Which trade costs the most?

[Handyman]

Up to Feb 2003, I lived in Berkshire and ran my own business organising conferences and other marketing services activities. Did it for 15 years, but with the increae in commercial greed, and the increasing reluctance of anyone to accept responsibility for making decisions, my business became more & more dependent on les & ;ess reliable people. So, last Feb I packed it in. My wife left her special needs teaching post, and we started up a B&B in the west country. To supplement that, I started my handyman business last August.

I had already made the leap of faith 15 years ago when I set up my marketing business, but when I moved to the west country, I determined to go back to PAYE. But ageism is rife down here, and at 56, I appear to "past it". Loads of applications & some interviews, but no offers. So, b*ll*cks to them all, I started up this Handyman business.

I did this at the suggestion of a friend who saw that I was always negative when talking about conference stuff, but always positive when talking about DIY (in which I had become quite expert following my father's footsteps as a cabinet maker, and working on my own properties for over 30years).

I feel that I've already "earnt my place at the table" because I do what nobody else around here seems to do, and that's provide a good, reliable service, and my reputation is (apparently) already spreading. I know that I'm good enough when I see some of the other poor quality work that I have to tidy up.

The most scary moment so far was my very first job when I was in someone else's home about to take apart some of their newly-fitted kitchen. That's when I realised that I had to do a good job.

 

[coggy]

Hi
I will just add my little about a leap of faith. I am only 32, and started my working career as an apprentice joiner when i was 15. I was sent to college for 3 years which i passed and became qualified. I worked for the firm for 6 years and gained a lot of experience in a joiners shop.

I then left and started jumping around doing different jobs, better money but would not satisfy my inner being. I did a lot of voluntary work the last 3 years with homeless people, drug addicts, and in mental health.

12 months ago the desire to go back to my trade just grew and grew, I wanted to set up on my own many years ago but never had the confidence to do it but it was definately a dream of mine. I explored the idea of setting up my own business and combinng the 2 last years skills. I have been working on a business plan to offer intereior joinery and assembling flat pack furniture, with a vision of taking on ex drug users and long term unemployed people.
This allowed me to apply for start up funding which i have been working on the application for the past 12 months. This meant going to a local business adviser and starting from scratch and learning all the in's and out's of setting up on my own.

I now have a business called JLC Interior Joinery & Flat pack assembly Ltd. I was on the funding panel last Friday and will find out any day now whether my application was succesful. The last 12 months have been really hard work and have needed total commitment and a lot of help learning old skills but the hardest part was walking through the fear and self doubt and making that leap of faith.
I have designed my own website, learned book keeping, etc etc all of which i had never done before.

All i can say is if you want it, GO FOR IT!!!!!

Sorry for the long post but wanted to give my piece on stepping out. You can take a look at my website to see the services i will offer and please post any questions on this site or e-mail me through the website and i will gladly help if i can.

Good luck
Coggy

 

[cjgarlick]

Hi Coggy -

Main thing to say is, thanks for your comments and best of luck getting your funding ! Certainly sounds like you deserve it.

In case it's of any use to you, I took a look at your website, which looks good, and have a couple of comments. They might be helpful or you might already have thought about this, but since web design is one of my 'skills' I thought I'd mention it:-

1) Change the title of the homepage. If you look in the source of your HTML (go to your page with Internet Explorer, then on the IE menu click view/source) you'll see the title of the HTML document on the 4th line. Currently it's 'J.L.C Home Page'.

This is fine... apart from that is what will be displayed by a search engine (Google etc) if anyone does a search for your services. I searched using Google.co.uk for 'Flat Pack Sheffield' and (good news) your site was listed eighth out of 6750, but (less good) it's listed as 'J.L.C Home Page'. You probably want it to appear as something more descriptive which will prompt people who don't know you to select it... like 'Expert Interior Joinery in Sheffield' or something....?

2) Stick in some search keywords. You currently have nothing in your 'content' or 'keywords' Metadata sections.... meaning search engines can only search on your homepage title as 1) above. If you stick in (for example) :-

<META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="Sheffield joiners ,Flat Pack Assembly, joinery sheffield , furniture sheffield">

... near the top of your homepage, then anyone searching for these things on the Web will find your site.

I have to say, Janitor/Handyman/Coggy that I'm really encouraged by some of your comments here. Thanks for taking the time guys.

