Chris Day

I would have no issue with a system like this, however we categorically do not work for day rate as every time I have agreed to do so in the past it has ended badly despite the work being done to specification.

It's a good idea to get try and estimate costs. The biggest mistake I have watched and still watch people and friends make is treating the money left after paying staff/subbies and fuel from a job as their own. Expect to pay yourself very little for the first few years, young businesses eat money and you will always need to buy something else. Whilst paying yourself little expect to work long long hours, quotes, paperwork, fixing stuff, organising stuff etc. All that said, I love running my own gig. And I even enjoy it sometimes.

Good man

Has anyone any pics of tree work which infuriate them? I've come home soaked to the bollocks all week looking like a sawdust macaroon and this will continue until mid afternoon on Saturday, I could do with a laugh. I will even take a newton one liner! .... Not the powder variety though.

Trees down and nobody hurt, that's one plus. How it got down though is rather unusual. The outfit they are working for has felled a tree or two to pay for that vermeer, maybe the bloke who knows what he's doing and the bloke who can manage a site were elsewhere doing a great job.

Man after my own heart. Also putting it on a shovel, knocking on the owners door and when they open it putting the turd covered shovel under their nose and asking which lawn they would like it on is quite effective. #1 Note to future users of this technique a steaming fresh turd is absolutely essential for this to have the most effect.

I think a few who have posted on this thread may doubt the amount the military alters people with or without conflict thrown in to it. For the humble grunt it's effects are most apparent, the news shows us this. For example; march this year me and my mate stood in my yard chatting before locking up for the day. Some clown of a policeman was in the police range in the quarry a mile up the valley. He fired a burst of automatic from something substantial. Instantly me and my mate crouch and head towards cover, pointing in the direction of the noise screaming contact. Millions would have looked in the direction of the odd noise and thought nothing of it. So even for me and him who don't have PTSD or other equally fun and exciting mental disorders, luckily for us, we have reactions which we can't forget. Noises, smells, etc evoke reactions for everyone in every walk of life, for some of us some of those reactions are peculiar to others.

We are Ltd and VAT registered, it's me plus one FT employee on the tools and my mrs recently has joined us as a co-director she runs the office. So we are small and it's hard to make it work, but the guy I employ is a top bloke and we work our leave around each other. He is on £10 per hour with all the employee benefits and gets 45 hours each week minimum. Round here in South Yorkshire that's not bad coin. He gets over time for early starts or late knocks and doesn't get docked for early ones. I used to use subbies but hated the stress of having to book them in as I need a second climber everyday. An employee made sense and reduced my stress. Plus come rain or shine he is in the yard on time everyday and never grumbles. He has been with me a year and he doesn't know but we are sitting down in two weeks to discuss a pay rise. He's good dust and I will work to keep him happy. That's the crux finding someone worth investing in.

We are flat rate and I find it works for us, pretty sure in the next financial year we will have to go full registration. In terms of losing work, if you need to register then you are doing alright and must have some kind of client base so you should be alright. Just add the vat in your head before opening your mouth on quotes with domestic work. Don't price low to compensate, I tried that it's not a good idea! As for waiting for pending invoices to meet the bill, I just put all the vat and ten percent of every invoice into a separate account marked vat and tax. We always have enough each quarter and I find we have spare to pay insurance etc without touching business capital. Chat to your accountant about the practicalities.

I agree, I wouldn't either it would be covered in grease and ripped to bits in no time at all. I buy us pulsar hi vis for work. Seem to get a winter out of them and we only wear them when it's proper raining otherwise it's a couple of soft shells in the van and change when they get too heavy.

Back to the thread after much banter. I vouch for paramo, I've had an alta for years it's got stains and stuff on it a few wear marks on the cuffs. Waterproof and very breathable, regret getting the alta though as it's got a heavy lining so no good if moving fast or if it's warm. Their summer style jackets are quite a bit thinner. Downside to mine is the toggle cords are loose so can whip your face in high winds and because they are a natural fabric if you put it away wet and leave it then it will go mouldy and rot.

I love a bit of tinned fish, drives the lad I work with nuts when I crack a tin in the van. I think if I turn up with this he will resign..... Still worth a try.

Thanks for the feedback all what I wanted to hear, relieved it's not perfect as that would be unbelievable. I guess the decision is made.

I've got a black thermos original which came with 25 or 50 years guarantee can't remember which. Last winter I left it in the van overnight several times on cold nights after filling it that morning and the tea was still hot lunchtime the next day. Cost about 50 quid from amazon but came with a soup flask which keeps food red hot until lunch. Had it three years looking a bit scratched and dinged but still doing it's job.

They've been out a while and I haven't seen a thread raising an issue with these machines, added to that bandit can't seem to keep up with demand for them. That said there must be something that could be better or irks owners or operators? I ask because I am going through arb lease to get one, this is on the back of the lack of negative feedback I have seen.