Going self employed - advice needed please - Gardening

Savvy_Sue

Gardening one side, window cleaning the other?

I think I'd go for both together, in some way.

But please, before you prepare your flier, take note that the things you're offering to clean are soffits and soffit boards, NOT soffix.

Newdirection

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Gardening one side, window cleaning the other?

I think I'd go for both together, in some way.

But please, before you prepare your flier, take note that the things you're offering to clean are soffits and soffit boards, NOT soffix.

Savvy Sue, thanks, lol, yes I will have the correct spelling, thanks for the pint out and cheers for your views.

I thought it was good to put both on one flyer and business card but then I thought, well If I am doing this as a business to do well, I need to invest and if I do two fliers one for each job role, i can have full information on each flyer and just feel it will be worth it. Just have to work out how I will do the web site now lol, trick stuff, when wanting to do it right...emm, long spells of thinking ahead, any ideas anyone they are welcome.

Thankyou.

Newdirection

Hi again.

Just like to say thank you to all that have replied and PM me. I am about ready to launch my small business and have the balls now to jump ship and start my own work with thanks to this site, it may be easier for people to have done this but I have had an awful year and amazed where I am now and agian thanks to this site and the people on it.

I just wanted to ask I feel I am ready after locking down the following aspects and I feel this is all I need to be able to start legally doing my new job role. I no alot of people dont bother with insurance or telling HMRC, but I want to just do it all correct and do the right things. Below is what aspects I ahve sorted out nearly and if there is anyhting else please could anyone inform me, I no there is probably not as you dont need much to start from what you all have informed me and what I have leart but I just want to make sure and also have enough behind me to have a strong stable small business.

Do I need to register my small business with companies house or do i register as a sole trader? I am unsure what avenue I need to make or do I have to do both?
Anyone whom has this advice that can lay it out in easy terms will be great. I am a gardener and window cleaner, so just this business model really.

Public Liability Insurance
Inland Revenue register as self employed www.enviroment-agency.gov.uk
The enviroment agency – waste carriers licence www.enviroment-agency.gov.uk (If I decide to carry waste.)

Web site Domain name purchase
Facebook
Twitter
Logo Design


These are the main thigns I feel I need apart from the obvious stuff. feel the above is enough to make me legal and healthy business. I just do not want to be down the line and someone tell me you dont have this etc, you need it. I no I dont need alot and most people dont do half of that above but its worth checking. I just dont think i could do this job with out insurance I no its not illegal to not have it but stupid not to.



Thank you.

Savvy_Sue

Ah, window cleaning: you cannot just throw your dirty water down the drain, I believe you need a closed system and then a disposal arrangement, your local council's environmental health dept should be able to advise about that, or maybe it's the environment agency as it's similar to carrying waste.

This thread from a while back has some information about wheelie bin cleaning which works on similar lines.

If you're a sole trader you don't need to register with Companies House, and at this stage it probably doesn't make sense to do so: it's just you and your equipment for now.

Newdirection

Hi thank you so much,

wow - I am learning all the time on what I need to do and get, it seems like a lot. Some people say you dont need alot to get going but it seems I need so much.

I am doing gardening and window cleaning for bunglows as a side line to make sure I fill my week up. I assume getting a waste licence covers gardening and window cleaning water, tbh I wont be wasting much water I will need it all, I will no how much I need, surely you dont need rule son ouring unwanted water down my own sink? not that it will be much, it will stay in the can until the next day really.

It would be good if there was a list of things you need to have in order to be fully legal and ok, is there anyone out there that could point me in the right direction or list them, I am amazed at the amount of things I need to apply for, considering most people have pm me saying you only need this and that.

All I want to do is carry waste from garden trimmings to mowing and garden clearence to window cleaning water of which I will have very very little water waste.

Thanks again its great to have people raise these issues as I wish to have it all inline.

Sponge

I just wanted to wish you luck and say I'll be watching this thread with interest. I'm being made redundant in the new year and I'm giving serious thought of doing something very similar.

Have you taken any courses in gardening, etc?

Have you been able to measure demand for your services? I was thinking about this and wondered how someone in your position would go about doing market research; go door to door saying, 'I'm thinking of becoming a professional gardener - do you use one? If not, would you consider using one?'