struggling for work

[mak]

Anyone struggling at the mo like me .Posted flyers (1500) advertised in local rag .Phoned to see if any sub work going but none available.Thinking of trying agencies next.
Tbh its really getting me down,may aswell jack it all in if theres no work 🙁

 

[northstar]

what area are you from ?

 

[mak]

stoke on trent

 

[ljrgas]

If it helps I got nothing all week
I just can't beat some of the prices.
I walked into he letting agents the other day and see some guy picking up £15 for unblocking a toilet

 

[gaspastemania]

I had a very quiet april , has picked up for me but still not busy enough . Your problem being as stated plumbers now working for not alot and i dont think its by choice more a case of needing to to keep the bills at bay

 

[mak]

pff that really takes the micky
Had to change some taps the other day but other than that Ive got nothing in,its going on for 2 weeks now .Priced a job up last week for a full hit ,customer said she hasn't got much to spend and could i do it on the cheap ,so i thought ok ill price it up and charge her £200 for labour .Cheeky cust phoned me up saying i was too expensive and that shes got someone else to do it.Hope shes right fed up when something goes wrong or theres "extra costs" put on

 

[SimonG]

Anyone struggling at the mo like me .Posted flyers (1500) advertised in local rag .Phoned to see if any sub work going but none available.Thinking of trying agencies next.
Tbh its really getting me down,may aswell jack it all in if theres no work 🙁

Does your local paper having a "Planning Permissions" section, always good for blasting off a letter for extensions and new builds etc, I also stop off when I see buildings going up and drop off a business card or ask for customers details. Doesn't always work but might be worth a go. Hope it turns around for you.

 

[leelister6]

I keep hearing of joiners and other trades nipping in and undercutting plumbers, especially if they're already there doing another job. Problem is, if they swap a pair of taps for £15 (bit of beer money) before they pack up for the day, everyone expects the job doing for that price

 

[wnjswozo]

have been busy,but pricing for combi conversions recently,prices are tight,heard of one outfit doing combi conversion,with worcester 28i
£1250,dont know how there doing it at that price,also BG have droppped there prices big time

 

[Blake]

My work has been so slow I don't even feel like a plumber anymore 🙂 I'm hoping to go down the house husband road 🙂

 

[Ivor Bates]

Hi, just curious really as I work in London although it's tough and competitive here I still do a reasonable turnover. But you guys that live out of London like Nottingham or Sheffield how far out of those areas do you travel for work. How far would you travel to do a free quote? And more to the point how long could you carry on without regular work coming in? finally what will you do if work does not pick up?

 

[rhp]

I'm London based and am slack on work at the moment, although I was off the circuit for a while, so my customer base is small.

I know others that are down to 2-3 days a week and not just plumbers.

I don't know how guys just starting out are managing

 

[plumyoni]

tell me about it, im in richmond in surrey and cant get anything going. i was up and down, then further down, its painful at this stage. i wish there was something that could just take the pressure off. id love a career change but with it being so quite i couldnt possibly afford it.vicious circle and so fort.i could seriously do with a couple of jobs.....

 

[Blake]

Luckily I have other interests that provide me with a small income to get by, plus the wife works which helps. I would leave the job in the bat of an eye if I could find something else to do. The main problem is that once you have worked for yourself it's very hard to get back into being an employee again.

I have a degree and a diploma in engineering, along with a background in finance which I guess I could try and use to find something else.

The thing is, it cost me a small fortune to set up, so I refuse to work for nowt as prices have been driven down by the lack of demand and high supply of plumbers. I'd rather shut up shop then work for peanuts.

Do I wanna travel 2 hours each day to earn £120 a day just cos there is work there? Nope, I'd rather watch homes under the hammer and don't get done, get Dom. 🙂

 

[Dannypipe]

Do I wanna travel 2 hours each day to earn £120 a day just cos there is work there? Nope, I'd rather watch homes under the hammer and don't get done, get Dom. 🙂

Living the dream mate, living the dream!!

 

[Alpha man]

Glad its not just me who is quiet, Ive been doing 3 day weeks for about 6 weeks now, I cover Kent and East Sussex,

This week is busy, but not a lot booked in for the rest of the year!!

At least Ive nearly finished all the decorating in doors!!

