How much did you pay for your last haircut?

Holden Caulfield said :

Well, we pay more for car insurance.

Based on very solid actuarial data showing that men have a much higher accident rate, I suspect.

bryansworld said :

Tymefor said :

Maya123 said :

watto23 said :

Holden Caulfield said :

$25 for a buzzcut.

And when you consider I’m in and out in comfortably less than 10 minutes that works out at more than $150/hr. Yikes!

Yeah I pay $25-30 for a haircut, that takes maybe 15 minutes. But men are quicker when it comes to cutting hair.

My hair can be cut in less than 15 minutes, so I think it is a rip off to cost more for females. Sure if you want the shampoo, blow dry, etc treatment it could cost more, but a simple haircut shouldn’t, but it does. Another reason not to visit hairdressers. Plus, unlike many others here, I don’t enjoy the experience, and trying to up-sell to me, reduces the experience to even a lower level of dislike.

Most trades quote on a per job assessment. In hairdressing our customers expectation is for a set price. So the set price of a haircut service is representative of the average. If I had 1000 random mens styles to complete. The time it would take me to do them, the complexity in achieving them and the overall diversity of skills needed. Would be significantly less than doing the same number of random ladies haircuts.

Understood, but three times cheaper? I find it hard to believe that the average cost is so different between the two genders.

Well I did try to qualify that by saying “representative of the average”. There are naturally many more considerations, for every business, when choosing a set price for what could be very different services.

I can hardly try to communicate every aspect that I believe should be considered when choosing a set price. That’s the realm of a business course and there are many articles that could be googled and read.

But consider that many hair businesses are preforming a wide variety of services at any one time. All with different costs and profit margins. You need to consider how the service you are going to price fits into the “flow” of work. Will it fit neatly into an appointment book ? Can it be done at the same time as I’m doing something else? Will it conflict with, or reduce another service with a higher profit margin?

I’d suggest researching the concept of “opportunity cost”.

From my personal business’s perspective, I charge less “per hour” for a men’s cut. But I consider this more of a DISCOUNT per hour. As the overwhelming average of men’s haircutting fits so neatly into my flow of work that I want to encourage as many of them as I can. eg. In the time that a hair color is processing I can complete the average men’s cut.

Also consider that because the average time for completing a men’s haircut is less. We are able to complete more actual clients per hour. Every client represents a potential upgrade to an extra service, a potential referral and a potential retail sale. It is another reason why men’s prices are discounted.

That concept is called a “leading sale” , also something interesting to research. Our hair and beauty industry’s obsession with this when choosing prices. During the 80s and 90s. Led to crazy cheap service prices, BARELY making a profit. As the common business model had the vast majority of our profit coming a retail sale. The margins on those being as much as 250% in the late 80 early 90s. So it was all about MORE clients and sell sell sell.

Pretty much as an industry, we traded our professional credibility and profitability in our services. To the quick easy retail profit devil. We discounted and cheapened our services. We didn’t care that to many people it had become “just” a haircut. As long as we managed to sell retail to 30% of our clients we were making money. And that’s where we put our training energy. Not to increasing the cedibity

Maya123 said :

Alexandra Craig said :

bryansworld said :

Maya123 said :

“How much did you pay for your last haircut?”
Nothing. I don’t pay to get my hair cut. My mother cuts my hair and I cut my fringe. She does it as well as a hairdresser would do. When one day she will no longer be able to, a friend will take over. For me, paying someone to cut your hair is an unnecessary expense and waste of money. In the same league as having your nails done. It’s money that can be saved to spend on better things, such as an extra payment on the mortgage, a holiday, etc.

Sounds good. Does anyone know why womens’ haircuts cost so much more? It seems a ridiculous rip-off for a section a community that earns less money.

I suppose it’s because women mostly have longer hair (and most salons have different prices for long, short, and medium length hair with the short hair price pretty close to the standard men’s price) so it takes much longer, and more product is used for women. Maybe there’s more technical skill required with ladies hair too.

