Did any of you find it hard when you first started up by yourself?

[Guy]

We've been launched a week tomorrow and so far only had one call but he wasn't happy with my 35 pound call out charge. I had interest by people approaching me when they have seen my van but they are waiting till they get paid to book the work.

I am on Yell.com for all local areas on the first page. I have a Google ad words campaign and i have been doing flier drops etc. So far to no real avail.

My wife is getting concerned because we have bills to pay and i keep trying to say it's only been a week. So should we be worried or is this normal?

Where are we going wrong? Any suggestions please?

 

[islandview]

Its always tough in the begining. I started out on my own about 4 years ago and I am still building it up. The one thing I did when I started was to have 3 months worth of bills put aside in a seperate b/account to cover for days not working. I am with Yell.com and I advertise in local magazines. I also have my van sign written and a website.
Have you tried sites like rated people or my workman. I have used those sites when I am quite, just to get me by.

 

[Guy]

Hello islandview thanks for the reply. I also have my van sign written. I am not currently on ratedpeople.com but will have to look into it. I am on Buildersbum but it seems very quiet there. I think rated people is a good idea but i'm not prepared to pay up front when i can't guarantee i'm going to get the work.

 

[islandview]

Be very careful with rated people and only use it when you need to.

I have had loads of trouble with it, mostly people wasting my time just looking for a rough idea of costs to see if they can afford to have the work done.

You can claim your money back but not the time and diesel you spent to look at the job.

Have you got a website?

 

[Guy]

Yeah i was afraid of that. Yeah i have a website. I had GBBO build the basic template and then made changes to it to improve it.

Here it is Pipes, Mains, Drips & Drains

 

[traineedrip]

Just over 2 years in and yes you can go a couple of weeks without a call. It takes ages to build it all up. Depends on the area but are you advertising in the right places? Ive had adverts out covering a huge area and no reponse. Then popped an advert into local village monthly and got calls straight away. Might be worth knocking on a few doors, introducing yourself and asking How they would find an emergency plumber? There may be a local freebie your not aware of.

 

[dontknowitall]

I've been going for around 3 years and am still quiet from time to time. It takes a while to get yourself established.

You've had one call in your first week? That's busy for a new business that no one's heard of!! And I'm not joking. It's the harsh reality. When did you last see a plumber or builder or electrician or decorator or carpenter turn up to someone living in your street? This year? The construction industry is suffering at the moment and with house prices beginning to drop it's not likely to help the construction industry either.

I'm also finding that the well established plumbers (and builders and electricians, etc, etc) around where I live have also been suffering over the last year or two. Hopefully you'll find a successful niche in the fairly new future.

 

[fuzzy]

keep going, get fed up, try harder, theres no other way is there?

 

[md68]

The first year to 18 months is hard but you've just got to stick at it.
Flyers can be a good source of work. I normally get 4-5 jobs per thousand. The local paper is next to useless but the internet is good. Have you got yourself listed on Google's local business centre so you come up in the organic search? Have you tried joining local business networking groups? ~I've always done quite well out of these.

 

[Guy]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. md68, yeah mate i have added myself to google local business centre but i don't come up in the organic search. There are tons of others. I have verified my listing in the hope that i would come up on the left hand side in that little block of local plumbers but i don't show up.

I haven't attended any networking groups yet but i do intend to.

 

[CES]

Just found this website, seems I've been missing out..anyway here's my tuppence worth..Next time you see a builder, pull up and go and have a chat, introduce yourself and pass out a couple of cards. Word of mouth works better than any advertising. That said, I use the local free paper as every household gets it, but never pay the full rate! I've been going for about 6 years, I get work from a bunch of IKEA kitchen fitters,several builders and occasionally someone who wanders into a merchants looking a bit dazed. Its hard going sometimes but is more rewarding than any work I did for an employer! Try and avoid yellow pages etc as they are outdated and overpriced and never buy into the "your business on a wallchart for the police,fire brigade or NHS staff.." scam thats been going for years! Good luck..

