Been going for over a year now

[MarkAqua]

I've been building up work self employed now for over a year. I moved 200 miles to a complete new area (to be with the now wife) in May 2010 and got a job with a company pretty much instantly. However I knew I wanted to be self employed so my plan was to start building up work on the side..I already had a limited company as I needed it for an agency I worked through - so I just used that to trade through. Circumstances have changed since and I'm working for someone else now on the books and am registered self employed too and not working under my limited company (made dorment).

I have my own Van, tools and everything that I need to work for the public.

As I said I was in a completely new area and really started from scratch getting to know people and letting them know who i was Etc.

I have since done a fair bit of work; a couple of bathrooms (inc tiling), radiators, and general plumbing. I am always punctual, extremely tidy and careful with customer property I genuinly care about the work I carry out whether it be a tap washer or a new suite, I am genuine person and have good people skills, always get along with people. and I do finish to an extremely good standard (never had one complaint about anything, and bills have always been paid quickly with no questions)

I am not expensive as I have a full time job that covers my living expenses so I dont need to be.

all I want to know is:

Why arent I getting a load of work ringiing through? I dont really advertise I just have a website. and my sign writing on the van. All my customers say they always recomend me Etc.

YET i still do not have enough work to make the jump from full time employment to being full time self employed!

What am i doing wrong?

Shoot me down!!!

Thanks Mark

 

[SimonJohns]

theres not enough work out there

everyone i have spoken to has said the same, way of the world atm i think

 

[Barry98]

Nothing to do with the trade been flooded , where you based

 

[MarkAqua]

I'm in Essex, central/south (Chemlsford, Billericay area)

 

[GQuigley67]

stick with the firm mate its bad out there for everyone, everyone is struggling not just you if you are working for a company which is busy then stick with them

 

[johnnyplumb]

it's not that your doing anything wrong, just as said, things are bad out there, everything is against you at the moment, too many plumbers looking for too little work, nobody is spending, very little new building work going on.

 

[MarkAqua]

yeah I'm sticking with it. I will keep trying to building up cliental. There does seem to be a lot at it especially in this area. Thanks for the replies.

regards, Mark.

 

[GQuigley67]

im back with a firm, on a decent wage and regular work which means more money for me, as when i was surviving on my own jobs i was breaking even most and the odd good month, the bad months outweighed the good though, back to evening and weekend homers for me !!

 

[johnnyplumb]

if you have full time job, the evening & weekend stuff is ok for a while but it soon catches up with ya if doing all the time. need to chill out sometimes me thinks.

 

[Nat]

I am in similar situation to you mate. Don't think you are doing anything wrong except try to advertise more. I find Google adwords and checkatrade good. I think you really need to allow a couple of years trading as yourself before you have enough of a client base.

I am a little bit inbetween at the moment because I am getting a not of work but not enough to keep me going but at the same time too much to fit in while doing a full time job for someone else! Got some contract price work starting soon but dunno how I am gonna cope doing that plus my own work, doing up the house, looking after my 2-year old and 4-week old daughter, housework, writing estimates...

Argh!

 

[CES]

I would concentrate on getting your name out a bit more, do more advertising (church mags, local rags etc). Also you mention having a website, how visual is it in the internet? You need to market it and keep it fresh. It takes time but you will get there eventually. But also there is the small issue of the economy at the moment!
I'm in a fortunate position in that I have a fair bit of work but Im in danger of losing it as its all "needs doing yesterday" kinda stuff. This can be almost as bad as having no work as your reputation can suffer as not everyone understands the word patience.

 

[kirkgas]

im back with a firm, on a decent wage and regular work which means more money for me, as when i was surviving on my own jobs i was breaking even most and the odd good month, the bad months outweighed the good though, back to evening and weekend homers for me !!

allegedly, watch out for the tax man, oh thats right thats my mob no yours

 

[GQuigley67]

lol will still be legit kirk gas 😉

 

[quality]

To the OP times are tuff, there is not loads of work for those trying to get it

 

[armourer]

As GQuigley67 I am now back working for one of the nationals after struggling to get my own company of the ground.

Its not what I wanted but its paying the bills.

 

[woodsy]

Not trying to be a smartarse but some of your ansawers are in your own thread- work out there generally quiet but you and nat employed / drawing a wage but still doing work on the side that people who have taken the plunge could be doing ( and many more like you ) couple this with new house plumbers having no work and now entering the domestic market which they normally wouldn't touch with a barge pole, immigrant workers working for £40 a day, career changers thinking that they will be on 100k a year all equals flooded labour market. On the upside, if you are one of the decent plumbers then hang tight because eventually it will come back

 

[buckley plumb]

its bad out there mate im in staffs and bcg just folded so more plumbers out there without jobs more competition its very hard

 

[Rickster123]

i'll probably get shot down in flames for this but i think the work is still there. Customers are shopping around alot more these days and who can blame them. The internet makes it easier to get quotes and info including material prices. I think if you want the work you have to price accordingly. The days of earning a fortune for a couple of days work are long gone but you can still earn a decent living. Id much rather earn £400 labour on a boiler change than lose the job but going in high. Ive found that by charging a reasonable price leads to further work so in the long run you dont really lose out in the end.
The work will come. Try not to panic when the work goes quiet. It will come. Do a quality job for a fair wage and everyone will be happy.