starting out?????

[yorkshire1]

Hi, I am hoping there are genuine roofers reading this as I would like some feed back regards me starting my own business in north Lincolnshire. I was originally trained as a slater/tiler at Brady Brothers roofing (Holbeck, Leeds), back in the early to mid 80's ( im now 40) and ****ed off with working for someone else I was just going to start by doing the repair work, do you think I could tick over with this? Also I would like any info regards health and safety as I would imagine its changed a lot since I was involved. Any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers Garry

 

[Nige F]

Come to Sussex for a day`s Leadburning tuition I gotta supplement my pension somehow

 

[Mw Roofline]

Hi Garry

The best thing to do is check out loads of start-up business websites which give you loads of advice re, tax, insurance etc.

Also the health and safety main website has loads of info too (thank god for t'internet!)

You already have the experience so youre almost there.

The most important thing is the marketing, get some leaflets printed and spend a day leafleting areas. Once you are in one house in the street, low and behold the neighbours will ask you for some repairs. Always leaflet 20 houses either side of where you are working, it works a treat mate

Good luck

 

[yorkshire1]

Thanks for the info I'd better get reading up on the web sites you mention, the only thing that concerns me is if methods and materials have changed much? Although I am going to Leeds to find some old mates and pick there brains............must be honest Im bricking it as I have a very secure job (last 14 years chief aircraft engineer) big contrast I know, Im just a bit older and wiser and I think I can do it, Do you think its worth approaching local roofing company,s as I could pass on work such flat roof work and any other work I dont fancy taking on?
Cheers Garry

 

[Nige F]

The only way you`d = the pay of a chief aircraft bod...........by doing roofing ..is change you name to Zak Dingle.and get on Rogue Traders

 

[yorkshire1]

don't be disillusioned by the job title Im lucky if I get 30K a year it just doesnt = the responsibility, all aviation jobs have this stigma attached that its jobs for the boys, to be honest its all ****** mate, the most genuine people ive worked with are the lads on the sites.
ps is it worth trying to get any refesher training if so, where?

 

[Nige F]

Interesting you don`t want the flatties.......I`m thinking that is where the £ is because there is a lot of modern technology now that`s superseded the 3 layer crap that`s failing on thousands of garages round the country That and the lack of leadworkers.....I think specialising is a good idea myself.......and most flatroofs aren`t too high up

 

[yorkshire1]

Your probably right Nige I have had zero time on flatties except for govies when I was a lad and getting paid bugger all monies, as for the lead work I would like to learn more ...........do ya know anyone???

 

[Mw Roofline]

Do you think its worth approaching local roofing company,s as I could pass on work such flat roof work and any other work I dont fancy taking on?
Cheers Garry

You will be glad of ANY roofing work that comes in, pass nothing to no one, do it all yourself

Imagine youre doing a little job you like but then the customer asks for a flattie, you say no and pass it to someone else then as a knock on effect they get another 3 jobs in the road, that could have all been yours.

Don't worry about new products/methods the latest way to do this/that. All the customer wants is a good price for a roof thats gonna last at least 10 years and not leak. If you wanna do it the old fashioned way then do it

 

[Nige F]

Your probably right Nige I have had zero time on flatties except for govies when I was a lad and getting paid b*****r all monies, as for the lead work I would like to learn more ...........do ya know anyone???

Not as far N. as you are But most of the setting-out is in books .....The leadburning I can do in my garage But....in my neck of the woods there is a large -ahem-travelling population that have got the roofing pretty much covered. Then again , a straightforward chimney flashing is easy from a book -use cardboard to work out how the pieces are shaped Cover flashings over conservatories are another good one ....the installers never put in a damp tray across the cavity The burning kit isn`t cheap and there`s bottle rental .....but IF I advertised ,I recon I could get a fair bit of use for it ........too old+ stiff now Have a look at roofer`s link in the question about tools for chimney flashing on this page

 

[Stefan740]

Hello

I started out as a roofer, kind of just fell into it, I have had NO training so you could say I am self taught. I am now a builder. When I started roofing and building it was with very little experience, now at nearly 40 I do very little roofing as it is just so dam hard (physically) lol.

The biggest thing with running your own business is getting the work, once you have the work you can then decide how you handle it. Like MW ROOFLINE said, always take on the work, estimate for it on your headed paper and then if you decide to sub the work out the client has YOUR number for return work. Just make sure your subbies do the work properly, as you will be providing the guarantee.

If you get to know some builder and you are reasonably priced and reliable (reliable being very important), they will provide you with bread and butter work.

I always found roof repairs to be the most profitable, I could live off of roof repairs with ease.

The biggest problem with roofing is it is 'feast or famine', one minuet your inundated the next there is nothing. I prefer building now as it is more stable.

Good luck