Gas.....the next move!

[Dan the plumber]

Evening all,

I am stuck between I rock & a hard place at the min...

I have been a self employed Plumber now for the past 2.1/2 yrs and it ain't been easy by any stretch of the imagination. I started working for myself not long after I finished my "fast pass" 4 month training course (frown!)....my advice to any young person thinking of entering this industry is get to college for a few yrs, but more importantly try and get some hands on experiance as it is a totally different life out there in the real world and no text book can teach you that!!!

I have been contemplating for a good few months now whether to fork out £££ and get my gas quals, but the problem is the work in Plumbing isn't there in order to fund my gas training hence means getting into more debt, but if I don't do it then means I'll just keep plodding along earning a pants wage as a Plumber!!!

The next problem is where to do my gas training; I want to go to a training centre where I will actually "learn" rather than them rushing me through in order to get my hard earned cash and on to the next candidate! Water is bad enough but gas is a different kettle of fish!!!

Thankfully I have an intelligent other half who earns enough to keep both me, her and the dog........otherwise I would be up *a* creek without a paddle, or a boat for that matter!

Hmmmmmm decisions decisions

 

[Guest123]

Sorry to hear you're not doing so well in plumbing, but before you fork out more cash on another course, have you done any market research to see how mny competitors there are in your area or if there is a demand for it? Perhaps if you had done this prior to your plumbing course you might not be in the predicament you are in now. I'm not trying to sound negative in any way to you but such basic marketing is vital to the success of any business. I suspect that many fall for the false promises of high earnings and unlimited work foisted upon us by some of these training centres.

My advice would be to do a decent marketing/advertising campaign and improve the fortunes of your plumbing firm before you throw more money on a possible pipe dream in the gas sector.

 

[northstar]

Dan what area are you from ?

 

[WaterTight]

...I'll just keep plodding along earning a pants wage as a Plumber!!!

Are you happy with what you're earning as a plumber but not busy enough just doing plumbing or are you not happy with what you can charge as a plumber full stop?

The work is there but you have to work to get it. You might be better off spending your gas course money on 150 thousand flyers and spending 3 hours putting them out each morning before work. Do that for 6 months and I guarantee you full time plumbing work.

 

[WaterTight]

Plus legs like a horse.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i agree start putting leaflets out round where you live and then further afield the work is out there you just have to go and find it. do you do any advertising at all?

 

[Dan the plumber]

It was probably wrong to say the work isnt out there, its more the value of work that is there to be fair.....a tap washer, a shower installation, a stopcock change etc etc sadly these do not earn enough to pay a weeks wage when advertising/insurances/tax etc are deducted..let alone to pay for more training!

I did actually put extra money into bathroom advertising over the summer as general plumbing work pretty much died to be fair. There are a fair few companies / sole traders that live & work within the area (west midlands) and know they all seem to be busy when speaking to them at the merchants, but they pretty much are all gas guys!

Dont get me wrong, I do enjoy my job and like to think I take pride in doing a good job and at a fair price, but just wish it was more frequant. It almost feels like I am waiting for work to come to me all the time but other than leaflet dropping & throwing a shed load more cash at advertising (which if the work isnt there in the first place, is a bit difficult!) I dont know what else to do!

 

[Guest123]

It almost feels like I am waiting for work to come to me all the time but other than leaflet dropping & throwing a shed load more cash at advertising (which if the work isnt there in the first place, is a bit difficult!) I dont know what else to do!

This proves my point mate. You MUST find out if THERE IS WORK out there in the first place!!! And don't believeall you hear about gas guys being busy. Almost everyone will say that than admit to having no work. The Gas Safe Register is churning out guys like peas on a pod and no way can they all be busy, there just isn't enough work to go round.

Invest in a real good quality professional marketing and advertising campaign for your plumbing, find a niche in the market that can make you real money and go for it. Poorly designed amatuer leaflets are a total waste of money if you want to make a big impression. I'll point you in the right direction with printing companies etc if you pm me.

Please, please don't throw all your money on yet another course! Sounds like you have a good woman there, but even she might have her limits!

 

[billybob150811]

bet 90% of the guys on here are looking at the work situation big capitol works have disappeared and those guys all have committments so next year more guys will be chasing less work now may not be the time to splash out i went on a baxi training day and work and prices always come up most of the young lads price very keenly we can all offer advice and dont take mine to please me but the newly qualified were talking £200 a day for risk and reward work and a lot less for day rates once you pay out for courses,registration fga etc it put that in perspective courses are for passing not learning to get bits of paper not knowledge or experience sorry this isnt more helpful but i think conserve your cash and try and get more plumbing work some of the young guys on that course admitted they had taken work were they didnt have experience and they were out of their depth as a new entrant in gas you might be in the same position

 

[sparra1100]

Evening all,

I am stuck between I rock & a hard place at the min...

I have been a self employed Plumber now for the past 2.1/2 yrs and it ain't been easy by any stretch of the imagination. I started working for myself not long after I finished my "fast pass" 4 month training course (frown!)....my advice to any young person thinking of entering this industry is get to college for a few yrs, but more importantly try and get some hands on experiance as it is a totally different life out there in the real world and no text book can teach you that!!!

I have been contemplating for a good few months now whether to fork out £££ and get my gas quals, but the problem is the work in Plumbing isn't there in order to fund my gas training hence means getting into more debt, but if I don't do it then means I'll just keep plodding along earning a pants wage as a Plumber!!!

