Going to try going self employed, any advise?

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Going to try going self employed, any advise?

Discuss Going to try going self employed, any advise? in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

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J c stokes

Being made redundant around September and after having little to no luck with finding another job that is worth going for. So ive decided to try going self employed weather it be sub contracting or own private work

So just after any tips, do and dont's, any training you advise to do and pretty much anything that may help
 
@dontknowitall

If your fed up of seeing threads like these don't post, the thread will die and disappear. i've never gotten why people on a forum complain about people asking questions regardless of how many times its been asked. I'm sure if people just used the search facility only then there would be very little new threads made cause im sure if you trawled long enough u could find the answer to most things weather it be on this forum or just googling. People ask question on a forum to get direct quick answers

I know things are tough atm but if i cant find a job then finding my own work is my only option and the reason im asking for advise as ive always worked for a company and not for myself

With regards to my experience you know nothing of my experience

@AWheating

Tbf when the redundancies were first announced i thought pretty much the same take my money and then straight into another job but after 3 months of job searching and prob 60 CVs sent off i pretty much realised how its going to be.

Pretty gutted about my 2 month break with CHN to lost about £9000 due to that :(

Al wheatley landed on his feet though aint he
 
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J c stokes said:
@dontknowitall

If your fed up of seeing threads like these don't post, the thread will die and disappear. i've never gotten why people on a forum complain about people asking questions regardless of how many times its been asked. I'm sure if people just used the search facility only then there would be very little new threads made cause im sure if you trawled long enough u could find the answer to most things weather it be on this forum or just googling. People ask question on a forum to get direct quick answers

I know things are tough atm but if i cant find a job then finding my own work is my only option and the reason im asking for advise as ive always worked for a company and not for myself

With regards to my experience you know nothing of my experience

@AWheating

Tbf when the redundancies were first announced i thought pretty much the same take my money and then straight into another job but after 3 months of job searching and prob 60 CVs sent off i pretty much realised how ****e its going to be.

Pretty gutted about my 2 month break with CHN to lost about £9000 due to that :(

Al wheatley landed on his feet though aint he
Click to expand...

I am afraid I am with dontknowitall on this, there are loads of subjects on this matter and aving a go at well respected member who is giving freindly advice is not the way to endear yerself to other members, after you have been on this Froum for a few months you will see what he means
 
J c stokes said:
@dontknowitall

If your fed up of seeing threads like these don't post, the thread will die and disappear. i've never gotten why people on a forum complain about people asking questions regardless of how many times its been asked. I'm sure if people just used the search facility only then there would be very little new threads made cause im sure if you trawled long enough u could find the answer to most things weather it be on this forum or just googling. People ask question on a forum to get direct quick answers

I know things are tough atm but if i cant find a job then finding my own work is my only option and the reason im asking for advise as ive always worked for a company and not for myself

With regards to my experience you know nothing of my experience

@AWheating

Tbf when the redundancies were first announced i thought pretty much the same take my money and then straight into another job but after 3 months of job searching and prob 60 CVs sent off i pretty much realised how ****e its going to be.

Pretty gutted about my 2 month break with CHN to lost about £9000 due to that :(

Al wheatley landed on his feet though aint he
Click to expand...

To be fair mate I have just read his post and I don't think is bad at all - infact I would say it is the best advise you have recieved on here. So I wouldn't be so hard on him - after all you did ask for advise so good or bad you got what you asked for.

There would be no real point in people on here saying "go for it" when theres not much work and painting a pretty picture about being self employed.

All things work out in the end and I am sure what ever happens you will find yourself work in some shape or another

Best of luck

Tom
 
op you just dont get that we are honest with you ,and you just thing that there is thousands to be made out there just now ! Do not like it ,do not come back here . Simple as that you get helped and you dont like it is not DKNA who is need of help is you ,so if you want to learn and get advice , bit take a deep breath and count to ten before post here ,or you just going to be just like my last few apprentices who do not like to be told and asked to do things and then they all end up without job !

Feel better now !
 
I wasnt having a go I was giving my opinion to his reply.

I go on quite a few forums (not all plumbing related) and have thought the same on those sites. I dont see the point in bumping a thread by replying saying use the search function

I havent at any point said im going to earn a fortune or under any impression that theres tons of work but as ive already stated im being made redundant, cant find employment so there for have no choice but to go self employed.

