Help needed re starting/building up business

[Sophie Marchant]

Hello all

I'm posting on behalf of my husband because I want to help him with his business. He really wants to go it alone having worked sub contracting for a while for various contractors. He had thought about working on sites but he cant get an ECS card because he hasn't got an level 3 NVQ. He has got 2360 1 & 2, 17th edition update and AM1, he also has 10 years trade experience both domestic and commercial. I've looked into him doing an NVQ and its £750 which isnt an option at the moment financially.

He's very demotivated and feels that there is so much red tape involved in just doing his job. Also the subcontractor work has dried up and we are really struggling to manage.

I just wanted some opinions really on what you perceive his options to be and how best to go about it. If he chooses to start up on his own I know he'll need to join niceic or napit etc but none of this will guarantee him any work, do you have any practical advice on setting up and getting work coming in?

Many thanks

 

[Andy78]

If money is tight £750 for an NVQ is the cheaper of the options compared to setting up on his own.

Part P scheme membership £450
literature for scheme membership around £100 depending on what he already has
Public liability insurance £70 - £150
multifunction tester £300 - £500

The above is just to get on a part P scheme to notify domestic work.

Then there is a van, advertising, any new equipment or tools to be bought. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but just to give you a rough idea of the cost of setting up.

 

[brucelee]

Xs training are still doing the NVQ 2356 LV3 at a cost of £550 + vat and its completed all online and can be done in his own time they are one of the forum sponsers and there link is to the right hand side of your page the paymet can be made in 6 monthly payments at no extra cost
If he gets the NVQ he will then be able to get his JIB card

 

[Sophie Marchant]

Thanks for the replies, sorry I should have explained a bit better. He did try to start up a while ago, he has a van and tools including tester, public liability insurance a website and he has cards printed as well as t-shirts with company name, however, there wasnt enough work to keep him going so he went off and did solar installs until that stopped because of our wonderful government. He was assessed by elecsa through the company he was doing the solar with and they allowed him to continue using it to sign off work but the registration has now lapsed. Since the solar finished hes done bits and pieces for local contractors but its not been enough to keep us going.

What i'm after is practical advice on getting regular work, I appreciate that this may not be that straight forward but I want him to really try and make a go of it. I've told him that if it doesnt work out he has to find a permanent job because I cant be doing with never knowing where we are financially, we have a 9 month old son so its not just about him doing what he wants to do anymore.

Thanks

 

[HandySparks]

Flyers worked for me when I started up. If you have lots of time and little money I think they're good.

Get maybe a thousand printed. Then go round locally, knocking on doors and offering them personally to householders and having a bit of a chat if they want to. Then people will know who's going to turn up if they make a call and, if you're well presented, you're part of the way to getting the job.

Occasionally someone will have something that needs looking at there and then.

 

[drew35]

When work is tight I send the wife out to work!!!

 

[44ALLAN]

When work is tight I send the wife out to work!!!

When my work got tight I got rid of the wife !

 

[robbalaar86]

When work is tight I send the wife out to work!!!

When my work got tight I got rid of the wife !

This cheered me up haha

 

[oldtimer]

Sophie no offence money is tight is no excuse if he is to apply himself then its chicken and egg time ie he cannot do x as he does not have his NVQ so if he needs it then he needs to focus on this now you may think I am a bit hard here but what i am saying if it is a ---- up between a new tv or new tester then the tester will win because thats what puts food on the table.
There was a guy on here recently pleading poverty yet had an I phone plus if your hubby is going to get anywhere he needs to apply himself in a professional manner and have good customer focus now does this mean he must live and breathe his trade no not at all he just needs to prioritise as an old tradesmen said to me the tools in your bag and your qualifications put food on the table so make sure you look after them

 

[robbalaar86]

Old timer you are referring to me. Once again I wasn't pleading poverty at all. I was saying money is tight.

I listened to your advice and brought my tester. I like using this forum but sometimes judgement is cast too early.

