Help! What to do?!

[gdplastering]

What would you guys do ? I work for a contractor and do site work. It's shocking at times but get paid every week guaranteed. It's steady work and pays the bills. The problem I've got is I get a lot of my own work and have to fit it in all weekends and after work . The problem i have now is I'm busy with my own stuff but don't know weather to sack off site work all together . What would you do?


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[Rossi46]

All depends on your circumstances. Do you have kids? Do you have debts? Is your own work enough to keep you going for a good few weeks, months even. You might feel like you've got loads on but when it comes to doing your own work full time you'll soon get through it. Plus getting your money will be very irregular.

On the flip side if your confident you can sustain a good stretch of work ahead and willing to put the effort in you'll most likely be on better money and you'll be calling all the shots.

Do what feels right!

 

[jesssop]

Going on my own was the best thing I ever did!
Just dont burn your bridges when you leave (like I did)

 

[gdplastering]

Good advice . Even though I'm a subby the contractor makes you feel like you can't have time off when really it's up to me! Propa does my head in!


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[plaster man]

i would keep the steady work but try and rob the odd day here and there

 

[user_removed]

Bear in mind your coming up to Xmas, people do not want plasterers in their house unless they need to hence why I drop on with an insurance company until January to help fill the week.

 

[jesssop]

Tell them you need a couple of weeks off go do your privet stuff and then see how you feel. But like mac says wait till after new year before you bugger off.

 

[johniosaif]

Whichever is the most profitable and constant, I hate site work, rather sub to a few developers , private work is hard to keep constant.

 

[Jace]

ive done both worked for a firm then left went on my own for about 6 years then went back to working for a firm again, working n your owns fine providing your stacked out, you might feel like your earning more money but then you might have a quiet couple of weeks just round the corner that you havent accounted for and youll have to subsidise that out of the good money you thought you had earnt, thus giving you less.
plus i found when i was on my own i was always out pricing jobs, making sure the next weeks jobs are ready to go, talking to customers on the phone, sourcing materials, doing paper work i.e writing out invoices or quotes. chaseing up missing payments. then all of a sudden a job or 2 that you had lined up will ring you and say oh sorry were not ready, or we have had a cheaper quote, or the classic "oh my friends pet dogs mates goldfish is a plasterer and i just cant turn down mates rates":rolleyes).
im finding it alot easier working for a firm now, i get to see my kids more, i turn in do my days work and go home get paid at the end of the week, plus i still get phone calls for private work but now i get to pick and choose what jobs i do. i.e take the best ones haha

 

[gdplastering]

You pretty much hit the nail on the head there jrplastering.


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[leebo02]

only takes one customer to cancel at the last minute and you can find yourself up the creek without a paddle,, plus all that money from private work that paid for treats then becomes your bread and butter money,, of course it would be better to work for yourself but is now the right time to do it,,, ??????????

 

[jesssop]

Sometimes you just got to go for it you will never know unless you try. If a customer cancels your off for a day or 2 if a contractor lets you down your fcuked!
pro,s n con,s

 

[malc]

before you go out on your own build up a stake, as it will be slow at first. you also need to meet some contacts.
it is no good working on building sites, stoppages,you can get laid off at any time, you do not know anyone, to busy trying to earn a living. the moment they see you earning money they will move you on to another job and cut the rates.

against, you have to put in extra work , pricing, learning how to run a business , laying out money for materials, collecting money at odd times. purchase your own plant,
once you are up and running you will never work on a building site again, with their hard hats, high vis jackets, goggles, steel cap boots and general bullshit.

 

[lucius]

As JR said not enough money in private work these days for what you have to put into it, if you are on a good wage stick with it, private work is more satisfying but customers are tight cnts and want it all for nothing.