johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
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RIght I been scaffolding for 10 years now and I have thought about it for few months and would like to start up on my own.
Im currently working for the largest company in the uk and im working nights for a very handsome wage but I was thinking about buying some tube and fittings taking my 7.5 tonne licence and doing my own work during day and weekends.
I know there isnt many scaffolders on here but any bit of advice would help.
I have a yard available for free too.
I am just worried this is a big plunge.
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Welsh Dan
Member
Registered: 23rd Mar 00
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How much is the kit likely to cost you?
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Baskey
Member
Registered: 31st May 06
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What market are you targeting? I presume working nights for big money you are doing corporate stuff at the mo??
Will that not be hard to get into for a start up or will you be targeting local builder types?
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
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The kit is likely to cost £30k including buying at lorry too and public liability insurance.
yeah I am doing power station work at night some nights is flat out others not doing a thing.
to start I will be targeting local builders and roofers for domestic work. Such as front and back of houses which would consist of 3-4 hours work and pay 300-400. Then hopefully move on to full houses, temporary roofs etc etc
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andys sxi
Premium Member
Registered: 19th Jan 06
Location: Chester Drives:Scirocco tdi bluemotion
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Can I ask you if your working for the biggest company in the uk and getting a good wage why do you want to start your own company? It's not easy running a company, do you have people already that would go to you or the scaffold? It's hard at the moment in the building trade
April 08 feature car
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by andys sxi
Can I ask you if your working for the biggest company in the uk and getting a good wage why do you want to start your own company? It's not easy running a company, do you have people already that would go to you or the scaffold? It's hard at the moment in the building trade [/quo
te]
no I dont have anyone to come to me, I understand that its not easy hence why im asking advice. I wouldnt give up my job for a good few years just be nice to get my name out there.
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andys sxi
Premium Member
Registered: 19th Jan 06
Location: Chester Drives:Scirocco tdi bluemotion
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Would your company be ok with you start your own business and still working for them?
April 08 feature car
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
User status: Offline
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Its sort of a grey area because most scaffold companies start by people stealing gear poaching customers. The work im doing is industrial only so no chance of me doing that.
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taylorboosh
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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Not sure why you would want too...
When your quiet at work you still get paid... When you run the show yourself - you get fuck all
Why not try and progress in your current roll - charge hand ect
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by taylorboosh
Not sure why you would want too...
When your quiet at work you still get paid... When you run the show yourself - you get fuck all
Why not try and progress in your current roll - charge hand ect
I have just left a company where I was the top estimater to go on this company as a scaffold supervisor. To be honest there isnt progress in this company.
The scaffolder who trained me started out like me but at the age of 21 and he is retiring in 2 years aged 40. Im not saying I want to earn millions but I want my kids to do well out of this.
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taylorboosh
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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How cant there be progress un the biggest uk company?
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
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Because there is 500 plus employees and im on site not in the office.
I am as high as I can get without getting a pay cut and more work to do.
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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And what do you think k will happen if of set up on your own?
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Tiger
Member
Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
User status: Offline
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Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Everyone starts from somewhere so just go for it.
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary
And what do you think k will happen if of set up on your own?
dont understand the question mate
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Tiger
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Everyone starts from somewhere so just go for it.
thats what I'm thinking
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Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by johnny86
quote:
Originally posted by Gary
And what do you think k will happen if of set up on your own?
dont understand the question mate
Gary is informing you that if you set up on your own you will realise your fear of more work and less money.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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If you want more work and less money, definitely set up on your own.
I assume you'll need staff straight away? Not the sort of thing you can do on your own?
Also it occured to me that you might need an Operator licence for the truck although you might get away with it on the 50km exemption.
Yard for free - for how long and would that cause you problems if you lost it.
Maintenance on the truck
CPC
Loads to think about. But I would think unless you design it around having 5 people on board straight away you're going to be struggling alone and doing less work as a result.
Big gamble to set up it with a truck of lads and enough gear to build things big enough to make money.
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johnny86
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Feb 10
Location: in a bus stop.
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
If you want more work and less money, definitely set up on your own.
I assume you'll need staff straight away? Not the sort of thing you can do on your own?
Also it occured to me that you might need an Operator licence for the truck although you might get away with it on the 50km exemption.
Yard for free - for how long and would that cause you problems if you lost it.
