Looking to start up on my own?

[ianmcd]

JOE 90

Where do you get this idea that gas engineers earn fortunes ? I have a few that work for me and I treat them very well and they earn good money but they work very hard for it, just the same as any other employer you pay premium rates for good staff

 

[joe-90]

I guess the £94 per hour call out gives the game away and £2.5K for a combi swap.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Working for yourself is great but does have its dowfalls , if you do not have the experience to diagnose a fault first time do you really expect the customer to pay for the said part when you go and uplift it and install it and it does not fix the problem ? on the same line you wont do that twice so you learn how to diagnose first time, if I was you I would learn in someone elses time to be honest

Where does he say he's GS?

Are you saying that the only faults in plumbing and heating systems are gas related?

Come on Joe, the guy has asked for sensible advice re his career. Let's not make it about Mr90 trying to look clever - and failing spectacularly. Once again.

 

[joe-90]

I've given him sensible advice. Keep his overheads low and prices down - he'll be in BIG demand in the current environment.

 

[Whitespirit66]

I've given him sensible advice. Keep his overheads low and prices down - he'll be in BIG demand in the current environment.

Aye, that's fair enough. If you want to pick on gas fitters for being robbin' b'stards though - best to fight it out in a topic on the subject, started by yourself.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Sorry boys, I'm with Joe on this one.

Local paper and small talk does bring the customers in and the recommendations following.

Andy

 

[HootingOwl]

don't pack in the security job yet.

start advertising locally and do the plumbing in-between the security shifts. loads of people appreciate you being able to mend stuff at evenings and weekends when they are not at work.

you could charge 50 quid a day and be so busy that your ass does not touch the ground. or you could charge a sensible and realistic rate (say 40 quid the first hour and thirty for each hour after that) and do work that you are proud of.

do not underestimate the costs of starting a business and sustaining it for the first twelve months. an estate car can bridge the gap before you are in a position to buy a van. i had a volvo 940 for the first 18 months before leasing a van.

can the princes trust help you out in any way? they are supportive of young people who have the balls to start a business on their own.

if you work for cheap, people will call you up and ask if you are the cheap plumber and you will have a stream of rubbish customers who want you to work for nothing. they will then dump you when the next newbie comes along and undercuts you by a fiver. i have been there and still get calls asking me to work for next to nothing. taking on these customers stops me from doing profitable work elsewhere.

you want a base of quality customers who are prepared to pay the rate for a decent job. and then get referrals from them.

good luck - you can do it if you can take some pain and a drop in income for a year or two.

 

[danplumb]

Really appreciate the advice guys, yeah I see what you're saying Ian but I've tried and tried to get a job in plumbing but there's absolutely no chance each job that becomes available there's too many applicants to even get a look in, I wouldn't claim to be a heating engineer although I do know my way around the different systems and identify common simple faults I wouldn't claim to be able to identify complex faults spending fortunes on replacement parts if I wasn't sure, but I spent as much times doing joinery and other trades so I have all round experience so I'm not just limited to plumbing. Just wondering how you all found it when you first started, I already have a small customer base that i do regular work for who want to pass my number on but I don't have the time with only being able to work weekends, how soon did it take for your name to be passed around and to the stage where you have enough work to keep you going everyday ? I really want to do it but I don't know if I'll be wasting my time as once I've done all the work I've got to do in the first few weeks I'd then have nothing for weeks.. But yeah I agree with joe as I've no overheads ATM I don't really need to be greedy just need a decent wage so I could put good prices in and still earn much more than I do now !
Thanks for the info guys
Dan

 

[HootingOwl]

took me three to four years to build a decent customer base

if you are a competent chippy, then think about going after the high-end work and charge accordingly. there are enough people with lots of money who are not feeling the pinch and will shell out 12k on a bathroom if the quality is there.

do not undersell your talents. you may think you are 'not good enough' but i suspect you are a lot better than many out there.

 

[danplumb]

Those are the jobs I would love, I could quite comfortably fit a full bathroom or kitchen and tile, this is what I have done for the last 6 years on my own there isn't really a job in a house I haven't had to do, I'm not blowing my own trumpet but I've always been hands on and good with my hands so it all just came natural to me, but what I couldn't be doing with is turning up to somebody's house and them seeing that I was only young and straight away think I either couldn't do it or I'd be rubbish.

 

[LargeWrench]

If you still live at home you've literally got nothing to lose. It's a hundred times easier when you don't have the worry of a mortgage and parents who will let you off rent if cash is short. I started up on my own a few years back in my early 20's whilst living at home. The first six months i was earning enough to get by on but nothing spectacular, but since then things have been great. I'm slowly building up a good customer base, whereby i'm busy most days, but the odd slack day isn't such a problem since i'm still living at home. It's tough at times being that bit less experienced, but it's no problem turning work down if you're not comfortable. I'm still in contact with the guy i did my apprenticeship with and so always have the option of ringing him if i get stuck on anything as well.

You seem like you're confident in your ability and do a good job. You're probably better than most new start ups who are short corse chancers so i'd definitely take the plunge.

 

[BertieGas]

I am married with two kiddies and a mortgage etc. Lots of young lads who live at home setup in the trade, new van, full of stickers, box full of paper qualifications, catchy name, they undercut my quotes like a butcher as they only need 2 or 3 hundred a week to be a viable business with such low overheads. When reality dawns at around two years time they usually pack in and leave the trade and a pile of time bombs in their wake. My annual wage in 1997 at bg was 18.5 k. Last year 16k. Think about it, when times are good they are great, when they are bad, it can be brutal out there.

 

[danplumb]

When reality dawns at around two years time they usually pack in and leave the trade and a pile of time bombs in their wake. .

Why time bombs ? Why do people always asume young trademen only do bad work ?

 

[Nige F]

[. They would rather spend £10 or £20 to british gas every month than call a local guy out.

The Joy of Centrica

 

[Nige F]

. My annual wage in 1997 at bg was 18.5 k. .

And that was getting home @ 4 pm .