getting work as a start up. Is agency, subbying a way to go?

[Tjb]

Hi all,

Unfortunately redundancy has reared its head in my direction.

I've decided now is the time to start up on my own, currently in the registering process with napit and am curious what can be done to get my name about other than handing out my cards to friends, family and whole salers?

Is a stint of agency work ideal as a foot in? If so what agencies are reasonable.

I've not really done too much house bashing but if needs must and that's the way to go then I'm happy to go that route.

Any advise would be great.

Tjb

 

[Des 56]

Agencies can always be a stop gap to enhance your own work

I always had my work by word of mouth,occasionally supplemented with council and housing association full time testing paid via agencies
I don't think agency work will help at all with generating your own work, but can be useful for filling in the gaps

 

[Tjb]

Thanks, will need something for the first few months so might look more in depth at them.

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

Sorry to hear the news mate.

If families and friends know you're an electrician they'll usually remember a light that hasnt been working for years they suddenly remember.

Surprising how many people in my family/friends don't know I've been doing it 4 years now

Either that or the "so... You know how to bypass meters for my ... tv?" Or is it just my area?

My plumber brother had a batch of cards printed out and said it hasn't done much for getting new customers. So word of mouth seems the best bet. Fair price with quality work should get some recommendations in.

Best of luck to you

 

[Tjb]

Thanks will just have to spread the word.
I can't approach my current employers customers till he closes up so really it's just a waiting game and staying positive that the phone will ring at some point

 

[casperLennon]

I work for hays recruitment. Which is a big agency. They always have work for me. If I don't like the job I'm on I ring them and they get me something else. I would advise being paid through a limited company rather than through an umbrella company though.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Word of mouth for domestic work. Local newspaper small ads and things like parish/club magazines are cheap. Also on line - there are lots of Facebook groups, maybe there is an "Ipswich Recomendations" group?.
You may get a few crappy small jobs to begin with, but it gets your name out there and (as i found) today's fan replacement can lead to wiring up the customer's planned house extension.
Get out there, be pleasant, professional and customer-facing. It takes a while but worth the effort.

 

[Rpa07]

I used agency whilst my NVQ was being marked by C +G and the only agency work I did ended with the company taking me on as a subby self employed. I still get to do my 'name making' private jobs and I have a steady stream of work. I proved that I could do the work, neatly, professionally and was trustworthy. I had to negotiate my hourly rate and probably didn't do as well as I could but I get 32 hours minimum plus a day off to do my own jobs. Extra evidence extra experience and a wage (happy wife)!

 

[Tjb]

Thanks for the replies.
I have already set up as a LTD company. How does the whole agency thing work?

 

[casperLennon]

Ring lots of them and register as available for work and they will ring you back when work comes in. The one I'm with they just keep me going. The last job I was on for around a year and I chose to leave that one so the work is definitely there if you find a good agency. I send my timesheet on a Friday to my employer, they sign it and send to the agency then I get paid weekly. I'm basically sub contract to the agency. Works well for me and has done for almost six years now.

 

[casperLennon]

If you use the umbrella company then they charge you to process the timesheet. Usually around £20 a week. Being limited means there's no charge just stopped 20% tax at source

 

[petevonmikedaz]

I've worked for several agencies over the years and would recommend it, it can be a bit of a lottery on what work you do, agency staff are usually called on when the brown stuff has hit the fan at the end of a job but also it can lead to a full time position or if it's too bad you can just walk away.

 

[Lagentium]

Sorry to hear about your redundancy mate, I've thought about subbying to be fair to supplement my own work if I was to make the jump from being employed, which I'm tempted to do after working at the same place for 17 years after leaving school! This may sound a bit controversial but if I was being made redundant, I would be sounding customers out regardless of any contractual obligations or anything, because I have a family to feed. I've had bad experiences and very bad experiences when running jobs that we needed a hand with! But if you go in with the correct attitude and graft you will stand out like a shining light mate and it will lead to other things. I have a list of the best lads I've met and ring them up and they come direct.

 

[Specialist]

Hi Tjb: Try going into a few of the local cafe's first thing in the morning. Not the ultra posh sort, the greasy spoon sort of cafe that builders like.
We used to drop into different cafe's on a regular basis & when you get chatting to the builders, plumbers etc you can often pick up a nice bit of work.
Even if only 1 off's it all helps.