Like any business though, you’re not just paying for someone to cut your hair. You’re paying for the salon rent, electricity, furniture, hot water, shampoo, blowdryers, straighteners, the drink they offer you, the magazines, the cutting scissors (they are actually very expensive – basic ones cost several hundred dollars, the good ones cost over $1000 a pair) etc.

Don’t men’s hairdressers also have expenses, but men don’t pay as much.
If I were to go to a hairdresser I don’t need the “shampoo, blowdryers, straighteners, the drink they offer you, the magazines”, but still I would have to pay more than a man does for a simple haircut. My hair is straight and shoulder length. It is just a matter of cutting around the end and taking some length off. I can’t think of a simpler cut. But fortunately I have people who are capable and willing to cut my hair for free for me, so I don’t need to go to a hairdresser. The job is over quicker too than if I were to visit a hairdresser, which is another advantage. No unnecessary time-filling, extra money-making shampooing my hair (I do shampoo my hair), delays while they attend to someone else, etc. No trying to sell me expensive shampoos that don’t do a better (proven) job than cheaper shampoos. And I don’t have much interest in what the royal family is doing, or the latest in the magazines. (Or perhaps these last comments are showing how many years it is since I have visited a hairdresser.)
If I did need to go to a hairdresser, perhaps I would find out what it cost to get my hair cut with a woman’s hairdresser, and then make enquires at a men’s hairdresser to see if this were a cheaper, possible alternative. It’s just a hair cut after all. Of course another alternative would be to do what I did until my twenties; not cut my hair. However, waist length hair no longer appeals to me.

By the way, what is the cost to get straight shoulder length hair cut in a woman’s hairdressers, versus a men’s hairdresser? Does someone know?

Sounds like you should go to somewhere like JustCuts. They pretty much only have basins and scissors. I’m pretty sure they don’t style people’s hair either.

I could be wrong here (and hopefully a hairdresser will see this and clarify) but I think the reason they wash your hair is because it ideally should be wet for cutting.

What do you mean in regards to “woman’s hairdresser” and a “men’s hairdresser”? I thought it worked in the way that there is hair salons that do both female and male, and then there is barbers that only do male. I’m not aware of any ‘female only’ or ‘male only’ salons. However if you mean that if you take all costs away except for the cut itself and men still pay less, I suppose it’s what Tymefore said: “In hairdressing our customers expectation is for a set price. So the set price of a haircut service is representative of the average. If I had 1000 random mens styles to complete. The time it would take me to do them, the complexity in achieving them and the overall diversity of skills needed. Would be significantly less than doing the same number of random ladies haircuts.”

And about the hair care products that are more expensive but don’t work as well – do you know where I can find the research? Not trying to have a go – I’m actually genuinely interested in reading it. I buy salon quality shampoo (not from my hairdresser) and have been using it since I was maybe 17-18. The other day I ran out and had to use a cheaper brand that I had in the guest bathroom and I could notice the difference immediately, my hair felt like steel wool. Could be a case-by-case thing though I suppose.

Well, we pay more for car insurance.

Tymefor said :

Maya123 said :

watto23 said :

Holden Caulfield said :

$25 for a buzzcut.

And when you consider I’m in and out in comfortably less than 10 minutes that works out at more than $150/hr. Yikes!

Yeah I pay $25-30 for a haircut, that takes maybe 15 minutes. But men are quicker when it comes to cutting hair.

My hair can be cut in less than 15 minutes, so I think it is a rip off to cost more for females. Sure if you want the shampoo, blow dry, etc treatment it could cost more, but a simple haircut shouldn’t, but it does. Another reason not to visit hairdressers. Plus, unlike many others here, I don’t enjoy the experience, and trying to up-sell to me, reduces the experience to even a lower level of dislike.

