting out I asked my family and friends to contact local book-keepers and accoutants to request information and if possible obtain a likely costing. This didn't always work as some book-keepers (in my opinion quite rightly) will not quote over the phone without first meeting the client and assessing their requirements in person. Some people think this is a bit underhand but I'm sure book-keepers in-training have phoned me up in the past to gain info, so I think it's just karma
You may also want to try having a search on the internet for book-keepers in your area with websites. Some list their fees on the website.
If it helps my charge out rate is £20 per hour, and I'm based in Tamworth.
I used to work for a firm of Chartered Management Accountants up your way and we charged £50 per hour for book-keeping. I'm now back down south working for myself and I charge £25 per hour, although I am moving towards fixed fees based on turnover.