 

[capitanpugwash]

Do I wanna travel 2 hours each day to earn £120 a day just cos there is work there? Nope, I'd rather watch homes under the hammer and don't get done, get Dom. 🙂

Isn't £120 a day 5 days a week £2400 a month and £29k per year? I know you'll spend a lot of time driving, but if the bills need paying??? You're one of those £80k per year plumbers aren't you? 😉😀

 

[GQuigley67]

I don't know how guys just starting out are managing

I started out couple of months back and I had some jobs but now completely dried up, I got some money through a compensation claim so going to spend some on advertising and I'm waiting on Contract work starting(BG and Insurance Emergency call out work)

Waiting on a start date for the BG work, and just recently sent over my details to the insurance company who are offering £65 a call out for a maximum of 90 minutes and £10 materials, any higher would need to be verified by company. I've opted for 8am-6pm only monday to friday, so not as if its 24/7.

Apart from that not had much of my own work, got a Networking event on the 8th of June so will be meeting with other business people and hopefully get some work there

what are the best places to advertise ? dont want to be throwing away money for little return

 

[gaspastemania]

Well im hunting to go back on the books , self employed plumber sucks these days .
Cash in the bank everyday perlease and snoozing in the van dinner time !!!

 

[Blake]

Isn't £120 a day 5 days a week £2400 a month and £29k per year? I know you'll spend a lot of time driving, but if the bills need paying??? You're one of those £80k per year plumbers aren't you? 😉😀

I can see what you are saying mate, but take off all the running costs of van, fuel etc, it would be more like £80 a day. So a 10 hour day in total for £80, nah, I'd rather go fishing and let the madness carry on. 🙂

 

[Plucky]

Keep your heads up.

I was dry on work about a month ago but now I am booked up til July.

Currently working daytim doing a bathroom and evenings doing a heating install.

Have you thought about joining Checkatrade? I get 3/4 calls a week through it an even if they are small jobs they will alwaysead to bigger things.

 

[mak]

ill have a look at Checkatrade ,how much does it cost to join up

 

[GQuigley67]

had a look at the check a trade website, seems like a bit of an effort to join, is it worth it ? are you quoting for a job along with 4 other businesses ? are there "budgets" like ratedpeople ??

 

[rhp]

Have a look at Find work in the trade - Trade UK Home Seems a bit like rated people but is free, part of screwfix I think

 

[SafeGasInstall]

priced 3 boiler change jobs waiting on conformation

 

[rhp]

Was thatr from the meeting this morning?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

no one from local customer ,2 from boiler brake dawn ,3 from customer from here ! BNI had small jobs with turn over 1k last 2 weeks !

 

[rhp]

Nice, how do people get hold of you on here?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

just from one thread here ! dont know if customer will accept as he thought i think that as I am from here will be cheap ! any way they want good job they have to pay this is my point !

 

[GQuigley67]

I'm going to a network meeting on the 8th of june which is a free event organised by the people who funded mine and others, wonder if it will generate any business its all young businesses also so hopefully they have some new properties that need some work done lol

 

[mak]

Have a look at Find work in the trade - Trade UK Home Seems a bit like rated people but is free, part of screwfix I think

im a member on the screwfix trade site its ok ,had 2 jobs from there( combi swaps) .free to sign up aswell

 

[GQuigley67]

im also a member but have had nowt so far

 

[SafeGasInstall]

no need to network with new businesses focus on mid age people who has there own homes and can afford work to be done !

 

[GQuigley67]

its free so might aswell give it a bash

 

[westyvip]

Just wondering if any of you guys on here do any sub-contract work. I work for a largish building company that do these council/decent homes contracts. Fitting 5 full systems a week, hard graft but good money! Sometimes slack this time of year, but id definately recommend trying to find out who the main contractors are for your local authorities because if you are willing to put the effort it, its nearly as good as being on someones books!

 

[benfisher]

Fitting 5 full systems a week, hard graft but good money!

5 full systems a week! fair play to you my man, i take 5 days to do one full system in a week on my own 😀

 

[gaspastemania]

Sorry to black cat but i was in a team of 3 who managewd 10 in one week , was done in at the end of it tho but crazy dosh !

 

[gaspastemania]

Seem to be having a problem with that trade uk uploading my quals ,,,,annoying as can see guys local to me that are charlatans already there ,,,,,harumph !!!