Maintenance on the truck
CPC
Loads to think about. But I would think unless you design it around having 5 people on board straight away you're going to be struggling alone and doing less work as a result.
Big gamble to set up it with a truck of lads and enough gear to build things big enough to make money.
No I will be main fixer with a labourer (£50 cash a day to start) it wont be less money as I will still be working for the company I am now for a while.
Yard is free forever or until I out grow it.
Vechile maintenance come part and parcel
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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What about the cost of your time? When are you going to sleep/see your family? That is the one that needs the most consideration.
What about when you get an angry private customer phone you when you're at work?
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Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by johnny86
quote:
Originally posted by Ian
If you want more work and less money, definitely set up on your own.
I assume you'll need staff straight away? Not the sort of thing you can do on your own?
Also it occured to me that you might need an Operator licence for the truck although you might get away with it on the 50km exemption.
Yard for free - for how long and would that cause you problems if you lost it.
Maintenance on the truck
CPC
Loads to think about. But I would think unless you design it around having 5 people on board straight away you're going to be struggling alone and doing less work as a result.
Big gamble to set up it with a truck of lads and enough gear to build things big enough to make money.
No I will be main fixer with a labourer (£50 cash a day to start) it wont be less money as I will still be working for the company I am now for a while.
Yard is free forever or until I out grow it.
Vechile maintenance come part and parcel
Just on the vehicular side of things (as thats an aspect i deal work in)....
There will be a lot of things you haven't considered;
You will need your relevant license to drive a 7.5t vehicle and you will need to complete your drivers CPC by September this year if you didn't complete at the time of your test and obtain your drivers qualification card at this point.
You will need an Operators licence, for this you need a transport manager amongst other things, you will require your transport manager to hold the TM CPC in order to proof their competence (this course can cost up to £2k). You may utilize an external transport manager with a managers cpc but there will be a cost and in this day and age i wouldn't do it myself.
You will need an 'operating centre' also in order to obtain aforementioned license, where the vehicle/s are to be held, you need to apply for this granted. Assuming you will be using your free yard, you need to consider if there are likely to be any rejections from the local public. Whilst this is uncommon, i have seen them rejected and even reviewed and restrictions placed so this is something also to factor.
Good repute is also a factor. The traffic commissioner will want proof that your company is financially sound. You will need certain levels of cash (pending the amount of vehicle/s you wish to put onto your license) to proof that you can adequately maintain the vehicles safely.
You will need a service agent and will need to ensure that the vehicle is serviced/inspected at the intervals that are provided by the TC. Generally for your industry i would imagine that they would offer 10/12 weekly intervals. You need to plan contingencies should you require a vehicle.
Thats just to point a few things out. My suggestion would be to use 3.5t vehicles and utlise 7.5t and above as and when you require it. Saves a lot of hassle.
Have you drawn up a business plan with a P&L as this is going to dictate how viable the venture is to begin with?
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alan-g-w
Member
Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
User status: Offline
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If you know the scaffolding industry there little point in asking a bunch of people (including me) who know next to nothing about it.
If you can look at it and it's going to cost you X amount a month and it's going to rake in roughly Y amount per month then as long as Y > X whilst giving good profit for yourself then why not? If there's any doubt though, as people have already said, why risk the steady good pay you have just now? Maybe even something to save up for over the next 5 years so that you don't go out in one big bang and fuck your life up
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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Its possible to do it - lots of companies set up and do it - you just need to know X, and be realistic about it in order that you're not missing or underpricing anything. You also need to know Y and consider that some months, there might be reasons why Y is not what you want it to be.
O licence will will bollocks you up though unless you have £10k in the bank.
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123calumt
Member
Registered: 10th Nov 07
Location: Kirkaldy
User status: Offline
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To me, as recently started out myself taking on stonemasonry and roofing works it seems scaffoldings alot more hassle than its worth and id probably stick with the job your in, when your quiet its hard and having a family its not something id risk.. but then again i dug deep and making some good money now...
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ShEp
Member
Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
User status: Offline
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What sort of stuff are you working on just now?
Have you though about registering a ltd company and working offshore? big money in that.
I work with a fabrication firm, we have scaffolders in with us 24/7 we use one company, but I'm sure if they could get ltd. scaffolders they would.
Depends on location but rig refurbishment is another good one to get into for scaffolders
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