Starting a scaffolding company

dangeruss said:
I've just set up and this is what I found......
Forget the NASC you can't join for 2 years, also consider you will need an operators licence for your truck, this will require you to have £3200 in you account for the time it takes to process your application ( this can take take 9 weeks).Buy your gear with an intrest free credit card, theres loads about. Its cheaper than a loan and you'll have 16 months to pay it back depending on your circumstances.
Key thing is to keep your overheads low, you can undercut anyone in the game if its just your labour your paying for. Go for solar jobs , they are up for a couple of days and then down again so you get a quick turn around and don't needs loads of gear. Be reliable and do what you say your going to do. Never slag off the oposition as you never know when you might need them, or who your slagging them off to.
Get you and your wife, partner on the books as employees to lower your tax threshold you can both earn approx 9k per year without paying tax now, you can make your money (providing you don't make a loss) in dividends.You will also be able to claim family tax credits if you do this
The biggest problem you will have is cash flow, as soon as a job is up , invoice it ! cashflow is king with a new company, and chase a debt, don't let people think your a soft touch or you will get the p*ss taken out of you by everybody and thats not good in this game.
Follow the rules as far as vat and cis are concerned, you can never beat the system..FACT

Good things are the fact that you can do the job as you like it , and its very rewarding when it goes well,don't get a partner you'll only regret it later when you have to split the money with a bloke , thats reliable, but little else (had that on my last company, and he was a bricklayer...vermin)

Go for it and don't spend the rest of your life wondering !

By the way, that's probably the most sensible thing I've ever posted on this forum
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Well done Russ.

Nice, sensible post deployment there mate...
 
phil181 said:
Well done Russ.

Nice, sensible post deployment there mate...
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I was wondedring when I might get some recognition for that post Philip, I knew I could rely on my old p*ss taking comrade. I have deployed a lot of couplers today in the searing heat.But rest assured they were all deployed using SG4:10 and to code TG20:08 whats more I didn't even care when the rival company drove by in shorts and sun glasses calling me a "JOBSWORTH COCK" whilst I was fully regailed in ,boots, harness,hard hat, hi-viz , the list goes on.........Who's laughing now though, I have a t-shirt tan and heat stroke,they just look cool !
 
Nothing beats working for yourself !
Done it for 21 years had a lot of ups and downs but would do it again

Russ & Ricardo i wish you both the best and if i can be of any assistance dont hesitate to contact me a line
 
Wise words indeed russ,another couple of tips are get a descent accountant sooner rather than later,and dont put all your eggs in one basket,you're better working for a few smaller companies than one large one and being dictated to and risking everything if they decide not to pay you;)
 
RICARDO MARTINO said:
starting to trade next month ,at last, it took us about 2 months in all to put together now its time to cross my fingers and go for it .
should have had a crack at it many years ago.:nuts::nuts::nuts:
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Good luck mate, don't try to set the world on fire in your first year, its all about CASHFLOW !
 
dangeruss said:
I was wondedring when I might get some recognition for that post Philip, I knew I could rely on my old p*ss taking comrade. I have deployed a lot of couplers today in the searing heat.But rest assured they were all deployed using SG4:10 and to code TG20:08 whats more I didn't even care when the rival company drove by in shorts and sun glasses calling me a "JOBSWORTH COCK" whilst I was fully regailed in ,boots, harness,hard hat, hi-viz , the list goes on.........Who's laughing now though, I have a t-shirt tan and heat stroke,they just look cool !
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Maybe a tribal tattoo on your forearm or possibly a girls name on your neck could inhance your lowly status within the local scaffolding fraternity?

You could then hold your head up high on the Friday evening in the Wetherspoons, instead of being referred to as 'that stupid cock with the 58 plate wagon' (their words, not mine)

Don't forget to rip a hole in the shoulder of your t-shirt before you go in there, or there could be trouble...
 
phil181 said:
Maybe a tribal tattoo on your forearm or possibly a girls name on your neck could inhance your lowly status within the local scaffolding fraternity?

You could then hold your head up high on the Friday evening in the Wetherspoons, instead of being referred to as 'that stupid cock with the 58 plate wagon' (their words, not mine)

Don't forget to rip a hole in the shoulder of your t-shirt before you go in there, or there could be trouble...
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Hang on a minute, just writing that down.Where do you get those t-shits with the holes in the shoulders ? and its a 55 plate truck for your information, do the words "skinz" on your neck count? or will I need to re-brand also are cobwebs on the elbows in vouge at the moment or should I go for a more topical theme of Tattoo.

By the way Phil I had to laugh, those other scaffs are such Chavs !
 
ort lads it sund alot easier than i would guess it is how much cash flow have you had behind you b4 quititng ya full time job did you all do it on the side for the time being then jump in to it . how much gear is a minimum? this might sound cheeky but is there any of yous if the oppertunity came up to be able to start a new bussiness costing say 500,000 you would be willing to have a go at it if i was to tell you that the nhs and social services have lodza funding for this perticular subject but atm its all going out of county.
 
My boys just come and told my missus that "Daddy has a pint in the pub with his name on it" so i'll see you all later
 
dangeruss said:
My boys just come and told my missus that "Daddy has a pint in the pub with his name on it" so i'll see you all later
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Oh look at her going out on a school night!

Actually I've just been informed that we are attending an 'all you can eat chinese buffet' tonight.

So you might not see me for a few days...
 
scaff1989 said:
ort lads it sund alot easier than i would guess it is how much cash flow have you had behind you b4 quititng ya full time job did you all do it on the side for the time being then jump in to it . how much gear is a minimum? this might sound cheeky but is there any of yous if the oppertunity came up to be able to start a new bussiness costing say 500,000 you would be willing to have a go at it if i was to tell you that the nhs and social services have lodza funding for this perticular subject but atm its all going out of county.
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Would i plough half a mill into something i know nothing about?then the answer would be no,but if someone was offering that kind of funding for free then i'm sure you could find someone who does know,but there's a train of thought that i agree with and that's stick to what you know;)
 
phil181 said:
Oh look at her going out on a school night!

Actually I've just been informed that we are attending an 'all you can eat chinese buffet' tonight.

So you might not see me for a few days...
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Big fat all you can eat sarcastic bas*ard, don't choke on that robster craw
 
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