 

[bcp]

Prices are definitely tumbling. Public are taking the mickey but why not as everything is cheap or free. Fit one tap get one free. That's the mentality out there. The trade websites don't help either as they sell on getting the lowest price.

 

[Puddle]

Customers will take the micky if you let them,always will
We notice it more when things are quite maybe and are more likely to let them as do not want to loose the work
Know it is easier said than done but try not to drop your prices to drastically to get the work,odds are you may get it anyway,if you are not willing to take that risk,you will end up working for pea nuts

imho

 

[mak]

tbh im fed up of the whole waiting around game "waiting for someone to ring with a job".cant do anything else,ive advertised ,leaflet drops ,enquired about subbing etc ,dont want to pack it in but having no work has made the decision for me .im gonna apply for a postman vacancy me thinks 🙂

 

[plumsum]

got to agree with most of you guys i've been on my own since 70's, never known it this bad.
even the crapola jobs no one wants have dried up
priced a w/b28 swap all the trimmings i was nearly a grand dearer than bg!
anyway tough it out and remember how long it takes to make a good tradesman.
bri.

 

[bcp]

couldnt agree more Puddle

 

[desrob]

Customers will take the micky if you let them,always will
We notice it more when things are quite maybe and are more likely to let them as do not want to loose the work
Know it is easier said than done but try not to drop your prices to drastically to get the work,odds are you may get it anyway,if you are not willing to take that risk,you will end up working for pea nuts

imho

having priced 5 jobs and not getting one, as made me contemplate my pricing, i know i'm not a million miles away and i'm definitely not dear,went to price one today full bathroom old out, new in and a bit of tiling around the bath,i know if the price is right the jobs mine,but got a feeling she's going to get a shock,do i have the courage to stick to my guns, or do i do it for a weeks wage,( without running costs),just to get the job.

 

[SimonG]

having priced 5 jobs and not getting one, as made me contemplate my pricing, i know i'm not a million miles away and i'm definitely not dear,went to price one today full bathroom old out, new in and a bit of tiling around the bath,i know if the price is right the jobs mine,but got a feeling she's going to get a shock,do i have the courage to stick to my guns, or do i do it for a weeks wage,( without running costs),just to get the job.

Whichever way you go it'll probably be wrong. It'll either be "how much!" if you stick to your guns or the good old "I thought it would be a lot more expensive" if you short change yourself.

Was going to ask you what you where thinking but its open forum.

 

[desrob]

Whichever way you go it'll probably be wrong. It'll either be "how much!" if you stick to your guns or the good old "I thought it would be a lot more expensive" if you short change yourself.

Was going to ask you what you where thinking but its open forum.

out of interest how much would you charge to plumb a washing machine in, you've got the cold mains,so you need,w/mc tap, the waste kit and to core1"1/4 to drain,by the way it's on a out side wall and drain is directly opposite w/mc

 

[SimonG]

out of interest how much would you charge to plumb a washing machine in, you've got the cold mains,so you need,w/mc tap, the waste kit and to core1"1/4 to drain,by the way it's on a out side wall and drain is directly opposite w/mc

Upwards from £80, depends on wall construction.

 

[desrob]

Whichever way you go it'll probably be wrong. It'll either be "how much!" if you stick to your guns or the good old "I thought it would be a lot more expensive" if you short change yourself.

Was going to ask you what you where thinking but its open forum.

if i said to you i'll do it for £500, over five days, labour only,what would you say.!!!

 

[desrob]

Upwards from £80, depends on wall construction.

i quoted £100,punter said he got a quote for £40.!!!

 

[SimonG]

if i said to you i'll do it for £500, over five days, labour only,what would you say.!!!

For a straight out and in, I'd be looking at a day to strip and fit, with maybe an hours pre visit the evening before to put taps on, fit wastes and put the cistern together. Might run into day 2 finishing off, then complete tiling and return for an hour day 3 to grout. I'd throw in new basin waste, bath waste, pan connector and isolation valves to taps and wc, adhesive and grout (only use my own adhesives and grouts). That would be about the £500 mark, give or take, for square metreage of tiling and size of tile. Would be more expensive if new suite from B&Q, Homebase etc.

 

[SimonG]

i quoted £100,punter said he got a quote for £40.!!!

