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J

John Matrix

Has anyone on here changed careers? Come off the tools, moved into a different field?
I’m still mulling things over like I have been for past year or so and I really would like some advice on this. I don’t feel that setting up on my own is an option for me and I’m not financially set up for it anyway, but at the same time I need to do something because I want more out of life than this job has to offer financially and overall lifestyle. I don’t want to stay cards in just getting by for the next 30 years. I had my cancer issue in 2016 and I’ve not felt the same about this job ever since.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
Has anyone on here changed careers? Come off the tools, moved into a different field?
I’m still mulling things over like I have been for past year or so and I really would like some advice on this. I don’t feel that setting up on my own is an option for me and I’m not financially set up for it anyway, but at the same time I need to do something because I want more out of life than this job has to offer financially and overall lifestyle. I don’t want to stay cards in just getting by for the next 30 years. I had my cancer issue in 2016 and I’ve not felt the same about this job ever since.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Imo it all depends how old you are...
Running your own business can be rewarding but is very time consuming.
I did it for years and have no regrets, but was living at home at the time in my mid 20s so had no pressure to earn a certain amount each month. If I wanted a week off I took it.

Now at 40 I really just want a regular income where I can walk into work at a certain time and walk out at certain time. Without having to go home and then spend the next 2 hours typing up quotes and invoices.

Keep us posted with your thoughts
 
The glory of having this or any other trade for that matter is you can put it down and pick it up to earn a living should you need to.....life is short man just go for it you never know what’s round the corner.....
 
How old you are and how much money you need to earn to pay for kids/house/wife/mistress etc is going to mostly answer that question for you

Im self employed, 40 next year and can already feel the toll on my body from doing this job, i am aiming to keep going till 50 then can see my self looking to going to maybe supervising or teaching, i dont know anything else :( and im not sure how i would find it working for someone else again?

I would like to come out of the construction industry completely and do something completely different But then i look at what else is out there and the pittance they want to pay you and i would be better off just scaling back to doing call outs and maintenance and leaving the installing to others
 
How old you are and how much money you need to earn to pay for kids/house/wife/mistress etc is going to mostly answer that question for you

Im self employed, 40 next year and can already feel the toll on my body from doing this job, i am aiming to keep going till 50 then can see my self looking to going to maybe supervising or teaching, i dont know anything else :( and im not sure how i would find it working for someone else again?

I would like to come out of the construction industry completely and do something completely different But then i look at what else is out there and the pittance they want to pay you and i would be better off just scaling back to doing call outs and maintenance and leaving the installing to others
I think I will end up in maintenance at some point. But I would like to do it on machinery etc. Don’t just want to be a lamp changer. I’m 36 soon and like I said was Ill in 2016 so like you I’m feeling it. I’ve always been cards in. I like what I do but it doesn’t pay enough for how hard you have to work.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I’m 51 and still grafting hard for myself. One man band NICEIC AC. It’s very rewarding and fits in around my three under five kids. I would say go for it on your own, pick up the little jobs that are profitable and don’t expose you to financial risk. Changing light fittings and doing extra sockets etc can be very lucrative and cash is king if you know what I mean
 
How old you are and how much money you need to earn to pay for kids/house/wife/mistress etc is going to mostly answer that question for you

Im self employed, 40 next year and can already feel the toll on my body from doing this job, i am aiming to keep going till 50 then can see my self looking to going to maybe supervising or teaching, i dont know anything else :( and im not sure how i would find it working for someone else again?

I would like to come out of the construction industry completely and do something completely different But then i look at what else is out there and the pittance they want to pay you and i would be better off just scaling back to doing call outs and maintenance and leaving the installing to others
funny you should mention that. i've just gone down that road, with small installs like kitchen/bathroom refurbs and lighting jobs thrown in.then again, knees and back @ 72 are getting a bit past it now. brain is still locked at 30 though. can't wait for the dementia to kick in, so i can retire. :cry::cry::cry:
 
I’m 51 and still grafting hard for myself. One man band NICEIC AC. It’s very rewarding and fits in around my three under five kids. I would say go for it on your own, pick up the little jobs that are profitable and don’t expose you to financial risk. Changing light fittings and doing extra sockets etc can be very lucrative and cash is king if you know what I mean
Exactly my thoughts,

small jobs=best profit margin+minimum risk+fast payment

Give me call outs all day long

Most people are always after the big jobs, fallacy IMO

Big jobs=slimmer margins+bigger risk+slower payment

No brainer
 
Agree

The 'profit' on the small jobs is excellent

You can easily clear £60 per hour on call-out type jobs

You probably won't fill the entire working week putting up afew lights for old Doris up the road but they are nice little earners when you get them
 
Agree

The 'profit' on the small jobs is excellent

You can easily clear £60 per hour on call-out type jobs

You probably won't fill the entire working week putting up afew lights for old Doris up the road but they are nice little earners when you get them

I usually try for a day a week that i put aside just for small call out jobs,(which is usually my best earner by far), somedays dont even get a drill out and can pull >£500 a day quite regular

If only i had enough to fill my diary everyday
 
I usually try for a day a week that i put aside just for small call out jobs,(which is usually my best earner by far), somedays dont even get a drill out and can pull >£500 a day quite regular

If only i had enough to fill my diary everyday

But this is the ‘issue’ if you can call it that.
These £400-500 little jobbing days aren’t every week.
But when you get one and nail it you can earn good money which is nice and never to be sniffed at.

Chatting to a friend on Saturday who is a plumber , he can pull £800+ on a good call out job day. But again these days don’t happen every week. £95 per hour callout and parts on top.

But we have to be careful suggesting this is ‘the norm’ as clearly it isn’t otherwise all tradesmen and women would be driving Bentley cars and living in £2,000,000 mansions
 

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