Im plumber level 2, with experience and CSCS blue card...........It is good idea start working for myself? How much many i need for starting plumbing business?
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- Thread starter Miro
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Hello and welcome Miro,
It really depends on whether you feel confident enough to start on your own. First of all, you will need a van, own tools, insurance, you will need to be thick skinned, you will need to know how to sell yourself as it's not easy out there.
perhaps if I were you I'd start with a company and gain a more knowledge but if you think you got it all that's fine.
It really depends on whether you feel confident enough to start on your own. First of all, you will need a van, own tools, insurance, you will need to be thick skinned, you will need to know how to sell yourself as it's not easy out there.
perhaps if I were you I'd start with a company and gain a more knowledge but if you think you got it all that's fine.
A proper business? Good connections, contracts lined up, a list of people you will employ, full time accountant, premises, several fully equipped vans, contracts/accounts with suppliers..
If you meant a one man band you can pretty much start with nothing. But it's not a business if when a guy who runs it goes on holiday or a bender the whole shop is closed.
If you meant a one man band you can pretty much start with nothing. But it's not a business if when a guy who runs it goes on holiday or a bender the whole shop is closed.
You can weigh up the costs yourself.
Public Liability insurance
Van, fuel, insurance,road tax, repairs, etc
Tools, power tools, some you will already have no doubt.
Accountant costs.
If you intend working on Gas, there will be Training, Qualifications and Membership.
Wages PA.
Adverts
Those things give a good idea.
If you have work, the charges you make should be designed to cover all those costs above and more besides.
The big questions are:-
Can you be your own worst enemy and put the needs of your business first?
Your Business only looks after you, if you look after it!
Are you prepared to go out at all times of day, evening, weekend etc, to do work, Price jobs, Deal with things under warranty, keep the customer satisfied?
It is more a way of life than a job!
You will lie awake at night, if you are the type (most successful people I know do), thinking about work.
You will need to say yes please to jobs you detest because you need to keep the Wolf from the door.
Fix the roof when it's not raining! don't slack off because you've done well one week!
On the plus side, you have a sense of freedom that you seldom get when working cards in!
You can, if you set your stall out right and make sue you charge properly, do well financially.
If you think you are the type, I would recommend you go for it.
You wont need it, my point was being self employed plumber and having a plumbing business is two completely different things.
You missed Self-employed NI:
Self-employed National Insurance rates - GOV.UK
and contributions to a personal pension find of some type. Don't put off planning your pension. A lot of folk in my generation have neglected this. They're going to have to keep working well past the time they would have wanted to sell up and take a well-deserved rest.
My personal advice is it's a good idea to go self employed in general, as long as you have the right mentality for it, i.e. some self discipline and can also live without really knowing what you're going to earn next week. There's a lot of freedom to it and also it really changes your attitude to work, you don't sit there waiting for 5pm, you just crack on and get it done.
Based on what you've said i'd say you're probably not quite ready yet though, i was in your boat about 10 years ago or so and decided level 2 wasn't enough, so did level 3 as well then a separate APL (20 week) gas course, then eventually just went out on my own.
I think you're better off making sure you're ready rather than going for it too soon and getting a bad name and disheartening yourself. What i did was start doing little jobs for friends, friends of friends, family etc that you are confident with, say fitting a set of taps, changing a rad etc. People you know will be a bit more forgiving if you take too long/mess up etc but you still build that experience. Then hopefully you'll get to a point where you feel you've done most things and can take that leap.
Hope this helps (Y)
Based on what you've said i'd say you're probably not quite ready yet though, i was in your boat about 10 years ago or so and decided level 2 wasn't enough, so did level 3 as well then a separate APL (20 week) gas course, then eventually just went out on my own.
I think you're better off making sure you're ready rather than going for it too soon and getting a bad name and disheartening yourself. What i did was start doing little jobs for friends, friends of friends, family etc that you are confident with, say fitting a set of taps, changing a rad etc. People you know will be a bit more forgiving if you take too long/mess up etc but you still build that experience. Then hopefully you'll get to a point where you feel you've done most things and can take that leap.
Hope this helps (Y)
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