New Plumbing Business Knowledge

[lame plumber]

if he swore nice things about me Bod, edit them back in please 🙂

 

[hammers4spanner]

said it before on here tiling tiling tiling !!!!

 

[tamz]

said it before on here tiling tiling tiling !!!!

Thats true.
No regulation very little comparative set up costs no call backs etc etc.
I have a mate who is a tiler and boasts/moans about spending £1200 on a fancy tile saw.
I just say look in the back of my van mate. There is over 10k of tools in there and another 2 or 3 of materials plus 20 - 30 k of gear lying at the house and you charge the same day rate as me. Get real.

 

[gravy88]

I had been working with a plumber since i left school 8 years ago, in December i decided i wanted to leave and do my own thing, so in Jan i told my gaffer that i had decided to leave at the end of March, he offered me more money, 50/50 in the business or to set another business up under him but for me.... (hmmm dont know how that works) anyway, i took the plunge and set up on my own, got my own van, logo designed, did a facebook page, and dropped a few cards into the local shops. I had a couple of bathrooms lined up and some other little bits and bats but nothing much really, now a few months in work just keeps coming in all the time, word has spread that i have left the other company (one man band) and have gone on my own, it's a small 'clicky' village so gossip soon spreads. Builders that were using my old boss before now use me, and so far i'm booked up untill mid october. At the same time i was setting up my business me and my mrs decided move in together so it was a very expensive few months indeed! I have just started to finally take a wage out now steady away. Some times you have to just take a chance and bite the bullet, times are hard at the moment but luckilly for me i am known in my area (not blowing my own trumpet) and also you need a decent amount of money behind you to do it right!

 

[mjt]

It's amazing that its only rude when it's something you don't want to hear?

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Congratulations. It took courage and you have achieved what many might not have been able to. I wish I had ££££ of gear and tools. I have what I need on a day to day basis and borrow, rent or buy when I have to. Always keep your eye out for liquidated stock in your local auction house and save a ton, no guarantee though. Have not been stung... yet!

I had nothing when I started, other than my hand tools.

@ Gravy88

 

[gravy88]

Thankyou, Nerve wracking to start with but so glad i've done it now!
I keep looking on ebay for bits and bats, like job lot auctions, will have a look out and see if i can find a auction house for some more bits and bats but i have got most of the bits i need, allthough you can never have enough!

If anyone is thinking of going on there own, only they will know if they can get enough work to make a do, i knew i had plenty of good trustworthy contacts, and once word spread they started using me, if your not very well known in your area then your just a fish in the ocean. You need a fair bit of brass behind you aswell to get started, you dont realise how much stuff bluddy costs! And experience/knowledge!

 

[lame plumber]

e bay isnt always cheaper remember and you dont know what your getting, tread with care

 

[tomplumb83]

I was on my own for 7-8 years. Just done a couple of years doing another job but gone back by myself again in June. Costs to set up again, on the cheap baring in mind I already have a couple of shed loads (literally) of tools and parts. Oh and Im not gas so don't have to fork out for that. £5000 for van. £250 signwriting. £250 for my unvented. £200 for trousers/shirts/jumpers. £200 on business networking membership. £400 and rising on printing. £350 for this months advertising. £250 on van racking. £800 on websites although Ive had a lot done and that covers me until next year. £100+Tools/bag/van bits. £££ for my Institute membership. ££ for card machine. There is more Ive spent but that will do for now! Incomings for this week are expected to be approx £40 plus another £100 from a manufacturer I work for that I'll get in a months time. I hope this helps

 

[GQuigley67]

tried it, could only break even mostly apart from the odd good week, was always being undercut, got sick of being skint all the time so went into subbying.

 

[tomplumb83]

I only ordered copies of my qualifications last week from c&g but as soon as I get them I can apply for a cscs card and go for work on sites. I was useless at getting bathroom work when I was last on my own, really struggled but I see getting that sort of work as my only chance of surviving now

 

[JBP Heating]

Hi Russel.

I recently set up on my own after 11 years employed as a plumber and then heating engineer. I've been self employed for 2 weeks!

The 1st thing I would say is to get some funds together to keep you going. It's Thursday afternoon and I've been at home all day, which is nice, but I would rather be working. You won't be stacked out with work from day one, or month one!

Do some work on the side if you can. Try and build up a bit of a customer base before you take the plunge.

Get an accountant. You will probably need somebody to help you with all the legal stuff and getting your accounts in order. It's good to have someone you can call on when you're unsure of how to go about anything of this nature.

Make extensive lists of stuff you will need. There is nothing worse than getting half way through your first job and realising you have to make an hour round trip to pick up a tube of silicone, then getting back to the job and noticing you have missed something else. It costs you time and makes you look bad. I know!

Advertise as much as you can afford to. The free stuff is good, Facebook has been working well for me, got about 5 jobs through friends of friends in my first week who 'liked' my business page. But get some cards printed, and maybe some flyers to drop through doors, these have worked quite well for me. Get your van sign written. Have a logo and branding designed for you and use this uniformly on your van, business cards, flyers etc. It looks professional.

You will hear people say "there's plenty of work out there", and there is. You just have to be good at getting it. Be reliable, be really good at what you do and be really nice to your customers, lots of plumbers aren't and people will love it when you are.

Hope at least some of this helpful to you. Good luck.

Oh and buy some shoe covers! They love it when you put on shoe covers before you step on their cream carpet 😉