 

[madmart]

Trying placing an advert for your area in Gumtree.com they have just started a big tv advertising campaign. To be honest I have just placed an ad (two days ago) and as yet had no replies but a mate got two jobs from five quotes in the last month.

Actually come to think of it I might be in the wrong game as he is a chippie!

 

[CES]

Ive used gumtree quite a bit, I don't get instant replies, usually within a month or so, the only thing about gumtree in my experience is people want the jobs doing for practically nothing.

 

[mrlennie]

I know noones mentioned it yet but maybe drop your call out rate. Not totally but maybe a bit. If you think about it if you had said £20 call out rate (thats mine) and he'd have been happy you may have got recommended off him and boom bathroom suite CH install anything. In my opinion (I've been self employed for a year and I don't go one week without a call now) at the beggining YOU should be paying them to come out and see the job. Because its the best form of advertising you can get. When you think about it. Just get your bloody foot in the door don't let your own charges stop you.

 

[secret squirrel]

Here's the thing, no-one is ever happy to pay unless they've got water pouring through the ceiling. If its 9-5 I don't do call out charges. Its a personal thing but its in my normal working day. I will turn up, have a look at the job and then price accordingly, if I can I will do it immediately.

If your sitting down at 6pm with your dinner on your lap and watching "The Simpsons" its a different matter.

Most problems are not urgent and can be scheduled for the next day. Its quite good practise (in my opinion) to have a look around the airing cupboard or at the boiler for the filling loop etc. If its unvented have a look at the pipe work and try and figure out where it all goes and what it does.

Very rarely is a job as easy as it first appears. So, don't worry about not getting the job! its hard and I still think (18 Months) down the road that I've over priced a job. If you think its worth £xx then its worth it. If someone wants to do it for less, let them and let them have the problem.

Some people will always go "cheap cheap".

But in answer to your question, it is hard and I am still finding it quite difficult but stress not hang on and things will get there. Slowly but surely.

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

Its hard at first try linking to a smaller established company for any work they might have. Try local housing associations, local churches and schools. Join the Chamber of Commerce. It just takes time.

 

[buff]

hi guy
your doing what everyone else is doing,ads,yell.com etc etc and quite simply theres too many chasing to few jobs
unless you do something totally different or just happen to be in the right place at the right time this is whats its like
can you do something else(tiling,property maintenance)etc you have to keep pro active and create opportunities
bob

 

[mrlennie]

hi guy
your doing what everyone else is doing,ads,yell.com etc etc and quite simply theres too many chasing to few jobs
unless you do something totally different or just happen to be in the right place at the right time this is whats its like
can you do something else(tiling,property maintenance)etc you have to keep pro active and create opportunities
bob

Too right I do abit of everything you gotta its not about being a plumber its about getting a wage by hook or by crook sometimes.

 

[Henno82]

The important thing is not to expect to be getting jobs every day, every week sure you'll have busy periods but mostly you will have quiet periods but be patient succesful businesses don't grow overnight! i am self employed but sometimes struggle but truthfully it is worth it

 

[Plucky]

I must be lucky then, Have been on my own and have not had one day off yet. Working alot of 12hour days as well.

Have you considered sub contracting to other firms?

If you have your gas safe BG are crying out for people. Dunno about the servicing but if your quick and efficient the installation work is good, fairly easy to earn 600 a week.

 

[Phil]

I must be lucky as well, I've been self emplyed for nearly 3 years now and I'm so busy I've genuinley only had two days off this year, I'm at it all week and all weekend just to keep up. I do a bathroom a month and loads of other jobs inbetween and in the evenings. When my phone rings I've started cringing as I know I'll have to turn it down unless its a regular customer.

I get recommended a lot but only because I take real pride in my work, I see so much dodgy work from other local plumbers and its those guys who are quiet because they are never invited back or recommended.

When I started I was in the same postion you're in, I'd go out and deliver 400 leaflets and the phone wouldn't even ring, I kept ringing home to check my phone was working.

Once you've done a few good jobs, word of mouth will start and you'll not need to waste your money on yell.com, rated people etc.

Good luck!