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Post by lollygagger on Feb 3, 2018 12:05:29 GMT
Customers don't like surprise bills. They don't really care that much how big the bill is as long as they know in advance. If the bill doubles from estimate they feel cheated even if they've had great value, kind of conned into taking you on by underestimating. If the estimate or quote is twice the end invoice, even if they've still paid double the value of the work they're happy as larry.
Do not be shy of charging.
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Post by sandk on Feb 3, 2018 12:36:31 GMT
Agreed. Any decent self employed trades man needs to be looking at £40/hour. This isnt like a brickie, for example, who goes to the same site every day for £160-£200, he knows he's got a run of work that will last until the houses are built, you (faffer) will be running the show, time is money. If you are good you will do the job to a good standard in good time.
Don't forget that loads of things are deductible, work clothes, tools, etc. Even phone/calls, smart phones are 100% as they are classed as IT equipment. Laundry costs can be claimed even if you use your own washing machine, office space even if that office is a laptop on the kitchen table.
Some money for advertising will be needed when you first start-up, websites are easy enough to build yourself these days, if you haven't got the talent for IT find a teenager they will build a site in their sleep.once you understand how Google and the likes work it is easy to maintain a presence. All of that said I paid about a grand for my website and it costs me about £15/month for a tech bloke to look after it.
Always turn up on time, if for any reason you can't let the customer know at the earliest opportunity, they may have taken a day off work to wait for you, this won't go down well. Go for it with your eyes wide open.
Don't make the mistakes I made when I first started on my own!
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Post by kris on Feb 3, 2018 12:38:14 GMT
I was talking to a chap this morning who can't find anyone to do some glass fibre work on his boat. Generally - charge a low rate and you'll get crap bodge work from people with no money. Charge a high rate and you get people with money. I once put my rate up from £15/hour to £40/hour and went from struggling for work to being overwhelmed. Charge too little and people assume you're crap at it seems to be the message. Isn't this the truth, if you don't value what you do others won't. But for a start Id suggest somewhere between £12-15 per hour for you plus materials and other expenses. See how it goes, I'm sure you'd do well because there are always people looking for jobs to get done.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Feb 3, 2018 12:40:26 GMT
I think when I was running my business I was allowed £500 a year for using a room at home as the office.
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 3, 2018 12:42:05 GMT
Foxy, we get the message, but faffer is looking for advice on setting up his own business. You on the other hand are doing a great job at derailing his thread. I probably should keep my mouth shut being an outsider n all that, but your input on this one isn't any help to the lad. This isn't Canalworld. Threads are allowed to be temporarily derailed here - not so much 'derailed' as 'making side shoots'. Anyway, how did I get started on the Souters? I am sure Faffer can do his own filtering and concentrate on the comments that are relevant to the subject of starting his own business.
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Post by sandk on Feb 3, 2018 12:44:16 GMT
Foxy, we get the message, but faffer is looking for advice on setting up his own business. You on the other hand are doing a great job at derailing his thread. I probably should keep my mouth shut being an outsider n all that, but your input on this one isn't any help to the lad. This isn't Canalworld. Threads are allowed to be temporarily derailed here - not so much 'derailed' as 'making side shoots'. Anyway, how did I get started on the Souters? I am sure Faffer can do his own filtering and concentrate on the comments that are relevant to the subject of starting his own business. Twat.
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Post by Jim on Feb 3, 2018 12:46:05 GMT
Foxy, we get the message, but faffer is looking for advice on setting up his own business. You on the other hand are doing a great job at derailing his thread. I probably should keep my mouth shut being an outsider n all that, but your input on this one isn't any help to the lad. This isn't Canalworld. Threads are allowed to be temporarily derailed here - not so much 'derailed' as 'making side shoots'. Anyway, how did I get started on the Souters? I am sure Faffer can do his own filtering and concentrate on the comments that are relevant to the subject of starting his own business. Guilty! I started you off on the Souters. Because you enjoy the freedom of being enslaved by the man.
