any one do renewables

[missplumb]

ive been approached by the builder that we do alot of work for asking if we would like to go into partnership with him, form a new company doing renewables - solar water, solar PV, ground sourcing, heat pumps etc. He is willing to put up all the money to get the business up and running such as vans, all the MCS training, unvented training, and a bumper bank balance to keep things a float until the business is established. He knows that he has to speculate to accumulate and is looking long term rather than wanting a quick return. He doesnt want anything to do with the business itself just be the silent partner and take his cut of the profits once they start coming.
I'M not sure there is enough work out there at the moment without us going alot further afield looking for the work.
Do any of you guys do renewables and how much work do you get from it? do you think its worth taking the builder up on his offer? He has said he is gonna do it anyway and wants somebody he can trust to do the work rather than teaming up with someone he doesnt know!!
Wot do i do??????????

 

[GQuigley67]

not really a partnership if he puts in all the capital i'd imagne

 

[gaspastemania]

Do it ,
i can see over the next 5 years that re-newables is onlu going to pick up , new builds are now doing alot of solar as well as tescos now installing alot of new stores with these sort of technologies . we are way behing our european neighbours in this market and i can only see it increasing . Some of the main contractors i do works for are now asking if i would be interested in this sort of works . I would defo give it some serious thoughht

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i'd say go for it after all it's another string to your bow

 

[CES]

Im just back from a Plumbcenter presentation about Renewables. Its going to happen whether we like it or not, gas is not going to last forever and costs are increasing. I would grab it with both hands (although be careful about who owns what exactly).

 

[missplumb]

TBH i cant be bothered to go to college again to get more certificates, and pay out more yearly costs and have yearly inspections ontop of everything we already have to do in our own company, but my mrs is already lookig for company names, lookin at booking on courses, lookin for new vans, OMG we are only just starting to get sorted with our business without starting another. BUT we know we can trust him, and he trusts us, he's under no illusions that he's gonna increase his wealth tenfold overnight and says he's in it for the longhaul so i dont really see a reason not to. With the correct financial backing and his business accumen, he's the only one that can lose out. He puts the money in, we do all the work, he gets the greater share of the profits then everybody should be happy.

 

[capitanpugwash]

Only problem comes if in say 3 years time you now have a booming business and are working yourself silly 60 hours a week making great money. You get half the profit (or less) and he gets his half. You see him stopping his building business and driving a new Beemer. You start to resent that you're doing all the work and he is creaming the benefits. Easy enough to look back and see that he took the risk and made the ibg startup investment. Fast forward 5 years and he's now taking £100k a year and living it up while you never seem to see the Mrs or kids and you start thinking "Hang on, he only put £100k into this business and he does nothing to make that in a year now- this isn't fair..!". I;ve seen it happen before and as long as you are prepared for that and can adapt your personality to rationalise and accept it then you'll be great and I'd say grab the opportunity with both hands. I know that this would eat me up so would prefer to grow a business organically starting off running alongside your other plumbing business using the same van etc while it grows, before taking someone on or going into partnership with someone who will be working on an equal basis.... It is all about knowing yourself.

 

[gaspastemania]

Only problem comes if in say 3 years time you now have a booming business and are working yourself silly 60 hours a week making great money. You get half the profit (or less) and he gets his half. You see him stopping his building business and driving a new Beemer. You start to resent that you're doing all the work and he is creaming the benefits. Easy enough to look back and see that he took the risk and made the ibg startup investment. Fast forward 5 years and he's now taking £100k a year and living it up while you never seem to see the Mrs or kids and you start thinking "Hang on, he only put £100k into this business and he does nothing to make that in a year now- this isn't fair..!". I;ve seen it happen before and as long as you are prepared for that and can adapt your personality to rationalise and accept it then you'll be great and I'd say grab the opportunity with both hands. I know that this would eat me up so would prefer to grow a business organically starting off running alongside your other plumbing business using the same van etc while it grows, before taking someone on or going into partnership with someone who will be working on an equal basis.... It is all about knowing yourself.

Easy solution to that would be to tell all your customers your changing business name and going it alone and take all your customers with you leaving him high or dry ,,,,,,not that i have ever known anyone ever to do that !