I would have laughed and walked away! Was probably looking to haggle. I never believe what a customer tells me, not calling them liars, just economical with the truth.

 

[Blake]

i quoted £100,punter said he got a quote for £40.!!!

That's a joke, I would not even start the van up for that.

 

[leelister6]

Bloke looking for quotes on Sheffield forum for a new boiler. He just posted that "the best quote for boiler supply and fit is £850, can anyone beat that" Hope he like what he gets for that price..... Thinkin Ravenheat!

 

[Barry98]

thinking he needs a slap to wake him up

 

[GQuigley67]

i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol

 

[SimonG]

i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol

Can't help on that one, I don't touch gas. If its just based on connecting a copper pipe and two visits I'd be looking for around the £100. I don't get any work off of joiners (except when they've done it themselves and made a horlicks of it and had to go and fix) but if its the customer maybe do some sort of deal, but, will you get next years service if its not been done in 3 years? All to be chucked into the equation.

 

[Barry98]

simon you dont do gas are you intending to ?

 

[SimonG]

simon you dont do gas are you intending to ?

Thats a definite no. Quite rural round here, quite a few gas guys, couple of really good ones and then the ones who should have their tools taken off em. Do oil, all the wet stuff, tiling, unvented and wanting to move into renewables (MCS willing 🙂 )

 

[benfisher]

i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol

I had a similar job to do for a local builer, kichen guy fluffed up the worktop so he just wanted me to disconnected sink and hob the go back and reconnect, quoted him 1hr to disconnect and 1hr to reconnect (£90 all up) haven't heard back from him 😕

 

[GQuigley67]

well I finished the job today, had to use some materials so materials probably came to about £15 max and I charged £90, 2 visits at around 4 hours all in(alot of rsing about trying to turn off water) If I charged my normal rate it would of been dearer

 

[buckley plumb]

im in stoke mate and the past month has been very quiet tomany trades in this area

ant

 

[SafeGasInstall]

any on from post code GL65 in here ? much work around ? what a lovely villages round there , thinking to immigrate again 🙂 and the wife loves it too !

 

[villa_tom]

I have worked in the GL postcode when I worked in social housing. What where you doing round that way?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

day out with wife ,did not see any social housing staff ! had a wonderful lunch in a pub called greedy goose

lovely area to honest GL65 I am talking about ,was in art gallery two couples bout some art 5k a each

so must be a lot of rich round there

 

[mak]

im in stoke mate and the past month has been very quiet tomany trades in this area

ant

tell me about it ,are you working for yourself /subbing or company

 

[gaspastemania]

I dont think its a case of being quiet just because there is not much money being spent but also a case of everyman and his dog wants to re train as a plumber . i recently done my combustion course and there was about 8 guys doing plumbing in the training center on top of that at least one customer per week telling me that they have son retraining as a plumber from being an accountant as no money in accountancy etc. I can go in the merchants and they will say they have had 10 new business start up this month. There is a flood of plumbers on the market and not enough work . IMO the bubble has burst big time !!!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

read my other post some one willing to pay me to train him and he is dooing a portfolio for gas

 

[gaspastemania]

Well thats just ridiculous , are these people aware that there are other trades and not just plumbing / heating . I have been plumbing for a number of years and erned last year what i was earning 12 years ago . Training centers will never admit that plumbing is struggling as market is flooded as it will effect there profits . A friend of mine left a 26,000 p/a job to become a plumber now he is in debt and always looking for work ,,,,,,stupidity and gullible !

 

[villa_tom]

I dont think its a case of being quiet just because there is not much money being spent but also a case of everyman and his dog wants to re train as a plumber . i recently done my combustion course and there was about 8 guys doing plumbing in the training center on top of that at least one customer per week telling me that they have son retraining as a plumber from being an accountant as no money in accountancy etc. I can go in the merchants and they will say they have had 10 new business start up this month. There is a flood of plumbers on the market and not enough work . IMO the bubble has burst big time !!!

Spot on! I think the work is still out there but theres just more people taking a piece of it and there is just not enough to go round. I can't for the life of me see the fascination that these people have with our trade, its not like its a 9-5 job. I think if they came out with a bloke for a few weeks before signing up to these courses then they may have a change of heart. they would soon see that there is alot of working weekends and evenings and see how dirty the job can be at times, and get them lugging big rads down 10 flights of stairs because the lift don't work. let them see how rsey customers can be and how much rubbish you have to put up with. I think they would soon change their mind and try plastering etc etc.