Most trades quote on a per job assessment. In hairdressing our customers expectation is for a set price. So the set price of a haircut service is representative of the average. If I had 1000 random mens styles to complete. The time it would take me to do them, the complexity in achieving them and the overall diversity of skills needed. Would be significantly less than doing the same number of random ladies haircuts.

Understood, but three times cheaper? I find it hard to believe that the average cost is so different between the two genders.

Alexandra Craig said :

bryansworld said :

Maya123 said :

“How much did you pay for your last haircut?”
Nothing. I don’t pay to get my hair cut. My mother cuts my hair and I cut my fringe. She does it as well as a hairdresser would do. When one day she will no longer be able to, a friend will take over. For me, paying someone to cut your hair is an unnecessary expense and waste of money. In the same league as having your nails done. It’s money that can be saved to spend on better things, such as an extra payment on the mortgage, a holiday, etc.

Sounds good. Does anyone know why womens’ haircuts cost so much more? It seems a ridiculous rip-off for a section a community that earns less money.

I suppose it’s because women mostly have longer hair (and most salons have different prices for long, short, and medium length hair with the short hair price pretty close to the standard men’s price) so it takes much longer, and more product is used for women. Maybe there’s more technical skill required with ladies hair too.

Like any business though, you’re not just paying for someone to cut your hair. You’re paying for the salon rent, electricity, furniture, hot water, shampoo, blowdryers, straighteners, the drink they offer you, the magazines, the cutting scissors (they are actually very expensive – basic ones cost several hundred dollars, the good ones cost over $1000 a pair) etc.

Don’t men’s hairdressers also have expenses, but men don’t pay as much.
If I were to go to a hairdresser I don’t need the “shampoo, blowdryers, straighteners, the drink they offer you, the magazines”, but still I would have to pay more than a man does for a simple haircut. My hair is straight and shoulder length. It is just a matter of cutting around the end and taking some length off. I can’t think of a simpler cut. But fortunately I have people who are capable and willing to cut my hair for free for me, so I don’t need to go to a hairdresser. The job is over quicker too than if I were to visit a hairdresser, which is another advantage. No unnecessary time-filling, extra money-making shampooing my hair (I do shampoo my hair), delays while they attend to someone else, etc. No trying to sell me expensive shampoos that don’t do a better (proven) job than cheaper shampoos. And I don’t have much interest in what the royal family is doing, or the latest in the magazines. (Or perhaps these last comments are showing how many years it is since I have visited a hairdresser.)
If I did need to go to a hairdresser, perhaps I would find out what it cost to get my hair cut with a woman’s hairdresser, and then make enquires at a men’s hairdresser to see if this were a cheaper, possible alternative. It’s just a hair cut after all. Of course another alternative would be to do what I did until my twenties; not cut my hair. However, waist length hair no longer appeals to me.

By the way, what is the cost to get straight shoulder length hair cut in a woman’s hairdressers, versus a men’s hairdresser? Does someone know?

Maya123 said :

watto23 said :

Holden Caulfield said :

$25 for a buzzcut.

And when you consider I’m in and out in comfortably less than 10 minutes that works out at more than $150/hr. Yikes!

Yeah I pay $25-30 for a haircut, that takes maybe 15 minutes. But men are quicker when it comes to cutting hair.

My hair can be cut in less than 15 minutes, so I think it is a rip off to cost more for females. Sure if you want the shampoo, blow dry, etc treatment it could cost more, but a simple haircut shouldn’t, but it does. Another reason not to visit hairdressers. Plus, unlike many others here, I don’t enjoy the experience, and trying to up-sell to me, reduces the experience to even a lower level of dislike.

