Do you work for yourself or for a company

[tysfoot]

Just wondering how many people who use this forum either work for themselfs or work for a company.

I should imagine most work for themselfs

Lets us know

The reason why i ask is that as im new to tiling, im finding it hard to get work, things are very slow at the moment and im losing my patience, is there work out there to work for contractors, in the manchester area

If there are jobs out there working for a company at least you get work and you dont have to worry about becoming self employed

Any Advice :hurray:

 

[Raja]

Hello mate i understand where u r coming from and if u asked any one in here they would all say they had same problem at some point in their tiling career. Stick with it. I work for my self along with my partner there are 5 of us in totalon and off depending on how busy we are it is just starting to pick up after the christmas period when every one has paid off their credit cards etc. get urself in local rags and round tile shops introducing urself. As for contractors that is a tricky one myself never worked for one so could not comment let people know u are about as much as u can All depends on how u advertise and where u advertise read through some old threads on advertising in the forum very sound advice on there.

 

[tysfoot]

Cheers mate, it is a hard month, last job i had was the week before xmas, lukily i work as a postman but as soon as i get a good order book ill quit. its a hard step to take when youve got debt and a mortage and an expensive girlfreind.

 

[Perry]

Tysfoot she will have to go mate :lol: take it from a man with experience

 

[Raja]

am 25 used to have expensive girlfriends between 20 and 23 lol am single now not much chance of meeting a nice lass tiling some ones toilet. My ex said to me last summer Raja are we going out tonite or u riding bike i said riding bike she said only riding u will b doing from now on never saw her again lol

 

[tysfoot]

i just need regular work and its a big step to take with the situation im in so im thinking it might be worth working for someone else. No one out there got any advice

 

[pgs]

know what u mean mate, have just been told house suposed to refurb been cancelled 10 weeks work gone!! thats life.. it is a big step but with some hard work is worth it...stick with it and just get yourself known to people...
Good luck mate

 

[baht'at]

Hi Mate,
Know how you feel in the same boat as started last may, and am out in the sticks.
Have spent a lot on adverts in local papers and the freebies but not working for me.
I keep pestering the local tile , kitchen and bathroom shops and now got my foot in the door with a kitchen supplier(if they would only stop recomending glass splash backs)
It has been suggested to have a word with local plumbers as some do their own tiling but a few would rather make their money just putting pipe work in
Any way good luck to you.
Richard

 

[White Room]

i just need regular work and its a big step to take with the situation im in so im thinking it might be worth working for someone else. No one out there got any advice

Do it, I've had periods where it's been slack, The recession comes to mind in the 90's done security for a year the most boring job I've ever had, needed the money though. Working for someone else at least gives you regular money and maybe some new contacts. I did work for an agency but had to pay another company £3 in every hundred I earnt to sort out my tax, was a few years ago, Can't comment what their like now. To be honest I would take somethink rather than have nothing. Best of luck.

Add on, misses buggered off to run a pub, Started getting divorced, Went bancrupt and went to the doctor (due to stress, nightmares and insomnia) who gave me some tablets out of his desk draw, wow they were good, A bad year.

 

[tysfoot]

cheers guys some good advice, glad to hear people are are have been in the same boat as me.

Question for baht'at, i never though of asking tile shops for work, how do they get work. am sure a place like topps wont do that, or will they

Cheers anyway

 

[CJ]

Its how I started out TY.

Working as a postman (part-time)

Finished my delivery by 10.30am (Olden days:whatchutalkingabout )..........home, bit of brekkie, then out on the job

5 years I did that for till I moved to where I am now and then started out on my own.

Ended up making more tiling than Posty-ing..........but it did take time..........



so don't rush into it toooo soon and end up in the cacky stuff............good luck

Oh...........and keep the silly storys coming in :lol:

 

[tysfoot]

yeah they have changed all the hours now so i dont finish till 2pm, thats not right, so i have to quote a stupid low price as i can only put in 3 - 4 hours a day tiling then all my weekend. bad news and looks unprofessional...Spend most my time setting up clearing up and cleaning my tools.....:mad2:

Am trying to puh for a transfer to my local sorting office doing 6 - 10 pm mon to fri so i can get my tiling done though the day

 

[brian c]

self employed myself.Getting work can sometimes be hard and i think it is quiet all over at the moment,so dont think it is you doing something wrong tys.Keep pushing for business and get your cards in all tile shops that will take them,also corner shop windows.If you really want work then you will get it,so dont stop looking for it or waiting for the phone to ring.KEEP YOUR CHIN UP M8.

 

[baht'at]

Hi,
I am in the sticks in West Yorks (the Dales) and we dont have any of the large tile stores near these days (nearest is Leeds 18 miles and nearly an hr driving) so the ones round here are all small businesses with just tiles or tiles and bathrooms but all carry a good selection .
When I first started I visited every out let I could find advertising and introduced by self and left a few cards and said if they passed any work my way I would inturn would buy adhesives and grout from them.

I do in turn buy materials from a few in the area just as a reminder im still here .
I wont say its going to be easy to pick up work but you have to keep showing ur face and with a bit of luck they will pass your name on to a customer.
I have had a couple of jobs this way and have asked each customer once the work is finished if they would be kind enough to let the tile shop know of their satisfaction.As reputation goes a long way to repeat work.
Just had a call to night at 8pm as a referal from one of the tile shops.
Hope this helps you build up your work load.
Richard

 

[devonmark]

lukily i work as a postman but as soon as i get a good order book ill quit. .

Tys, do you get paid whilst on the sick ? If you do...wait til you get a good few jobs lined up and then instead of quitting your job..hit the sick, if your going to jack your job in anyway, you ain't got nothing to lose ? You never know you may get paid off, I took the michael with the sick for 18 months on and off whilst I set up and got my name around, in the end they decided to get shut so I chucked my hand in first..good luck whatever you...Mark.