Booking months in advance?

[Peter]

From reading another thread and seeing how people were booked 3-4 months away, I was wondering how this works as far as small domestic jobs go? Is your diary booked day to day in that if you're messed about on a job or run late that it throws your whole schedule off? What happens jobs that are needing to be done in a week or two? Do you leave 3-4 day pockets free or do you lose out?

Would be nice to have that security but when I price a job it's usually ready and waiting or about to be started, so if I told them I'd be able to tile it in October I wouldn't get the job. Have a two-three week turnaround myself but any longer than a month and surely you're losing business?

Can understand it if you're tied up with one main builder or tile shop but is it effective for privately sourced domestic?

 

[hillhead]

I'v used to have 10- 14 jobs in book at a time, now i'v 7 usually.
I'v booked dates for next two months and yes schedules can slip and you can finish one ahead of time.
I personally like a month ahead, that way dates keep well i find too.

 

[Ian]

I'm normally a month ahead, currently taking work in for November. This is quite rare but I'm in my 5th year of being self employed now and the vast majority of my work is from recommendations so, people are willing to wait. In the past if I couldn't get to someone within a couple of weeks I'd lose the work.

 

[White Room]

I tend find larger jobs are usually booked more in advanced or builders who are organised..

 

[Daz]

I only do domestics. I'm booking jobs in October at present and I'm booked out at prices that keep me happy, so if I can't do that job that needs doing yesterday I ain't gonna lose any sleep over it :lol:

 

[tfs]

I am normally booked up anything from 1 - 6 weeks at a time. When I am busy I give a rough idea of start date, clients are normally ok with this unless they have serious work commitments or deadlines in which case I will agree an exact date but this may be further down the line unless I can shuffle jobs around.

Had a great few months work wise and have a few wee jobs that I cant fit in just now, these are the jobs I will try and squeeze in between jobs.

This way works best for me as I tend to find that you come across issues that were not anticipated and customers frequantly add to there wish list which I may try to accomidate when possible.

 

[Peter]

Not bad if you can get the work that far ahead and be able to pick and choose.

 

[Thespanishtiler]

today I just booked in my first job of the new year that takes me up to the 23rd of january.

all the jobs are full bathroom installations/wet rooms.

I offer a turn key service where everything is taken care of.

my clients want me to do the job and are willing to wait till I am free.

I always diary in more days than are allocated to the work to give me flexability if a job over runs or has extras.

if I gain time i start the next job early or fit in a small tiling job/have a day off.

thats how it works for me

 

[andy-p]

Nice one spanish , i sub contract for a couple of bathroom fitters who offer a service like yours and at the moment i have about 10 bathrooms booked in with more to follow, in between that i do my own private work and some light commercial work as well , its all good at the moment..

 

[Thespanishtiler]

Glad things are going well for you andy, long may it continue