Most trades quote on a per job assessment. In hairdressing our customers expectation is for a set price. So the set price of a haircut service is representative of the average. If I had 1000 random mens styles to complete. The time it would take me to do them, the complexity in achieving them and the overall diversity of skills needed. Would be significantly less than doing the same number of random ladies haircuts.

bryansworld said :

Maya123 said :

“How much did you pay for your last haircut?”
Nothing. I don’t pay to get my hair cut. My mother cuts my hair and I cut my fringe. She does it as well as a hairdresser would do. When one day she will no longer be able to, a friend will take over. For me, paying someone to cut your hair is an unnecessary expense and waste of money. In the same league as having your nails done. It’s money that can be saved to spend on better things, such as an extra payment on the mortgage, a holiday, etc.

Sounds good. Does anyone know why womens’ haircuts cost so much more? It seems a ridiculous rip-off for a section a community that earns less money.

I suppose it’s because women mostly have longer hair (and most salons have different prices for long, short, and medium length hair with the short hair price pretty close to the standard men’s price) so it takes much longer, and more product is used for women. Maybe there’s more technical skill required with ladies hair too.

Like any business though, you’re not just paying for someone to cut your hair. You’re paying for the salon rent, electricity, furniture, hot water, shampoo, blowdryers, straighteners, the drink they offer you, the magazines, the cutting scissors (they are actually very expensive – basic ones cost several hundred dollars, the good ones cost over $1000 a pair) etc.

watto23 said :

Holden Caulfield said :

$25 for a buzzcut.

And when you consider I’m in and out in comfortably less than 10 minutes that works out at more than $150/hr. Yikes!

Yeah I pay $25-30 for a haircut, that takes maybe 15 minutes. But men are quicker when it comes to cutting hair.

My hair can be cut in less than 15 minutes, so I think it is a rip off to cost more for females. Sure if you want the shampoo, blow dry, etc treatment it could cost more, but a simple haircut shouldn’t, but it does. Another reason not to visit hairdressers. Plus, unlike many others here, I don’t enjoy the experience, and trying to up-sell to me, reduces the experience to even a lower level of dislike.

Holden Caulfield said :

$25 for a buzzcut.

And when you consider I’m in and out in comfortably less than 10 minutes that works out at more than $150/hr. Yikes!

Yeah I pay $25-30 for a haircut, that takes maybe 15 minutes. But men are quicker when it comes to cutting hair.

$25 for a buzzcut.

And when you consider I’m in and out in comfortably less than 10 minutes that works out at more than $150/hr. Yikes!

Maya123 said :

“How much did you pay for your last haircut?”
Nothing. I don’t pay to get my hair cut. My mother cuts my hair and I cut my fringe. She does it as well as a hairdresser would do. When one day she will no longer be able to, a friend will take over. For me, paying someone to cut your hair is an unnecessary expense and waste of money. In the same league as having your nails done. It’s money that can be saved to spend on better things, such as an extra payment on the mortgage, a holiday, etc.

Sounds good. Does anyone know why womens’ haircuts cost so much more? It seems a ridiculous rip-off for a section a community that earns less money.

london said :

Would be just happy to get a decent hair cut in Canberra. Nearly three years here and still looking. My husband went to same male hairdresser in Penrith NSW for more than thirty years and never had a complaint. He always gave our son a great hair cut as well. Don’t know who trains those in Canberra but they are shocking! Have the nerve to charge high prices too

It’s a little known fact that the current worldwide trend for straggly hair and long unkept beards originated in Canberra from those unable to find a decent barber and just gave up trying.

I hear there’s a newish barber shop at the QT hotel in Civic. Not tried it nor know if they use a razor on the back of your neck, which is normally the next question.

I generally pay 35 bucks for a cut and a wash afterwards.

Maya123 said :

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Is it possible the owners of the salon don’t work there yet are being paid a handsome income as owners are entitled to. Most business owners I know are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and not working on the floor.

Definitely possible, but if it was true in this instance, why would the businesses say they are struggling, as in the article?

(As an aside, this is what frustrates me about the childcare industry. Parents fork out huge sums and the staff don’t see much of it at all… meanwhile, the owner of the centre makes a killing.)

