Going self employed :) Boat fitter/maintenance.

[W.olly]

I know a few on here have been following my thread on my boat renovation and after three years, or near as i have been having offers from folk to help or do a little job here and here on there boats.

So what sort of chap would keep turning it down. So as off a few week ago i have decided to give a go i asked on a boat`y forum about if there are any handy `boat `men types about and well it all kicked from there.

I am only going to start off doing it on weekends as i still have a full time job to do and cant afford to jack ii in yet but slowly i will build it up and bit by bit i hope to have it on a full time basis. Get a part time employed job then so on.

I have got six jobs on now with out advertising or asking about in the last coupe of week, some near home some as far as a 5hr drive away, then though i can stay on the boats overnight and then i need to price up as the travel is costly. Today i priced i priced up two jobs fairly local, i think i am under pricing myself a bit though, i am so used to being on minimum wage it sounds a lot when i give the quote. Customers are happy though so...

Now the fun bit is getting new tools

I need a portable work bench, some cool bits of kit about, most though i will be buying as i go as i have most gear i need but it is getting on a bit now.

The hardest bit has been getting 5m Third Part Liability insurance. I have spoke to a few brokers and underwriters and a sit is as unusual trade it takes a good few days to get a quote from them. I have a few from £000 to down to £500 which i can cope with.

All scary but exciting at the same time as at first it was all going over my head where to start, now i am luvin it all together


Just wanted to share my excitement with you all


Bring it on

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Hope it works out. I'm 8 months in to my own business and no regrets. Couldn't go back.
Always allow a bit extra on a job for the unexpected labour or materials.

 

[brightspark]

best idea doing it part time as long as u can stand the extra work . some jobs are seasonal so if u do it for a year u will find out when its quiet and not be left in the deep stuff with no money and nothing to fall back on good luck

 

[Cobbler]

Best of luck Wolly

 

[RichardM]

Hope all goes well for you

 

[W.olly]

Hope it works out. I'm 8 months in to my own business and no regrets. Couldn't go back.
Always allow a bit extra on a job for the unexpected labour or materials.

Ye, thats what i need to learn on pricing jobs up, good bit up to now they are getting the materials in so i am just pricing for my time.

I will keep that in mind though for when i price it all up as one, inc fuel cost for travel.

best idea doing it part time as long as u can stand the extra work . some jobs are seasonal so if u do it for a year u will find out when its quiet and not be left in the deep stuff with no money and nothing to fall back on good luck

I am used to doing 12hr even 14hr days so work load is fine, i have always been working as employed and my own thing for years now so used to do 9hr days employed then another 3-5hrs for myself on boats and cars 7days a week. I reckon it will be easier doing it for myself as well.

Best of luck Wolly

Thanks guys

 

[Kayos]

Best of luck fella

Nearly at the end of my first year self employed, wish I had done it years ago

 

[Burdekin]

Good on you, nothing ventured nothing gained. All the best.

 

[W.olly]

Best of luck fella

Nearly at the end of my first year self employed, wish I had done it years ago

I think the time has been waiting for me to decide what to do, i have done trailer build/sales repairs/cars/handy man over the years but there are so many already doing it.

I have a feeling this is the one for me as i have been told it a bit of a niche market and well in call for.

Good on you, nothing ventured nothing gained. All the best.

Exactly, i have been a driver for years now, only time i cant go back to that is if the robots do take over lol

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Ye, thats what i need to learn on pricing jobs up, good bit up to now they are getting the materials in so i am just pricing for my time.

Learnt the hard way. I'd rather not do a job than lose money on it so msle sure im covered. If a quotes refused I lose no sleep over it
Don't work yourself to the bone. Your day rate should be for 8 hours not 14. If you do 14 hr days and finish quicker that's your perk.

 

[W.olly]

Learnt the hard way. I'd rather not do a job than lose money on it so msle sure im covered. If a quotes refused I lose no sleep over it
Don't work yourself to the bone. Your day rate should be for 8 hours not 14. If you do 14 hr days and finish quicker that's your perk.

One thing i need to work on is if to charge hourly or per job.

I seems to me that if i charge hourly then if it takes longer than i roughly said to the customer then they may well get tetchy over the time i am taking.

