Starting out for yourself...
- Thread starter Stomper
- Start date
celticbhoy
Moderator
stomper i can only say to get established it must very hard graft with all the red tape today but if your used to graft then you will make it mate total respect to the lads who came from nowt best of luck stomper,if you go for it keep us up to datewith your progress.
celticbhoy
Moderator
your in the right place lad the knowledge the lads in here have is unsurpassed,you wont be stuk for advice.
I started up 2 years ago in the middle of the recession, cant say im flushed but glad i did it. It depends on your situation, i sold my house to fund it and now steel prices have doubled since then. With scaffold prices so high now i should imagine its going to be difficult.
You need a good lump of ££££ before even starting to bye scaffold with the insurance (public+vehicles), yellow pages, Vehicle tax a yard etc plus all your living costs morgage etc. Stress with customers, not knowing when your next job is coming.etc
Also where are you situated is there a lot of compertion?, people are buying jobs up here at the mo work is so tight.
Anyhow best of luck with it.
No such thing a luck you make ur own luck.
You need a good lump of ££££ before even starting to bye scaffold with the insurance (public+vehicles), yellow pages, Vehicle tax a yard etc plus all your living costs morgage etc. Stress with customers, not knowing when your next job is coming.etc
Also where are you situated is there a lot of compertion?, people are buying jobs up here at the mo work is so tight.
Anyhow best of luck with it.
No such thing a luck you make ur own luck.
Stomper,Dont know your situation, but with the reccesion and such, investing in gear, yard rent, insurance, transport, etc is a big gamble at the minute. I started up 14 year ago and am established now, but it takes a while. My advice would be to go labour only first and build from there.
philliosmaximus
Moderator
Hello Stomper , like brandy says labour only is the safest way to start its how my self and a lot of companys started , you always have money coming in while you expand and cash flow is the biggest problem for any company big or small.Always be on the look out for small parcels of gear and you will be surprised how quick it grows.
all the best with it mate
all the best with it mate
scaffman1
Well-known member
Best of luck Stomper, With all the costs involved and the price of gear nowadays,I wouldn't like to start again from scratch.
superscaff75
Well-known member
Decide what kind of scaffolding jobs you intend to do first, site work, local builders an roofers work, or specialist route, ever which one you decide to go with stick to that as best as possible , dont be tempted to go for everything an everything because A) costs of buying lots of different items of kit will cripple you, if you go the streetwork route for example all you need mainly is your everyday basic scaffolding components, but once you drift into site work for example you then need lots of extra ladders plus gates, loading bay barriers, possible stair towers, brickguards etc etc bearing in mind an average building site will have approx 3 squads of brickies working on a scaffold basis of one footscaffold, one first lift and one top out lift per squad, so thats 9 scaffolds at one time so minimum you need approx 25 different sized ladders, say 400 brickguards , 9 loading bay gates, say 700 boards plus steel , fittings etc etc
B) stick to one route also allows you to concentrate on keeping clients happy, being reliable, being available to give 10 mins advice over phone or call at office or job, running around trying to see loadsa people will make you forgetful , only have 2 mins to speak to them, no time for supervision, pish people off and give yourself a bad heed. build a reputation up first if you go on to start up your business you will find word of mouth can open doors but can also close them, and repeat business is better than 100 odd jobs.
C) Start as you mean to go on, lead by example and be hard but fair with people.
speak to a local council enterprise advisor they will help you with alsorts.
you need :
public liability insurance
employee insurance
vehicle insurance
operator,s license if buying wagon
cashflow till chq,s start to flow in smoothly
Dont blow fortunes on advertising, your best advert is you, your employees, your vehicles, your good tidy scaffolds with a eye catching banner and as above by deciding which route you intend to follow you can identify and contact the companies and people you want to work for , I always like to call round in person tell them who I am , what we about , Then Threaten them with violence unless they give me some work :nuts::laugh:
You only need to ask on here for good advice unless of course its Big Stee giving out the advice
B) stick to one route also allows you to concentrate on keeping clients happy, being reliable, being available to give 10 mins advice over phone or call at office or job, running around trying to see loadsa people will make you forgetful , only have 2 mins to speak to them, no time for supervision, pish people off and give yourself a bad heed. build a reputation up first if you go on to start up your business you will find word of mouth can open doors but can also close them, and repeat business is better than 100 odd jobs.
C) Start as you mean to go on, lead by example and be hard but fair with people.
speak to a local council enterprise advisor they will help you with alsorts.
you need :
public liability insurance
employee insurance
vehicle insurance
operator,s license if buying wagon
cashflow till chq,s start to flow in smoothly
Dont blow fortunes on advertising, your best advert is you, your employees, your vehicles, your good tidy scaffolds with a eye catching banner and as above by deciding which route you intend to follow you can identify and contact the companies and people you want to work for , I always like to call round in person tell them who I am , what we about , Then Threaten them with violence unless they give me some work :nuts::laugh:
You only need to ask on here for good advice unless of course its Big Stee giving out the advice
allan666
Well-known member
be prepared to give up your life
Cheer's mate
good checklist there..Going to follow your advice ..Im 47 now'' Scaffolded since I was 17..
Have been asked by friends and family who are builder's roofer's to start up before but always said I was happy offshore and working Transmission..And was happy to just switch off when I got home ..So the works there aslong as I dont get to big I will be fine.. Dont want to be have to worry about making promise's I cant keep ..And worrying about people not turning in.. Plus my 2 Brother's are Scaffolder's let's hope we get along....Finger's crossed
so thank's for the good advice..Its appreciated
just need some cheap quotes..
good checklist there..Going to follow your advice ..Im 47 now'' Scaffolded since I was 17..