I think they are saying they are struggling to find cheap labour to continue supporting their lavish income. Why would you do a four year degree to then go on to earn $19 an hour. Crazy. Considering trades are charging $100 an hour plus GST and most public servants on the average APS6 level position do not hold an undergraduate degree are on $50 an hour, you have to ask yourself how people expect hairdressers and childcare workers to survive. It’s the business owners who are raking it in.

“Why would you do a four year degree…”

Surely hairdresser’s qualifications are not called a degree! I studied for four years (not hairdressing) and earned a certificate. But who knows, these days, with the weakening of what is a degree, perhaps my certificate would now be a degree, but I hope not, as that would be as silly as a hairdresser’s qualifications being called a degree.

I might be wrong, but as far as I’m aware, hairdressing is considered a trade and they receive a diploma. Whether it’s a degree or a diploma, it’s still a tertiary qualification.

I pay usually in between $210 and $310 for a cut and colour (either a rinse or foils, depending on my mood and the look I’m after) – I go to one of the salons in Kingston, 2-3 times a year. My reasoning is that if I am willing to spend a couple of hundred dollars on dresses and shoes, then my hair is something that I wear every day and is worth investing in.

Add in to the mix that I have curly hair that needs a bit of consideration to make sure that it sits well, I’m willing to pay for the expertise of a trained professional. For me, it’s worth it – while that’s not for everyone, my hairdresser does a great job and my hair looks and feels the way I want it to for the 3 or so months that I go between appointments.

rubaiyat said :

pink little birdie said :

I’m always totally shocked when people complain about the cost of trainees and apprentices and having to release them for offsite training. Especially as in most industries the employer can get Large chunks of the trainee/apprentices wage paid by the government ($4000 federal) and exemtion from payroll tax in the ACT for the apprentice.

Not any more. The Abbott government has of course cut that all off because they are “all for” training and full employment. My son the chef says he can’t take on adult apprentices because there is no support from the government anymore and the pay right is not commensurate with their ability to do the work.

Wrong. Wrong. So very very wrong. The apprenticeship incentive cuts were under Gillard as Education Minister and subsequent cuts under Evans. As a result of the changes introduced by the so called ‘expert panel on apprenticeships” made up of academics and union stooges and the Fair Work wage case the doubled the first year pay rates for apprentices we saw apprenticeship commencements in this country halve over three years.

Would be just happy to get a decent hair cut in Canberra. Nearly three years here and still looking. My husband went to same male hairdresser in Penrith NSW for more than thirty years and never had a complaint. He always gave our son a great hair cut as well. Don’t know who trains those in Canberra but they are shocking! Have the nerve to charge high prices too

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Is it possible the owners of the salon don’t work there yet are being paid a handsome income as owners are entitled to. Most business owners I know are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and not working on the floor.

Definitely possible, but if it was true in this instance, why would the businesses say they are struggling, as in the article?

(As an aside, this is what frustrates me about the childcare industry. Parents fork out huge sums and the staff don’t see much of it at all… meanwhile, the owner of the centre makes a killing.)

I think they are saying they are struggling to find cheap labour to continue supporting their lavish income. Why would you do a four year degree to then go on to earn $19 an hour. Crazy. Considering trades are charging $100 an hour plus GST and most public servants on the average APS6 level position do not hold an undergraduate degree are on $50 an hour, you have to ask yourself how people expect hairdressers and childcare workers to survive. It’s the business owners who are raking it in.

“Why would you do a four year degree…”

Surely hairdresser’s qualifications are not called a degree! I studied for four years (not hairdressing) and earned a certificate. But who knows, these days, with the weakening of what is a degree, perhaps my certificate would now be a degree, but I hope not, as that would be as silly as a hairdresser’s qualifications being called a degree.

vintage123 said :

Considering trades are charging $100 an hour plus GST

Some, maybe, mostly not. And very few of those would be EARNING $100 an hour.

vintage123 said :

…..and most public servants on the average APS6 level position do not hold an undergraduate degree are on $50 an hour.

