What to do

[jaydebruyne]

I'm thinking about going on my own permanently. Looking into possible overheads I don't currently pay out.


Van leasing is the main thing.


Anyone lease their van and can suggest a good company to use? I'd like it racked out and with 2 pipe tubes.


I've now got baby number 2 on the way and I have to start thinking what is best for my family in terms of finances. Don't get me wrong I love working for my firm, I do a lot of work for them and they reward me for it. But let's be honest, I can make so much more doing my own thing - I just have to deal with all the rest of the crap that goes with it!

 

[Masood]

Don't lease - buy. Hidden costs are astronomical with leasing. Mileage, condition, etc. etc.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

have a word with

https://www.vansdirect.co.uk/

 

[jaydebruyne]

Don't lease - buy. Hidden costs are astronomical with leasing. Mileage, condition, etc. etc.

:/ oh really?! Damnit better start saving them!!!

 

[Masood]

:/ oh really?! Damnit better start saving them!!!

I started out with a Vauxhall Combo. It was fine. Enough space for racking, a boiler, powerflush machine if you were organised. It lasted me 4 years then cost more to maintain than it was worth, so bought a Nissan Primastar. You don't need anything big or fancy to start out.

Do get it signwritten - I've earned more from neighbours spotting the van outside customers' houses than the van actually cost me. Had 6 or 7 bathrooms, a dozen or more boiler swaps, loads of little jobs. It's the best free advertising you'll get. Get leaflets printed up and distribute them - I had 10,000 A6 cards printed (about postcard size). Double-sided, glossy, company logo and list of services offered. Nothing is too obvious. If you don't put "taps repaired" or "leaks fixed", people won't assume you do! Me and the missus dropped 2,500 of those cards, got 3-4 weeks of work off them, and then the recommendations and word-of-mouth took over. I haven't advertised since until very recently.

Join Streetlife - costs nothing, it's a local community website where people ask for recommendations. I get a lot from that. Get a very strong, easily recognisable logo, colours, etc. Make sure it's consistent across all the ways you represent yourself - a strong brand makes you look bigger and more established than you are. Fake it to make it as they say. What you are aiming for is a logo that if people see it out of the corner of their eye, they think of you.

 

[julesverne]

Get a google business listing its free and get some reviews aswell

 

[jaydebruyne]

Cheers guys. Already have the flyers and logo and facebook/website going and keep it updated with pics of work. I'll start looking into vans. I used to have a vuxhaull combo too, they're nippy little vans!! Will check out street life too, nice one!

 

[Last Plumber]

What about ex BT vans or similar to start with.
Well maintained, cheap, last a good few year to get you going.
Don't forget Public liability ins.
Courses etc, ACS, accounts bills.
I'd recommend you go for it though. Once you're established, if you charge properly ( do your costings to decide your charging out rate), you should earn more and have a bit more freedom.

 

[oz-plumber]

Want some advice?

If you have sound employment now and the company are happy with you, stay there for the time being.
You already have a toddler and another bub on the way.

You want to do what's best for your family for the time being, stay employed.
It may not be the best decision financially for you and your family to go out on your own for the next 12 to 24 months.

I'm not saying you aren't capable of starting your own show, but now may not be what's best for you and your family.

Oz

 

[townfanjon]

My charted accountant pal who I have known for nearly 48 years is a canny lad , he has always said buy not lease .

 

[jaydebruyne]

Want some advice?

If you have sound employment now and the company are happy with you, stay there for the time being.
You already have a toddler and another bub on the way.

You want to do what's best for your family for the time being, stay employed.
It may not be the best decision financially for you and your family to go out on your own for the next 12 to 24 months.

I'm not saying you aren't capable of starting your own show, but now may not be what's best for you and your family.

