Self employment

[Gizmo.man]

I know it's a very difficult task, however I don't like quitting
I will keep at it until I get somewhere with this. I really do want a trade for my self
Just like many others. But I'm sure one day my persistence will pay off.

Yes I can get a bit snappy but in a good Way

 

[gaspastemania]

I'd recommend that you look at training in ceramic tiling. All the tilers I know are fully booked months in advance. Try the Tilers Forum link at the top of the page and someone there will advise you.

Did you try Business Link?

£25 per square meter ,most dont break the tiles off nor even carry the tiles into the kitchen bathroom etc ,the ones i know easy earn over £700+ per week,
best of it is its not even a trade !!!

 

[tamz]

If you were working with a gas guy for 3 years why did you not think about qualifications earlier?
It would have been easier to do while you were working.
Why did he bump you?
Short of work or short of patience?

 

[samh]

I'd recommend that you look at training in ceramic tiling. All the tilers I know are fully booked months in advance. Try the Tilers Forum link at the top of the page and someone there will advise you.

Did you try Business Link?

I know a tiler, he's bloomin good, having to turn work down but has that old problem of too much work to do by himself but not enough to take someone else on and guarantee that he'll always have work for them unfortunately.

 

[samh]

I know it's a very difficult task, however I don't like quitting
I will keep at it until I get somewhere with this. I really do want a trade for my self
Just like many others. But I'm sure one day my persistence will pay off.

Yes I can get a bit snappy but in a good Way

That first part is a very good attitude, the second part not so great. How can you be snappy in a good way, surely its better to stay calm and put a point across in a civil and polite manner?

Whats to stop you getting snappy with a customer when they keep asking the same question and can't get there head round the answer?

 

[Gizmo.man]

He was short of work, but he sort of used me for the
Dog work and lead me to believe he was sorting out funding for ACS
And packages.

 

[desrob]

He was short of work, but he sort of used me for the
Dog work and lead me to believe he was sorting out funding for ACS
And packages.

your silly in a good way though.!

 

[samh]

BTW mate, don't think I'm having a go or trying to put you off, I'm not, I'd have nothing to gain from that (as far as I know you could be the other side of the country) I just don't want to see anyone entering the trade massively optimistic and not knowing the facts.
I hope what I've said on this thread has helped you and any others that read it and are considering joining the trade.

 

[Gizmo.man]

I live in Sheffield by the way. I wouldnt say
I'm optimistic massively but there has to be some
Optimism in you to achieve at least something
Whether one succeeds or fails. I'm just another normal guy trying
To climb a ladder.

 

[samh]

Make sure you wear a hard hat while climbing the ladder, health and safety an all that 😛

I do genuinely wish you luck mate 🙂

 

[tamz]

He was short of work, but he sort of used me for the
Dog work and lead me to believe he was sorting out funding for ACS
And packages.

If he was short of work you'll have an idea how tight things are in the trade.

There is no funding as far as i'm aware for ACS.There is for NVQ's and he would have gotten grants and college fees paid had he applied.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

like a said good luck mate , but do the research before go a head or you could end up with all saved £ up in smoke as advertising and all other costs are reaching the sky ,the only cheap thing is going to be your charge rate !

 

[PlumbBobBob]

£25 per square meter ,most dont break the tiles off nor even carry the tiles into the kitchen bathroom etc ,the ones i know easy earn over £700+ per week,
best of it is its not even a trade !!!

don't let them on the tilers forum hear you saying that lol

 

[Gizmo.man]

Well I don't think he even bothered looking into it for
Me, I thought I could trust him enough to sort
It for me, you stay loyal to someone and
This is how you get treated. I was on £20 a day
11 hrs a day over 5 days. I have been terribly
Ripped off.

 

[Resolute]

First off, you can make it of your good enough but it's hard work and you'll need a lot of patience. You get customers not being able to explain faults properly and wanting the earth, delivered within an hour for £20! Also, be prepared to learn and get frustrated. No matter how good you are sometimes things don't go to plan and even the simplest jobs turn into a nightmare - try spending 3 hours playing with a toilet cistern then get an air lock all for £15!

Finally if you feel you can put up with all that then apologise to Safe Gas, as I guarantee you could benefit from his advice and help at somepoint!

Sorry for the long post but if you take it on board and still want to be a plumber then good luck and welcome to the forums!

 

[tamz]

I was on £20 a day 11 hrs a day over 5 days. I have been terribly ripped off.

You certainly have. 1st year apprentices get more than that. You should maybe have seen it coming.

