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Jason1990

I am thinking of registering as self employed but staying full time where I am until I get the the point I have enough work to go on my own. I have been working doing plumbing and general building work for nearly 6 years with a company and want to start advertising instead of relying on friends and family for extra work on weekends and evening after work. I am comfortable doing bathrooms and kitchens installs including tiling and want to start advertising so I can start getting a client base of my own before going ful time. I'm not sure if I can register as a sole trader for my work as well as being employed? Any suggestions welcome
 
You can do it like that. My outfit wouldn't let me do that so I had to just go it solo. You would have to ask, problem is if they say know they now know your thinking of leaving.
 
Be sure that you don't have anything in your contract forbidding private work. Could lead to instant dismissal.
 
Be sure that you don't have anything in your contract forbidding private work. Could lead to instant dismissal.

Tell your boss that you are thinking of going self employed....

.......that could lead to immediate dismissal.

Most bosses won't want someone on who has intentions of leaving.
They get concerned about materials disappearing, use of company vehicles and tools for non-company work and so on.

They also get fears that you will be promoting yourself to customers while doing their work.

If you want to go self employed - you just have to take the plunge.

You have also to think that you may have 2,3 or 4 weeks work ahead of you, but the time comes when you have done all you have to do and you may be sitting around doing nothing, or very little, for days or weeks on end.

Harsh reality, but most of us self employed people have been there and done that.
 
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If you stay full time employed and do your own private jobs at the weekend really you need to be booked up every weekend for 10 weeks which will run out after a month full time so you may start busy but then you will soon slow down.
 
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You can do it like that. My outfit wouldn't let me do that so I had to just go it solo. You would have to ask, problem is if they say know they now know your thinking of leaving.

My boss is fine with me doing private work as he sees it as the more I do on my own the more confident I am which will then help him with his jobs if I come across any problems
 
I don't think it will be for a couple more years before I go on my own. I was just thinking if I can advertise that way I can get extra weekend work while I'm still employed. I am thinking of getting a van and selling my car and see if I can use it for my bosses work to as gets annoying unloading the van into my car every weekend as all the tools on his van are already mine.
 
I was thinking of doing the same thing as I've just finished my apprenticeship, a couple guys at our company also have their own business on the side, was just waiting thinking of waiting for my gas in September first!
 
I was thinking of doing the same thing as I've just finished my apprenticeship, a couple guys at our company also have their own business on the side, was just waiting thinking of waiting for my gas in September first!

If your company pays for your ACS and then you leave to set up on your own don't be surprised when they invoice you for the cost of putting you through your gas!
 
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After the results yesterday I would leave it a couple of years before going self employed. We may head into another recession. Which won't help any new business.
 
If you go solo it maybe hard for i while i bet but im sure you will pull through, what ever choice you go with, make sure its the right one for you and good luck with it!
 

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