I never met many who DIDN’T hold a degree (in Environment anyway),
And you do realise that $50.00 an hour is about $100k a year don’t you? (Way above APS6, unless they’ve had a massive increase)

vintage123 said :

….you have to ask yourself how people expect hairdressers and childcare workers to survive. It’s the business owners who are raking it in.

Again, some business owners are ‘raking it in’ maybe, mostly not though. Statistically, most businesses go broke, and most of the rest are a lot of hard work for not a lot of money. There are exceptions of course, but these don’t represent the norm.

But I agree that apprentices are way underpaid and (in my son’s case anyway) virtually unsupported. In neglecting the apprentice system, our society is shooting itself in its collective feet.

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Is it possible the owners of the salon don’t work there yet are being paid a handsome income as owners are entitled to. Most business owners I know are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and not working on the floor.

Definitely possible, but if it was true in this instance, why would the businesses say they are struggling, as in the article?

(As an aside, this is what frustrates me about the childcare industry. Parents fork out huge sums and the staff don’t see much of it at all… meanwhile, the owner of the centre makes a killing.)

I think they are saying they are struggling to find cheap labour to continue supporting their lavish income. Why would you do a four year degree to then go on to earn $19 an hour. Crazy. Considering trades are charging $100 an hour plus GST and most public servants on the average APS6 level position do not hold an undergraduate degree are on $50 an hour, you have to ask yourself how people expect hairdressers and childcare workers to survive. It’s the business owners who are raking it in.

$50 dollars an hour??? really…..help me out here. Quick google of av aps lvl 6 get me the max pay point of 85k from ABS.

http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/a3120101.nsf/8ecbadc23e5b7f8eca256de4002cb2e8/27682c5cb6a75caeca25712b0016e5ff!OpenDocument

85k = 1634 pw = $43 ph

Now that’s for a 38 hour week. A 38 hour week for an APS lvl 6 on 85k. Not sure if we have any APS lvl 6 people here but maybe they could share about how often they do ONLY a 38 hour week. Also share about how like the work stops when the office closes.

Also this sort of talk of $100 dollars an hour is a bit of a fantasy to use in any assessment. Think about it in a bit of a bigger picture. If I employ someone full-time at 38 hours a week, assume that they are generating $100 per hour for every single hour that they work. That really quite impossible, but lets play make believe. So for $3800 as an employer you need to pay for every! cost related to that persons employment. Put some aside for continued training. All of their payments don’t just magically happen, so you have to pay someone to do them. Hell maybe id like a bit of profit aswell.

The thing that’s close to my heart that people forget is that, some of the 3800 also has to go towards providing continued job security for that employee. That security for so many small business people is the business owners personal assets and future of their own family as-well. Now perhaps when times for a business owner are good, that money being used to pay off their mortgages or funnelled into varied investments could definitely be called “lavish”. But it is also providing security for everyone involved.

pink little birdie said :

I’m always totally shocked when people complain about the cost of trainees and apprentices and having to release them for offsite training. Especially as in most industries the employer can get Large chunks of the trainee/apprentices wage paid by the government ($4000 federal) and exemtion from payroll tax in the ACT for the apprentice.

Not any more. The Abbott government has of course cut that all off because they are “all for” training and full employment. My son the chef says he can’t take on adult apprentices because there is no support from the government anymore and the pay right is not commensurate with their ability to do the work.

Not really sure anybody really complains about it. My comments are mostly for people who believe that apprentices cost a lot less than qualified workers. There are, naturally, incentives to promote business to employ more apprentices. Anyone still training will never be able to preform or generate the same sort of income that someone who has finished their training has. So the economics of choosing whether your business can afford to employ MORE apprentices, is often tipped in the apprentices favour by our government providing these incentives.

