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pristineplastering

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Just curious guys - are most of you sole traders or do most of you have lads working for you ?

I only ask cos I've figured the only decent way to earn decent coin is to have a couple of guys that you can either employ or sub work out to - theres only so many days in the week so a plasterers weekly earnings are going to peak eventually

And what are the implications of taking someone on ?
 
The problem is finding decent men to do the job, they are few and far between.

most try and pinch your customers (I had this recently with a few guys who I thought were sound) book in hours they havent done etc etc etc.

Im not saying dont do it just be carefull and pay a week in hand so you get a chance to sort out any problems.
 
im a sole trader right now but if needed and I had the work id go ltd tomorrow
 
massive hastle just because you have loads of lads on for you doesnt mean your making money.

start of 2008 had 6 ful time plus subbies, now have just 2 and me full time. never ending the litigation involved holiday pay sick bank holidays paperwork lads trying it on etcetc. you end up buying jobs on occasions just to tie lads over with ie breaking even.plus 3 vans,massive accountcy fees i could go on.
my gross profit was nearly the same this tax year as to the previous year.
 
agree that there is a maximum you can earn

i fell into this trap 10 years ago

got more work than you can handle---i know get some help --another spread,lab --buy another van,,,


ended up with 3 vans---5 of us

more hassle than its worth

pricing work,collecting money,checking their work,dealing with holidays,illness,p.a.y.e, cash flow and trying to work myself!!!!!!!



this wasn't quite what i had in mind so over 3 years went back on my own and was a lot happier and made more money...


most decent plasterers who have the right skills will wan't to work for themselves (few exemptions)you will be left with the rest????


just be careful---- :-\


better off raising prices and filtering out the sh.t jobs = more profit


martin
 
i had six guys and two vans at for about ten years its ok if u can handle it its not for every one u get a lot of hassel ur responable for all the work good or bad theres no point in saying o so and so do that its not my fault and if u dont get paid u still have to pay out wages but on the other side of it when things go well u can make big bucks and when u do a cash job u can get in a big crew for a big wipe out and the book work pays them and u get the cash happy days often made nice killings this way but sometimes u have to be very hard u have to sack people if need be and sometime u will get ran when ur men funk up and the will if u have 6 guys the wont be all good every day and u have to be a agony aunt to ur men oi have a hangover o my back hurts o my wife left me i have heard it all any way good luck with it i know loved it
 
see i have more work than me and my lad can handel atm not sure what to do,, you get people in and its true they do try to steel customers!
 
oasis said:
see i have more work than me and my lad can handel atm not sure what to do,, you get people in and its true they do try to steel customers!
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put your lad on the trowel full time sounds like hes almost ready and get another labour u will get through a lot more work as a two and one gang and when he is ready to do a bit on his own u can get him a laouber and u can do a couple of jobs at a time and yes he may go out on his own sometime but thats the way of the world u went out on ur own but he may stay with u for years some guys just like there wages on friday and not have any hassle i had guys work with me for years as long as u treat them right and by the way u could give ur lad a pay rise 50 a day is not a lot if ur laying on thats why lads go out on there own better to make a little less out of him than see him gone
 
Was having this conversation today with a pal who is 35yrs ltd company. and we were saying how most people think the grass is greener but many a day I think about going back on my own. You just dont see what goes on behind the scenes and a couple of men aint gonna keep you in a wage without still hitting the tools yourself and if you get a week where you come home and start all over agaain you wonder why some weeks the lads are taking more money thasn you? then you realise that its not easy and it takes alot of time and effort to establish.

True stat that 80% of new businesses faail in the first year

But if you fancy it - try it because only then will you find the answer to your question.
 
pristineplastering said:
Just curious guys - are most of you sole traders or do most of you have lads working for you ?

I only ask cos I've figured the only decent way to earn decent coin is to have a couple of guys that you can either employ or sub work out to - theres only so many days in the week so a plasterers weekly earnings are going to peak eventually

And what are the implications of taking someone on ?
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Well mate you have to make sure you have the workers money at the end of every week which means you have to get paid on time. if you can do that then yeah it`s well worth it as you can make alot of money out of other guys
 
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