subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you?

[kilty55]

everyones different and there stall is set out differently how do things work for you business wise just now and is it that what you want

me personally i now work a big percentage personal work and refits being the main work which is what i have ended up aiming for

tiling alone and working for builders and plumbers was not working for me due to work practice/prep/codes so i steered away from it and am no longer interested until i meet someone whos interested not in only profit but quality and they are few and far between imo regardless of how big there company name is.

loads of excellent tilers on here do you guys/gals stick to tiling or have you diversified in to refits/plastering etc etc to keep you going

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

That's the only way to run your own business IMHO! Just do your own work direct to your customer and keep your own standards.
But you have to adapt to keep the pennies coming in and I've been doing a bit of work down South for a Forum member who has a couple of top class bathroom companies to keep happy and they seem to want the job done the right way - so it's smiley face time, no running about, just go to work and sing along with Gold radio while looking out over some golf course!

 

[kilty55]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

thanks for the feedback john its good to see other traders opinions/experiences on how things are working for them especially someone like yourself

 

[John Benton]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

Hi Jamie

Nearly all of my work comes from recommendation. Primarily, I make my money through bathrooms and kitchens, I don't do plumbing, electrical or major plastering. I have a group of guys, all self-employed who work directly for the customer when required. I don't take a commission off their price as we all pass work on to each other.

I only do a small local advert that brings me in some little jobs between the larger jobs, and I have had to diversify a little doing a bit of decorating where needed. It works for me.

 

[Dougs Third Go]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

I'll do as much of the prep as possible, plasterboarding, plastering and tiling. I don't touch plumbing or electrics Jamie, unless it's just a case of taking potware out that's on service valves.

 

[Bubblecraft]

My work is all private domestic. I deal with the customer & the customer only. I never work for someone else. It's just another thing that can go wrong.

I personally do 95% of the work. Joinery, electrical, plumbing, tiling, plastering & decorating. I have a gas fitter for all gas work inc central heating systems, hob & oven hook ups etc & I have a dedicated plasterer for large plastering work. I have a few labourers that I get in when I need them for larger or timescale work but most of the time, it's just me. At least this way, I know that ALL prep work is done correctly & in the right sequence, there's no one tripping over each other, there's no hassle trying to book everyone & most importantly, all profits are mine!

I like it that way.

 

[Aston]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

hi jamie

i work direct to the customer if i can. as you said, i prefer it that way. you can sell the benefits of your business better and maintain the standards....i do work for builders and a couple of architects that i have built good relationships with over the years. they like things doing the right way too so and there's a mutual trust between us so I don't worry about payment either!

as for where i am taking my business in 2013. wall & floor tiling specialists & bathroom renovations will be the focus for me..if i had my choice, then i'd just tile but in my situation and in my area, its useful to expand your skills or you could get pushed out...i can do all my own prep from floor screeding, boarding, partitioning to rendering so that helps. i have done lots of exterior patio's, terraces and driveway, so that's going to give me the opportunity to expand into 'exterior tile & stone work'

as for the bathroom renovations. i will sub out the plumbing & the electrics because sometimes its more efficient to get other people in who are set up to work faster than you. this gives you time to drop onto other areas of your own trade. i will fit wet rooms and do all the planning and prep work/carpentry too.

i want to be in a position of maximising every bit of my experience & earning potential so if that means 1 week i'm doing a full bathroom renovation and the next week i'm driving down south to work on a job for a contractor then so be it. The aim is to be flexible but focused mainly on the tiling! i have lossed a bit of time of the last couple of years so i want to work for as long as i can and tiling & bathrooms is where i feel i can achieve that longevity and more importantly, work enjoyment!

regards
ed

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

Hi Jamie
I have not really changed the way i set -out my store, for years ,i still sub to pool company s, and i still work to private clients, but technology has changed my store a bit, as i have a web-site now well for the last three-four years, that brings in more work from the private side, i have always offerd rendering /screeding to compliment the whole internal finish,and i have Fantasised about doing lots of stone jobs or conservatory floors, Garage show-rooms, but in reality, i have never chased this work, i mainly do swimming pools / surrounds /changing rooms, OK work is now a bit slow again ! but as soon as the sun shines we'll be off again, i just wish the economy was busy for us all again, but in reality i think them days have gone for the foreseeable future probs 30-40 years if not forever !!!
Anyway good thread as usual Jamie,

