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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:19 am
by lutonlagerlout
the simple answer is pack being self employed in
you might be better suited working for others
anyone self employed has this
alternatively programme you times better
pick the work ,dont grab everything
LLL
(edited as pished last night )
Edited By lutonlagerlout on 1492161443
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:30 am
by seanandruby
You'll burn out one day and be good for feck all.
Your health is more important m8. Don't take so much on, it's obvious you need to take someone on.
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 8:56 am
by michaelthegardener
ive turned down so much work this week but last year I didn't an it actually made me ill ive taken a couple of new customers on but im much more picky these days as long as I can pay the bills an save a few quid to see me through the winter ill be happy from now on trying not to work every Saturday but so far that's not going to well lol but im only booking regular work in every other one ...... you still doing mowing and maintance ?
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:20 am
by lutonlagerlout
I think Michael has hit the nail on the head here
I try to avoid working saturdays,but as we all know sometimes you have to, 4 on the bounce here
problem with Saturdays is that you still have to get up at 6,friday night is still a school night,so it leaves you with Saturday night for socialising or spending time with the family
then sunday you are getting ready for work again
so even a saturday morning effectively takes the whole weekend away from you
LLL
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:58 pm
by Forestboy1978
Yeah I'm putting an add out cos I'm falling apart. Quoting Saturday morning is not just Friday night and Saturday day gone. It's Sunday too to work them out. Sunday night is gone always due to scheduling material drops with supplier and confirming details with customers via email etc.
I'm taking someone on who has skills and if it doesn't work out I'll have to tell my labourer that he has to go back to PAYE or self employed cos having him on salary means I HAVE to be on site all day every day and it's impossible.
I have another business which takes about 10 hours a week but pays me well so I can't quit it as return on time is double what I get from my main business but will never exceed roughly £1500 per month. My other option is I shut down stuff massively on my main business and do like 2 medium jobs per month and de register for VAT and combine the 2 incomes and I'm doing quite well for working a normal 40 hour week.
I've decided my goal is to do 3 days labour 8-12 hours admin on main biz and my regular 8-10 hours per week on my other small business to keep it ticking over. If I can't achieve that then I'm shutting up shop to some degree or another. Screw it.
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:01 pm
by GB_Groundworks
im working things around to move to a 4 day 40 odd hour week, im doing 80 odd hour weeks at mo 6/7 days and working till 10 or 11 on night ive not got my lad, pissing me off and got up the other day didnt want to go to work. got so much to do at my house and other projects i want to do so saying no now, wierd feeling having spent 10 years building it up worrying what work we hd lined up to now having far too much, i may even stop it all and buy another place for development no clients to deal with 
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 9:06 am
by lemoncurd1702
That's the killer. Not having the time to work on your own house.
My garden's in serious need of a makeover would take around 3 weeks. Where do you find that time without foregoing a holiday? 
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 11:55 am
by Forestboy1978
michaelthegardener wrote:ive turned down so much work this week but last year I didn't an it actually made me ill ive taken a couple of new customers on but im much more picky these days as long as I can pay the bills an save a few quid to see me through the winter ill be happy from now on trying not to work every Saturday but so far that's not going to well lol but im only booking regular work in every other one ...... you still doing mowing and maintance ?
Missed this...
I'm reducing maintenance as much as possible cos it wrecks my on going contracts.
I do do some, mainly hedges, but I've had to up all my prices by 20% due to VAT and lost a hell of a lot of it anyway..
People often just want the cheapest for maintenance anyway.
I do a lot of bespoke fencing nowadays which I prefer cos people who want the dogs bollocks fencing expect to pay for it and there is less competition cos the average fencer can't/ wont do it.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh....ba?dl=0
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:09 pm
by Tony McC
GB_Groundworks wrote:im doing 80 odd hour weeks at mo 6/7 days and working till 10 or 11 on night ive not got my lad, pissing me off and got up the other day didnt want to go to work
That was me, 20-odd years ago. And then I had a heart attack. I was still in my thirties.
I worked so long and so hard providing for my family I actually missed them growing up. One minute they were babies and then I looked around and they were leaving school.
I won't make the same mistake with my grandchildren. I simply refuse to work on Mondays so I can give them the day, whatever they want to do.
It's hard, when you're self-employed, to say 'no' to extra work, but you have to learn what's really valuable in your life. I probably won't be around to get a third chance with great-grandchildren, so I'm determined not to bugger-up this time.
No-one will die because I took a day longer to complete a report or finish a design or code a web-page, but once it's passed, I can never get back that day with my family....and when you've more days behind you than you have in front, it helps you re-assess what's really important.
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 6:21 pm
by digerjones
I'm lucky, my daughter came when I was 41, so my business was fairly established, mortgage nearly payed. I've never worked weekends far years. I don't have to leave my village for work, daughter goes local school.
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 9:49 pm
by lutonlagerlout
indeed a lucky man Dylan ,but as the saying goes " you make your own luck"
I know a good few subbies chasing the pennies dead in early 40's.
I have to have 1 day a week totally work free
normally a family meal or a super sunday in the pub
just a decompress time
done all that 7 day malarkey , doesnt make you any richer in the things that matter
LLL
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:15 pm
by Forestboy1978
Had Saturday, sunday, monday off. Slept 8-10 hours a day. Feeling soo much better....
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 4:46 pm
by Forestboy1978
OK so I've decided to massively change my plans. I'm going to be de registering for VAT, selling my small van and some stuff and reducing biz costs to practically nothing and working primarily alone and taking on as and when employees. I have another small biz that pays hmmm 18-22k which is pretty static.
Planning on just working now and then, maybe 12 days per month and not at all in the winter. I've had a really bad run of luck with vehicles needing repairing back to back etcetera after a brutal winter and 3 customers in a row now giving me a massive headache by changing their mind after the job has started. being on checkatrade people know they can really run you around cos they have the power of the review.
In order to keep work coming in last winter I had to drop prices drastically and I really just can't be bothered with it again next winter so to hell with it.
Anyone else done this? Just reassessed and slowed everything right down for an easier life?
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 12:22 pm
by exoticpete
Wise words indeed Tony Mcc there is so much more to life than money,
forestboy regarding the checkatrade thing I believe its had it day i am still on it but not for much longer in the early years the leads were good and the clients realistic about how much quality work costs but now it seems to be a drive to the bottom not helped by the amount of cowboys/pikies/crooks on it.
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 1:53 pm
by michaelthegardener
yep no ones ever said on there death bed I wish id worked more ............... ive got rid of a couple of customers this week pain in the ass for the last 2 years so when they phoned told them I cant do it anymore an it felt great to be honest lol did work all day yesterday though but it was mostly one off jobs
I think I will allways work alone to be honest got very low running costs really an I do have to work hard march to dec but that means I can have most of jan and feb off but I am quite lucky that I bought my house when I did and the mortgage is very low even if ive still got 20 years left :p