when does the work start picking up?

[carl27]

hello everyone i have set up on my own about 3 to 4 months ago it has been going realy well so fair but i have no more work booked in for after christmas well i have a little job in january that was ment to be done next week they have changed the date witch messes me around abit, but anyway. when does it start to get busyer , what months ? how long did it take alot of you painters to get your business running how you wanted it to? I am geting the work by leaflets dropping and word of mouth what i want is me to get my work by not going round leaflet droping i want customers to keep coming back and being recomended so how long did it take for you all to get to this stage. i have had customers that gave me work then gave me more work and they are all happy with my work so that is not a worry realy that people would not want me back becuase my work is not good enough.

all the best carl.

 

[Diyisfun]

With the economic climate now, I think you may struggle to get jobs.
There will be the unemployed trying to do a bit, there will be pros looking for it & there will be householders not wanting to spend money.

 

[JohnD]

speaking as a householder:

where my mum lives, nice area, lots of retired people

If the residents see a neat, clean, signwritten van outside a house, and a careful workman in clean overalls, they have a look at him, and ask if he'll do their house. In that area, the painters say no, sorry, too busy.

In an area where times are hard, it will be different.

But I would have thought, with Christmas coming up, people will tend to put off spending for a month or two. I wouldn't have my house painted in cold wet weather anyway.

If you have a nice van, with your name and number on the side, and it says your town and your landline number (not a mobile) try leaving it parked in a few nice areas. People looking for a local man may make a note of it. Have some cards and flyers in the van for anyone who expresses an interest. A scruffy, dirty, rusty, dented or untidy van shouts "careless worker"

If you haven't got your own van yet, try those magnetic signs.

Put a big sign up on your scaffolding or ladder to attract passers-by

 

[Robbie uk]

Totally agree with johnD. I used to go into an housing estate and do one house then all their friends would come in and have a look and then start ringing up. They dont want to be left out. January and february always were the worst. Most people had spent up for Xmas and the weather was cold. I try and get some of my customers to save it for the new year. Every one wants to have it done for Xmas and then have parties and drop cake and booze everywhere.

Better to have it done in the new year after all the decorations are put away and its fresh for the new year then.

 

[carl27]

thank you for your help. john i do have a clean van from what you said there i am doing everythin perfect but the only think i dont have is a landline number i just work from a mobile i can see why you say use a landline so it makes you look more of a bigger company and not a 1 man band so at a later date i will get a land line put up. how are alot of you other painters finding work at the moment i have been busy since i have started am i just being lucky or do alot of you keep busy. carl

 

[confidentincompetent]

My work has dried up just dribbling in.Think this recession is worse than 90's I work alot with retired people, and their interest pays for decorating etc, but with interest free savings on the horizon obviously decor takes a back burner.. luckily I have a few clients who are ex civil service soo money /inerest not a problem. Though I have been here many times since 1984. One day you think the bubble has burst, the next your booked up and dont know who to dissapoint next..
As mentioned above you paint one outside and end up working in most of the street. If your good / reasonably priced. Trouble is you have to compete with full time firemen and folks on night shifts
Working in folks houses = respect for their property is rewarded with more work and your name passed on.
John D has a good point re mobile numbers. a landline has an address, Its well known for dodgy cowboys to use only a mobile.

Good luck anyhow..

 

[kim0190]

For me it is exactly the other way round! I have to wait till i finally can start! We rented a house now, but we have to wait till we can move in ... early april
I can't wait to start working on my house!
But i'm sure when i'm doing it will **** me off as it does you

 

[Deccy]

Hi Carl. I started on my own January 08 after working for an idiot for years and I have not looked back. When all this credit crunch malarky started I was very worried because I, like many others, have a mortgage to pay. I thought I couldn't have picked a worse year to go self employed! It will be hard for the next year or so, maybe longer and yes there's been quiet times but in those quiet times you must stay positive. Get some flyers made up and post them round tidy estates and local businesses, I did this and got quite a bit of work from it. I'm booked up well into February 09 and the work just keeps on coming in. Get to know some local Joiners/Plasterer's etc maybe they could get you some work. The bloke I used to work for has been self employed for 8 years and I have far more work on than him because he was a scruffy, untidy, rude person who didn't have any respect for other people's property, or his own for that matter. Houses are the most expensive things a person will buy in their lifetime and when you are trusted to enter somebody's home to do work you must have respect, both for them and their property. GOOD LUCK.

 

[carl27]

hello deccy glad to here you have been going well. I have some flyers made up i did post about 1000 and got 2 jobs from it but 4 quotes so im happy with that realy 1 of the customers has had me doing more than 1 room in the house now as they trust me. I have just had another 5000 flyers made so i will be posting them when im quite. thanks you the reply and good luck in the future.

all the best carl

 

[westwood187]

can you give me the criteria on how you guys price a job? lets say a 8 x 10 room. and youve to paint ceiling. woodwork and walls. whats a typical figure you give? just out of pigiron id like to know. cheers

 

[confidentincompetent]

can you give me the criteria on how you guys price a job? lets say a 8 x 10 room. and youve to paint ceiling. woodwork and walls. whats a typical figure you give? just out of pigiron id like to know. cheers

Just see what kinda car they drive, Hope they are ex civil sevants on goldplated pensions and you can charge what you like... You just out should of cell poor u .. wont it be better to get back in ?

8 x 10 ceiling if u can find some cheeep masonry paint will be about £2.50 plus vat ~@# the rate applicable just now.. will proobly be 20% soon ..