The next problem is where to do my gas training; I want to go to a training centre where I will actually "learn" rather than them rushing me through in order to get my hard earned cash and on to the next candidate! Water is bad enough but gas is a different kettle of fish!!!

Thankfully I have an intelligent other half who earns enough to keep both me, her and the dog........otherwise I would be up **** creek without a paddle, or a boat for that matter!

Hmmmmmm decisions decisions

dan i was like you and all in all it ended up costing me around £8000 i havant paid a penny off it yet and that was 2 yrs ago its only now ive started to get busy but thats cos i no someone who i do a few days with and get work thro him i dont get much thro my own advertising thro yell ,local papers etc its one of them if ye dont do it you will never no,only you can decided but it will take yrs to pay off its been worth it for me but its been an almighty struggle and still is ,and you defo dont earn the thousands your told you will cos theres to many doing it and prices are keen you can always pm me and ill give you my number all i would say is have a long hard think about it

 

[Dan the plumber]

Thanks for the advice guys.
I know its tough out there at the min for everone but just find it frustrating at times. I was knocking back work this time last year for boiler breakdowns and other gas related work and said I wouldnt be in that same position this year, but here I am again!

I am finding allot of people (the general public) tend to "have a go" at plumbing themselves these days especially with info and materials so readily available from DIY stores, but least with Gas & Gas safe register it eliminates this (apart from the cowboys!) and justifies the prices that are charged, hence making this a bit more of a niche market.

If I had enough of the little plumbing jobs to fill a weeks work and walk away with a weeks wage then i guess it wouldnt be so bad, but honestly I cannot remember the last full week I worked!

Bring on the snow and freezing weather thats what I say resents2:

 

[dontknowitall]

Consider oil or solid fuel (especially the latter). There aren't many HETAS people around and more people are considering log burners with the rising oil and gas prices.

 

[philtheflush]

hang on in there mate im in the same position im delivering biz cards thats the only thing i can afford at the mo but things will pick up im sure a lot of people dont like tampering with water

 

[mitchellplumber]

It's all about word of mouth. I find every job leads to another 2-3. Keep customers happy, Stay busy. Advertising gets you in the door, but you cant relay on that alone. IMHO

 

[sparra1100]

Thanks for the advice guys.
I know its tough out there at the min for everone but just find it frustrating at times. I was knocking back work this time last year for boiler breakdowns and other gas related work and said I wouldnt be in that same position this year, but here I am again!

I am finding allot of people (the general public) tend to "have a go" at plumbing themselves these days especially with info and materials so readily available from DIY stores, but least with Gas & Gas safe register it eliminates this (apart from the cowboys!) and justifies the prices that are charged, hence making this a bit more of a niche market.

If I had enough of the little plumbing jobs to fill a weeks work and walk away with a weeks wage then i guess it wouldnt be so bad, but honestly I cannot remember the last full week I worked!

Bring on the snow and freezing weather thats what I say resents2:

were are you based dan

 

[Dan the plumber]

were are you based dan

Live and work in west midlands mate but will pretty much go where ever the work is, as long as the price allows me to do so!

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

The thing is finding markets. You do need a "Bread and butter" contract or contact to guarantee as far as possible a continuity of work. That usually means working cheap for the likes of a Housing association, but they usually want you to have Gas Safe registration as perhaps a lot of their work is mixed heating and plumbing and they seem to like to only have to go to one company to get the services they want. I suppose its cheaper and easier on their administration to do so.

Waiting to build up your list of regular private customers could take many years. Perhaps you could buy in as a junior partner in an established local company?

 

[kay-jay]

Thanks for the advice guys.
I know its tough out there at the min for everone but just find it frustrating at times. I was knocking back work this time last year for boiler breakdowns and other gas related work and said I wouldnt be in that same position this year, but here I am again!


resents2:

don't turn work down mate! get down the merchants have a chat with some of the guys who do gas find one or two who will happily take on the jobs you get in return for the money but will allow you to attend and learn some skills and acquire some knowledge. thats what i did, i've been doing gas work for about 6 months with these guys and i'm hoping to be doing my acs before march. the other plus side is if you can develop a positive relationship with these guys they might offer you a day here and a day there helping out with bigger jobs even non gas. also they might pass on to you the jobs they don't fancy like toilet syphons etc. could all boost your income!

good luck

 

[sparra1100]

am at a point were am busy and have jobs i carnt get to straight away but cos there repeat customers they wait ,its gettin to the point were i need help but not all the time plus things could go quite,so its a hard one cos theres not enough meat on the bones to pay people a good wage but carnt do it all on me own am finding am booked 2 weeks ahead have been for months so as kay-jay says go in the merchants and ask people as there might be people like me or get you own work and offer it to them with a bit for you thats what i done

 

[Deleted member 25704]

I think considering the solid fuel route is not a bad option. People are putting in wood burners, so perhaps consider these systems with a couple of rads on.

In addition get a part-time job. I have always had two jobs, which helped in the lean times.

Its never been half as bad as this in the past, so if your getting some work, you are doing something right.

Don't presume the gas-game is lucrative - in my areal full house landlord checks are done for £40 and jobs for as little as £25, and people still bartering. The gas safe register is out of control, but thats they way they like it.

The gas game has run its course.