Originally Posted by vinniethemanxcat

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That's a bunch of independant GSR engineers, they have a website/ forum that might be of assistance.........



Although as O2 says, things are really bloody dire out here even for people who have been at it for a long time, and have a decent base of customers.


Unless it's a dire emergency they aren't spending..... best of luck though.

Thanks for that, I'm not expecting it to be easy, I'm aware the trade is not exactly booming at the moment but with hard work i'll be ok.

Originally Posted by O2 Oxygen Thief

Jeez..another 'I fancy my chances' CC..work is hard enough to find without 'cnuts' like you popping up..I've been doing electrical/gas for 30+ yrs(proper apprenticeship..slide rules/pen, paper(for when the calculator batteries run out)..HND/Day release..sell double glazing instead, ex army..that's all your good for..Ohhhh..I'm 'Polish' 'n' I've got no time for my 'eastern european cousins' who've cut my rates from £18.00 p.h to £11.50..'n' I'm properly insured too..

Where do you work, Somalia?

I'd love to meet a "tradesman" who only charges £18.00 p/h instead of the usual cunts who quote £120.00 to fit a tap that you have supplied.

It's a very steep learning curve....a few points.

DON'T have any debts... a shiny new van, bought on the drip will be like swimming with an anchor.

Have as much money in reserve as you can get, this time of year when every one gets hit by bills, is dead, cash in the bank will get you through.

Don't gamble with your own money, get your customer to give the delivery driver a cheque against materials, when they deliver the gear, you get paid on completion, it gives you and the customer confidence and weeds out the swindlers.

Don't drop your prices if they offer you cash, it makes you look unprofessional, and that type of customer often gives trouble, just tell them you're happy with a cheque.

Knowledge is you best tool... you must always check out what is available to do the job easily.... check out all the catalogues, compare prices.

Don't just get an account at the local merchants, they can look cheap on the loss- leaders, but they stick it up you on the fittings.

A lot of us use phone/ internet firms, most deliver next day, free if it's over £40

If you do start to make money, invest it slowly in building up a "store cupboard" of bits you use frequently in the garage, and try to keep one or two of all the frequently used bits in the van, ORGANISED so you can find them....





If you build your own racking, that lot fits in a Kangoo....





Cheaper to run, also easier to park than a big van.

Get a trailer to carry anything else, I bought mine for £20, 35 years ago, just had to renew the ply about 4 times.

vinniethemanxcat, excellent post, thanks!

Some good tips there. And how do you get all that in there?! lol

I am a heating engineer (gas safe) all the cert you could ask for after 40 odd years in the profession I just do jobs I want to do . Best work I did was off shore more dosh than in the domestic scene the punters know all the cheap buys they can get material cheaper than us through the web and still want long guarantees. Trouble shooting is harder than fitting a system you can't buy experience its easy when you have found the problem but getting there is an other matter

Originally Posted by jackw106

I am a heating engineer (gas safe) all the cert you could ask for after 40 odd years in the profession I just do jobs I want to do . Best work I did was off shore more dosh than in the domestic scene the punters know all the cheap buys they can get material cheaper than us through the web and still want long guarantees. Trouble shooting is harder than fitting a system you can't buy experience its easy when you have found the problem but getting there is an other matter

What quals would be needed for offshore work?

Off shore survival & medical we have a training base here in the east, pipe fitting or welding, electrician. It helps to have lots of contacts Global has work in the Northern sector

Originally Posted by O2 Oxygen Thief

Jeez..another 'I fancy my chances' CC..work is hard enough to find without 'cnuts' like you popping up..I've been doing electrical/gas for 30+ yrs(proper apprenticeship..slide rules/pen, paper(for when the calculator batteries run out)..HND/Day release..sell double glazing instead, ex army..that's all your good for..Ohhhh..I'm 'Polish' 'n' I've got no time for my 'eastern european cousins' who've cut my rates from £18.00 p.h to £11.50..'n' I'm properly insured too..

You've made my mind up for me. I'm going to get my 17th edition (unless it changes to 18+) and relevant gas quals, and undercut twats like you. After all, I'll have a decent pension and a tidy lump sum.

Originally Posted by O2 Oxygen Thief

Jeez..another 'I fancy my chances' CC..work is hard enough to find without 'cnuts' like you popping up..I've been doing electrical/gas for 30+ yrs(proper apprenticeship..slide rules/pen, paper(for when the calculator batteries run out)..HND/Day release..sell double glazing instead, ex army..that's all your good for....

That's fairly typical of the attitude you'll get from most time-served plumbers, who see the short-course trainees as a threat to their earnings. It can be made to work, with hard graft.

CC is 'Course Cowboy' or 'Career Change'; it was much used on plumbers' fora (or forums, as plumbers say).

You could search the archives on some of those forums to get an idea of how little the short courses are valued. These two threads may be of interest.
From a "course cowboy" : Screwfix Community Forum

Career change (be nice to me) : Screwfix Community Forum

ISTR that Happy Hammer/Mr. Penetrator was an ex-squaddy, but also note that he had 17 years experience in running a small business before starting out as a plumber. He hasn't posted on that forum in recent years, probably too busy working. I'm not him and have no idea who he is.

Be warned; the training colleges will aggressively try to sell you their courses with rosy implications of future earnings. This sales technique is called 'Lying'. The college-based qualification you will usually get is typically half of an NVQ; I can't recall the C&G numbers, they've just changed again. This typically shows you have installed a cold water cistern, radiator, wash basin, hot water cylinder, etc., in a work-shop. This is worthless without the other, work-experience based, half of the NVQ2.

Paper certificates count for nothing, work experience counts for everything and is very, very hard to get. If you can find a plumber who'd take you on, you'll have to resign yourself to working for little or no money for some time.

People will always want taps repaired, radiators moved, boilers installed or moved, etc.. Gas qualifications are being promoted because of the past earnings of Corgi/Gas Safe technicians. Be aware that times are changing, the North Sea gas is going and future carbon neutral requirements will make it difficult to install gas boilers. Grab the Gas Safe qualifications if you can, but keep a look out for any other lines of work (OFTEC, wood-burners, heat pumps, etc).

Originally Posted by vinniethemanxcat

Don't gamble with your own money, get your customer to give the delivery driver a cheque against materials, when they deliver the gear, you get paid on completion, it gives you and the customer confidence and weeds out the swindlers.

I think you should be wary of that, Vinnie. Most terms & conditions have a clause stating that there is no transfer of ownership until full payment for the work (supply and fit) has been made. If a customer is looking for an angle to avoid paying, they will have some leverage if they have a receipt for the materials from the suppliers or a receipt for payment for materials from the installer. They will then claim your workmanship is defective and you don't have the option of snatching back YOUR materials.

I'm vague on the law about this; there may be a ruling that ownership is transferred once the pipes and fittings have been fixed, but I've never found it. I hope that doesn't come across like a granny & eggs post.