What’s on the cards for 2023?

[Stroppymonkey]

Hoping to get a 4000ft ish shed built on my old man’s land (which will be my land l) Planning to start getting some use out of my spider crane once my paperwork and tickets all sorted. Keeps my mind busy as after 21 years in the heating industry it starts to become stale. Running a team of employees keeps it interesting though.

 

[Giles]

Has anyone managed to successfully achieve this?
And I ask this very honestly as I feel I am a classic for saying yes to everything then running around like mad trying to get everything done. The last couple of years have been very good earners but unsustainable in terms of time spent working. But on the flip side, we've had a recession on the horizon for so long now its felt a bit like make hay while the sun shines. And going into one now, as we no doubt are, turning work away seems completely counterintuitive to me?
Am I being a busy fool? Has anyone worked out a decent work life balance?
I mean, Druid has retired and still harps on about his work all the time, recalling land rovers he should have restored and JCB's he shouldn't have sold.... - am I doomed to this fate also?

Not really, have knocked most weekend and bank holiday work on the head.

I’ve definitely got better at saying no to jobs I don’t want, and can tell timewasters from phone calls and don’t bother following up blind tenders that are emailed out without a phone call or at least a covering letter.

Tend to say yes to main clients be it factory or trust or an engineer gives us a lot of work always try to accommodate them.

But it’s that fear of turning work down and there being non but reality is last 10 years been solid.

With 8 month old I try hang around in morning if I can do breakfast with family then head out bit later to site but I’d say 2 days a week I’m out the house early.

Paperwork is now like 10-2am time slot few hours sleep then out. Also been trying to do more paperwork in the day on site on iPad Pro so there for decisions direction and try do a bit but can price etc without being crawled on by baby or 14 yr old wants lifts etc

Then weekends I’ve a huge list of jobs I’d like to get done on maintenance etc but doesn’t happen as family need that time with me.

Still struggling with the balance

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Not really, have knocked most weekend and bank holiday work on the head.

I’ve definitely got better at saying no to jobs I don’t want, and can tell timewasters from phone calls and don’t bother following up blind tenders that are emailed out without a phone call or at least a covering letter.

Tend to say yes to main clients be it factory or trust or an engineer gives us a lot of work always try to accommodate them.

But it’s that fear of turning work down and there being non but reality is last 10 years been solid.

With 8 month old I try hang around in morning if I can do breakfast with family then head out bit later to site but I’d say 2 days a week I’m out the house early.

Paperwork is now like 10-2am time slot few hours sleep then out. Also been trying to do more paperwork in the day on site on iPad Pro so there for decisions direction and try do a bit but can price etc without being crawled on by baby or 14 yr old wants lifts etc

Then weekends I’ve a huge list of jobs I’d like to get done on maintenance etc but doesn’t happen as family need that time with me.

Still struggling with the balance

This is exactly my life!
Bend over backwards to sort out regular amazing customers who keep a roof over my head! (A lot of what we do is lastminute.com because we have brilliant but equally s**t customers - they are a pain in the arse BUT they always pay and they are loyal - it works both ways as far as I’m concerned).
Don’t turn down new work (but often let it slip away by being crap at following up leads as are too busy in reality)…
Do every possible thing to be at home at the start and/or the end of the day (ideally taking the kids to/from school).
Unless there is absolutely no other way around it I never ever work weekends or bank holidays.
Family time and life in general are more important than anything else IMO - I’ve worked my bollocks off to build a brilliant customer base and I’ll never let them down but there are many things that are more important than work!!!

 

[Furniss]

It takes a long time to get the balance right ...seems to have to be a coming together of a few factors like getting established - maybe adjusting your ambitions - getting a little bit more security behind you and then a réalisation that life is short ! ....the sooner that that really sinks in and is not just something you quote cos older people say it then the luckier you are

 

[Simon edwards]

You are so right,the one thing you can’t buy is time!I suspect that most of us on here have a similar story,work like hell for years with all the enthusiasm and energy in the world absolutely loving it .get to a certain age realise you’ve missed out on a lot of important moments. are abit burnt out,body is showing the scars and it’s a struggle to maintain any real enthusiasm!
Then you get a nice job with some decent weather in a nice machine,It’s still a pretty good way to pay the bills,I find I just need to reset my thinking a bit as work is now notmy main priority just something I do and generally still enjoy.

