One for self the employed guys...!

[gassafe]

Right, so I've been self employed just over 3 years now & its going okay, I am much better off than if I had stayed at my previous employer on the payroll so I'm happy...

My main worry with self employment is keeping a constant stream of work coming in, over the last 3 years the busiest I have been booked up for 2 / 3 weeks ahead!! I often near guys saying there booked up solid for 3 months etc, I'm wondering how!!

everytime a custard calls, if I can't attend within a few days they will often phone around, and Iv often lost jobs because I can't attend that day!! Very little customer loyalty annoys me also, I have regulars, but also have people who I have got out of trouble before, but when they phone me up at 12.30 on Friday, and I can't attend there boiler breakdown that day then there off to the next engineer!

Il admit, I'm a little fussy, I won't do bathrooms etc, and don't like the getting bogged down on big house renovations where jobs drag out...

Its pretty daunting starting when on Monday morning all I have is a couple small jobs that week, but its like that quite often with me, but normally "touch wood" ends up with work coming in & me doing okay

 

[Roger Welton]

All the chaps I know that are booked up months ahead do bathrooms, and installs for builders.

 

[Irish]

Yeah the key is when you're starting out don't be fussy you say you don't do bathrooms !?each bathroom I do is 2 weeks work! Better that than sitting at home scratching yourself mate! I'm not in least bit fussy work's work till I make my fortune that is! Then I'll be fussy lol

 

[hammers4spanner]

been self employed for years and it floats up and down like nothing else

had a six week quiet patch last year which was the worst for a long time tho which was nervy

normally tho even on quiet weeks a couple phone calls will come in even if its just drippy tap stuff

 

[IDCHAPPY]

I work on a weekly basis, maybe have the occasional thing penciled in for the following month of that but i have enough to keep me busy.
I'll be honest and say, i don't want to be doing 10-12 hours a day 6-7 days a week. I have a pregnant wife, 2 kids, dogs and plenty other stuff to do rather than work myself to the bone

 

[hammers4spanner]

I work on a weekly basis, maybe have the occasional thing penciled in for the following month of that but i have enough to keep me busy.
I'll be honest and say, i don't want to be doing 10-12 hours a day 6-7 days a week. I have a pregnant wife, 2 kids, dogs and plenty other stuff to do rather than work myself to the bone

i do some big installs on occasion and it does exactly that end up getting in gone six working sat and sundays does your nut in , those quiet weeks are a blessing at times

 

[Kev the gas]

I wouldn't worry too much if you can.

In the busy times we try and cram in loads of work to keep everyone happy.

In the quiet times try and spend a little more time with the customer getting a bit more trust, and then selling them a new trv/programmable room thermostat.

"GAS IS GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE YOU KNOW " :clap:

Working for your self is gr8, but adjusting to the work loads is even more important if you have to bring the work in as well.

Kev

 

[REDSAW]

cant see anything else in your post that does not relate to me at all.lol

exactly the same, just go with the flow!.

p.m me and i will send you a secret source of good paid work...

 

[gassafe]

cant see anything else in your post that does not relate to me at all.lol

exactly the same, just go with the flow!.

p.m me and i will send you a secret source of good paid work...

Haha, cheers Martin....? Is it legal ;p

whats the news on that drill, is there life In the sparky yet?

 

[iain85]

Exactly the same here. To be honest I have only ever been booked out once of a month ahead. Like you there are times when there's not much on but the key is to embrace the time to chill out ! Also don't forget there are a lot of bull crappers about who will tell you their flat out to make them seem better.

Depends why you went self employed really. For me it was to get away from the BS at BG and to make my own decisions. I don't work for people I don't like, don't do bathrooms as don't enjoy them and also avoid fires if possible as it makes my back play up! Oh, and don't work for estate agents or builders either! Some people say I shouldn't be fussy and should chase the 'paper' but I would say its about lifestyle for me. No point being a busy fool, choose your jobs wisely.

I keep my outgoings low and enjoy the money when it comes. I look after my daughter Thursdays and Fridays ( except for when it's really busy like the last few months) and it's great.
Don't get me wrong I'm not loaded but I cut my cloth accordingly and would say far I'm far more contented now than I was working flat out at bg with pj's at weekends just to earn the money.

Anyhow be cool and go with the flow. What's that song? 'Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think'

 

[SimonG]

I used to try and plan out as far as I could, but no point going any further than the next week or two. Oh and I do bathrooms

 

[Killy Bing]

Im just taking my time to build up my knowledge, speed and skills.
i could grab far more work which is a lucky situation

but i know full well that at this moment in time it wouldent end well.

prefer to walk before i can run

 

[IDCHAPPY]

I'll never forget a line one of my journeymen told me when i started on the sites "You work to live, not live to work".
I have a weakness for being lazy so this also helps :clap:

 

[lame plumber]

I tend to leave Mondays free as you normally get enough jobs sunday night or Mon morning. then I'll chase up services fm my diary to cover tues and weds and see what the rest brings and adapt as needed. Normally I just go week to week and I hate bathrooms but like boiler and heating installs, they are steady earners. However 5 or 6 callouts a day gets the coffers full

 

[Atouchofgas]

Been se for nearly three years myself, and I have to say it's the best decision I have ever made. Only ever 2/3 wks ahead of myself. I enjoy the quieter moments, time spent with my 4, yes 4 daughters ( oldest is 6 !)
Thing I picked up quickly is cust only ever remember the last job you did for them good or bad!

