Who works weekends?

[armyash]

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.

 

[willing2learn]

What commitment, think how good that beer will be in your new home !!

Yep, hopefully all be worth it in the end.

 

[Foodface]

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.

 

[greyhound]

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.

 

[Glenwils]

I work Saturdays, Sundays, evenings and nights if I can get em.

 

[armyash]

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.

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]

hi, aint got enough work mon to fri.so weekends are out.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

surely if you are short of work you would work whenever required?

 

[TBServices]

surely if you are short of work you would work whenever required?

Pointless booking in Saturdays and Sundays if you have to fill out mon-fri. Unless there's no other option.

 

[sam51]

hi, aint got enough work mon to fri.so weekends are out.

got no work booked in,so why do any work that comes in,weekends,
its not what you know,its who you know.

 

[Keefy]

got no work booked in,so why do any work that comes in,weekends,
its not what you know,its who you know.

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.

 

[woodsy]

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

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.

 

[armyash]

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.

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.