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 3, 2018 12:49:56 GMT
I probably should keep my mouth shut being an outsider n all that Not at all. You're right, I do wander 'off topic' - but as I have said, it's a free world here. I do tend to look at things from many angles, knowing that we can all get back to the main topic. Perhaps in future original posters can make a request for the topic to stay strictly on line. I have noticed that here Faffer has received only encouragement and helpful advice so far.
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 3, 2018 12:52:35 GMT
This isn't Canalworld. Threads are allowed to be temporarily derailed here - not so much 'derailed' as 'making side shoots'. Anyway, how did I get started on the Souters? I am sure Faffer can do his own filtering and concentrate on the comments that are relevant to the subject of starting his own business. Twat. Name-caller!
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 3, 2018 12:55:06 GMT
This isn't Canalworld. Threads are allowed to be temporarily derailed here - not so much 'derailed' as 'making side shoots'. Anyway, how did I get started on the Souters? I am sure Faffer can do his own filtering and concentrate on the comments that are relevant to the subject of starting his own business. Guilty! I started you off on the Souters. Because you enjoy the freedom of being enslaved by the man. Stay on topic Jimbo. I don't work for either of the money-grabbing Souters. How about people here helping Faffer to design adverts for his scheme? Do we have any graphic designers?
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Post by sandk on Feb 3, 2018 12:55:41 GMT
I know foxy, I'm as guilty of throwing threads off track on Internet forums. I'm all for having a laugh and taking the piss. I just think when someone is asking for advice on such an important thing as changing career, and going it alone it's best to say now't if you haven't got anything relevant to add.
If you don't want my point of view I'll stick round and give you more of it.
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Post by Jim on Feb 3, 2018 13:04:04 GMT
Guilty! I started you off on the Souters. Because you enjoy the freedom of being enslaved by the man. Stay on topic Jimbo. I don't work for either of the money-grabbing Souters. 😉 No, but you work for the man, perhaps one who isn't as sharp in his grasping ability as the Souters, but no doubt he is trying. Or perhaps I'm over generalising with my hate. That's quite common round here!
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Post by kris on Feb 3, 2018 13:18:45 GMT
Stay on topic Jimbo. I don't work for either of the money-grabbing Souters. 😉 No, but you work for the man, perhaps one who isn't as sharp in his grasping ability as the Souters, but no doubt he is trying. Or perhaps I'm over generalising with my hate. That's quite common round here! So do you. Or do you not deal with money.
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Post by Jim on Feb 3, 2018 13:38:05 GMT
😉 No, but you work for the man, perhaps one who isn't as sharp in his grasping ability as the Souters, but no doubt he is trying. Or perhaps I'm over generalising with my hate. That's quite common round here! So do you. Or do you not deal with money. I am now of "independent means", though frugal. Self employed. I am the Man! When I was Artistic director of the circus school any profit I made from my efforts went to fund the aims of the charity. It is many years since my efforts funded the lifestyle of someone else, and then only for a few months. I can't say I've ever had a Proper Job, though I did teach for 2 years. I don't object to paying tax, I get it back in services, health etc.
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 3, 2018 13:54:51 GMT
Stay on topic Jimbo. I don't work for either of the money-grabbing Souters. 😉 No, but you work for the man, perhaps one who isn't as sharp in his grasping ability as the Souters, but no doubt he is trying. Or perhaps I'm over generalising with my hate. That's quite common round here! The boss of Pohjolan Matka is a woman - now there's a surprise! Although it's difficult to say who 'my boss' is, as I work for a company that has been taken over by PM, and it seems to still run as its own concern with its own autonomy (Antti Kangas OY). I hear from the 'bosses' at Alavieska (main garage) so rarely that indeed it is me who phones to chase them up rather than the other way around! Johanna Lehtonen, big boss of Pohjolan Matka, which has around 300 buses. Have met her, she seems OK. (sorry sandk and faffer - just a blip - blame Jim)
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