Oz

Yeah I hear that! That crossed my mind too. But I also think there'll never be a right time to do it. But yeah I think I'll stay put til after the baby is born and re-evaluate the situation. Cheers Oz

 

[mfgs]

It doesn't sound like the best time to be going self employed. You will probably earn less than you do now for the next 1-2 years if you do at least. It took me until my 3rd year of working for myself before I earned what I would have while being employed and the next 2 years after than I have earned more than I would have. So its been the right decision in the long term, but if I had 2 kids depending on me the first two years would have been very tough and very stressful.

Would your company consider having you work part time for them, say 3 days a week? Then you could start to build your customer base slowly.

 

[jaydebruyne]

It doesn't sound like the best time to be going self employed. You will probably earn less than you do now for the next 1-2 years if you do at least. It took me until my 3rd year of working for myself before I earned what I would have while being employed and the next 2 years after than I have earned more than I would have. So its been the right decision in the long term, but if I had 2 kids depending on me the first two years would have been very tough and very stressful.

Would your company consider having you work part time for them, say 3 days a week? Then you could start to build your customer base slowly.

I doubt it, but I think I'm gonna stay put for a while longer yet. I'm doing 1-2 personal jobs most evenings now and I've got a few regular clients which is good so I'll just keep doing what I'm doing for now.

 

[cdodds2004]

set up on your own properly. all relevant insurances etc. then jump when you have to much work. going self employed was the best thing I ever did. but the first 24months are a bit of a slog! best advice I can give is if your gut says don't get involved then don't! no matter how much you want the money!

also don't under sell your self even if your quiet! don't be a busy fool. be confident in what you do and the price you charge and you will reap the rewards!

 

[jaydebruyne]

set up on your own properly. all relevant insurances etc. then jump when you have to much work. going self employed was the best thing I ever did. but the first 24months are a bit of a slog! best advice I can give is if your gut says don't get involved then don't! no matter how much you want the money!

also don't under sell your self even if your quiet! don't be a busy fool. be confident in what you do and the price you charge and you will reap the rewards!

It's scary man.. thing is, I get on well with my boss and I reckon if I was honest with him about what I'm doing, if it didn't work out after a while me on my own, he'd probably take me back if he needs engineers at the time.. he's taken loads of people back. I'm gonna think on it for a while. Get crimbo out the way and see what the new year brings.. cheers for the advice man, much appreciated

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tbh I wouldn't mate it's not always greener this side

 

[jaydebruyne]

Tbh I wouldn't mate it's not always greener this side

lol I hear that.. It never is

 

[Leo21]

There is never a good time to go self employed. I did it when I got sacked (long story).
It is tough for a few years, but there's no reason why you can't buy a cheap van and try it out.
You can always go back to a firm, but you do have to give it at least three years imo.

 

[unguided1]

Dunno where you lot are getting self employed from, I've always classed myself as self unemployed!!! Coz I wouldn't work for a company that would emplo someone like me!

 

[oz-plumber]

I did it when I got sacked (long story).

Someone sacked you? Don't believe that!!

When you have the time, tell us

I'm sure it make an interesting read.

 

[Leo21]

Someone sacked you? Don't believe that!!

When you have the time, tell us

I'm sure it make an interesting read.

It's true,and it was customer re.ations related. Nothing to do with my shoddy work.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

It's true,and it was customer re.ations related. Nothing to do with my shoddy work.

The customer wasn't French were they ?

 

[rpm]

It's true,and it was customer re.ations related. Nothing to do with my shoddy work.

Leo, customer re.ations however nice always end in tears my friend, but it`s good at the time eh?

 

[Millsy 82]

I'm in my third year now and it has been a struggle, if I hadn't of been living at family's houses and my girlfriend pretty much support me over the last 2 years I wouldn't of made it.

I massively underestimated the cost and effectiveness of advertising and you need to do it a lot when you start up most of the time for little or no reward. Now my adverts have been in mags etc for 6 months or so people ring them but before that the odd 1 or 2.

