British Gas Vs Working For Yourself

[gasleak]

Hi guys,

I am currently working for Bg and have been for the last 7 years. Like most BG engineers I am not happy with usually stuff already mentioned on this site. It has now got to the stage were i am considering going it alone.

But is the grass really greener on the other side?

I earn a decent wage usually between 40-50k a year + all the other benifits for working for a firm. But what am i likely to earn working for myself and going as a contractor to firms like BG.

I know it a bit like asking how long is a piece of string.

 

[Blake]

My god 40-50k a year! have they got any jobs going???? I think you would be mad to go it alone in the current climate as you would struggle to get anywhere near that sort of salary imho.

 

[gaspastemania]

Stay with BG if your on that amount of money , i have sub contracted along with my own works and the problem is doing your own works is the public,constant chasing money , phone calls late at night and all round hassle .Believe me its not greener at all . the only benefits are flexibility and not being someone else's numpty.
I dont work on the books because where i live it doesn't pay to but if your earning hat with BG then why leave??? As to earning more as a contractor to companies like eaga well i beg to differ as they are a nightmare payer !!

 

[Bartdude]

I'll swap with you for that money and a fraction of the pressure.

 

[arfurdaley]

I work for a firm and dont earn anything like that. I'm happy getting my wages every week doing my work and not having to chase payments etc like you would if you were s/e. Its up to you but £40k+ is a lot of money to give up.

 

[gasleak]

I am working mainly 6 day weeks during the winter and all the bank holidays and doing late night call out for that. The Basic wage is about 30-31k.

I am just fed up of working for the man, but not that fed up if am going to be hit financially

 

[Blackcatgas]

I earned 5k in my first year trading after setting up costs etc, 3 yrs before you start to make any money, no where near 40k though.

 

[stani]

never seen so many browsers at one time, funny how 40-50k makes you read everything!

 

[villa_tom]

To be fair 40k is alot of money but if you have to work six days plus call outs and late night then its alot of work for that money.

 

[washer]

You must be doing a hell of a lot of overtime by choice, my mates work for BG and certainly don't earn 40-50k, by doing the standard rostas, just cut back on overtime or stop moaning about having a job.

 

[moogwai]

I reckon the other 10k is from selling unused parts on fleabay.....lol. (this is in no way a dig at you ff competence.....just couldn't resist)
Seriously though in the 3 years I have working for myself....I made a loss in the first year, a small profit in my second year and looking to improve again this year..... what you are earning now is great but I like the freedom of working for myself where cash jobs are very welcome!

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I left my company and on my own since December,had lots of little jobs along with 8 boiler change jobs and about 10 gas hobs/cookers total ! But all come as lot of £ paid to advertise !And still there is balanced to clear on my credit card ! I was going to join BG as sub but after the first few jobs realised that customers are coming off BG services as there is lot of issues with there services ! Beginning of December did my commercial and today have been called to a job to fit two new 60kw and 700L unvented plus about 10 heaters .
I am getting some one with experience to do it together .
Grass is green i have more time for my wife and 2 year old boy . And the earning is not bad as is just the beginning for me !!

 

[Plucky]

I also have gone self employed last year since july and have easily earned twice if not 3 times more than when I was on the cards some months.

However it is alot more stressful. But for me the grass is greener.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

grass is green ......some play football on it ....some play cricket.....some walk the dogs on it ....some have it for lunch ....some smoke it ...


but is definitely green

 

[woodsy]

If that salary is correct then stay where you are especially in this climate. Working on your own in theory gives you more flexibility, although you end working all hours just to stay afloat with some of the prices quoted at the moment. Unless you live in london etc then most customers will not pay anymore than £ 20 - 25 per hour and when you divide this into your salary and then add approx. £250 per week with holiday pay, diesel, gas safe. insurances you will realise it ain' t any greener this side. God, depressed myself now !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Come on woodsy ,it ain't that bad ! There is always some more work just round the corner for every one ...

 

[woodsy]

Sorry just had one of those mornings, 1st customer cancelled me when i was literally 1/2mile from job, 2nd job for letting agent who supplied keys which were newly cut and wouldn't open doors and arrived at third job to find customer who wouldn't ansawer the door or phone and then sent me a text message saying sorry had to go out net result earnings £0- Can only get better !

 

[GQuigley67]

I left my company and on my own since December,had lots of little jobs along with 8 boiler change jobs and about 10 gas hobs/cookers total ! But all come as lot of £ paid to advertise !And still there is balanced to clear on my credit card ! I was going to join BG as sub but after the first few jobs realised that customers are coming off BG services as there is lot of issues with there services ! Beginning of December did my commercial and today have been called to a job to fit two new 60kw and 700L unvented plus about 10 heaters .
I am getting some one with experience to do it together .
Grass is green i have more time for my wife and 2 year old boy . And the earning is not bad as is just the beginning for me !!

good to hear your doing well in the work department, I'm going to a funding panel on thursday to try get funding for a van..what kind of advertising did u do mostly and at what cost ?

 

[DMI]

ive been self employed for a year now and love it, some weeks not got much work and others flat out. just wish it would all even out.... its such a big expense to start up; 6k van, 1k power tools, 450 gas safe, 750 gas anaylser, public liabilty, advertising, extra tools, more work clothing, new laptop nd printer..... first year made a loss, but chins up all good fun ay.

 

[gaspastemania]

ive been self employed for a year now and love it, some weeks not got much work and others flat out. just wish it would all even out.... its such a big expense to start up; 6k van, 1k power tools, 450 gas safe, 750 gas anaylser, public liabilty, advertising, extra tools, more work clothing, new laptop nd printer..... first year made a loss, but chins up all good fun ay.

Not being funny but didnt you build up your tools etc?
Why you spending 6K on a van as well thats a huge outlay for a start

 

[DMI]

yes all hand tools ect power tools i brought a couple of months before going self employed. had the money at the time and was a good van come along of the old mans best mate so i just brought it.... dont see the point in spending 500 on a van if its old and going to need new parts all the time. i believe the long run its worth while

 

[gaspastemania]

Thats alot of money to spend out whilst trying to build a customer client base , hope it all pays off in the long run .by the way the guy who started MITIE engineering off was trading from aescort estate at first

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Escort estate back in the 80-90 last sentury .... Now is 2011

 

[archiedale]

no time to read all the posts, my advice, stay with BG. its just gone eight, i finished at 7.00pm, then paperwork and ive got to unload my van and get stuff ready for a 7.00am start in morning.i working for no-where near that money, if you fancy a job swap get in touch !!!

 

[gaspastemania]

Just saying you dont need to spend a fortune on a van to make money ,know many a plumber/builder or whatever doing well without blasting round in 10 grands worth of van.And to be quite honest i could think of better things to spend my money on.