 

[coggy]

cjgarlick
Thank you very much for your comments. Ok i have looked and yes i would like to change it. I used netscape to do all my website and really am a novice. How do i change and increase the wording and key words etc.

Thanks
Coggy

 

[cjgarlick]

Coggy, happy to help if you wish. I'm not familiar with authoring in Netscape though..... but that doesn't really matter. In essence, the two suggestions I made in my previous post are the answer, just a matter of applying them.

Let's take this off the List - I'll drop you an email and see what we can do.

Might not be today tho' since I'm busy until 18:00, then it's Chip Night at my local !!!

 

[coggy]

Ok great

Ive just managed to make a couple of changes like you suggested. If you go to my website and look at the source etc you will see it. is this better and ok?

Also the search in Google you talked about points to my old web address "blueyonder.co.uk" i moved house and ISP a couple of weeks ago and have submitted my new address to Google "Bt internet "

So you won't see it in Google until its picked up.

Thanks for all your help and let me know if you think its ok

Thanks
Coggy

 

[Building Contractor]

I'm sorry if I'm about the upset people but afraid the old saying comes to mind 'Jack of all trades master of none', you can't expect to charge top rates if you are not a time served tradesman

 

[coggy]

Hi
You must have not read my post properly. I am a time served joiner with full c&guilds qualification.

Thanks
Coggy

 

[masona]

you can't expect to charge top rates if you are not a time served tradesman

Hmmm,I can't see why not,specially if you have done the job correctly and to the client's satisfaction,example,I have done a few complete re-tiling roof but I'm not a roof tiler.

 

[Building Contractor]

@ Coggy: Did not direct my post to you but at the first posting..my apologies if you thought so..

@Masona: If you are not a time server tradesperson, how do you know you have done the roof properly?, just because you 'think' it's right does not mean it 'is' right.

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

I'm sorry if I'm about the upset people but afraid the old saying comes to mind 'Jack of all trades master of none', you can't expect to charge top rates if you are not a time served tradesman

Er, isn't that what we've generally been saying???

If you have been dissatisfied with any work I have done, then I will rectify the work free of charge. Oh but you don't know my work and you are making assumptions based on...?

And yes I get upset when people post unwarranted critisism, why not spend your time and energy offering help and advice instead. Try it, you might find it rewarding. I do.

not so 'mildmannered' janitor

 

[Building Contractor]

@mildmanneredjanitor: Actually I have been going around the forums giving a bit of advice but it seems you like just having a go at me for generalised terms I happen to use...whats the matter.....hit a nerve?

 

[Building Contractor]

If you have been dissatisfied with any work I have done, then I will rectify the work free of charge. Oh but you don't know my work and you are making assumptions based on...?


not so 'mildmannered' janitor

and quite funny too..

 

[cjgarlick]

From my humble point of view, I'd say it's normal for people who take a pride in their work and skills to react when 'challenged', albeit in a well-meaning and relevant way.

'Pride in the work'.... 'time-served'.... 'professional'... for me, all these things go together, and they do not necessarily imply specialisation. I reckon it's possible to be a proud, time-served professional in a range of things.... perhaps it's even more challenging than specialising in just one trade.

I think this thread so far has been all about how people, who do not necessarily have the 'de facto' qualification for a particular trade, can still excell in that trade if they take a personal stake in the quality of what they do, and if they are experienced and apply that experience consistently and with customer value/satisfaction in mind.

Janitor (for example) guarantees to rectify any faults with his work. As a businessman, I'm sure he would not offer this guarantee if it was needed very often !! In other words, perhaps the 'kitemark' of a professional, delivering a quality product or service, is customer satisfaction.

Everything else (NVQs, certificates etc...) is relevant but does it really add any guarantee of additional quality?

Just my £0.02...

 

[Building Contractor]

@ cjgarlick:

You bring up some really interesting points and very well said indeed..but the fact is that over the years I've had to deal with numorous people who know this and know that and they really don't know very much, we in the trade call them 'dilutiees' and although they mean well and do turn out some good DIY they are just not up to high end buidling work that sorts out the experienced tradesperson from the DIY man. I'm sorry if people don't like it, but it's not just my view, you will find it on most construction sites...Wimpy.Laing, Mowlem etc