Life isn't black and white. I'm starting on my own with baby steps. That's my advice you have to start with small jobs I've just done a job this morning took an hour and I earnt 60 quid. Ok 60 quid ain't a lot but I have two other similar jobs. Start with the small work and build up your customers.

But what do I know I have an iPhone

 

[oldtimer]

Robb yet again you are taking these comments as personal as I said before and this applies to everyone in the same boat is that an individual has to apply him or herself if they want to progress within the trade and there are plenty of examples on this forum where in my view an individual says its not fair or money is tight yet as I pointed out its about priorities a bit like someone who has £3000 debt on a credit card and complains about it then go out and buy a carry out on it for £30 that will end up costing £50 by the time they pay it of and fine its their choice but at the same time they cannot complain that lifes not fair.

As I have said before its nothing personal with me I have no ego to bruise I dont get off by slagging people off but its all down to Darwins theory where the ones who want to progress will succeed and the ones who dont will fail hard I know.

Now I dont have an I phone my contact is £11 per month and not £40 a month so I am £360 better off a year that by the way is 50% of the cost of this lads NVQ

 

[robbalaar86]

Never complain life is unfair my theory is that's life. You have ups and downs this chap is having a down. I'm sure in an ideal world he would have a massive company earning a fortune.

I for one wish I had no contract and from next year will be going pay as you go. You learn from things. I take it personal because I've done an apprenticeship on bugger all a week loved it, got through it earnt a lot of money for a year then lost it. Now I slog it with the best of them for jobs.

I've shelled out 500 quid for my testing exam and 300 for my tester I'm not the finished article but I like to think I'm doing the correct things now

 

[Sophie Marchant]

Hi guys

Thanks for all your replies, believe me I'm not after new tvs etc I just want a bit of security and to know that the bills are going to be paid, I've sacrificed a lot already for him to do what he wants to do and I'm not after material possessions I just want to not be worrying about money constantly. I'm also currently on maternity leave so we are down one income and my maternity pay ended last month. I also understand that hard work is required, we talked about it last night and he thinks its better to get the part P first then once he's built up a bit of money he can pay to do the NVQ. He's not afraid of a bit of hard work but does need some help with how to promote his business so I was just after some ideas from the more experienced tradesmen who post on here. What worked for you and what didn't work? We're thinking flyers will be a good idea, are there any other reasonably priced ways of getting his name out there to start getting the work in?

 

[Andy78]

Sending introductory letters to other contractors that could use his services. Builders, plumbers, kitchen fitters, even other electrical contractors for sub-contract work.

Getting a web presence to enhance awareness. Sites that might be useful include freeindex, linkedin, facebook, google plus, local newspapers might have free listings on their website, and of course building your own website.

The aforementioned flyer drop could be useful and cheap. Don't just think about stuffing them through doors, leave stacks on shop counters, ask to place them in windows, etc.

 

[Richard Burns]

To get regular work you need to build up the business, which takes time unfortunately.
If you can contact local builders/ kitchen fitters/ general tradesmen/ plumbers who may need electrical assistance this may help build a reputation, though if the tradseman is bad this may tarnish you by association (and you could lose money if they mess about) so be careful.

Local village magazines are not too expensive to advertise in and provide a captive audience.
If you have a specific area within which you wish to work then local shops / post offices may have advertising boards, just keep that advert going.
Repetition of your information is the way to get responses, for leaflets you are likely to get 1-2% response first time and this will increase up to about 10% by the fourth time (in general).
Do not go for large trade publications or anyone ringing you up to invite you to advertise in .... not worth it. Also yellow pages is expensive.
Have a web presence if you can and try to optimize your site by providing links and having your page linked from elsewhere.
Providing cards to give out to customers and possibly having promotional items such as key rings, cups, rulers can also raise the profile with customers so they recommend you, word of mouth is powerful.

Part P is registering with a self certification scheme and does not need a course, only the understanding of the application of the building regulations to electrical installation.