Who works weekends?

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armyash

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Hi guys after a productive and very tiring 2012, I want to make more progress in 2013. I am going to get some business cards and leaflets printed this week and start getting them out where I live in Kent. As I live in Southampton Mon-Fri I will be putting myself out there as available day and night weekends.

I will not be doing gas work to start with as I do not have my own GSR and I want to keep costs down. Also this forces me to stick to plumbing jobs which I don't really do with the company I work for so can get some practice in.

I don't expect to be busy every weekend and I don't expect to get rich but it's the first steps towards working for myself.

Everything will be above board in regards to insurance/tax/NI etc where neccessary.

Who on this forum works weekends or do you let cashflow dictate? do you charge more for weekend work, if so how do your chrge compare to regular charges?

Thanks for reading. Happy new year to all, hope you all have a good 2013.
 
Saturdays a normal day....Sunday don't bother with unless I,m behind on a job but as long as its not a call out its normal time for me....
 
Pretty much let my workload dictate.
I woyld rather work seven days, then to work later at night.
I have a two year old boy, and the thought of not being there to read his bedtime story to him fills me with sadness.
 
Most Saturdays and Sundays when work available. We do not charge more for weekend work as it is usually a convenience for us.
 
Linkyplumb said:
Pretty much let my workload dictate.
I woyld rather work seven days, then to work later at night.
I have a two year old boy, and the thought of not being there to read his bedtime story to him fills me with sadness.
Click to expand...


I have a 2 year old girl and when I leave her on Sunday nights it's a killer.
 
I work weekends. The wife and I are doing a self build starting in March. So I'm frantically saving as much as possible. Which means working weekends and evenings for the next few months.


ive even given up booze! Been over 6 months since I last had a beer! Said to the wife I wouldn't drink until house is complete!
 
willing2learn said:
I work weekends. The wife and I are doing a self build starting in March. So I'm frantically saving as much as possible. Which means working weekends and evenings for the next few months.


ive even given up booze! Been over 6 months since I last had a beer! Said to the wife I wouldn't drink until house is complete!
Click to expand...


he things we say for love , giving up beer tut tut
 
BOD said:
he things we say for love , giving up beer tut tut
Click to expand...

Ha ha, I've got no time for hangovers at the mo. I'm an all or nothing type of person, do seem to have the 'moderation' gene!
 
dont normally work w ends but if the current drop in work continues, I will be doing so if req, but i will charge those that want me to.
 
If I work weekends I share the money with the kids!!! They can't wait for the call outs !
 
Can't beat a bit of SaS (Saturdays and Sundays).

Seriously though, I tend to use Saturdays as overspill. May use a Saturday morning to get ahead on a big job ready for a busy week the following week, to finish a job off rather than running into a fresh week, catch up on a couple of small non urgent jobs that I've put off through the week or to organise to go and look at jobs to price.
Sunday's are mine but I will go out if it's a existing customer with a problem or if it's going to screw up the week ahead.

Thing is you need not only some 'me' time but family time as well, otherwise what do we work for?
 
chap I work for charges £175 per hour for sunday. when the money is that good, you cant really refuse.
And if it aint urgent they will normally wait until monday.
 
weekends are for golf rather do late during week usually the case though my phone is always on and do go to jobs after the golf if needed
 
Hi armyash. I'm so tempted of trying to go self employed again but what with people are saying on here about work being quiet and hopefully going to try move and get a house this year it would be silly as they'll want a proof of earnings. So my plan is to stick it out on the cards for another year or so and try then.
 
I work every other Saturday, and charge the same rate. Sundays I do too if it's an emergency, but I charge more.

I'm home most days by 5pm in the week. So see a lot more of my children than many of my customers.
 
Dannypipe said:
I work every other Saturday, and charge the same rate. Sundays I do too if it's an emergency, but I charge more.

I'm home most days by 5pm in the week. So see a lot more of my children than many of my customers.
Click to expand...

Why are your customers seeing a lot of your kids?, not got em grafting already? :)
 
when kids were young and mortgage high id work when ever i could now i dont ill only work weekends for good money or to suit myself
 
I work as and when the work demands, that said most of my customers will know they pay a premium at the weekend.The beauty of being self employed is you can pretty much dictate when you work as long as your bringing in the bacon so to speak. In a previous life (catering) working weekend was the norm so to me its no big deal really.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I have got some business cards ordered and will get some leaflets too.

Need to get the rood rack and pipe carrier on the van then i'll be ready to start getting my name out there. As I am already in full time employment in Southampton, I am not in a position to be too adventurous in Kent as I just won't have the time. I will spend the next month or so handing out leaflets and business cards on a Saturday, pass a load on to my girlfriend to give to her friends and ask them to pass some on to people too. Might stick an ad in a couple of parish magazines too.

I have spoke to a lot of guys recently who have had stints as self employed and they have all said the work is out there. The reason they are not self employed anymore they say is that they can't be bothered with the advertising and paper work etc which I can understand but if work is out there i'll put the effort in looking for it, keep advertising and get in a routine keeping on top of everything.

I have lots to learn still but I have the confidence now to do small jobs. I won't do anything that I think will cause me too many problems or jobs that can't be done in one weekend. I expect it to take a while before I even get my first job booked in but after that if I can get 1/2 jobs a month I will be happy. A little bit of extra money but more importnatly I will be on the right path to being my own boss and will gain more confidence from working for myself.

