Clart

I’m getting well pissed off now working for someone else and I think it’s time I set up on my own. I’ve been working for someone now for eight years and I’m sick of earning bugger all and lining someone else’s pockets! (I’m a plumber by the way)
So Scoobynet I’m asking you guys for advise, how would I go about setting up my own plumbing firm? Where do I start? What do I do?

Any thoughts or advise appreciated!

I think my main obstacle is getting customers. How do I get custom?

I’m good at my job and I know my stuff, but working for myself will be a whole new ball game!

Jap2Scrap

Dunno how you'd go about getting customers as a newbie. I wouldn't trust a plumber not to rip me off nowadays. Too many, 'watchdog', 'rogue traders' type programs on tv.

Best of luck though

wakeboardar

a skint plumber bloody hell now theres a thing

waky (skint chippie)

RR

I am a qualified gas central heating engineer, i was given 28 days notice today. I am being laid off (as are 4 other engineers). People will tell u theres loads of work out there, i have yet to see it. We work for a multi-million pound company which is feeling the pinch. My m8 is a self employed corgi reg engineer and he is selling his 12 month old 206 180 gti, as he cant afford it due to lack of work. Dont believe the hype. Good luck!!!!!!!.

MJW

Check out Business Link's startup page

Get some industry accreditation, and stick an ad in the yellow pages

mattsan

Out of intrest mate who do you work for?? My old apprentice left our firm about a month ago and he has loads of work on,but is travelling all over the country for it.Not my idea of work,i like to be close to home but everyone to there own.There does seem to be a hell of a lot of people leaving there jobs to be plumbers/gas fitters,but id like to see how good they are after a 6 week crash course!!

andrewdelvard

Speak to yellow pages now about an advert of next year. Get the biggest you can afford. It absolutley makes a difference.
Call the taxman and tell him your are esablishing a new business. They'll send you a new business starter pack and a tax reference (you are obliged to tell the inland revenue as soon as you begin a new business)
Find yourself a bookeeper (about £30 a month) to look after the paperwork for you whilst you concentrate on getting the custom in.
Get a decent business card made (not bits of paper made on a computer) and tell all your mates and family about your intentions and give some cards to them, to give out. If you have a budget (about a grand) get a company logo along with headed paper and compliment slips.
Get a telephone/fax will be very useful.
If you have a personality-BRILLIANT! that is your main asset and will creat business like nothing else. If you haven't GET ONE! Be really friendly and helpful with telephone enquiries. It makes a difference! Clean up after a job! Customers appreciate it! Don't rip people off! It will come back to haunt you and for every customer you gain you'll lose 2.
Be patient! it will take a few months but with nerve, commitment and work you can do it!
There you have it now go and be a millionaire


Good Luck,

Andy

deano

Do a good job and be reliable. Sadly, the two things never go together with tradesmen.

And Andrews right about the cleaning up bit.

RR

I am sure u understand its better i dont say who i work for. I served my time at BG 12 years ago, and have worked for them until 22 months ago. My current company has gone on a last in first out basis. I am married and have a home so working all over the country aint really an option. I know what your saying about these crash courses etc, its flooding the market with people who are cheap and low skilled. Looks like a good christmas for me this year.

beemerboy

Hmmm. must a regional thing.
My neighbour is a Corgi gas fitter, and he only works locally, mostly on his own and he has plenty of work, to the point of turning down work more than 10 miles travelling, and no out of hours / weekend - except for any emergencies.

I've been doing the tools with him on a few jobs, and we have a right old laugh, drink lots of tea, and spend fridays sharing out cash. - luckily for him, it was his father's business so he has loads of contacts and referrals.

Good luck in your pursuit.

BB

gsm1

The best way to get custom is by referral, especially in plumbing because people are so scared of calling a cowboy who'll rip a months salary off them for farting around with a U-bend.

Yes, a big advert in the Yellow Pages would probably work well but I advise everyone I know to avoid those ads because the biggest crooks in the industry place them.

andrewdelvard

But remember this is his prospective first year of business. He's got to get the message out to as wide an audience as possible. Yellow pages may put some people off but he'll still be guaranteed calls. First year of business is tough. Yellow pages can make the difference. It did for me.


Andy

jjones

advertise in the local rag and church magazine. friend did this recently and had 3 bathroom refits to do in a week.

andrewdelvard

Yep I do that one. Really cost effective and works.

GaryK

as per above referral business if you can get a few friends to recommend you. Yellow pages is very expensive and most forms of advertising are ineffective although can work well for tradesmen.

One point once you do have customers set yourself up a little system either paper based or on computer that reminds you to contact customers almost a year down the line to call and see if they need (ahem ) any servicing! Seriously I have never known anyone contact me on this basis and if they did they would make a nice little sum of ongoing revenue. Most P&HE's seem to just be 'reactive' to work rather than 'pro-active'

Good luck!

Gary

gsm1

Again, it's a regional thing. In London he'd probably get more work than he could handle.

P.S. Don't all flock to London on my advice!

JFB

Stick your name down with local estate agents who could refer you to buyers needing a refurb etc. Try and get in with the local Buy to let boys thorugh the estate agents as they often require new bathrooms fitted to flats etc etc. I know a mate who has 2 on the go as he has so much work to be done in his properties.

Best of luck.

JB

ProperCharlie

trouble with YP is that they will have pages and pages under "plumbers" or whatever category. What %age of peopel looking are gonna pick you, and what %age of those are gonna end up giving you business? a couple of years back I was spending £15k a year with YP - I have reduced that to about £2k and it's made no impact on the number of enquiries. FWIW i think yell.com is beter value, but all YP products are over priced.

imlach

Agree re yellow pages - must be tens of pages of plumbers - how do you decide who to use? I ALWAYS go on recommendation - either by asking at work, or asking friends. Nearly always yields a result.

How to start? Parish mag etc sounds a good starting point. Get local, and do your best on every job - bound to pay off sooner or later.

mj

Mr delvard, thank you very much, a big bright has just appeared over my head

The Co I work for is in the yellow pages under "Electricity Generating Eqpt", we get at least one call a day from some one saying " hello? do you sell generators"

We do, but everytime someone asks, I just say what size?

If its under 10 KVA I tell them to look at machine mart or ebay.... if its over 10 then start spieling

I need to get me some wee generators to sell


cheers

NewAgeWRX

RR, what made you decide to leave BG?

The reason I ask is, I am a BG engineer - been there since I left school (14 years). I often think about leaving and setting up on my own. Im the guy on our patch that everyone comes too if they have a problem they dont know how to solve, im sure you know what I mean, every BG patch has 1 or 2 LOL.

Im sure in my area at least, there has got to be work out there mainly due to appliance complexity and not many ppl knowing who to fix them ? maybe i'm mistaken.

Cheers Andy