Have been asked by friends and family who are builder's roofer's to start up before but always said I was happy offshore and working Transmission..And was happy to just switch off when I got home ..So the works there aslong as I dont get to big I will be fine.. Dont want to be have to worry about making promise's I cant keep ..And worrying about people not turning in.. Plus my 2 Brother's are Scaffolder's let's hope we get along....Finger's crossed
so thank's for the good advice..Its appreciated
just need some cheap quotes..
jakdan
Well-known member
Best of luck stomper,
SOME CRACKING ADVICE THERE
SOME CRACKING ADVICE THERE
scaffman1
Well-known member
Very true Allan. It does take over your life.
but you do get used to it i suppose.
I wonder if we can get the grants like the farmers do:nuts::nuts:
Im opposite to stomper, looking to sell up and hopefully do offshore work but its tight no matter what route you take at the mo. But to get a well payed job as an employee would be great, no stress, no responsiblilty just turn up n get payed.
StomperYoul soon be thinking that theres 25 hours a day and wishing theres 8 days a week
1 ,Try to be reliable to all of your customers they are always right!!
2 , Never let (customers) them down,
Most of all never rip the lads off,youl always need them at some other point when your trying to manage 1 & 2
1 ,Try to be reliable to all of your customers they are always right!!
2 , Never let (customers) them down,
Most of all never rip the lads off,youl always need them at some other point when your trying to manage 1 & 2
Been ripped off loads myself M8..
its a hard game..Everyone wants there pound of flesh...
Sometimes think we have ourselves to blame..We have a product you cannot do without .And some are doing it for beer money.
In my case its a family affair and Scaffolding for friends who have there own buisness some well established and im not getting more then 2 waggons and 1 pickup dont need the stress...Would never ask anyone do something I could not do myself..
its a hard game..Everyone wants there pound of flesh...
Sometimes think we have ourselves to blame..We have a product you cannot do without .And some are doing it for beer money.
In my case its a family affair and Scaffolding for friends who have there own buisness some well established and im not getting more then 2 waggons and 1 pickup dont need the stress...Would never ask anyone do something I could not do myself..
Go for it i started my own company and never looked back.
Till some t--t run me over.6 years off just getting back into it now and guess what starting at the bottem as i had an ecitb card,not bad for 2o years in the game.
---------- Post added at 06:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:56 AM ----------
Go for it i started my own company and never looked back.
Till some t--t run me over.6 years off just getting back into it now and guess what starting at the bottem as i had an ecitb card,not bad for 20 years in the game.
Till some t--t run me over.6 years off just getting back into it now and guess what starting at the bottem as i had an ecitb card,not bad for 2o years in the game.
---------- Post added at 06:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:56 AM ----------
Go for it i started my own company and never looked back.
Till some t--t run me over.6 years off just getting back into it now and guess what starting at the bottem as i had an ecitb card,not bad for 20 years in the game.
i love fridays
Well-known member
Hi mate the only advise i would like to give is Dont give up, You think your there and then wollop.If it isnt a customer ripping you off for the scaff you did for them its your employees doing you over if it isnt your employees its your partner thinking your tying to turn them over.
Every one is trying to turn you over. Realy get your payment terms in writting for work you have been asked to do,Eg you dont go Tesco and pay them 30 too 60 days latter. Also if i was you go solo and get a good and this realy counts a good Accountont they make you money or can put you under.Start just you and a part time lad or even redgister citb and take on two trainees mate your training your men and looking after them and you get new unspoilt lads who work to your standards not lads who know it all dont do naff all and dont give a **** about the standards of work.
Be prepared to cry laph and go pub wen you have no work. Get your hse in order and wen you feel your getting beat your tired and you just done 8 days of starting 0600hrs and finishing at last light and then doing your paper work and pricing. If you can smile wen one lad dosnt come in throwing a sicky every week. and says can i have it as holiday, and your still smiling. you know your running a scaffold firm..
Im trying to say mate its dame hard work and if i can help pm me i will try to help. Morall wise. All i can say all the best. were all here to help if we can.
Every one is trying to turn you over. Realy get your payment terms in writting for work you have been asked to do,Eg you dont go Tesco and pay them 30 too 60 days latter. Also if i was you go solo and get a good and this realy counts a good Accountont they make you money or can put you under.Start just you and a part time lad or even redgister citb and take on two trainees mate your training your men and looking after them and you get new unspoilt lads who work to your standards not lads who know it all dont do naff all and dont give a **** about the standards of work.
Be prepared to cry laph and go pub wen you have no work. Get your hse in order and wen you feel your getting beat your tired and you just done 8 days of starting 0600hrs and finishing at last light and then doing your paper work and pricing. If you can smile wen one lad dosnt come in throwing a sicky every week. and says can i have it as holiday, and your still smiling. you know your running a scaffold firm..
Im trying to say mate its dame hard work and if i can help pm me i will try to help. Morall wise. All i can say all the best. were all here to help if we can.
Anglia Insurance AIS
Well-known member
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Insurance
Hi Stomper,
There's some great advice on here and I wish you all the best in your set-up.
When you're ready, I'd be happy to have a chat with you regarding insurance if you wish.
We (Anglia Insurance Services) are specialist Insurance Brokers to the industry and I'd be more than happy to discuss your requirements accordingly.
Feel free to email me directly at michael@anglia-insurance.co.uk or call me on 01376 513609.
Regards
Hi Stomper,
There's some great advice on here and I wish you all the best in your set-up.
When you're ready, I'd be happy to have a chat with you regarding insurance if you wish.
We (Anglia Insurance Services) are specialist Insurance Brokers to the industry and I'd be more than happy to discuss your requirements accordingly.
Feel free to email me directly at michael@anglia-insurance.co.uk or call me on 01376 513609.
Regards