Lowering job spec to get work??

[mattle40]

Yes he is vat registered, I'm not tho, why do you ask?

 

[John Benton]

Yes he is vat registered, I'm not tho, why do you ask?

Well the cost of your work will have an added 20% on the customers bill as you are not charging them direct. Do you actually know what he charges as a %age for himself on top of your bill as well. If you charge him say £500 for a job then he may add 10% making it £550 + VAT, totalling £660. The customer is then paying £160 over what you would charge directly.

 

[Sanke]

Surely as a contractor / subcontractor he should be paying his subs via the CIS deducting the tax. To avoid this additional burden you could suggest you invoice the clients seperately ?

 

[mattle40]

I'd not actually thought of it that way to be honest, definatly puts a different spin on things tho..

 

[CJ]

Ask yourself a question Mattel..........................would he accept the blame if something went really wrong, as in, heavy weight tiles crashing down and breaking something or someone.

Would he drop you like a bad smell if push comes to shove.

These stuck in the past merchants are the worlds worst, they will not accept that things have changed, and they know best........when we all no otherwise.

If he will not accept change..............tell him to take a hike, before it costs YOU

 

[mattle40]

Generally if he gets paid cash so do I, otherwise it's bank transfer so I assume it's all above board, although probably not the cash jobs..

 

[mattle40]

Ask yourself a question Mattel..........................would he accept the blame if something went really wrong, as in, heavy weight tiles crashing down and breaking something or someone.

Would he drop you like a bad smell if push comes to shove.

These stuck in the past merchants are the worlds worst, they will not accept that things have changed, and they know best........when we all no otherwise.

If he will not accept change..............tell him to take a hike, before it costs YOU

Seems very sound advice thanks

Think I'm heading in this direction

 

[John Benton]

I'd not actually thought of it that way to be honest, definatly puts a different spin on things tho..

That's what was happening in my previous post and he kept asking me to drop my price to get the job. As he was dealing directly with the customer I've no idea what he was charging and whether asking me to drop my price was just to go straight in his pocket, I suspect so.

You have no control over what happens and unfortunately it's in his hands. He holds the cards, so it's important that you make yourself known to other plumbers/ tradesmen that you meet on jobs. I always hand my card out to every trade I meet on jobs, and ask for theirs, and also leave a few cards with customers.

 

[mattle40]

That's what was happening in my previous post and he kept asking me to drop my price to get the job. As he was dealing directly with the customer I've no idea what he was charging and whether asking me to drop my price was just to go straight in his pocket, I suspect so.

You have no control over what happens and unfortunately it's in his hands. He holds the cards, so it's important that you make yourself known to other plumbers/ tradesmen that you meet on jobs. I always hand my card out to every trade I meet on jobs, and ask for theirs, and also leave a few cards with customers.

Cheers John,
I'm not fully self employed yet, was going to take the jump before Christmas but the work just wasn't there.. I'm just getting the hankering again but this is my biggest worry in doing so as until I'm more established I'll mostly be subbing and I'm not really comfortable with the prospect of having to justify the correct methods every job I come across..
And worry il end up lowering my standards to keep in work
I'm pretty much part time at the minute on the books for a tile shop I'd rather not name and self employed the rest if that makes sense
But that seems sound advice thank you

 

[John Benton]

Where are you based? I noticed you are Leeds!

 

[mattle40]

Yes I'm in Bramley ls13, what about yourself?

 

[John Benton]

Between Leeds and Wakefield

It's not the same plumber I know....haha

 

[mattle40]

Lol just one of many eh!

 

[John Benton]

Strangely enough he's not working for himself anymore. He'd charge 1k for labour and materials on a straight bathroom swap + the cost of the sanitaryware. No wonder he wanted me to lower my prices.

 

[mattle40]

So that's strip out
First fix
Tile prep
Tile
second fix
For £1k inc materials????
So you got paid out of that too?