How is everyone doing for work?

[John Matrix]

So after all this Covid 19 stuff. How are people doing for work? Are many people still off work?

 

[telectrix]

the phone rang yesterday. took me ages to figure out what the sound was.

 

[radiohead]

Going the same way as the Titanic.

 

[telectrix]

and just seen an ad. on telly today. donate to help african kids with cleft palates. £12.50/month or a one off £150. What planet are these idiots from. We all struggling to make ends meet due to covid19, wondering if we can scrape enough to pay direct debits and keep the van on the road, and these clowns think we can just shove that sort of money their way. Same thing with XXXX has to walk 6 miles every day for a bottle of WKD Blue. Note: I do have every sympathy with those kids and wish them all the best.

 

[Vortigern]

I have a lot of work at the moment. I did take six weeks off at one point, site was closed. But the work was still there to do. Plenty of other work coming in as well. In fact I might have to turn some down if I can't get a labourer/improver.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I have a lot of work at the moment. I did take six weeks off at one point, site was closed. But the work was still there to do. Plenty of other work coming in as well. In fact I might have to turn some down if I can't get a labourer/improver.

I know the feeling @Vortigern... Keep hearing about a slow down but the phone keeps ringing and quotes coming out of my ears.
I always try to get back to all people who contact me as its good manners and it means they don't think bad of you should they want work in future. Simply can't keep up and some requests are for things not really for an electrician such a swashing machine repairs.
It's not a bad problem to have but does mean I am having to keep on top of paperwork and the accounts to track materials etc...
Coupled with the EV charging and EICRs side of things I have been tempted to take somebody on but it is extra work and then you have to bring in more to pay them etc..
June was absolutely flat out, I took just sundays off and yes I earned a good load of money but I was exhausted keeping up.
If it does continue I might look to get an apprentice or college student, possibly a mature student with some basic skills on the books for a day or two each week to help on jobs, less exposure and risk that way. They get some experience and it will speed some things up if they can do some basic bits.

 

[magnoliafan89]

We just had emergency repairs to do in the lockdown. Then when it got back to a bit of normality we are now snowed under with work.
I actually got blisters from using my drill the other day....

 

[John Matrix]

So after all this Covid 19 stuff. How are people doing for work? Are many people still off work?

Do any of you just sub to firms CiS? I’m not set up on my own. Don’t want the hassle. I just sub myself to companies as labour only. Are there any lads like me on here who are struggling? I haven’t worked since mid march
[automerge]1595528039[/automerge]

and just seen an ad. on telly today. donate to help african kids with cleft palates. £12.50/month or a one off £150. What planet are these idiots from. We all struggling to make ends meet due to covid19, wondering if we can scrape enough to pay direct debits and keep the van on the road, and these clowns think we can just shove that sort of money their way. Same thing with XXXX has to walk 6 miles every day for a bottle of WKD Blue. Note: I do have every sympathy with those kids and wish them all the best.

I’ve had nowt since mid march. I just sub to firms labour only cis. And the rates I’m seeing are shocking. I won’t be ruching back for those rates

 

[Andy78]

Self employed doing mainly private domestic work.
Most domestic customers have a few grand in the back pocket from not going away this year so seem to be spending on doing things at home.
I think hot tub salesmen will all have new cars this year.

 

[Dustydazzler]

work more or less dried up now , did lots of small jobs in June which had all been put off due to coronavirus so was Quite busy for 3 or 4 weeks but now just

got one small job to do in August but that’s about it

got offered some suby work over an hours drive from where I live , £9.15
per hour

 

[MJPD29]

work more or less dried up now , did lots of small jobs in June which had all been put off due to coronavirus so was Quite busy for 3 or 4 weeks but now just

got one small job to do in August but that’s about it

got offered some suby work over an hours drive from where I live , £9.15
per hour

Wonder who they'll end up getting for that sort of money

 

[davesparks]

I'm going to one of my regular customers tomorrow, for the first time since they shut the theatres a couple of weeks before lockdown started.

Other than that I've had nothing.

 

[Vortigern]

And here's me and can't find anyone to assist me in work sods law eh! And anyone I do find although very nice, hardly knows the difference between a masonry or wood drill.

 

[KennyKen]

I’ve been sat at home for 6 weeks but have been fortunate enough to be receiving a base salary.
My mate who does domestic is snowed under. That’s why I’ve been pursuing becoming a sole trader. Just managed to scrape enough funds to start up. Waiting for my Contractors license and Refrigeration license to come through and I’ll have a go at being a sole trader. The work is not worrying me. It’s the dance off with the customers that’s frightening.

