Day rate

[WTFH]

I'd normally consider 8-9hr as a professional working day.

As for travel, if the journey takes a long time then consider staying overnight nearer the client a few nights per week.

[WLB2018]

Does it stipulate WHEN you have to do those 8 hours? Can you start/finish earlier to avoid the traffic? Speak to the client and see if they are willing to allow that. What about home working to alleviate the travel burden? The latter point of course should have already been agreed...

WLB.

[BlasterBates]

11 hours is a lot for working locally. Anything up to 45 minutes commuting is OK, so 10 hours would be the norm I would say. However I think it is generally unrealistic as a contractor to always be able to work locally. That is a downside to contracting that you often have to add a significant amount of travel time.

[toastermoster]

And never rely on what the agency says the journey will be, as a 'easy 45 mins', will always turn out to be 2 1/2 hours of misery....unless you do have a helipad or police escort of course.

[Old Greg]

Hi all, I agreed a day rate on assumption it was a 7.5 hour working day. My contract states it’s 8 hours plus my travel is taking much longer than anticipated...long and short of it I’m out of the house for about 11 hours...is this the norm? Rate not that great either on reflection :confused, Thanks

I'm sorry to say it sounds like you screwed up a bit. You're not the first or last. Can you make it any better in terms of dodging the rush hour? Would 8 to 16:30 or 10 to 18:30 be an improvement? Any opportunity to WFH? If not, can you suck it up for the contract duration (e.g. 6 months) and not renew? If not, then you need to start looking for a new contract I guess.

[Cookielove]

I'm sorry to say it sounds like you screwed up a bit. You're not the first or last. Can you make it any better in terms of dodging the rush hour? Would 8 to 16:30 or 10 to 18:30 be an improvement? Any opportunity to WFH? If not, can you suck it up for the contract duration (e.g. 6 months) and not renew? If not, then you need to start looking for a new contract I guess.

The office hours are set at 8.30 to 5.30....with an hour for lunch...then travel is adding on a fair bit of time....much longer than anticipated

[ladymuck]

The office hours are set at 8.30 to 5.30....with an hour for lunch...then travel is adding on a fair bit of time....much longer than anticipated

I can't remember the last time a client dictated my office hours. Perilously close to C for control...

[Old Greg]

The office hours are set at 8.30 to 5.30....with an hour for lunch...then travel is adding on a fair bit of time....much longer than anticipated

Hour for lunch? Screw that. If they can't at the very least be flexible between 8 to 4:30 or 10 to 6:30 with half an hour for lunch, they can **** right off. Time to negotiate.

[Cookielove]

Hour for lunch? Screw that. If they can't at the very least be flexible between 8 to 4:30 or 10 to 6:30 with half an hour for lunch, they can **** right off. Time to negotiate.

Hey Old Greg that's made me chuckle ....and I need a laugh after a long bloody day ! I feel like I've been had!! Hours and commute am cream crackered....

[northernladuk]

Anything else they are directing you to do at all? Very permie'esq set up that.