Is the grass greener?

[RMS1981]

Hi All

I’ve been a long time lurker on this forum and has gained some valuable knowledge from here! Decided to join up and see what’s what ?

First post is a biggie, so go easy!!
I’m a Maintenance Electrician working in a car factory. I’m 39 years old and came to the industry late (28), starting as an apprentice and have been in the same job since. I love the job, but what I don’t love is shift work and being stuck in the same 4 walls day in night out waiting around for a breakdown!!
During my 11 years or so I’ve worked on a lot of varied kit, but not particularly specialised in anything. We tend to have to adapt to new stuff all the time, but never really get to concentrate on anything for long periods of time.

Anyway, I’m rambling!! I’m at a bit of a crossroads in my career I think, but I’m at a bit of a loss where to go! Where I work is very insular, so we don’t really get to see what goes on in the ‘real world’.
I like the idea of being self employed in industry or domestic, but I also wouldn’t mind getting out there to different sites maybe as a service tech etc.
I’d love to hear any experiences you guys have had in branching out into different fields.

Cheers
Rob

 

[telectrix]

self-employed is a huge step. it's not just being able to do the job. it's all the paperwork, overheads and headaches that go with it. and the domestic market is saturated. race to the bottom. had a lead passed to me last week for sone alterations. the guy that gave me the lead said, "don't be expensive, i know an electrician that works for £120/day.". told him that was about paye wages with a company van, paid holidays and a pension. and i'd not lower myself into earning less than a shelf-stacker in Tesco. i'd go in with a decent price for a job done properly, to regs. if i get it, i get it, if not, then let the bottom feeder have it and i'll go and put it right at twice my normal rate.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Pretty much what Tel said ...

first thing about being a successful self employed sparks is be a good businessman first

knowing how to price jobs , how to manage your time and to factor in running costs is just as important as knowing how to wire a plugtop

its a totally different world than working for a company where the wages drop into your bank every month

 

[RMS1981]

That’s something I’ve heard a lot of, and is the main worry of going self employed. It’s a big unknown for me! I am pretty well paid where I am, so Although I’m bored to tears doing what I do, it’s a big thing to walk away from. Having said that, after a week of nights where you struggle to get more than 3-4 hours sleep a day, money isn’t always the main thing ?
I totally agree with you though, never lower your standards just to get a job!!

 

[telectrix]

ooooh matron he said plugtop. give him an enema.

 

[RMS1981]

The thing is, I have some (what I think are) good ideas for business strategy, and have a couple of contacts I might be able to call on, but everything is always much easier on paper or in your head lol

One question I always like to ask the self employed...would you go back to cards in?

 

[telectrix]

That’s something I’ve heard a lot of, and is the main worry of going self employed. It’s a big unknown for me! I am pretty well paid where I am, so Although I’m bored to tears doing what I do, it’s a big thing to walk away from. Having said that, after a week of nights where you struggle to get more than 3-4 hours sleep a day, money isn’t always the main thing ?
I totally agree with you though, never lower your standards just to get a job!!

easily solved, working nights gives a bit extra in the wage packet, enough to imbibe of a half bottle of your favorite single malt when you get home at XX in the morning. 8 hours sleep guaranteed ( assuming kids at school and mrs RMS ain't got a nag on).

 

[RMS1981]

easily solved, working nights gives a bit extra in the wage packet, enough to imbibe of a half bottle of your favorite single malt when you get home at XX in the morning. 8 hours sleep guaranteed ( assuming kids at school and mrs RMS ain't got a nag on).

Hahaha now there is a suggestion I like the sound of ?

 

[telectrix]

trouble is with nights, 'er indoors expects you to come home, have a brew, then start jobs roung the house. told mine that i know there's jobs need doing. they still be there next week, and no need to remind me every 6 months.

 

[GBDamo]

Be very wary.

Yes shifts are a pain and single site jobs can be very mundane.

But there are things you take for granted now that will seem like luxuries if you go self employed.

Sick pay.
Guaranteed holidays.
Regular work hours.
Regular income.
Pension/retirement.
Being able to hand a job over, at the end of a shift.
The comfort of familiarity.

Think long and hard about what it is you think you'll gain.

Its not easy to do but sometimes you just have to put your brain in a jar and keep drawing the cheques.

 

[RMS1981]

trouble is with nights, 'er indoors expects you to come home, have a brew, then start jobs roung the house. told mine that i know there's jobs need doing. they still be there next week, and no need to remind me every 6 months.

That’s the trick! The amount of times I’ve started something after nights, the eff’d it up and had a paddy is just annoying ?

 

[RMS1981]

Be very wary.

Yes shifts are a pain and single site jobs can be very mundane.

