Try to keep it simple?

[Kev Stephenson]

Is there really anything wrong with working part time to pay for gear and establish a business before packing in the salaried work? Numerous people (including those in this thread) have said they started part time or while working in another job? Who on here didn't?

 

Should I have packed in the salaried job and started full time the next day with no gear, no chipper, etc to be more professional?

 

I personally did my basic tickets 2 months after picking up my first saw (after taking advise to get used to the saw first), have always been insured and have worked solely to pay for equipment up to now(otherwise the tax man would take most of it). I am now in a position where I can forsee no large purchases in the near future so money taken on jobs can pay the mortgage and not finance or repairs to old kit. Is it not true that a large number of new businesses go under because they are trying to service finance commitments as well as paying a wage, surely by buying all the kit before I NEED the income I will be in a better financial position to survive as full time self employed.

[skyhuck]

Who on here didn't?

 

 

Me!!!

 

 

But I take your point:wave:

[Pete Mctree]

Me neither. The true reality of the industry becomes apparent all too soon when you go full time. The ease of loosing money is frightening

[Dean Lofthouse]

All depends on how long the transition between jobs takes doesn't it really, mine was a few month. I established a yard, put in adverts 12 month before and pre planned it.

 

In fact I was in debt up to my eyeballs getting fully equipped and fully trained.

 

If someone continues to work full time salaried up and continues doing tree work in their spare time, then thats not having the balls to commit.

 

If someone then says well I haven't yet got the work to pack my job in, then welcome to self employed tree surgery, that's what self employed is, sometimes you dont draw a wage.

 

It's nice to play on a level playing field, if you don't like risk then get a job.

[conkers]

Is there really anything wrong with working part time to pay for gear and establish a business before packing in the salaried work? Numerous people (including those in this thread) have said they started part time or while working in another job? Who on here didn't?

 

Should I have packed in the salaried job and started full time the next day with no gear, no chipper, etc to be more professional?

 

I personally did my basic tickets 2 months after picking up my first saw (after taking advise to get used to the saw first), have always been insured and have worked solely to pay for equipment up to now(otherwise the tax man would take most of it). I am now in a position where I can forsee no large purchases in the near future so money taken on jobs can pay the mortgage and not finance or repairs to old kit. Is it not true that a large number of new businesses go under because they are trying to service finance commitments as well as paying a wage, surely by buying all the kit before I NEED the income I will be in a better financial position to survive as full time self employed.

 

Can't see a problem with that. What most people are against is not what you describe but the no insurance, no qualifications, no tax, under cutting posse who pull 25k+ in their cushy 35hr a week jobs and do a bit of tree cutting/ toppin an loppin in summer- if it,s sunny.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Can't see a problem with that. What most people are against is not what you describe but the no insurance, no qualifications, no tax, under cutting posse who pull 25k+ in their cushy 35hr a week jobs and do a bit of tree cutting/ toppin an loppin in summer- if it,s sunny.

 

The two firemen I know down the road have none of the above and they continue in their jobs with no intention whatsoever of packing their jobs in.

 

They are the moonlighters we speak of, if one intends to pack their job in once established then fair play, but how long should it take.

 

I know they have been doing tree work for four years now, oh and one of them runs a pub as well!!

[Matt]

Ever so slightly off topic but how necessary is a yard? I'm just starting out really, will be doing bits and pieces of tree work here and there to try and establish myself (I don't have another full time job though! I'm self employed doing gardening, interior plants etc)

 

I hope to eventually do tree work full time so will I definitely need a yard for storage of wood and equipment etc or do others on here just use their home as a base and store minimal amounts of wood? I'm guessing it all depends on if I wish to sell firewood or not.

[masterofdisaster]

Every one has every right to make money where they can stop moaning about nptc and all the rest.

 

Im fully insured 5m unlimited height the works i dont have nptc i have 5 years climbing non stop i save myself thousands right now while im still starting out on my own. So im more competative than someone with a ticket when i have money to spare i will go on the 4 1 week long courses.

 

Boys the fact remains nptc or any other paper is not required to work in the domestic sector and it will never change in our working life because to much tax is earned from gardening sales in big companys like homebase etc.

 

If you guys with your quals are so much better then surely you should have all the work im not digging just want to see your response to this post I get plenty of work based on my quality most of my work is word of mouth

 

Work hard do a quality job and in a year or two you should be flat out. :wave:

[Dean Lofthouse]

You may be insured MOD but can you claim in the event of an accident. You will be asked to show your qualifications. The first thing that will happen is the HSE will get involved and at the very least you will be prosecuted if it is someone else other than yourself that is injured. The first thing I was asked by the HSE when my MEWP went over is to show my MEWP ticket, I also had to send a copy to the insurance company, who definately would not have paid out if I hadn't had one.

 

It's no good stating to a customer that you have insurance if that insurance isn't worth the paper it's written on because of lack of tickets.

 

We all start off with no qualifications, but if you plan to go into tree work full time you would be best advised to gain the neccessary ticket o become Legal, which you say you intend to do.

 

As for undercutting, wait till you are doing it full time and have all the expenses, Public liability, employers, insurance, maintenance costs, chipper, vehicle and tool insurance etc etc.

 

It will be you scratching your head then wondering how come someone else can do it so cheap :wave:

[Dean Lofthouse]

Ever so slightly off topic but how necessary is a yard? I'm just starting out really, will be doing bits and pieces of tree work here and there to try and establish myself (I don't have another full time job though! I'm self employed doing gardening, interior plants etc)

 

I hope to eventually do tree work full time so will I definitely need a yard for storage of wood and equipment etc or do others on here just use their home as a base and store minimal amounts of wood? I'm guessing it all depends on if I wish to sell firewood or not.

 

Matt, best way at first is approach golf courses, pony centres, farmers etc etc and ask if they want some wood chip or logs free, you will end up with a data base of regular tip sites for both your chip and logs.

 

But eventually, when you get busier you will need to look into getting a yard.