 

[sparra1100]

Well I don't think he even bothered looking into it for
Me, I thought I could trust him enough to sort
It for me, you stay loyal to someone and
This is how you get treated. I was on £20 a day
11 hrs a day over 5 days. I have been terribly
Ripped off.

well i take my hat off to you mate for sticking it out ,were do you live, doing the acs is dear tho around £3500 then the gas safe afterwards which is probs why he never done it for you i would have put ye in college for a day or too a week and and still paid ye that so can understand your attitude to a point

 

[Gizmo.man]

I'm not easily put off. Believe me, even if it's a £10 job and turns
Into a nightmare end of day it's a trade and a job, anything to learn and gain
Good experience. I will eventually become gas safe registered as I've roughly 5 years worth of experience I know it may not seem a lot but it's better than nothing. I'm prepared to give it a go and my best shot at it. And if it fails on me well at least I have
A HGV license to fall back on.

 

[Gizmo.man]

Well the ACS and central heating with cooler and gas fire
Been quoted roughly £1295. I even put my own gas fire in
And did a pretty decent job. As I mentioned I'm good with my hands
And it's best to stick to something one is generally good at doing. I can't see myself working in an office block behind a desk. Just like to stick to a proper mans job
Despite the cons. Eventually patience does pay off.

 

[tamz]

I even put my own gas fire in
And did a pretty decent job.

Did you do the proper checks on flue flow and spillage, gas rates etc? Is the fire installed in accordance with BS5871?
You don't know as you have never did the proper training. Because it lights don't mean it works safely!

You seem keen enough to get on so more power to your efforts. It won't be easy but can be done with a bit hard work and good luck.

 

[gaspastemania]

haha oh my !!

 

[anz]

Do you not like being a HGV driver?

Apparently there's thousands of jobs and you could earn £600 a week.

https://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=Becoming+a+HGV+driver

 

[Gizmo.man]

Yes indeed flow and spillage done and shows
The correct colour of flame. And doesn't exceed 4.2 - 6kw of nominal power.
Also has been signed off and photo shoot done whilst I installed the
Complete gas fire.

 

[Gizmo.man]

HGV driving is hard work. It's tiring and very demanding
I have an ADR certificate also but as I am a fairly new driver
Most company's won't insure me due toy age which is a shame.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

nominal power ???

getting more interesting by the min here

 

[Halesowen1]

But did you open or shut your living room doors??

 

[SafeGasInstall]

when you did smoke test did you have all lights off in the room and the fun extractor in kitchen on

 

[gaspastemania]

what gas rate calc did you do?

 

[dontknowitall]

Boy - am I glad I only do oil ...

Smoke test.
FGA test.
Smoke test.

Then the French version of "Work, damn you!"

 

[anz]

HGV driving is hard work. It's tiring and very demanding
I have an ADR certificate also but as I am a fairly new driver
Most company's won't insure me due toy age which is a shame.

I'm sure most people here would argue that plumbing/gas is hard work, tiring and demanding.

So if your looking for an easy life, your in for a surprise.

So you wanted to be a HGV driver, but after completing the training you decided it wasn't for you.
Could you be making the same mistake again?

All I can say is think about your next move carefully and make the right decision.

I wouldn't recommend anyone starting out now in this trade, as I don't think there is much of a future in it, well one that pays well anyway.

 

[Gizmo.man]

All I can say is that i enjoy plumbing very much and as for driving HGV
It's cool but can be mundane. I do enjoy driving too but not as much as plumbing.
I've done it for the sake if security and I'm sure every man wants to be secure. I've been plumbing since 17 years of age and 22 now and I know I have a fair bit to learn however I personally don't think I'm doing too bad at all as I do learn by the day.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

All I can say is that i enjoy plumbing very much and as for driving HGV
It's cool but can be mundane. I do enjoy driving too but not as much as plumbing.
I've done it for the sake if security and I'm sure every man wants to be secure. I've been plumbing since 17 years of age and 22 now and I know I have a fair bit to learn however I personally don't think I'm doing too bad at all as I do learn by the day.

I wish you get there Gizmo as if you really have the drive you will one day never stop learning .
If every one of us learn something every day ,we all can call this day a very great day !

 

[dontknowitall]

Why don't you print a 100 or so leaflets and deliver them locally?

You might not get any response or at best 3-4 enquiries. If you get a job, this will pay for the print out, then you can print some more and deliver these.

It's about the cheapest way to get going but it's hard work.

Also, PLEASE, don't do gas unless you're GasSafe registered!!! It just isn't worth the risk, either for you or for your customers. Many of us here are not GasSafe registered and there's plenty of work that's not gas related. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of plumbers chasing for this work too! Hence the responses earlier on.

 

[Halesowen1]

As quoted above, stick to your limits.

 

[sparra1100]

Well the ACS and central heating with cooler and gas fire
Been quoted roughly £1295. I even put my own gas fire in
And did a pretty decent job. As I mentioned I'm good with my hands
And it's best to stick to something one is generally good at doing. I can't see myself working in an office block behind a desk. Just like to stick to a proper mans job
Despite the cons. Eventually patience does pay off.

nah its more than £1295 might be that to resit in some places but defo around £3000 plus to do full acs