I went self employed as the wages I was offered down here are a joke £11 an hour so wasn't willing to work for that. I do enjoy it and it's nice being able choose what you want and don't want but it is a lot of hard work.

 

[unguided1]

Advertising is just a way of losing some money through the books instead of giving to the government! Best way of getting work is still chatting to strangers in strange pubs!!!!!
Hhhhm did that sound right?
I always tell people I'm a lorry driver! Don't need or want any more work!

 

[Stanios]

The worst thing about being self employed for me is the hours you have to put in each day after you come home. Its not an issue at the start but once you get more or less full time booked you can easily spend 10 hours emailing, quoting, answering phones etc each week and that's 10 hours a fully employed person spends on their leisure. It will impact your life more than anything else including extra money you make.

 

[jaydebruyne]

The worst thing about being self employed for me is the hours you have to put in each day after you come home. Its not an issue at the start but once you get more or less full time booked you can easily spend 10 hours emailing, quoting, answering phones etc each week and that's 10 hours a fully employed person spends on their leisure. It will impact your life more than anything else including extra money you make.

I'm booking on average 2 private jobs daily at the mo, so after work I'm doing those. I use GES which cuts a lot of time for quotes and invoices as it's pretty quick to get stuff done on there.. it's a life saver actually!

But I'm slowly wearing myself out. I'm not really booking much for next week just to chill out a bit and recharge and actually see my daughter before she goes to bed

 

[JAH HEATING]

I've just leased, nationwide vehicle contracts.

New transit custom, fully maintained on 10,000 miles a year for £180 month. Its coming off your tax bill at the end of the day.

Ser yourself a pricelist you stick to, builders / landlords who start haggling or customers on price. Walk away from, you may think you need them as much as they want you but seriously, swerve them an stuck to your guns.

Keep people informed, if you're going to do something on a set date then do it. Become reliable, get the basics right. That in itself is your advertising, word of mouth.

 

[JAH HEATING]

Get a good balance, whats more important to you? Money? things on the horizon like buying a house etc.

Family? Your own time.

I've got a two year old who goes to bed at 7pm, an I make sure I see her to bed each night. I also take her to nursery, very rarely will you get me out on a job at stupid o'clock.

I do at times for certain people, but gone are the days when my life was totally dictated by customers who would be ringing down the phone "I've no hot water, needs sorting asap! I'll be home after 8pm! "

Money comes and goes, you can't get time back

 

[unguided1]

Hhhm I always buy my vehicles! Means I carry less debt! And I have 2vans, one is always on standby for the other on to break down!

 

[jaydebruyne]

Get a good balance, whats more important to you? Money? things on the horizon like buying a house etc.

Family? Your own time.

I've got a two year old who goes to bed at 7pm, an I make sure I see her to bed each night. I also take her to nursery, very rarely will you get me out on a job at stupid o'clock.

I do at times for certain people, but gone are the days when my life was totally dictated by customers who would be ringing down the phone "I've no hot water, needs sorting asap! I'll be home after 8pm! "

Money comes and goes, you can't get time back

Right now money is important as I don't want to be renting forever.. but being home in the evenings to see my daughter is also important..

 

[Leo21]

Hhhm I always buy my vehicles! Means I carry less debt! And I have 2vans, one is always on standby for the other on to break down!

That's a bit excessive! Or are they French, if they are I'd buy another spare van if I was you.

 

[JAH HEATING]

Hhhm I always buy my vehicles! Means I carry less debt! And I have 2vans, one is always on standby for the other on to break down!

Two vans, two lots of insurance, mot's, maintenance an repair costs and both are assets to your business.

One leased van, no tax, mot or maintenance cost an 100 % tax relief

 

[unguided1]

I gotta big lock up, one van is off the road, and I swop them over each year, keeps mileage low! I never buy brand new either!
Only insure one at a time, and come the winter I gotta 4x4, reckon I'm gonna need it this year!