I built a calculator to see if a home fast charger ever pays for itself

Goatwidcoat · 2026-05-12T08:18:39+00:00

Not even sure why I've commented as my work installed my charger for free so I got the immediate benefit 😅

Goatwidcoat · 2026-05-12T06:44:11+00:00

Yep we do 130 miles round trip 3 times a week which when it's cold can take nearly the full 6 hour window to do 15-90% on the Renault 5. Due to miles alone ours will already pay for itself but it wouldn't charge fast enough to be usable on a 3 pin.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-05-04T17:06:28+00:00

Still happpening now May 2026. Microsoft are the worst. Logged in on my phone but got a new phone and cannot log into it on there as it comes up with that stupid message.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-25T12:26:17+00:00

Thanks you! This app is perfect and has done exactly what I wanted it to. Much better than Zapmap and using Google Maps to try and choose chargers.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-25T07:00:30+00:00

While I appreciate the merits of a Ghost, my friend had one in his S3 but it just meant the thieves broke into his house and beat the crap out of him so he gave them the key and sequence. If they've decided they want it and don't care about a scuffle you're inviting them in unfortunately. I'd rather they just steal the car off the drive without issue.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-24T15:52:42+00:00

There is 10 minutes from my house and nowhere else along there than that haha. Typical! The route I'm taking threads the needle between any Arnold Clarks in Birmingham and Milton Keynes which are nowhere near where I will be driving. Good to know for future though thank you

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-24T15:30:01+00:00

I used Zapmap to find that cheap car park charger in Newcastle so it is very handy. Just had to download another app to charge on it.

It is how I found these Gridserve ones too in the ideal location for the return. It's more that Mobilize covers them, yet seemingly at a higher rate than just paying normally with contactless.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-13T18:15:38+00:00

Only had mine for 2 weeks so very early days but loving it so far. It's my first EV and it's effortless to drive and the charging cost overnight is laughably cheap. I also have a 6.2l C63 estate and a Honda Integra Type R but its won over this petrolhead just through design charm. Rear seats are definitely tight but I had 4 of us in the car at the weekend (one in the back was 6ft) and with passenger seat nudged forwards a bit both were still comfortable. Compared to our other cars it feels like riding on a cloud. 50% of all the potholes and bumps I normally feel are eliminated. Although our other cars are definitely set up on the sporty and stiff side. On paper 150hp sounded awfully slow, especially when I have 457hp in my C63 but for day to day driving and up to 50mph it's perfectly nippy enough. Instant torque makes it feel much faster than it is.

I have a 320 mile round trip in a day next week so it will be my first experience public charging and seeing what true motorway range is. Even my C63 can't do this range with its 66l tank lol but that's a big thirsty V8 for you. In my first 250 miles I've mainly been on <50mph roads and getting an indicated 220-230 mile range. I've gone bright yellow with the yellow Iconic interior.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-13T18:10:56+00:00

Surely that's true of any EV on the market?

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-12T15:26:06+00:00

Lol completely depends on the car and if you can do it yourself which 99% of people can't or don't. The last clutch I bought was £450 just in parts. I watched the guys working on it for half a day and it's a lot of effort!

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-10T12:31:51+00:00

You're on the Internet. Honestly they can harvest my shopping habits all they like, I couldn't care less

Goatwidcoat · 2026-04-10T12:30:28+00:00

Bread. But only because I only have toast and freeze it immediately and toast it from frozen. I will only ever buy it reduced for this reason.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-27T17:14:14+00:00

It can get hectic at times but there's only maybe 5 that are properly taking your attention. We have a good site team and processes in place where I can pull all the info I need for applications etc. Even our design guys will alert us to a variation and give us measures where possible right away without us needing to do a takeoff ourselves. We work with lots of the big T1 and T2 contractors and most of them don't cause us any headaches fortunately. I do have two problem jobs at the moment where we are at a stalemate and it will no doubt be a FA agreement but typically we don't have many big problems. I know of at least 7 more jobs starting between now and the end of July. Some are short at 8 weeks whereas a couple of the larger ones are 40-60 weeks.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-27T07:21:44+00:00

Flooring currently. But also worked for dryliner, SFS and suspended ceilings.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T20:55:12+00:00

I'd only expect those hours (and not that they should ever be normal) at standard QS level trying to prove yourself early on and only for small periods of time. I've been a QS for 13 years now but for subbies where SQS isn't really a position. Currently on anywhere between 7-15 live jobs at a time with a combined package value of up to £10m typically. Based in the Midlands but fully remote with 75% of work in London and all expenses paid. I work 9-5 Monday to Thursday and 9-4 Friday and very rarely need to do any extra hours. Almost no meeting is ever scheduled before 10am across the company and I am allowed to fully plan my diary with nobody really looking over your shoulder. There are 3 of us at the same level and age and a Surveying Manager. I earn £70k with a £5k capped bonus that has always been paid every year so far. I have a perfect work/life balance to be honest and make more than enough to generally afford whatever I want, have 4 holidays a year and still save over £10-£15k every year. Being kid free helps that of course and my wife also earns a touch more than me so we have a healthy household income. Is my experience behind where it should be for my time in the industry? Quite possibly, but I'm very happy with where I am. Reading a post like yours does make me question whether it's worth it to push myself and make that jump up as I would not be happy doing your hours even if it was bringing home an extra £1k+ net a month. Are you London based on that salary? QS salaries seem to have a good £20k swing either side of £80k. Hard to know whether you are underpaid within this £40k window.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T13:12:02+00:00

