Starting up in the trades

Gumshoe_2

Excellent feedback, you’re confirming my fears and the things I need to do to make this a reality.
My skills are what I’ve learnt from the age of about 15-21 years of age, My dad is a builder so naturally I’ve been brought up ‘in the trade’ from day one and worked near enough full-time for about 6 years. This has involved everything from labouring on new-build sites, roofing, double glazing, kitchens, bathrooms, I’ve done bricklaying & joinery to be honest it’s probably easier to list the things I haven’t done, which would be pretty much electrics and plastering.

However I take on board the reality check, I’ve worked for 11 years in IT and only done ‘odd jobs’ in between, the few bathrooms for friends and my last house I renovated throughout. I also realise the trade world has change and quiet rightly so, the regulations and certificates are all there for good reasons (I would like to think).

So, I’d be naive to think I know everything, far from it, hence I have planned to do a plumbing course, brush up skills, fill-in knowledge gaps and give me peace of mind that I would be ‘doing things right’. I know it’s possible to do a 4 week NVQ2 course or 8 week NVQ3 course which provide pretty much everything you need, it just the price tag. Think it was about £4500 for the 4 week course to become a certified plumber (coupled with actual experience and ability obviously). But at least I have an excellent skills foundation to build on, Its not like I'm blindly thinking of a carrer change I no nothing about.

So to Jack everything in, find £5000 and time out to get qualified and then start up a business taking into count all those things you have pointed out is no easy task. In fact it sounds so scary I doubt I’ll ever do it, that said I have a plan.

Basically I start a new job soon, (I’ve worked for the same company for this past 11 years and I hate my role) So I’m giving myself 18 months to give the new job a shot and rediscover a love for technology, if this fails then its life change time. I am married but no kids (yet, we’re still undecided) and my wife and I are true home team (if you know what I mean). So I think, if in 18 months time I still hate IT, I will sell up, retrain and start again basically, (My Mrs. Makes an excellent labourer.)
And like one of you said, in the mean time do as many odd side jobs to build up a portfolio and get a better feel for it.

Many thanks for the feedback though, it has helped a lot, I have to keep my feet on the ground and head on shoulders.

Canucklehead

Good morning: There is no quick fix...the OH did a 5 year apprenticeship and a multitude of courses since...ongoing professional development is the key. At the moment,plumbing isn't a regulated profession so in effect anyone with a few tools can call him/herself a plumber and more is the shame. A downturn in the economy will have a dramatic impact on the experienced/qualified plumber as well as the quick course entrants unless you are very good, get work through recommendations and will be able to self-certify electrics and plumbing (planned changes to Building regs will also have an impact on the plumbing trade eg. Competency schemes) Lots of discussion on other forums i.e. the value of quick courses and the glut of inexperienced 'plumbers'

Good luck.

Canucklehead

Gumshoe wrote: »

Excellent feedback, you’re confirming my fears and the things I need to do to make this a reality.
My skills are what I’ve learnt from the age of about 15-21 years of age, My dad is a builder so naturally I’ve been brought up ‘in the trade’ from day one and worked near enough full-time for about 6 years. This has involved everything from labouring on new-build sites, roofing, double glazing, kitchens, bathrooms, I’ve done bricklaying & joinery to be honest it’s probably easier to list the things I haven’t done, which would be pretty much electrics and plastering.

However I take on board the reality check, I’ve worked for 11 years in IT and only done ‘odd jobs’ in between, the few bathrooms for friends and my last house I renovated throughout. I also realise the trade world has change and quiet rightly so, the regulations and certificates are all there for good reasons (I would like to think).

So, I’d be naive to think I know everything, far from it, hence I have planned to do a plumbing course, brush up skills, fill-in knowledge gaps and give me peace of mind that I would be ‘doing things right’. I know it’s possible to do a 4 week NVQ2 course or 8 week NVQ3 course which provide pretty much everything you need, it just the price tag. Think it was about £4500 for the 4 week course to become a certified plumber (coupled with actual experience and ability obviously). But at least I have an excellent skills foundation to build on, Its not like I'm blindly thinking of a carrer change I no nothing about.

So to Jack everything in, find £5000 and time out to get qualified and then start up a business taking into count all those things you have pointed out is no easy task. In fact it sounds so scary I doubt I’ll ever do it, that said I have a plan.

Basically I start a new job soon, (I’ve worked for the same company for this past 11 years and I hate my role) So I’m giving myself 18 months to give the new job a shot and rediscover a love for technology, if this fails then its life change time. I am married but no kids (yet, we’re still undecided) and my wife and I are true home team (if you know what I mean). So I think, if in 18 months time I still hate IT, I will sell up, retrain and start again basically, (My Mrs. Makes an excellent labourer.)
And like one of you said, in the mean time do as many odd side jobs to build up a portfolio and get a better feel for it.

Many thanks for the feedback though, it has helped a lot, I have to keep my feet on the ground and head on shoulders.

nickj_2

i would carry on doing what you are doing for another year or so , gradually building up your customer base , if you are doing a good job at a reasonable price , your customers will pass your name on . you may find yourself in the position to have enough work to go full time , or if there is a downturn you still have your own job

jcorbygas

Its all very well doing jobs in addition to your main job, but when you make it your only income are you still going to be charging the customers the same price - you will probably have to charge more to include all your overheads ie tax, insurance, van, petrol, office expenses- and you will then find that your customers might not want to pay your new prices and will find someone in the same position as you are now to carry out their work.
Customers can be fickle and although they might not get as good a job as you would have carried out they are normally willing to take the risk if the price is less.
Please bear in mind what previous posters say about the impact of being self-employed does to your home life, especially if you will be asking your wife to run the business side. The phone calls DO come at stupid times and days, and if you want holidays or time off to be ill you dont get any money coming in. Even now after over 10 years of self employment I sometimes wish my husband was back with BG as at least we would be able to have holidays without worrying about lack of money when we came back.
Think carefully.
Jackie

ukwoody

I had 4 weeks off ill last year with Bursitis of the knee. I lost money badly, especially as I still had to find work for my employees - one of who doesn't drive. It's a nightmare., I haven't had a proper holiday of a whole week for 4 years now due to the business, annd any spare cash has gone back inot it.
That should change this year, but with my g/f now suffering from M.E - so her earnings as an independent mortage broker are also right down - it's gonna be tough!
Sometimes when I'm sat at my desk at 10pm I do wish I was directly employed and got all the benifits that go with it. But then again, I';ve decided to take an hour off so I'm sat here now, something I couldn't otherwise do...
woody

davidscottishpainter19

I Supply and fit flooring, and have been in and out of the trade since I was 15 years of age. I worked in I.T. after finishing my degree I got a job in computers, leaving I.T. was the best thing I done. I spent 3 years on rubbish money as an apprentice, £150-£200 a week, but now I have loads more free time, I earn more than I did, am my own boss and most importantly I love it, I like getting up in the morning to go to work, I feel job satisfaction, I like being free and doing physical work, BUT now is not the time, when its quiet, you earn nothing, you worry and stress, especially since you have to advertise to even get the work. Its been pritty quiet for me for the past 3 weeks; Speaking to people on work sites in the kitchen and Bathroom trades aswell as loads of others its the same story; give it a bit longer and wait for the economic tide to turn, could be maybe a month or two, I don't know. Build the work up gradually. Find a footing first; work for a company and build up your experience; probably a year or 2 with rubbish money, but after that you'll have realised what a great move you made. I was the same as you, but you either like I.T. or you don't. Took me 6 years to realise I don't. Although you can always fall back in I.T. if you injur yourself. Good luck, but wait a while