 

[peteablard]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

Virtually all my work is commercial. I've subbied for years but have very recently gone after contracts directly. I do tiling and flooring and I've just started my first job direct for a shopfitting company. it's 270m2 of engineered wood, 4/5 days work for me and subby I've taken on to help me. I spent about 5 years doing domestic work but the last 5 years I've stayed away from if as much as possible. Yes I have to work away quite a bit or travel a lot but it works for me and I've never looked back

 

[bugs183]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

I really miss the commercial work, i do a bit on the new New Street Station, but apart from that i've had nothing for years, and the ones we've priced for have been undercut by miles.

 

[peteablard]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

I really miss the commercial work, i do a bit on the new New Street Station, but apart from that i've had nothing for years, and the ones we've priced for have been undercut by miles.

You do have to go in quite low to win the tiling jobs, just the way it is unfortunately. There are other aspects of flooring that I'll try and make it back on though. Having said that if you're doing some of the work yourself it's not too bad, trying to sub some of it out and make on it can be a be a challenge!!

 

[bugs183]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

We quoted for 2500m2 of 600x600 polished porcelain in Birmingham, labour only.
We didn't go in high, some guys got it at £8.00m2, so you have to lay minimum of 18m2 everyday to even earn decent day rate!
No chance.

 

[peteablard]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

We quoted for 2500m2 of 600x600 polished porcelain in Birmingham, labour only.
We didn't go in high, some guys got it at £8.00m2, so you have to lay minimum of 18m2 everyday to even earn decent day rate!
No chance.

:yikes: that's crazy!

 

[charlie1]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

We quoted for 2500m2 of 600x600 polished porcelain in Birmingham, labour only.
We didn't go in high, some guys got it at £8.00m2, so you have to lay minimum of 18m2 everyday to even earn decent day rate!
No chance.

don't want to trigger a penis measuring contest but 18 m2 on a floor per day would be very achievable if substrate was reasonable.

 

[charlie1]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

Just to add, I've never subbed any work out and not been slightly dissatisfied with result. The only way i would let another tiler near my work now is to labour for me, its really not worth the stress

 

[Peter]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

Try to keep a nice balance of builders/plumbers/recommendations/new leads to keep things ticking over.

Have about 4 builders I'd do regular work for and don't mind it at all. Worked for a few idiots in the past but the ones I'm in with now are keen on having the job done right and never mind being told how to prep a job differently for a better tiling job. Don't mind working for those fellas at all as I'm not pricing against anyone, just turn up, tile, send my bill and get paid at the end of the week. Pretty stress free.

The last year or so I've been doing as much as I can myself. Some tilers just stick to tiling and don't do prep etc but don't understand why as you're better stripping a bathroom for a day's wages than sitting in the house waiting on someone else stripping it.

Don't like subbing work out but there are one or two tilers I'd bring in when needed.

 

[peteablard]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

don't want to trigger a penis measuring contest but 18 m2 on a floor per day would be very achievable if substrate was reasonable.

Absolutely but there is plenty of commercial work available at double that, £8 is a joke!

 

[peteablard]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

Just to add, I've never subbed any work out and not been slightly dissatisfied with result. The only way i would let another tiler near my work now is to labour for me, its really not worth the stress

You're right mate, trying to find decent guys is a nightmare. Fortunately I've got a couple of guys I can rely in if needs be, one of them who I'd trust to do a job from start to finish and I know it would be 100%

 

[bugs183]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

don't want to trigger a penis measuring contest but 18 m2 on a floor per day would be very achievable if substrate was reasonable.

No penis triggered here!
Of course it's achievable under the right conditions, but this was a shop refurb, so you can guess what the floor would be like and how many trades would be on it.
My dad and i used to do loads of commercial, our best day was 100m2 between us in one day in 300x300's! But the floor was perfect.

 

[charlie1]

Re: subbying or run your own jobs how does your business work for you

No penis triggered here!
Of course it's achievable under the right conditions, but this was a shop refurb, so you can guess what the floor would be like and how many trades would be on it.
My dad and i used to do loads of commercial, our best day was 100m2 between us in one day in 300x300's! But the floor was perfect.

i done 101 on my best day ;-) (wink joke lol) i know what your saying, on your knees day offer say also takes its toll