going it alone

[plumber (new blood)]

going it alone.

I`am thinking of setting up on my own?

i work for a small company now, and the only things i dont do are book keeping, pricing jobs, sorting the spec out and collecting the cheques.

a lot of the time my boss will get the spec wrong, so i`ll have sort it out while i`am doing the installation and he`s playing golf.

i can run jobs on my own and i have the experience to do the job right.

on a number of installs i`v known i could of done a better job with sorting the spec out, the boss forgets little details, like the fact a new boiler will need pump over run while the old one did`nt. and so it just gets bodged and installed with out over run in place.

or the fact that he asks me to sort the electrics out (spur of the ring main)
so we can get the boiler up and running, he thinks part `P` is something
to do with a parking fine!!

i don`t` want to ruin my career and end up in court for messing with ring mains, i`am no i should`nt` touch then but the boss says who will ever know.

any advice would be welcome on this one.

 

[croydoncorgi]

1. Join ARGI.
2. Give Leothegas (in Liskeard) a call.

 

[doitall]

1. Join ARGI.
2. Give Leothegas (in Liskeard) a call.

It might be Leothegas he works for John

 

[chrishutt]

the only things i dont do are book keeping, pricing jobs, sorting the spec out and collecting the cheques.

Don't underestimate what it takes to get those aspects right. They need a lot of quality time to keep up with, and that's time when you're not earning any money. So make sure your hourly rates take account of that. It would help if you could find someone trustworthy to set up and run the admin side for you.

 

[plumber (new blood)]

thanks everyone for that,

chris you have a point, at the moment in looking into the cost of setting up, i may have to do a course on book keeping or something.

i just want to keep it small to start of will, may move into the solar and renewables market at a later stage, have`nt got the capital for that sort of thing yet.``don`t` want to run before i can walk.

i think i could make it pay tho.

looking maybe to get some help from the bank?

 

[Thermo]

start small is a good way to go. Keep your overheads down and make every penny count. Dont borrow money where you dont need to. Put money aside for the tax and vat man (if u go vat registered) and a rainy day and DONT touch it. Go and see a decent accountant. It will save you one hell of a lo of time and money in the long run, they will also advise you if it is more finacially viable to go as a sole trader or a limited company, from a tax point of view etc (it normally is). There are plenty of people out there who will give you a hand when you are first starting out. Take pride in yourself and your work, keep appointments for work and quotes. Be professional, clean and tidy and you will soon have more work than you can cope with. Good luck and enjoy it, but it is hard working for yourself.

 

[Paul Barker]

Take up roofing now instead of later and save a load of hasstle.

 

[plumber (new blood)]

thanks termo for the advice.

paul i think i`ll do a BEPEC in solar if i go into that, side of things. doing the reseach at the moment on the market. Anyone installing solar in yorkshire?? thats where i`ll be trading.

i would like to work for a small firm maybe?? but i`l had bad experiences in the past, i like to see the job done right instead of just wanting the final payment as soon as poss!? i no that side of things is important for cash flow, but if it means rushing a job and cutting corners to get payed how can you call your self a pro?

i hate cutting corners on jobs.

my boss never want to install a room stat, even tho its a must for the building regs, even asks if you have on the log book, so i have to just tick yes! might as well just though the log book away. sometimes the systems don`t` get flushed correcty, again at item on the log book.

our firm should bring out our own version of the log book, ... the bodge book....

thats why i feel i`d` be better off on my own then i could do things a different way.

 

[fitz1]

contact the chamber of commerce. they help with funding and training.have a look into air con.becoming bigger and is a good qual for emmigrating to hot climbs.

 

[fitz1]

p.s. ive got a brother in plymouth needs a heating doing.

 

[plumber (new blood)]

i`am leavin plymouth in a few weeks and going back to the north, thanks for that anyway fitz.

i would put you on to the firm i work for but, the other lads are know for things like nailing gas pipes, flooding house out that sort of thing. never good for the customer, specialy when i have to make excuses up of them haha.

 

[doitall]

p.s. ive got a brother in plymouth needs a heating doing.

We Got loads of heating engineers in your area on Argi if you want me to pass on your info

 

[Paul Barker]

It'll never pay, not enough daylight. If you are going into it you are saying you weant to con people out of their money or you haven't a clue about Economics.

 

[plumber (new blood)]

ok paul thanks for the input

 

[bab]

I think thats a little off putting. If u want to do jobs as well as u say then i find there's lots of people out there willing to part with a reasonable amount of money for good work. U will become a victim of your own sucsess & not beable to cope with the work load if ya in the right places at the right times.