But there are things you take for granted now that will seem like luxuries if you go self employed.

Sick pay.
Guaranteed holidays.
Regular work hours.
Regular income.
Pension/retirement.
Being able to hand a job over, at the end of a shift.
The comfort of familiarity.

Think long and hard about what it is you think you'll gain.

Its not easy to do but sometimes you just have to put your brain in a jar and keep drawing the cheques.

I have agonised over this for a couple of years now and your post is exactly what has stopped me doing it every time! I have to admit, I wasn’t strictly telling the truth about not having ever been self employed. Before I was an apprentice, I spent a couple of years as a cab driver. The freedom was amazing, but the constant chase for cash was not.
Now...what 12 year malts does anyone recommend?? ??

 

[Zerax]

If you do not find the work that you currently do is exciting/challenging you enough... have you spoken to your manager about it ? Are there other things that you could get involved with ? I guess it's a large enough company that may offer good training etc ?

 

[RMS1981]

If you do not find the work that you currently do is exciting/challenging you enough... have you spoken to your manager about it ? Are there other things that you could get involved with ? I guess it's a large enough company that may offer good training etc ?

That’s a good point.
I’ve moved around quite a lot and have worked on all sorts of stuff like robots, PLC’s, conveyors, assembly tooling, a bit of networking, some installation work, pneumatics, the list goes on. It all interests me, but I always have this little nag in the back of my mind that rears it’s ugly head now and again!!
I applied for another job in plant on days, but never got it. The only other route off shifts is management, which in some ways appeals to me, but in lots of ways absolutely does not!!

I’m my own worst enemy really, I find it really difficult to settle doing anything, so my mind constantly drifts into thoughts of other things I could be doing. Anyone that’s worked in maintenance will know that time to think is in abundance ??

 

[telectrix]

I have agonised over this for a couple of years now and your post is exactly what has stopped me doing it every time! I have to admit, I wasn’t strictly telling the truth about not having ever been self employed. Before I was an apprentice, I spent a couple of years as a cab driver. The freedom was amazing, but the constant chase for cash was not.
Now...what 12 year malts does anyone recommend?? ??

Laphroiag.that's like Glennfiddich on steroids. smell the peat, taste the peat, sleep like peat.

 

[Zerax]

Laphroiag.that's like Glennfiddich on steroids. smell the peat, taste the peat, sleep like peat.

+1 And also Ardbeg... in fact all/any of the Islay malts are worth exploring I think... unlike the Speyside ones... which are not to me taste at all.

 

[ipf]

Laphroiag.that's like Glennfiddich on steroids. smell the peat, taste the peat, sleep like peat.

Has Pete woke up yet?

 

[Timbo]

Has Pete woke up yet?

Haven't heard him yet!
@Pete999 Wake Up!

 

[Timbo]

The thing is, I have some (what I think are) good ideas for business strategy, and have a couple of contacts I might be able to call on, but everything is always much easier on paper or in your head lol

One question I always like to ask the self employed...would you go back to cards in?

I did back in February. Looked at the amount of time all the hidden things take up, overheads, cost of holidays, etc, and decided the cost difference wasn't too much over against job security.
Since then I've been working flat out. Company van has done almost 36000 miles since mid March.

 

[Pete999]

Haven't heard him yet!
@Pete999 Wake Up!

Cheeky Git bin awake longer than you what do you want?

 

[Pete999]

Laphroiag.that's like Glennfiddich on steroids. smell the peat, taste the peat, sleep like peat.

Looking forward to my GF on Christmas day

 

[Timbo]

Cheeky Git bin awake longer than you what do you want?

Merry Christmas, Pete. ??

 

[Vortigern]

I have only been on the cards when I started out many years ago. Always been self employed and would never consider going back to on the cards. I love the independence and choice. I don't know about getting into domestic work though. I do principally commercial and domestic as fill ins. Horrible domestic compared to commercial. With the skill set you have acquired domestic would be a massive come down. Usually it's work in social housing which is the worst! You should be able to get work in a number of settings with your skills. Going self employed from your position would be an organic changeover consisting of doing moonlighting and slowly building up. If it goes ---- up.... what will the missus say, nothing good I imagine.

 

[Pete999]

Merry Christmas, Pete. ??

And to you and yours MATE

 

[Pete999]

Merry Christmas, Pete. ??

You too Mate, started off bad late last night though Turkey fro TESCO was rotten had to chuck it away desperately looking food in the freezer, found some porkchops, hope the grand kids like pork. although I expect they will be too excited to know the difference, far to busy opening pressies to worry, you all have a wonderful day. ???Hope Sant brings what you wanted, he did good for me , but then again I was in the shop when Mrs Pete999 bought it.????