The jobs i have taken on i have priced per job on my hourly rate of £18 ex costs, some have said they want each job priced separately as they have a number of jobs need dong, some a full on one price.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I work on a price mostly but still get to that price via a day rate.
If I know a bathroom is gonna take me an easy 6.5 days. Then my Labour is gonna be 7x xxx
No longer give time estimates on quotes. If I get done quicker than intended that's a win for me and there none the wiser. If I've put the extra hours and effort in I've still earnt it.

 

[Kayos]

I very rarely do day rate, price is a price is a price

Little jobs I tell the customer it's hourly but they are only the under 1 hour jobs

 

[8ob]

I dont know what they call this other than a rip off but I did some work (free) on a friends diesel engines in his boat which was in a marina, on the way out I was approached by the manager and he wanted to know the invoice total so he could add his percentage. From what I gathered they can charge X amount on work carried out in the marina if its not their guys doing the work Is this right?

Bob

 

[brightspark]

I dont know what they call this other than a rip off but I did some work (free) on a friends diesel engines in his boat which was in a marina, on the way out I was approached by the manager and he wanted to know the invoice total so he could add his percentage. From what I gathered they can charge X amount on work carried out in the marina if its not their guys doing the work Is this right?

Bob

should have said yes u can have your percentage 20 percent of nothing

 

[W.olly]

I dont know what they call this other than a rip off but I did some work (free) on a friends diesel engines in his boat which was in a marina, on the way out I was approached by the manager and he wanted to know the invoice total so he could add his percentage. From what I gathered they can charge X amount on work carried out in the marina if its not their guys doing the work Is this right?

Bob

Afraid so, that is correct as much as 30% i have seen, aswell as a charge working in there yard every day. If they knew sooner they would of asked for your charge rate...well books on the job. Its so they get the work in there on site work shops if they ave any. A ripoff yes but then they are loosong work through folk like us working on boats in there yards/marinas. But with that they should`nt charge so much which i believe they do.

I have a job that a chap needs doing that the boat yard will not take on, he is down Bath and me in Manchester, the yard will charge for outside contractors but will not do the work. aswell as nobly will do it or help him. He is so peeved he is bringing it to me.

 

[8ob]

Afraid so, that is correct as much as 30% i have seen, aswell as a charge working in there yard every day. If they knew sooner they would of asked for your charge rate...well books on the job. Its so they get the work in there on site work shops if they ave any. A ripoff yes but then they are loosong work through folk like us working on boats in there yards/marinas. But with that they should`nt charge so much which i believe they do.

I have a job that a chap needs doing that the boat yard will not take on, he is down Bath and me in Manchester, the yard will charge for outside contractors but will not do the work. aswell as nobly will do it or help him. He is so peeved he is bringing it to me.

I was just nosing around tinternet and stumbled across this https://www.premiermarinas.com/Contractors/?cookiemessage=false, looks like they have it covered all ways .

Bob

 

[W.olly]

I was just nosing around tinternet and stumbled across this https://www.premiermarinas.com/Contractors/?cookiemessage=false, looks like they have it covered all ways .

Bob

The daily charge isnt to bad there, i would just put on the customers bill as they wold know about that, i should think. Also with the Liability insurance, but the rest is OTT.

I have spoke to a few customers and they would just move the boat out of the marina ( canals and river ) and moor it elsewhere for the work to be carried out. Or some have said they can always say that i am friend or relation doing the work, but then that could make a reat old mess if something ever did go wrong. I bet if things go wrong and the customer gets a big bill or hits there insurance bad they will send it onto you/me.

 

[zx9]

The jobs i have taken on i have priced per job on my hourly rate of £18 ex costs, some have said they want each job priced separately as they have a number of jobs need dong, some a full on one price.

Remember your hourly rate needs to include all the things an employed person takes for granted, paid holidays, admin time, time to do quotes and get new business, office costs, provision of transport, insurance, accountants fees, bank charges, SA tax, NI the list sometimes seems endless. Makes £18 per hour slim down to what under a tenner an hour, just something to think about.

 

[cumbriasteve]

My two bits of advice are...

When you start supplying the materials take a deposit to at least cover the cost, if they wouldn't pay that then I always used to walk away.

Start a good pension plan.

Good Luck.