When construction work slows down, Marcos Silva, a bricklayer and content creator from Bilbao, still takes small jobs, even those paying just €50. For Silva, the decision is practical: earning something beats letting a day go to waste. He makes clear, but, that this is not his standard rate, nor does he recommend working every day for such a sum. He sees these occasional jobs as a way to stay active and fill gaps in his schedule.
Silva's reasoning is straightforward. "It's better to make €50 than lose €10," he says, challenging the idea that professionals should never leave home for less than €300. Accepting a one-off, low-cost job doesn't mean lowering his overall prices. It's a way to make use of downtime, not to undercut the market or devalue his skills.
Understanding the Real Costs
Not all €50 jobs are alike. A quick repair nearby, requiring few materials and no second visit, can be worthwhile. But when a task takes hours, requires expensive supplies or involves travel and repeat trips, the economics change. Silva says clients often overlook the time and costs involved in preparing a site and cleaning up, as well as waste removal and the initial visit to assess the job. All of that eats into the final earnings.
For self-employed workers, the headline figure rarely reflects what ends up in their pocket. From each €50, a bricklayer may need to pay for materials and fuel, maintain tools and protective gear, and cover administrative costs, taxes and social-security contributions. The contribution due depends on the rules for the relevant year and the worker's declared net returns; an invoice is not the same as taxable profit. In Silva's example, a €50 job with €15 in materials and €10 in travel leaves €25 before taxes and social-security charges. Whether the €50 includes VAT also affects how much counts as revenue before expenses.
Income and Sector Indicators
The National Statistics Institute (INE) reported that Spain's average net income per person rose 6.1% in 2024, reaching €15,948, in its Household Income Distribution Atlas. That figure measures household income per person, not construction-sector wages. It also doesn't establish what an individual self-employed bricklayer earns or keeps from a small repair.
A separate INE business-turnover indicator recorded annual growth of 8.1% in its seasonally and calendar-adjusted series and 9.1% in the unadjusted series. Those rates track changes in business turnover, not workers' wages or net earnings, and say nothing about the profitability of occasional €50 jobs. The distinction matters when assessing Silva's calculation: national income and turnover indicators offer wider economic context, while each job's costs and time determine whether it makes sense for him.
Why Small Jobs Still Matter
For many in the trade, small jobs keep income flowing and skills sharp during quieter periods. Silva's approach reflects a practical consideration for self-employed workers: a nearby, short task can be worthwhile when the alternative is idle time. Whether it pays depends on the work involved, travel and materials, along with repeat visits and the costs of self-employment; €50 is the amount charged, not necessarily the amount retained.
Balancing larger projects with smaller, opportunistic jobs can help tradespeople use gaps in their schedules. Silva's pragmatic stance offers a window into the daily decisions construction workers face as they manage variable workloads and the expenses attached to each assignment.