Any recommendations for good leaflets? I have got my business cards from vista print are their leaflets any good?

Does anyone have an example of a leaflet they use they would be happy to email me for ideas (if that's not too cheeky?)

Thanks
 
I work Saturday mornings if I have to finish a job like a full install from the week prior.
If it's a callout then I charge a higher hourly rate but no callout charge.... I don't mind doing them and have got young kids too.
In fact I'd rather be out working (or doing anything in fact) than be in the house with the missus lol
 
willing2learn said:
I work weekends. The wife and I are doing a self build starting in March. So I'm frantically saving as much as possible. Which means working weekends and evenings for the next few months.


ive even given up booze! Been over 6 months since I last had a beer! Said to the wife I wouldn't drink until house is complete!
Click to expand...

What commitment, think how good that beer will be in your new home !!
 
I work every other weekend, both days if needs be. But try to take it easy on weekends, as I'm not up for killing myself 7 days a week. Normal rates unless emergency call outs.
 
Hi Armyash,
its the paper work i hate, invoicing isnt too bad but i hate the rest. You need to keep on top of it.
Always return calls say sorry if you mess someone around and dont forget to clean up.
When quoting dont forget to allow for, parking, waste disposal, consumables, travel, any carriage charges. build something in for time and cost of quoting and something for time spent running around picking up bits. I am glad i went self employed but look over the fence and think that the grass is greener now and then.
 
I work Saturdays, Sundays, evenings and nights if I can get em.
 
greyhound said:
Hi Armyash,
its the paper work i hate, invoicing isnt too bad but i hate the rest. You need to keep on top of it.
Always return calls say sorry if you mess someone around and dont forget to clean up.
When quoting dont forget to allow for, parking, waste disposal, consumables, travel, any carriage charges. build something in for time and cost of quoting and something for time spent running around picking up bits. I am glad i went self employed but look over the fence and think that the grass is greener now and then.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that greyhound. I intend to stay where I am for a quite a while as the money is ok and I get treated fairly well. At least starting up on weekends will give me an idea if it's for me or not. If I can get in a good routine and not let paper work swallow my time I think it would be the best thing in the future.
 
sam51 said:
got no work booked in,so why do any work that comes in,weekends,
its not what you know,its who you know.
Click to expand...
I have no idea what you're going on about.

As for me, just starting out as self employed so I can't be too fussy. I want as much work as possible to get myself established.
 
armyash said:
Thanks for all the replies. I have got some business cards ordered and will get some leaflets too.

Need to get the rood rack and pipe carrier on the van then i'll be ready to start getting my name out there. As I am already in full time employment in Southampton, I am not in a position to be too adventurous in Kent as I just won't have the time. I will spend the next month or so handing out leaflets and business cards on a Saturday, pass a load on to my girlfriend to give to her friends and ask them to pass some on to people too. Might stick an ad in a couple of parish magazines too.

I have spoke to a lot of guys recently who have had stints as self employed and they have all said the work is out there. The reason they are not self employed anymore they say is that they can't be bothered with the advertising and paper work etc which I can understand but if work is out there i'll put the effort in looking for it, keep advertising and get in a routine keeping on top of everything.

I have lots to learn still but I have the confidence now to do small jobs. I won't do anything that I think will cause me too many problems or jobs that can't be done in one weekend. I expect it to take a while before I even get my first job booked in but after that if I can get 1/2 jobs a month I will be happy. A little bit of extra money but more importnatly I will be on the right path to being my own boss and will gain more confidence from working for myself.

Any recommendations for good leaflets? I have got my business cards from vista print are their leaflets any good?

Does anyone have an example of a leaflet they use they would be happy to email me for ideas (if that's not too cheeky?)

Thanks
Click to expand...
Without sounding too negative, i think you are not reading fully into what these guys who say there is plenty of work around aren't saying ie plenty of work for anybody wanting to work for nowt. If it was paying well enough with all this work then they could / would be bothered. Also getting work on the side for pocket money with a wage already secured is a lot different to trying to fill a full week. Many on here would probably agree that at the moment a wage and keeping your head above water is taking more time than a lot of jobs where you are on the books.
 
woodsy said:
Without sounding too negative, i think you are not reading fully into what these guys who say there is plenty of work around aren't saying ie plenty of work for anybody wanting to work for nowt. If it was paying well enough with all this work then they could / would be bothered. Also getting work on the side for pocket money with a wage already secured is a lot different to trying to fill a full week. Many on here would probably agree that at the moment a wage and keeping your head above water is taking more time than a lot of jobs where you are on the books.
Click to expand...

I understand what everyone is saying. The guys I mentioned said it was too much for them and they couldn't be bothered. They prefer to have set hours, set wage and go home at the end of the day and forget about things. Can't argue with that not everyone suits being self employed whether the works there or not. Obviously there isn't lots of work around for everyone, that's clear from this forum. Some people say they have plenty of work and some people say they do not.

I won't be doing it for 'pocket money'. The money isn't my priority. It's a matter of starting up self employed, getting used to how things are done and also gaining confidence doing jobs. If it doesn't work out I still have my job in Southampton to fall back on. If it goes ok then and I enjoy it then I can think about doing it full time and then I can worry about 'trying to fill a full week' as you say. Everybody has to start somewhere and the fact that i'd be prepared to work 7 days a week to make it happen shows how seriously I would take it.

Thanks for your comments though.
 
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