Advice please :)

In short, you need a van,(signwritten looks more professional, however you're also advertising you have things to steal), dust sheets, vacuum cleaner, pan and brush, above all liability insurance, and all this is before you weigh up all the thousands of tools for all the prospective jobs you'll be undertaking.

You need to learn how to price jobs so you earn a wage and make a bit of profit at the end of it, no point going on your own otherwise. Pricing jobs is absolute trial, error, foresight, hindsight, timekeeping, accuracy and frustration, with a dose of self loathing thrown in as you realise you've forgotten to allow for something crucial, only you can teach yourself that.

If you're younger rather than older some unscrupulous ignorant people will assume you're an easy target or soft touch, and that you'll work for a pittance, these people are to be avoided at all costs, do NOT undersell yourself as you'll be on the back foot before you start the job and if things go wrong it'll leave a sour taste in the mouth and put you off doing more jobs for yourself.

When going to view a job, you be polite at all times, even if the person is a tosser, as professionalism is worth far more than a reaction, you then set your price at least double as you don't want to work for them anyway, and if you do get the job it makes it a bit easier knowing you're earning well.

Keep a very thorough paper trail, and a very good camera, they will save your life at some point. Take pics before, during and after the job, build a portfolio of work, and most importantly if a crack appears in someone's wall and they look to blame you, you have the photos to prove you were nowhere near it.

Learn about new products on the market, people love the new best thing in town and its down to you to capitalize on it.

You've GOT to have skin like a rhinoceros to make a go of it on your own, as there's always someone who'll undercut you, **** you off, Rob you, pull a fast one, cheat the bill, etc etc, but there's also great customers who'll sing your praises and let you earn a decent living, so it's up to you.

My fingers about to drop off from all this so I'll wish you all the best now.....

 

I worked with this old scotish fella years ago and his advice.

In a deep scotish acsent.

"Just do it"

 

Is that Trademarked.

NIKE.

 

He missed a trick there....

 

Part of learning is making mistakes.

Everybody makes them. The difference between confidence and not is what you do about them.

As a beginner, even if it costs you money and stops you earning from the job, put it right regardless. As you get more experienced you will make less mistakes and know what to do about them when you do.

And you will get a feel for the likelihood of mistakes, problems and costs ocurring and price the job accordingly. There is no substitute for that experience.

If somebody undercuts you, let them have the job. 2 reasons. 1st,you can tell the people your finished work would allow for x y z happening and no shortcuts (which puts into their mind that the cheaper guy might do a bodge job, even if you had overpriced it) and 2nd, if you can take money off your price they automatically think you have loaded it and will look for more reasons to take money off.

Good luck

 

If you're only looking to fill weekends at first then I'd let it be known you're the best door hanger in the area, most houses can be done in a two day timeframe, it'll open your eyes to human nature, and if you balls a door or two up, it's not the end of the world, no one's died, just replace the door and learn from your mistakes. And if the customer says to you "How much?! John from the club can hang one for a tenner", then you immediately walk away and leave them to it.

 

Quote for work as opposed to estimate if you can.

I never quote on the spot, take their email address and get back to them within a day or so.

List some terms and conditions and attach them to your quote, have a footnote on your quote saying that they are attached.

Only this week someone asked me what colour I was going to paint the wardrobe I had fitted, they were not happy when told them my price did not include decoration, I told them to check the terms and conditions - they hadn't even read them but I was covered, no argument.

 

Be careful with quotes, certainly until you understand what terms need to be in place.

They can work against you as much as for you if you forget to allow for everything, easily done at beginning.

An estimate allows you to add these extras to the final total.

But you want to end up with the final bill as close to the estimate as you can anyway.

 

Its really about believing in yourself. Because after any period of self employment you just won't want a civvy job anymore.......