That’s why in the hairdressing industry you will often find relative tiny businesses still able to support 1 or even 2 apprentices. Although recent changes to what costs employers must cover, will probably lead to a drop in how many apprentices you see in each salon.

Dame Canberra said :

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Is it possible the owners of the salon don’t work there yet are being paid a handsome income as owners are entitled to. Most business owners I know are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and not working on the floor.

Definitely possible, but if it was true in this instance, why would the businesses say they are struggling, as in the article?

(As an aside, this is what frustrates me about the childcare industry. Parents fork out huge sums and the staff don’t see much of it at all… meanwhile, the owner of the centre makes a killing.)

I think they are saying they are struggling to find cheap labour to continue supporting their lavish income. Why would you do a four year degree to then go on to earn $19 an hour. Crazy. Considering trades are charging $100 an hour plus GST and most public servants on the average APS6 level position do not hold an undergraduate degree are on $50 an hour, you have to ask yourself how people expect hairdressers and childcare workers to survive. It’s the business owners who are raking it in.

Tymefor said :

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Well around 20 dollars per hour is so crazily wrong. And an apprentices COST about the same as a qualified, when as an employer you have to pay for their course fees, tools, allowances and all their learning objects and then need to release them from the salon at normal pay for at least 1 day per week.

Really the cost of employing someone is never just an award pay rate. Super, Allowances, Worker’s comp, ongoing training and money set aside for holiday pay. Are just some of the easy to quantify costs but still not the whole story.

So for a fresh just out of training hairdresser at the beginning of their qualified career. Think gradate, from a 4 year degree, but one where they only had to work 38 hours pw, were paid a reduced wage for that and got holiday leave, sick pay, access to free tutoring and interest free trade support loan of up-to $20k.

a rough! cost to employer for this “qualified” hairdresser would be

746.20 / 38pw = 19.60 ph But almost every hairdresser works some of those 38 hours at times that incur loadings, let say its only Saturday for 7 hours no other late nights or overtime (lol I wish). so now we are $811.6 (42.2k) then we have holiday pay (4×811.6)+ 17.6% loading = $3939 then Super $4.2k (roughly) Worker comp 2% $860 and lets say I’m dodgy and only do about $1k worth of training with them in a year. 42.2k + 3.9k + 4.2k + .8k = 51.1k

= $25.86 ph but the TOTAL wage cost for a service would also include a percentage of every other persons wage that helped achieve the result. Were you greeted by a receptionist? Did an apprentice wash your hair? do they have a helper making coffees and cleaning up?

Most of the time Id put the wage cost at conservatively at $30ph per stylist for an average salon. This can vary as wildly as an experienced!! hairdresser wage can be more like 60-70k per year with top stylists ( those ones you can never get into ) at about 80k.

I’m always totally shocked when people complain about the cost of trainees and apprentices and having to release them for offsite training. Especially as in most industries the employer can get Large chunks of the trainee/apprentices wage paid by the government ($4000 federal) and exemtion from payroll tax in the ACT for the apprentice.

Silly me, I saw the headline and thought “great, another thread about the rising cost of TAMS services”.

Maya123 said :

“How much did you pay for your last haircut?”
Nothing. I don’t pay to get my hair cut. My mother cuts my hair and I cut my fringe. She does it as well as a hairdresser would do. When one day she will no longer be able to, a friend will take over. For me, paying someone to cut your hair is an unnecessary expense and waste of money. In the same league as having your nails done. It’s money that can be saved to spend on better things, such as an extra payment on the mortgage, a holiday, etc.

Me too. It’s surprisingly easy to cut your own hair, and you also get much more control over the final outcome than at a hairdresser. I don’t anticipate ever paying for a haircut again. You probably need someone to check the back is even though.

$30 plus $5 tip when I have a spare $5 and a damn bargain at that Bobby’s Barber Shop Gungahlin. So happy you guys are there

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Well around 20 dollars per hour is so crazily wrong. And an apprentices COST about the same as a qualified, when as an employer you have to pay for their course fees, tools, allowances and all their learning objects and then need to release them from the salon at normal pay for at least 1 day per week.

