how did you guys get into commercial ?

[theanalyst]

Good info. Cheers mate.
Wondering what people who are'nt subbing but supplying the labour have to say? From my research it seems quite hard to get into (to beat big companies to contracts), but if you do your laughing?
please correct me as needed lol

 

[hammers4spanner]

I supply labour and materials on my commercial works , i worked on commercial,industrial during apprenticeship and beyond then went into house bashing for a long time .Am now pricing alot of commercial works schols,hospitals,offices etc etc .

Is the money good ??Only if you get your pricing right !!! Unlike domestic you mess up your materails on commercial and it gets a very pricey error very quickly .I have had over £20000 on one job in materials and for one man band that makes your bottom twitch , on same note i walked away from that on a good material profit .

 

[on31ll]

A man i work closely with who i have mentioned on the forum before lost £175k ish from ethal austins when they went bust ! Got offered 3p to the £ !

 

[hammers4spanner]

A man i work closely with who i have mentioned on the forum before lost £175k ish from ethal austins when they went bust ! Got offered 3p to the £ !

ouch!!!

 

[MarkAqua]

Kinda just fell into really. Worked on domestic and small commercial. Left that firm and got offered a job as a pipe and steam/ fitter welder. Picked it up very quickly and learnt a hell of a lot (young and very enthusiastic) and now I work for a building services firm as a commercial service engineer and pipe fitter. Hardly weld now but you won't get far mig welding. No consultant worth a stink would spec mig welding.

 

[MarkAqua]

In regards to money. It's not what you know it's who you know. A mate of mine only ever subbed to one firm for 30 years never had to give him one day unpaid. He was earning 2k+ a week 15-20 years ago. Different mate - same firm and a subby earned half if he was lucky.

 

[on31ll]

its deffinatly who you know ! even working for £1000 a week if theres contract after contract your not gonna complain.

 

[Bernie2]

Same way as virtually all the rest. I simply worked for companies that took on commercial, industrial, civil engineering, council and the like contracts. In my day you where expected to be able to do the lot, gas, water, oil, air just about anything that went through a pipe. If you couldn't do it the door was open for you to leave. Must admit it was a lot freer then, I think they where more concerned about you being able to do the job than the number of qualifications you had to say you might be able to do it.

 

[cr0ft]

Since I qualified as a sparky as well I'm getting more and more commercial customers phoning me directly. Did a shop refit last week and pricing for some work at the local football stadium too. Didn't really do any commercial work at all before.

It may be co-incidence but the customers are telling me they want minimal hassle and having one person who can do both trades is what made them pick me.

 

[mutley racers]

So chaps, do any of you guys fancy a trip to london to cut into a gas supply and add a iso valve with test point. And disconnect 3 or 4 gas heaters in a church?

Before you say something, all I can say isif you don't ask you don't get.

 

[mutley racers]

The heaters that need taking out are drugasars. Cheers chaps

 

[Barry98]

Depends on pay

 

[mutley racers]

I don't know how long it would take or how much commercial guys charge but around £400-500 for a day?

 

[hammers4spanner]

Is this that church ??

 

[mutley racers]

Yes it is. They just got back to me today.

 

[Barry98]

Am sure there's someone closer but if you get stuck give me a shout, happy to help 99% of ukpf members out

 

[mutley racers]

Awesome thanks bod. I would also cover your petrol costs and so on. But like you say, if anyone is closer and would like to help let me know.

As someone said on here before, do not trust a guy who knows guy who knows a guy.

 

[Barry98]

Exactly

 

[SimonJohns]

I'd be willing to travel too.

Any details you have and I could get a quote back to you

 

[Barry98]

Road trip , then a session round town Simon ?

 

[Scott_D]

When does it need to be done?

 

[mutley racers]

Well as soon as possible really for me, but for the church, before September

 

[SimonJohns]

Milky bars are on mutley if we are working for him

😉

 

[mutley racers]

I'd be willing to travel too.

Any details you have and I could get a quote back to you

That's all the details I have. Take out 4 dragasar heaters. And cut in to gas pipe and put in iso and test point. To relight and purge it has those heaters that are like big burners in ceiling pointing down.

 

[mutley racers]

That's all the details I have. Take out 4 dragasar heaters. And cut in to gas pipe and put in iso and test point. To relight and purge it has those heaters that are like big burners in ceiling pointing down.

So SimonJohns, what's the price?