VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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I'm a freelance IT Contractor, Do anything Microsoft related from SBS installs/Migrations to full blown Exchange setups in a enterprise enviroment.
Recently did a load of VMware stuff so have a few qualifactions in VM and also around 20 qualifactions for microsoft bits.
At the moment im working at a software house and doing rollouts and testing for a goverment based application. Have a few clients that run SBS that i have no issues with and they run along nicely which gives a good cash injection every month.
Been in IT for 7 years and just gone from full time earning 25k to running my own business and should be earning around 60k minimum in the first year of trading.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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I've got loads of Microsoft ones. Know quite a bit about VMware but not got any quals for it. I'll need to look further into it I think.
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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quote:
Originally posted by John
I've got loads of Microsoft ones. Know quite a bit about VMware but not got any quals for it. I'll need to look further into it I think.
vmware is quite rare to be needed but its another thing on a cv.
and you'll need to do the proper course for 2.5k if you want to go into contractor in vmware other than that you should be able to pick up a first contract for at least 250 a day + vat
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Gosh! Sounds like there's more money to be made on server stuff than boring home/small business networking and PC! I'm definitely in the wrong part of IT if your earnings are anything to go by! 
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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SMB and home there is money in it but you need to be good at what you do and find SMB that you can poach.
A contract for a year is around 5k for 10-15 users. That includes server support and desktop support. You have to be carefull about SLA etc but as long as you have around 10 SMB contracts your pretty good to go. Every 3-4 years sell them an upgrade of the server/desktops (try to keep them in the 3 year NBD fixes or 4hour on servers) then you can keep your hands quite clean. i will say make sure in all your contracts you have the term of you cant be held responsible for data loss unless you have some decent insurance.
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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A lot of the time I end up fixing other supposed IT company fuckups so I like to think I'm doing something right lol
Insurance I've got £1 million professional indemnity and public liability and it covers me/any employees for things like data loss (as long as we've taken reasonable steps to ensure we weren't the cause).
A lot of my customers tend to be non-profits/charities (probably why I'm not making lots of cash ) do you have any customers like these, and how do you deal with them?
They pretty much only call when something is broken or they need a new PC etc. but I've not sold any service contracts to anyone as I've always thought they'd get better value for money on a pay as you go basis rather than being on retainer, especially these days with people tightening their belts.
Are people (businesses) generally happy to be on such contracts then?
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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It's blowing my own trumpet but I'm good at what I do, if I got in to start with I'd be fine.
Charites spunk a fortune on nothing, same as anything remotely related to government, just money after useless money.
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Not the ones I deal with unfortunately!
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
A lot of the time I end up fixing other supposed IT company fuckups so I like to think I'm doing something right lol
Insurance I've got £1 million professional indemnity and public liability and it covers me/any employees for things like data loss (as long as we've taken reasonable steps to ensure we weren't the cause).
A lot of my customers tend to be non-profits/charities (probably why I'm not making lots of cash ) do you have any customers like these, and how do you deal with them?
They pretty much only call when something is broken or they need a new PC etc. but I've not sold any service contracts to anyone as I've always thought they'd get better value for money on a pay as you go basis rather than being on retainer, especially these days with people tightening their belts.
Are people (businesses) generally happy to be on such contracts then?
I would always offer them some sort of agreement the worse they can say is no. How i have it set is that i have an SLA for the server of if it goes down a fix/resolution has to be done within 4 hours (but as 99% of the servers are 4hour response it takes the weight off my shoulders as its usually hardware that fails in SBS enviroments. Desktop install charged at around £500 but that includes the hardware.
But at the moment the contract i am doing i charge £250 + Expenses + Vat. All that involoves is some DBA work and application testing. Do have to travel to the south of france for a week but im not complaining.
Then i have a few SBS migrations to do which for one im charge 2.5k just on the labour as they are sourcing the hardware as i've spec'd it and thats for a weeks work.
Businesses i think like to be in a contract if your doing a good job as it gives them some security that you'll always be there and if they have an issue they know some one to turn to.
Just dont be a cunt and charge people whom dont have a clue over the odds i know of one company in spalding that goes to a school and charges them near enough 1k to clean laptops - Run defrag, Hoover the fans  i couldnt do that as i would feel massivly guilty.
Do try and target smaller schools as they usually dont have a full time IT support person.
Offer solutions such as offsite backup etc too as that can help bring in the £
John do it its very easy company formation is around £4.99 then you need insurance around £40ish a month and a business bank account or you can go through an umbrella and they sort tax and ni out, but its always best to go through your own company as you can keep a bigger percentage of your money via div's. I currently only earn £700 a month (this is so you keep all NI+Pension Beneifts) but get the rest through divs which you just have to give 20% of profits for corp tax then the rest is yours.
so if you earn 50k take your wages
50000 - 8400(wages) - 4025(expenses) =37575 - (7515)20% corp tax = 30kish
So you total pay each month would be-
2500(divs) + 700 (salary) + 335(expenses) = £3535
^and that is a low contractor rate!
and if your vat registered on a flat rate scheme you get to keep around 6.5% of all the vat you charge for!
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VrsTurbo
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Registered: 8th Jun 10
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if you have any questions just ask. i do have some contracts you can look at if you want sam
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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I think I might just ask some more questions tbh 
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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So what would happen if for example you couldn't fix the server within 4 hours, do you have to pay a penalty to the company?
Nah I know of companies that take the piss with their customers. A couple of my customers used a PC repair shop in town and got majorly screwed over by them, one of them (a local company) was even sold a "brand new" laptop but it was actually just a secondhand one they bought off eBay for them and made a huge profit on!
I'd be interested to have a look at some of your contracts if you don't mind? 
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