I found dontknowitall's post a little patronising
 
been self unemployed since october and self employed since february, its been tough but I've just had the busiest past week in a long time, working 12 hour shifts and not eating going to be busy for the rest of the week also.
Just started contract work with british gas, got to go and do some inspections tomorrow and friday, then find out if I'll get extra money to go to Stirling then I might take them on aswell while trying to fit in my own jobs.

but to be quite honest, If it wasn't for my £2800 compensation claim I would of been bankrupt by now probably and that is being brutally honest. I haven't really advertised though as I haven't had the cash to, at the moment I've got a good bit of cash and still awaiting payment for a job but until I start getting a steady income from BG then that cash will be getting saved to keep me a float lol.

Its VERY expensive starting out, I still don't have certain equipment or my van sgned and another thing is constantly turning up at jobs and not having a certain fitting that you then have to go and get from the merchants, so you would have to invest in a bit of stock aswell which isn't cheap.

Basically unless you have alot of money to burn then it isn't easy, you also have Insurance, Gas Safe etc etc

P.S I'm 2 months behind on my books, because I hate it lol
 
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dontknowitall said:
My apologies, but I was only trying to help.
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I don't think that you have any need to apologise - the OP asked for advise and you gave it. The fact that it was not what he wanted to hear was not your fault. We would all like to be on here saying "yes, become a gas fitter/plumber, we are all on 2k a week and are at home by 1" but the fact is we are not. Times are really hard and telling someone the whole truth is sound advice to be fair!
 
You can't do any kind of self employment and draw the dole. It is different from where you can work as an employee for 16hrs. You are not an employee. Self employed get nothing.
If you are getting a decent pay off use it wisely.
You will also find out how useless your payment protection insurance is when you need it. You'd be better using one of those get your money back lawyers.

A job doing anything may be better than jumping into self employment. It will give you something while you can arrange anything that comes in around it.
You are not going to get laid off on the Friday and be out doing your stuff on the Monday. £200 in a week will be a good week for a while.

Good luck at whatever you do.
 
Give it 5 or 6 years to become well established and you'll find the work finds you. To get to that point then I would listen to whats been already posted above, its bleak and doom and gloom, but thats the way it is at the minute.

Now to focus on the time you have before being made redundant. Get yourself an advert, get yourself in the merchants and speak to the builders, get a look in local paper for planning permissions or local council website. If your driving past a building site or obvious signs of building work going on pull over and have a word with the people working there or customer, get some cards and leave one with them.

When the phone does ring and somebody wants a price don't price too cheap, work out in advance your pricing structure based on your overheads and outgoings. Don't buy work, it will end in tears.

When you get work, arrive on time, be smartly dressed, plenty of dust sheets down, a little henry hoover goes a long way and the custs love it when you hoover up once you've finished.

and my final words of wisdom, if your not sure it will succeed look at other options.

Best of British :)
 
So you lot slating this thread have a go at me for asking a question thats been asked before but then reply to a thread about how many wraps of ptfe do you put on rad valves?

His post told me times are hard, use the search function and that you need knowledge and experience to succeed.

@villa_tom

I already am a gas fitter/plumber and have been for 11 years
 
unnecessarily replying to this thread to "bump it" as you put it is not relevant as it is only one day old and still on the first page.
 
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J c stokes said:
So you lot slating this thread have a go at me for asking a question thats been asked before but then reply to a thread about how many wraps of ptfe do you put on rad valves?

His post told me times are hard, use the search function and that you need knowledge and experience to succeed.

@villa_tom

I already am a gas fitter/plumber and have been for 11 years
Click to expand...
I will try and put it a different way There are a some very good knowlegable regulars on here who I found initialy abrubt,as I called it back then (clicky) but as I have stuck around for a while and apprieciated the banter etc. and the very forwarding help, information and advice that has been offered I have understood things better. Stick around and join in you will not be dissapointed.
Ps. I as we all know time are tuff, vbest of luck with what ever you choose
 
J c stokes said:
So you lot slating this thread have a go at me for asking a question thats been asked before but then reply to a thread about how many wraps of ptfe do you put on rad valves?

His post told me times are hard, use the search function and that you need knowledge and experience to succeed.

@villa_tom

I already am a gas fitter/plumber and have been for 11 years
Click to expand...

Somthing will turn up, you mightb have to go self employed for a while, you might not earn alot but its better than nothing.
 
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