Starting a Wetroom installation business - need help!

Youngbusinessperson

Hi everyone, i am new to this website and heard its a great source for good advice.

I am just about to launch my first business installing wetrooms.

I have done lots of research and hope that i know everything i need in order to make this a success.

With just a small amount of investment from myself, If anyone could offer any advice in regards to this industry or any general business advice that would be greatly appreciated.

I have also enquired with business link and i am just searching for extra help on this site. Thanks in advance for reading and any replies.

paddyrg

Not knowing your skills, level of finance and backing, etc., I think the best I can offer is to never underestimate the value of a quid in the bank as opposed to tied up in stock! Spend frugally. Businesses die often not because they're not profitable, but because of poor cashflow. Make sure you get an upfront deposit against the work, and have very clear contracts about when the work is 'accepted'/finished (eg what's the deal with snagging?), and how quickly the balance is paid thereafter.

Mrs_Boo_Boo

You may want to work with Social Services completing work under the disabled facilities grant. Not sure how quick at paying they would be.
Contacting local Social Services Occupational therapists and ones working with elderly,brain injury,stroke victims.
Talking to people in disability shops etc.
There are a lot of older people with money who will pay privately for wet rooms etc. My friend had a fantastic one built where they raised the toilet,but put matching mosaic tiles along the base and reinforced the wall to take a wall mounted shower seat at a later date.
As budgets start to get cut people will be looking for these services privately.
There is already a purchaser model for small pieces of equipment.
Go for it.
In my area Care and Repair will project manage a job privately for 10% fee so it may be worth contacting them too.
Good Luck.

Savvy_Sue

Youngbusinessperson wrote: »

I have done lots of research and hope that i know everything i need in order to make this a success.

Do not underestimate the importance of good English. If it's not your strong point, find someone who will check things for you: your quotations, your invoices, any company publicity.

(I don't usually pull people up on spelling, grammar etc, but your signature should read 'Thanks for any help' - that apostrophe has got to go! And yes, I am a fan of Eats, Shoots and Leaves. The rest of your post is inoffensive, so clearly you're neither completely illiterate nor only capable of txtspk. This is all meant in a very friendly way, so please don't take offence!)

lincroft1710

Youngbusinessperson wrote: »

I have done lots of research and hope that i know everything i need in order to make this a success.

You don't mention these skills but being a qualified and competent plumber, expert tiler and having a flair for design or employing people with these attributes is going to be a big help in gaining customer confidence.

Don't forget personal recommendation is the best (and cheapest) form of advertising.

YBP

hi guys, thanks for the replies so far. they are really helpful.

Mrs Boo Boo, i will definately be contacting local offices now that you have said that.

Lincroft: I am simply organising the business but not carrying out the labour. i have 2x subcontracted builders who will be carrying out the works. I know they have the ability to construct the wet rooms but havn't questioned them on their qualifications yet to be honest. Do you know if a qualification in plumbing is a must by law?

Savvy_sue: I appreciate what you are saying, in terms of grammer and punctuation etc. I will have to get all my documents looked over.

Paddy: I am trying to spend as little as possible until business starts to come in. I am faced with a slight issue which is basically how to drum up business without blowing lots of money on advertising. Although i plan to advertise shortly, i would like to proactively seek some jobs maybe through telesales however i do not want it to ruin the reputation of the business. Could you also please ellaborate on the term snagging? what kind of text would i need in a contract in order to cover that?

Thanks again guys. Much appreciated

/spellcheck :P

paddyrg

'snagging' is when you go back to solve all the tiny problems (bit of grout fell out here, lock doesn't line up, extractor blows instead of sucks, plastering cracked, etc., it is the small jobs that you will fix at no charge, just to get the job perfect once it's settled a little). There is almost always a 'snagging list', and they are what will drive your reputation for service, so maybe in your contract/terms make provision for the final 10% of the fee to be paid on 'snagging' and arranging a date (say) 1 month after you're finished to come back and 'do' the whole snagging list in one go.

Advertising - "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." (John Wanamaker, attrib.). I would look at saving some of the cash you would spend on print ads, say, on doing an amazing job for someone in exchange for referrals, photos, etc.

Annisele

If you can't do the work yourself, you're pretty vulnerable to your subcontractors deciding that you don't add any value. From their point of view, why should any of the money go to you? You need to have a good answer ready for when they ask you that question.

You're also vulnerable to your subcontractors being unavailable / not finishing the job / oodles of other things. Are you completely happy with both the subcontractors and the contracts you have with them?

lincroft1710

There is no law which requires a plumber to have qualifications. However any plumber who deals with any gas installation must be Gas Safe registered. Also any electrical work carried out should comply with Part P of the Building Regulations, and should be carried out or at worst inspected by a person qualified to do Part P work. Although this is just the Wikipedia link, it does have further references.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring_in_the_United_Kingdom

Checking an employee's qualifications should be an employer's priority, employees' mistakes can be very costly in more than one way.

iamana1ias

YBP wrote: »

hi guys, thanks for the replies so far. they are really helpful.

Mrs Boo Boo, i will definately be contacting local offices now that you have said that.

Lincroft: I am simply organising the business but not carrying out the labour. i have 2x subcontracted builders who will be carrying out the works. I know they have the ability to construct the wet rooms but havn't questioned them on their qualifications yet to be honest. Do you know if a qualification in plumbing is a must by law?

Savvy_sue: I appreciate what you are saying, in terms of grammer and punctuation etc. I will have to get all my documents looked over.

Paddy: I am trying to spend as little as possible until business starts to come in. I am faced with a slight issue which is basically how to drum up business without blowing lots of money on advertising. Although i plan to advertise shortly, i would like to proactively seek some jobs maybe through telesales however i do not want it to ruin the reputation of the business. Could you also please ellaborate on the term snagging? what kind of text would i need in a contract in order to cover that?

Thanks again guys. Much appreciated

/spellcheck :P

Why have you created a new username to reply??

TBH I don't hold out much hope for you.

DCodd

You will need good insurance, wet rooms have a tendancy to leak.