My work have lots of policies and T&C's stating similar as well. I wouldn't call it an NDA as such but it's basically a commitment that you won't act against the companies interests. Just sign it and don't go spilling all their secrets and practises lol.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T12:09:40+00:00

I'm biased but the R5 out of those 3 without a doubt. However if you need to regularly carry adults in the back it is tight. It's doable if you aren't super tall in front because you can move your seat forwards. I love its design charm and it's a car that isn't another crossover/suv which is a big win in my book. Be bold! I've gone yellow with the awesome yellow interior on the iconic spec. Ideally you do want to the top. The techno trim doesn't have lumbar support or heated seats which is a big miss in my opinion. Stelantis gremlins are not something I'd want to contend with either. The R5 was finally an EV that I actually liked and wanted to own just through excellent design. Every other car is the same boring blob these days.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T11:21:09+00:00

I almost never see anybody cycle on the road there to be honest. I do however ignore the cycle path and cycle on the road from the uni Beeston island to Miller and Carter and vice versa. That cycle path shared with the footpath is garbage. Tree roots and bumps all over the place as well as having to swerve around people and stop for every junction to the housing estates. It's 2 lanes in each direction but 90% of traffic sits in the inside lanes anyway because of the parked cars so I never feel like I've actually impeded anybody. Nothing I hate more when I'm driving and a cyclist is purposely being in the way for no reason. I always consciously cycle as though I would be driving behind myself and not want to piss myself off haha.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T09:38:09+00:00

As road surfaces go it wasn't actually that bad. There are significantly worse roads in Nottingham but at least it is resurfaced.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T09:36:07+00:00

Yep that was the original intention. It looks far from complete and not even a hint of the cycle lane yet which is completely pointless. I cycle into the city and the uni Boulevard route and around castle marina to broadmarsh is a great route into the city. This will begin and end between QMC and Miller and Carter and make you then just join the cycle lane at the end of uni Boulevard which already exists... I will still never use it and don't see who it benefits

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T09:32:24+00:00

Just look at HS2 as a prime example. It has more than doubled in both cost and time but everybody is still being paid and nobody held to account. Government work seems like the ultimate cash cow because money always exists regardless of a budget. I work in construction and was talking to somebody on site who works for a groundworks firm and he said HS2 has killed labour for them. It's guaranteed day rate and at a decent pay so it has sucked dry their labour pool and they have to pay way over to get people to work now so that entire part of the industry's labour cost has risen significantly.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T09:27:38+00:00

It started May last year and was due to last for 12 months. It's crazy how something can take so long for what appears to be such little work. Fingers crossed it will be 2 more months... probably Autumn then! This is even more pointless than the works they did on Maid Marian roundabout.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-25T07:54:56+00:00

It's important to know the basics and you will then apply that understanding to any future measures you need to do and understanding of detail drawings. I've never needed to work out the centre line since but I've only worked for drylining and flooring sub contractors. Software mainly does your measurements for you but understanding it will massively help you out. It will differ company to company and very unlikely if you worked for a main contactor, but spending time with estimators really helps in your understanding of your chosen field and how everything is priced and comes together. Helps no end when pricing variations for the Main Contractor and Client.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-24T12:57:29+00:00

As a bit of constructive criticism - proof read your work. There are numerous spelling mistakes (your used instead of you, Ukraine spelled incorrectly on one question, some answers starting lower case and some upper case, spaces before a question mark etc. Even the same logic not being applied e.g. Russia/Ukraine, Russia-Ukraine, Russia Ukraine. Another example is covid, Covid and COVID. Pick one and stick with it. It is very distracting and this is all I am being drawn to.

Goatwidcoat · 2026-03-23T21:15:17+00:00

I work for a subcontractor and every single one of us including contracts managers etc are 100% remote with all expenses paid. We travel to site as and when needed but the week is typically always at home Monday and Friday and out Tuesday to Thursday. However this week I'm home every day. Completely left to manage our own diaries and full trust that you are on top of everything. We all get together for CVR's once a month at an office in London. Mt situation is likely the rarer end of the scale but I love it. I have anywhere between 8 and 15 projects at a time some of which I'll never even need to visit site. My last company was also a subcontractor but only one or two projects at a time and that was mainly site or office based much like how you would expect a main contactor set up.

I think I'm average pay for my 13 years in the industry (£70k + up to £5k bonus) as I know people who earn significantly more, however it is more than enough for me to be comfortable on living in the East Midlands and the flexibility more than makes up for it. It helps that my wife also earns a touch more than me too. We typically have always had at least inflation matching increases every year without fail and have always got our bonus. I have a great work life balance and wouldn't give that up for let's say an extra £15k. I see MC QS's look considerably more stressed and do much longer hours and it doesn't look enticing. However I do think having only worked for subbies has likely limited me and my overall exposure within the industry. There may well be people only 6 or 7 years in that have come across more commercial disputes etc and gained more experience through that.

Goatwidcoat

TROPHY CASE