Really the cost of employing someone is never just an award pay rate. Super, Allowances, Worker’s comp, ongoing training and money set aside for holiday pay. Are just some of the easy to quantify costs but still not the whole story.

So for a fresh just out of training hairdresser at the beginning of their qualified career. Think gradate, from a 4 year degree, but one where they only had to work 38 hours pw, were paid a reduced wage for that and got holiday leave, sick pay, access to free tutoring and interest free trade support loan of up-to $20k.

a rough! cost to employer for this “qualified” hairdresser would be

746.20 / 38pw = 19.60 ph But almost every hairdresser works some of those 38 hours at times that incur loadings, let say its only Saturday for 7 hours no other late nights or overtime (lol I wish). so now we are $811.6 (42.2k) then we have holiday pay (4×811.6)+ 17.6% loading = $3939 then Super $4.2k (roughly) Worker comp 2% $860 and lets say I’m dodgy and only do about $1k worth of training with them in a year. 42.2k + 3.9k + 4.2k + .8k = 51.1k

= $25.86 ph but the TOTAL wage cost for a service would also include a percentage of every other persons wage that helped achieve the result. Were you greeted by a receptionist? Did an apprentice wash your hair? do they have a helper making coffees and cleaning up?

Most of the time Id put the wage cost at conservatively at $30ph per stylist for an average salon. This can vary as wildly as an experienced!! hairdresser wage can be more like 60-70k per year with top stylists ( those ones you can never get into ) at about 80k.

“How much did you pay for your last haircut?”
Nothing. I don’t pay to get my hair cut. My mother cuts my hair and I cut my fringe. She does it as well as a hairdresser would do. When one day she will no longer be able to, a friend will take over. For me, paying someone to cut your hair is an unnecessary expense and waste of money. In the same league as having your nails done. It’s money that can be saved to spend on better things, such as an extra payment on the mortgage, a holiday, etc.

I usually pay around 80 for cut and style takes about an hour at various newish places around town.

vintage123 said :

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Is it possible the owners of the salon don’t work there yet are being paid a handsome income as owners are entitled to. Most business owners I know are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and not working on the floor.

Definitely possible, but if it was true in this instance, why would the businesses say they are struggling, as in the article?

(As an aside, this is what frustrates me about the childcare industry. Parents fork out huge sums and the staff don’t see much of it at all… meanwhile, the owner of the centre makes a killing.)

Dame Canberra said :

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

Is it possible the owners of the salon don’t work there yet are being paid a handsome income as owners are entitled to. Most business owners I know are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and not working on the floor.

I find this puzzling. I pay around $250 every eight weeks for a cut and colour with a stylist who is just about to finish her apprenticeship. It takes about two hours, so let’s say that works out to $125 per hour. I’m more than happy to pay that amount, as they do a great job and I always have a pleasant experience.

Like most salons, the one I visit is open extended hours and has a pretty regular stream of customers both during the week, on weekends and during late night trading. Even once you take out the cost of hair dye, rent and other expenses, I can’t understand how Canberra’s hairdresser businesses are struggling when it costs around $20 per hour for qualified staff – and less for apprentices.

Are there any hairdressers out there who can offer some insight?

About 2 years ago I would pay about $140 for a half head of foils, colour on the rest and a cut. These days I’m paying about $125 just for a shampoo and hair cut.

While I do love the spoils of going to a salon where my hair gets washed and a head massage, plus the offer of a hot drink. I honestly can’t afford it anymore.

I stopped getting my hair dyed at a salon and run a supermarket dye through 2-3 times a year to cover pending greys and how much my hair lightens over summer.

I even pushed out my hair cuts from every 2 months, to 3-4 months and most recently cancelled my latest appointment as my favourite salon has priced me out of their market.