 

[Andy78]

got offered some suby work over an hours drive from where I live , £9.15
per hour

What as ? A labourer ?
In fact I think my mate, a bricky, pays his labourer more than that.

 

[Dustydazzler]

What as ? A labourer ?
In fact I think my mate, a bricky, pays his labourer more than that.

electrician rewiring office blocks

 

[Andy78]

electrician rewiring office blocks

Absolutely awful mate. I hope you expressed your extreme dismay toward the employer regarding those rates.

 

[Baddegg]

Absolutely awful mate. I hope you expressed your extreme dismay toward the employer regarding those rates.

Don’t even entertain em let me see what they get for those rates ?

 

[Andy78]

Don’t even entertain em let me see what they get for those rates ?

If they are offering those rates they won't care.

 

[Baddegg]

If they are offering those rates they won't care.

They will when something goes wrong, that’s the industry that’s been created, so long as there’s someone at the bottom to throw under the bus all’s good at the top....

 

[Markyd]

Been lucky and have not stopped..

 

[davesparks]

And here's me and can't find anyone to assist me in work sods law eh! And anyone I do find although very nice, hardly knows the difference between a masonry or wood drill.

I could find plenty of work outside my normal sector if I wanted it, but I'm more than a little scared of catching this damn disease, my knackered lungs put me in a dodgy position as far as it is concerned.

 

[Andy78]

I could find plenty of work outside my normal sector if I wanted it, but I'm more than a little scared of catching this damn disease, my knackered lungs put me in a dodgy position as far as it is concerned.

It's a messed up situation mate, but you do right putting yourself and your health first.
So many have been plodding on regardless. The definition of lunacy.

 

[Deleted account]

Opening up an old post.

wandering how everyone is doing in this lockdown.

i live in south west and Covid hasnt really touched us up til now. Lowest infection rates in country.

that’s changing fast. I’ve just locked myself down for 4 weeks Even though officially I dont have to, it’s getting serious hear now.

dispite this I’m inundated with calls. Work coming out my ears. Are these people living on the same planet as me. Most my work is domestic and most are retired.

I will respond to Emergencies, but that’s it.

 

[mattg4321]

I’ve probably got 2-3 times the amount of work I can realistically do at the moment. It’s been crazy busy since last summer and no real sign of it slowing down yet.

 

[Megawatt]

So after all this Covid 19 stuff. How are people doing for work? Are many people still off work?

I’ve been covered up with work and can’t seen to get caught up and as stated above it looks like I need to take on someone to help me get caught up. I try to prioritize the severity of each call and decide what jobs to do. It seems like that you try and keep everyone happy but right now it’s about impossible to make everyone happy. I’ve had more work since the COVID-19 started and I’ve been swamped. I’m getting so many calls I write them down and I still get confused but that’s a good thing. Eventually maybe we will get back to normal. I’m not complaining, work is a good thing right now

 

[freddo]

We are also still looking to take on another electrician as we can't keep up with the workload.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Trying to manage project work which has never stopped, emergencies and heal tapping non-urgent work til after i get vaccinated. Feeling bit vulnerable now, i am level 6 priority cos of age and underlying conditions etc etc. Hopefully i can keep dodging the virus.. Been out today, called at Greggs for breakfast, "medium risk activity", then went to site (all on my own) "very low risk activity", then called at Aldi on the way home - "seriously high risk activity" !!!!

 

[Dustydazzler]

done lots of quotes and picking up bits and pieces , but not overly busy.
that said I am avoiding going out the area and will only work in houses if the people go out which during lockdown isnt very often...

 

[Mike Johnson]

Should get my vaccination in the next day or so not that it makes any difference, I don't go anywhere, except pop up to my old office at the top of the garden to have a quick cigar, must remember to diss-connect the smoke alarm, can't do it on the sly when the house linked house alarms go off. ?

 

[OnlQQker]

and just seen an ad. on telly today. donate to help african kids with cleft palates. £12.50/month or a one off £150. What planet are these idiots from. We all struggling to make ends meet due to covid19, wondering if we can scrape enough to pay direct debits and keep the van on the road, and these clowns think we can just shove that sort of money their way. Same thing with XXXX has to walk 6 miles every day for a bottle of WKD Blue. Note: I do have every sympathy with those kids and wish them all the best.

It's the 3 quid a month advert to provide an African family with fresh water that gets me..

I took this up with Anglian water and asked them how mine is over 40 quid a month when theirs is only £3!