 

[D Skelton]

I went from self employed to on the cards, haven't looked back since.

Set myself up a nice little business a year after finishing my apprenticeship. Started out bashing houses but very quickly left it behind in favour of commercial and industrial work as my company grew. The domestic market is a free for all and the vast majority of 'successful' domestic electricians making good money aren't electricians but businessmen. Chancers that make their money by paying a load of apprentices peanuts and charging what they can get away with for rushed and shoddy work. It's next to impossible to compete with them. I only know a handful of sparks who stay as one man bands and bash houses for £150 a day (its doable with minimum overheads). They're content with knowing they'll never grow or progress their business and all power to them. But that wasn't me.

I kept my toe in domestic work by doing EICRs but we never carried out remedial work. It was a good way to market the business as a lot of landlords cottoned on pretty quick that we weren't there to just invent jobs that 'needed' doing.

The more we moved into the corporate world the harder we found it to compete also. The minute you find yourself competing with national companies the more you find yourself being undercut as they can afford to take clients on a loss leaders.

The only way we managed to stay profitable was finding a niche, but we had to travel far and wide for the work. We developed good relationships with a few key clients and kept their work because we were leaders in the field and we looked after them. The majority of successful electricians go this way. They find a niche industry and become specialists in their field. It takes a lot of learning and a lot of dedication. I never stopped putting down books and I spent a lot of time actively seeking out opportunities to surround myself with people who knew more than I did. You may be able to apply your skills to this given your background with process control (not a million miles from what I was doing with my company in the end), but it will take time. You'll struggle to find a stable customer base for years only doing that.

The electrical industry is incredibly hard to compete in now. Its saturated and nobody values quality. That said, I did run a successful business however it came at a significant cost to my personal life. 70 hour weeks were really taking their toll.

I ended up being headhunted after making contacts in the railway industry whilst teaching part time. I was made an offer I couldn't refuse. Eventually I stopped resisting, sold up and moved on. Initially I took a fair sized pay cut but I'm telling you this, 35 hour weeks, 30 days holiday pay, 6 months full sick pay, the ability to turn off my work phone when I leave the office and never ever ever having to spend another day with the anxiety over next months wage bill never felt so good!

Now after two and a bit years I'm earning what I was with considerably more benefits and I have only a fraction of the stress. I've also enjoyed learning a whole new set of skills and a specialist set of knowledge in a whole other area of the electrical industry. I also enjoy the fact that there are never a shortage of learning opportunities where I am now.

My advice, think very very carefully before jacking it in and going your own way. The grass may appear greener, but there are only two ways to actually achieve it;

1. Legitimately, with patience and years of grit, determination, sleepless nights and a good few years of running at a loss, or
2. Illegitimately, by sacrificing your principles and being prepared to cut corners in every way imaginable.

There will be others who will give other examples of how its possible, but they will likely be the exceptions, not the rule.

 

[Dustydazzler]

You can always sell your soul and join the plethora of youtuber electricians and get loads of sponsored deals and do weekly tool reviews and completions efc...

remember for every sparks earning £600-800 per day their will be some poor shmuck breaking their back for £100 a day or less

if I had my time again I would be a roofer , I just forked out a small fortune for new fascia boards and some minor roof repairs , that’s the game to be in...by my smoke packet calculation they (2 roofers) charged me about £1000 for a days work

 

[telectrix]

You can always sell your soul and join the plethora of youtuber electricians and get loads of sponsored deals and do weekly tool reviews and completions efc...

remember for every sparks earning £600-800 per day their will be some poor shmuck breaking their back for £100 a day or less

if I had my time again I would be a roofer , I just forked out a small fortune for new fascia boards and some minor roof repairs , that’s the game to be in...by my smoke packet calculation they (2 roofers) charged me about £1000 for a days work

should have hired a cherry picker and driver for £300, and done it yersen fer materials cost.

 

[Dustydazzler]

should have hired a cherry picker and driver for £300, and done it yersen fer materials cost.

Believe me Tel , I looked at a few Diy options from hiring scaffolding & paying a mate to help for the day. best price I got for front & back 6m high scaff was £600.00 For a weeks hire.
(can’t do cherry picker for the back roof as you need to go through house to get to back garden)
Pay mate £250.00 for a longs day graft. Plus buy all materials I was up to a grand or more...
paying to have it done was £1400 and they took all the old wood away...

 

[Zerax]

At the end of the day... it all boils down to what you're happy doing. For some, simple local 'house bashing' and trading as a sole trader works fine for them. Yes, they won't become millionaires, but it earns them a living with minimal stress etc.

For others, they may find that boring and seek out something more challenging, or pays better, or gives them regular wage.

It's all down to what 'floats your boat'.