The problem is the training centres though, they will always take people money and promise them 50k per year once qualified and tell them they will be finsihed by 2 everyday and have the life of a preiership footballer. But this will never change, as long as there are people willing to part with cash then the training centres will gladly take it and fill their heads with false hopes and dreams.

 

[leelister6]

When I did my A.C.S. there were blokes that didn't have an ounce of practical knowledge and were expecting to be able to fit full systems by the end of the course (Paid for by govt!). When the instructor explained that it was a gas safety course and not a plumbing and heating course, 2 of em didn't bother turning up after day 2. Can't understand why they don't have some sort of minimum requirement for practical ability. Spent half an hour with a bloke showing him how to solder a joint and it just weren't sinking in that it doesn't have to glow red to get it to run! The solder was bouncing all over so I just let him get on with it........He passed God help us!!

 

[benfisher]

........He passed God help us!!

God help us indeed. I went to sort out a boiler that had been install by one of these numpties, clearly just filled out the gas cert without doing any tests. gas cert said 30kw, it was an Ideal Isar 24HE!, 21Mb at the meter but only 15Mb at the boiler and the best bit was he's noted the gas fire and carried out all the test but failed to notice it was an electric fire 😕
I spoke to our local GSR inspector about the job and he said "They are fully aware of work carried out by these guys is bad but they prefer to have them on the GSR where they can keep an eye on them rather than working illegally"

SCARY!!

 

[leelister6]

It's goddam scary that these people are even allowed to take the course, let alone pass! The centre where I did mine failed 4 blokes while I was there (Mind you, one of em flooded one of the bays when he disconnected the M.C.W. feed to a combi instead of the gas!) but they did pass some right tools as well!

 

[desrob]

When I did my A.C.S. there were blokes that didn't have an ounce of practical knowledge and were expecting to be able to fit full systems by the end of the course (Paid for by govt!). When the instructor explained that it was a gas safety course and not a plumbing and heating course, 2 of em didn't bother turning up after day 2. Can't understand why they don't have some sort of minimum requirement for practical ability. Spent half an hour with a bloke showing him how to solder a joint and it just weren't sinking in that it doesn't have to glow red to get it to run! The solder was bouncing all over so I just let him get on with it........He passed God help us!!

there was no soldering on my acs,not to say other places don't ,do it,just wondering what course it was,that the punter who could not solder was on and what did he pass.

 

[leelister6]

there was no soldering on my acs,not to say other places don't ,do it,just wondering what course it was,that the punter who could not solder was on and what did he pass.

One element of the exam was to remove a meter and repair a section of pipe and this bloke hadn't even seen a blowtorch so i tried to show him at lunchtime. He passed the A.C.S.(Plagued my life out during written exam, asking questions and nearly got me thrown out when I asked him politely to go away!) Dunno if he's gas safe tho

 

[scubajohn]

i agree i no for sure imagrants will do plumbing and gas work for peanuts

 

[SafeGasInstall]

How sure r u John ?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Just don't start on the immigrants are working for free thing ....

As we all here know what is the score

With the industry

Yes I am from another country , if you asking ur self !

 

[GQuigley67]

everyone is working for peanuts to make ends meet at the moment

 

[buckley plumb]

tell me about it ,are you working for yourself /subbing or company

for myself the company i worked for went bump last april so set up on my own then could not have been a worse time lol. tesco stacking shelves looks more feasable each day lo

 

[mak]

for myself the company i worked for went bump last april so set up on my own then could not have been a worse time lol. tesco stacking shelves looks more feasable each day lo

same here ,the company that i was working for went bump also earlier this year.bin self employed since but struggling atm

 

[GQuigley67]

i got payed off in october last year and set up on my own aswell didnt have a choice, but i wonder how many people have done the same

 

[gaspastemania]

i mainly have been a site plumber/pipefitter subbie but now find myself doing social housing and the stuff i am doing with my own works are jobs i would not normally consider. Its frustrating but like alot needs must as they say .

 

[Plumbcrazy56]

Very quiet in Torbay too.