 

[gasmanrob]

I only book out 3 days of a week for anything over a month in advance that way I know I have 2 spare days for anything that comes in closer to the time so I would class myself as booked for two months ahead but the reality is there are always days free in those months for anything that arises. The stuff I'm booked up on is bathrooms. Rad swaps new boilers etc and I usually end up doing six day weeks. I get the odd quiet day but it's nice gives me a chance to check and gas safety's I may have missed call in the merchants and anyone that sources work our way. Let's them know I'm around and keeps me fresh in their mind. Often the following day a flood of maintenance comes across just because I took the time to call in and share a pack of digestives with the girls on the phones.

 

[Centralheatking]

I can see where you are - we learned a long time ago that a low paid regular contract
such as maintenance means that you wake up on Monday knowing we have £200 each
in the bank already every week.

Thats just what we do keep our regualrs on fixed price small money contracts and we can
always tick over - and then the better stuff will always turns up.

Our company runs on diesel and paying our suppliers - 1st so the little ones do this
every week its a good policy - then on tuesday pay dirt lands !

Been self employed since 24 now 56 (on 29 Jan -actually) when i was younger
with 3 kids under 3 and a 17%mortgage I was really scared Centralheatking

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Been se for nearly three years myself, and I have to say it's the best decision I have ever made. Only ever 2/3 wks ahead of myself. I enjoy the quieter moments, time spent with my 4, yes 4 daughters ( oldest is 6 !)
Thing I picked up quickly is cust only ever remember the last job you did for them good or bad!

4 girls.... all under 6.... teenage years in your house will be fun :lol:

 

[Killy Bing]

Been se for nearly three years myself, and I have to say it's the best decision I have ever made. Only ever 2/3 wks ahead of myself. I enjoy the quieter moments, time spent with my 4, yes 4 daughters ( oldest is 6 !)
Thing I picked up quickly is cust only ever remember the last job you did for them good or bad!

A large axe and a grinder for sharpening it when they start bring boyfriends home huh?

tis pretty intimidating....trust me!!

 

[SimonG]

There are days when I think I wish I had more work booked in, but then weeks like this make me glad I dont. Out the house 12 hours yesterday and 13 today. Vans front hub disintegrated on Friday, blokecsaid hed never seen one as bad. This cost me time on a 4 day bath out shower in job, next two days up at haswell ripping out a three year old worcester, then friday is a flushout before starting on a full heating/bathroom install for the next 6 days. Plus my list of 'its not important but when you have a chance can you.........' is getting longer. After that I have a customer wanting bathroom, cloakroom and kitchen sink. But spec. Not decided yet.

Roll on February, its always quieter

 

[REDSAW]

There are days when I think I wish I had more work booked in, but then weeks like this make me glad I dont. Out the house 12 hours yesterday and 13 today. Vans front hub disintegrated on Friday, blokecsaid hed never seen one as bad. This cost me time on a 4 day bath out shower in job, next two days up at haswell ripping out a three year old worcester, then friday is a flushout before starting on a full heating/bathroom install for the next 6 days. Plus my list of 'its not important but when you have a chance can you.........' is getting longer. After that I have a customer wanting bathroom, cloakroom and kitchen sink. But spec. Not decided yet.

Roll on February, its always quieter

i would have committed suicide by then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but as they say....


'make hay when the sun shines'

 

[Dannypipe]

I've got to be honest, I'm so booked up with work, that I've decided to not even price certain jobs. One of them I really wanted as it was state of the art everything, full install on new build with 5 bathrooms. But I don't have the time to price it.

I have a couple of bathrooms, a couple of boilers, a list of just jobs, a couple of thermal stores, one on solid fuel, and I'm meeting a customer on Saturday morning to finalise a load of work I priced up last year.

So it's not hard to get a month booked up...it is stressful though and I work 6 days a week, long days.

I've decided I want a bigger house, and the only way I'm going to manage that is to work my arse off. That's the long and short of it. I don't want a mansion, but a bedroom each for my kids. So I need a four bedroom house not three.

The other thing is, I like a few days rest, but after that I get bored and want to go fix/install something and get my hands dirty!

 

[Linkyplumb]

I have been manic since start of december, which is why I have not been on here in a while.
Just got four new builds confirmed, starting end of april. Getting subbies in for that one, plus the commercial side has gone off like a rocket.

had three days of this week to do my acs, which was like a breath of fresh air.

Not complaining, just nice to have a few days here and there to catch up with paperwork etc.