Starting Out

[steptoe]

What is the issue with the 50/50 split Steps?  Just curious. 

Im **** at business @Essex1

doing the subby work just seems to take the stress out of it for me and keeps coins rolling in while I wait for the private work to catch and and pay at the end of the job,

TBH, Id much rather work for myself all the time, but I just dont have the business acumen to get enough work in, everything , EVERYTHING, I do private is word of mouth.

I think a lot of people dont realise just how much non spark work is involved, btw, Ive been SE or sub most of my life, and I still cant get the business side right, its just not something I'm cut out for.

 

[Essex1]

Supply and demand forces an increase in rates not a scheme membership if you feel being a member of a scheme gives you more work then by default your prices will increase. 

Do do not think that just because you have paid £500 for NICEIC membership you have the right to charge more. Supply and demand gives you that right. 

 

[Sidewinder]

Supply and demand forces an increase in rates not a scheme membership if you feel being a member of a scheme gives you more work then by default your prices will increase. 

Do do not think that just because you have paid £500 for NICEIC membership you have the right to charge more. Supply and demand gives you that right. 

Or, your USP!

Part, of your USP, may, be, NICEIC membership...

 

[Tony S]

Im thinking currently at working for my current employer for the next 12 months whilst working nights and weekends. Save up even more money then sub down south with a friend

Go on try it and see how long you can keep it up.

Another point, have a very close look at your terms of employment. Many employers take a very dim view of you carrying on a second business, especially in the same trade sector. Your day job may become no job.

 

[Rob_the_rich]

Supply and demand forces an increase in rates not a scheme membership if you feel being a member of a scheme gives you more work then by default your prices will increase. 

Do do not think that just because you have paid £500 for NICEIC membership you have the right to charge more. Supply and demand gives you that right. 

TNS supply and maximum demand?

 

[steptoe]

Supply and demand forces an increase in rates not a scheme membership if you feel being a member of a scheme gives you more work then by default your prices will increase. 

Do do not think that just because you have paid £500 for NICEIC membership you have the right to charge more. Supply and demand gives you that right. 

jaysus @Essex1

more and more people are agreeing with you,

you are right, thats why I have went with the cheapest scheme I had available to me, none of my customers care what scheme I am with, they just want a spark to do the work and give them a cert that they can show the council etc, [private LLs and estate agents]  solely private householders in general dont give a stuff if they get a cert or not.

 

[Essex1]

Or, your USP!

Part, of your USP, may, be, NICEIC membership...

But that will not automatically mean you can charge more. If your USP works and demand rises then you can charge more. 

 

[Essex1]

jaysus @Essex1

more and more people are agreeing with you,

you are right, thats why I have went with the cheapest scheme I had available to me, none of my customers care what scheme I am with, they just want a spark to do the work and give them a cert that they can show the council etc, [private LLs and estate agents]  solely private householders in general dont give a stuff if they get a cert or not.

See it was the opposite for me. NICEIC membership is still respected in my area of work. Without it you are a chancer.  

 

[Sidewinder]

I disagree, your USP should be such that you can use it to charge the prices you want and be able to justify why.

Your USP should set you apart from the rest and get you the income that you are aiming for, else it's not a USP is it now.

 

[Murdoch]

I think the op needs to check to see how much work there is out of hours and / or at weekends!

 

[JakeASimpson]

You can purchase certificates from anywhere. The only real reasons you would need/want to join a scheme would be:

1. A certain client insists on it. 

2. You want to use the badge to promote yourself. 

3. You want to sign your own work off with LABC. 

I thought I had to complete a part p scheme?

 

[steptoe]

my USP for private seems to be heating controls,

I often get asked to quote for repairs, get told Im twice the price of someone else and knocked back,

inevitably I get another call a week later, and my price has gone up as they have had someone else in that has made a complete mess of it,

I had one guy refused a 125£ price for it to eventually turn into a 750£ job as he had so many people mess up his UFH , gawd knows how much he actually paid these guys for all their 'repairs'

I thought I had to complete a part p scheme?

not if you go for NICEIC DI, just give them a cheque

:slap

 

[Essex1]

I disagree, your USP should be such that you can use it to charge the prices you want and be able to justify why.

Your USP should set you apart from the rest and get you the income that you are aiming for, else it's not a USP is it now.

Your USP is your own opinion. My USP could be that I will be the safest company in the UK. Does this give me the automatic right to charge 20% more than anyone else?  Of course not. . The market will decide what my rate is. No one else. A USP does not give you the right to charge whatever. Only demand does. Anyone can sit there and say I want £60 per hour because my USP is x, y and z but if no one agrees and does not order those services then that rate will very quickly fall until demand kicks in. 

 

[Essex1]

my USP for private seems to be heating controls,

I often get asked to quote for repairs, get told Im twice the price of someone else and knocked back,

inevitably I get another call a week later, and my price has gone up as they have had someone else in that has made a complete mess of it,

I had one guy refused a 125£ price for it to eventually turn into a 750£ job as he had so many people mess up his UFH , gawd knows how much he actually paid these guys for all their 'repairs'

not if you go for NICEIC DI, just give them a cheque

:slap

Supply and demand  :signthankspin: :signthankspin: :signthankspin:

I thought I had to complete a part p scheme?

No mate. You need to get all this right before you take the plunge mate. 

 

[Sidewinder]

Your USP, should be such that it separates you from the crowd, and allows you to charge more, else it is not your USP.

 

[JakeASimpson]

Supply and demand  :signthankspin: :signthankspin: :signthankspin:

No mate. You need to get all this right before you take the plunge mate. 

Can you explain this to me please

 

[Essex1]

Your USP, should be such that it separates you from the crowd, and allows you to charge more, else it is not your USP.

No. Your USP should increase interest which in turn means increased orders and then increased rate. Your USP may be idiotic to someone else.  Just having a USP is not an automatic right to increase rates.

Can you explain this to me please

What I mean is you should know all this before making the decision to go it alone. 

 

[steptoe]

What I mean is you should know all this before making the decision to go it alone. 

instance,

will your customers require NICEIC at 600quid a year,

or,

will they accept STROMA at <300quid a year

if you dont even know the options available to you,

you really are on a hiding to nothing,

you need to do a helluva lot more research before even thinking of going it alone,

not wanting to be ignorant, but how much experience do you actually have?

I sometimes have sparks call me to help them sort jobs that they have went in over their heads on and simply dont understand how to do,, inevitably, my rate increases massively for them,

that is NOT the same as a spark I may help out on occasion if he is on a job that he simply knows is too big for his set-up and asks me in to be an extra hand.

 

[binky]

Jake,

from what I'm reading in your posts I would seriuosy suggest you haven't got a clue how to be a self-employed electrician and need to do some serious research. Start with the 'how to start my own business post' on here. Look into the minimal legal requirements, and look at advertising etc etc

 

[JakeASimpson]

Jake,

from what I'm reading in your posts I would seriuosy suggest you haven't got a clue how to be a self-employed electrician and need to do some serious research. Start with the 'how to start my own business post' on here. Look into the minimal legal requirements, and look at advertising etc etc

What is requirements for testing? 

Ive got 2395, but ive been told by my local building i need a scheme like NIC or napit