Early Days of Being Self-Employed

[nicebutdim]

£1000 paid online is £1000 in my bank . £1000 paid cash normally ends up with me having to go to bank..so that time and effort and then its £100 short as Ive spent it etc ! .For convenience I prefer the full amount per job paid in . Also clients see a far more transparent transaction.

Keep a book for cash - while petty cash is generally maintained at lower amounts, there's no reason why you can't keep it out of the bank and make payments to suppliers with it. Saves the hassle of a trip to the bank and the few bob they cream off for lodgements.

 

[LukeD]

I guess most of my clients dont want to pay cash as they see this as a possible "cheat the system" game.

 

[nicebutdim]

I guess most of my clients dont want to pay cash as they see this as a possible "cheat the system" game.

Perhaps they're used to tradesmen who shove the money in their back pocket and aren't ever seen again. What I would state is that there is a world of difference between accepting cash as one of many payment options and insisting on cash payment.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Cash is a funnyone , I do small jobs for older people who like to pay cash and they almost insist that you take cash. They will pay their window cleaners and gardeners cash weekly. But on bigger jobs where I am taking a deposit and stage payments i ask for it to be bank transfer. Its all about a modern professional image these days...

 

[UNG]

Cash is a funnyone , I do small jobs for older people who like to pay cash and they almost insist that you take cash. They will pay their window cleaners and gardeners cash weekly. But on bigger jobs where I am taking a deposit and stage payments i ask for it to be bank transfer. Its all about a modern professional image these days...

I do quite a bit of work for older people and they always want to pay with cash be it £50 or thousands, most don't do digital banking, did a job earlier this year and the guy (in his late 70's) was insisting on doing a few trips to a cash machine and drawing the cash to pay me I had to conince him I was happy with a cheque, I was passiing a post office on my way home so it was not to inconvenient for me to pay it in, this guy has a few rental properties and recently he wanted a little job doing on one of them rang him to tell him the job was done and he told me to call to his house and he would pay me didn't get chance to call as I was busy so a few days later he rang me and told me he would drop the cash off at my house.

I guess most of my clients dont want to pay cash as they see this as a possible "cheat the system" game.

I'm sure a lot of shopkeepers would be offended by that comment

 

[nicebutdim]

A lot of older people don't trust banks.

Can't say I blame them.

 

[PEG]

This rush to ditch cash,is going to make my enormous class A importation arrangements,a lot duller ?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

No surprises here but EV CHARGING!!
it amazes me the number of people who dont install them... all to often i hear sparks say they dont install them as they dont understand it.. aren't approved etc... well get in and get skilled up so you are established before others.
do the manufacturers training.... its free... register with them and get your OZEV registration. only really need it until March when a lot of changes happen to the grants..
you will over a month or two start getting leads from the manufacturers for free. you are 70% there in these jobs, just submit sensible quote to customer and you got yourself a nice 250-300 profit for a simple job.
a website is key with a page about ev charging ozev grants etc... so google finds it... I get several jobs a month from my website and google searches.... It took me around 18 months to get where I am now with ev charging and I am installing upwards of 15 a month...
your best friend is a reputable letting agent who will pay the real price for a real EICR as they can keep the cash flow good and provide lots of regular work.

 

[bristollspark]

No surprises here but EV CHARGING!!
it amazes me the number of people who dont install them... all to often i hear sparks say they dont install them as they dont understand it.. aren't approved etc... well get in and get skilled up so you are established before others.
do the manufacturers training.... its free... register with them and get your OZEV registration. only really need it until March when a lot of changes happen to the grants..
you will over a month or two start getting leads from the manufacturers for free. you are 70% there in these jobs, just submit sensible quote to customer and you got yourself a nice 250-300 profit for a simple job.
a website is key with a page about ev charging ozev grants etc... so google finds it... I get several jobs a month from my website and google searches.... It took me around 18 months to get where I am now with ev charging and I am installing upwards of 15 a month...
your best friend is a reputable letting agent who will pay the real price for a real EICR as they can keep the cash flow good and provide lots of regular work.

with regards to EV charging, I agree with Gavin John Hyde,
I did an EV course 2 weeks ago, just waiting to be accepted on ozev.
at first I wasn't interested in EV charging, but I soon changed my mind. just waiting for my first install.
work for me has been really quiet for the past 6 months,
my friend who runs a similar business, has offered me a job installing fire ,nurse call, access control systems etc.
van ,fuel card.
the money isn't great, plus I would be working all over the UK and possibly Scotland.
I,m going to stick it out being self employed, have been for 15 years. self employment has its positives and negatives, but generally I wouldn't go back working for an employer.

 

[baldelectrician]

I've just started out on my own coming into my 3rd month. The first month and half I was mega busy working 5 or 6 days every week and now I'm currently doing 2 or 3 jobs a week. My number has been passed on from clients I've worked for and I've spoken to a few builders and plumber I know. I've also ordered a load of leaflets that I can post on a street when I do a job and created my facebook so people can leave reviews.

What were other people's experiences starting out? How long did it take for the work to come in and what did you do to find it? At the moment it feels like a bit of a waiting a game for recommendations after the initial rush and just try to get my name out there

My first bit of advice- follow your gut instinct (it is usually spot on)

If something sounds too good to be true it usually is.

 

[littlespark]

plus I would be working all over the UK and possibly Scotland.

We haven’t got independence yet. Still part of the UK as far as I can see.

?

 

[LukeD]

My first bit of advice- follow your gut instinct (it is usually spot on)

If something sounds too good to be true it usually is.

Best advertising you can do is let happy customers do it for you . Just work out that many people want free quotes and hope to get advice through meeting you or the quote etc .And then they pull 3 guys out of nowhere for peanuts and project manage the job off whatever knowledge they think they have learnt from you . Happy clients are the best things since slice bread . Working for other trades can be a sliding slope .