 

[JD450A]

I don't think I would want to shift for others but would be very annoying if you were closer by and couldn't because you weren't on a national..

Just my penneth.
Buy a older, cheaper wagon. Do your sums and don't be scared of letting it sit..... I'd actually even argue that your quite possibly better off looking at smaller rather than bigger. Little lorries are comparable with vans cost wise and have the potential to earn far more than the larger ones if you can find the jobs others stumble pricing because the access is poor.

I'd also look more at choosing Either a Tipper, Or a Plant Body. Hook lifts are lovely in theory but you will find yourself endlessly wondering WTF you can't get in places, you still will struggle to shift a 13t weight wise (seem to think the cases are 15t) and they will cost a lot more in R&M

There are plenty of jobs I still sub out lorry wise..... Mine is priced out at £100/hr..... and there are many lorries that run out below £60/hr

 

[Furniss]

I went between old and new trying to find the best value - hoping not to have to have continuous repairs, time will tell if it was the best way, in reality you can have a load of grief with nearly new and on the other hand get lucky with a bombproof old bus ........ buying newer you would expect less hassle and at the end of the day I saw it as an investment.

In my experience i would say that the disadvantage weight wise of a hook is outweighed massively by its day to day advantages ...had hooks for several years and it's an absolutely no going back job.

Danny needs to move more muck and bigger kit than me so a 4x2 with a 10t payload probably won't do it but a 6 wheeler on hook can do 14.5t payload iirc.

 

[Grahams]

Not sure government expect us to get through the winter. I was on the M6 today and saw a convoy of new Police riot trucks going the other way. These were not the transit with some mesh added or even the American style ones the Met Police bought but don’t seem to use, but small armoured lorries with high level windows in the back to stand and look out of, but most worryingly gun ports under every window. I’ve never seen a UK Police vehicle with gun ports before. It looked more like something you would expect the Chinese or any dictatorship to use. I guess they are expecting the worst.
Didn’t get any pictures as I was driving and can’t find any mention on google.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Not sure government expect us to get through the winter. I was on the M6 today and saw a convoy of new Police riot trucks going the other way. These were not the transit with some mesh added or even the American style ones the Met Police bought but don’t seem to use, but small armoured lorries with high level windows in the back to stand and look out of, but most worryingly gun ports under every window. I’ve never seen a UK Police vehicle with gun ports before. It looked more like something you would expect the Chinese or any dictatorship to use. I guess they are expecting the worst.
Didn’t get any pictures as I was driving and can’t find any mention on google.

About time we had some pushback against just stop oil loonies
Interesting sight tho I'm sure they'll appear in some Facebook post before long....we had the nuclear convoy re routed due to accident and come through here few weeks back ..the Facebook posts were hilarious...folk had heard bangs and it was obviously that exploding..

 

[Silversabre]

Not sure government expect us to get through the winter. I was on the M6 today and saw a convoy of new Police riot trucks going the other way. These were not the transit with some mesh added or even the American style ones the Met Police bought but don’t seem to use, but small armoured lorries with high level windows in the back to stand and look out of, but most worryingly gun ports under every window. I’ve never seen a UK Police vehicle with gun ports before. It looked more like something you would expect the Chinese or any dictatorship to use. I guess they are expecting the worst.
Didn’t get any pictures as I was driving and can’t find any mention on google.

Something like this?

Armoured Mercedes Vario 818D Escort Vehicle | L Jackson & Co

Armoured Mercedes Vario 818D Escort Vehicle, Direct from the UK military, armoured van

ljacksonandco.com

I've seen these before on the M6, in both Olive Drab and White with Batten Burg, they use they for escorting out of Sellafield and other fun things

 

[Grahams]

About time we had some pushback against just stop oil loonies
Interesting sight tho I'm sure they'll appear in some Facebook post before long....we had the nuclear convoy re routed due to accident and come through here few weeks back ..the Facebook posts were hilarious...folk had heard bangs and it was obviously that exploding..

Trouble is they won’t use them against eco loons or black lives matter as they are their friends and should be allowed to do anything they want.

 

[Grahams]

Something like this?

Armoured Mercedes Vario 818D Escort Vehicle | L Jackson & Co

Armoured Mercedes Vario 818D Escort Vehicle, Direct from the UK military, armoured van

ljacksonandco.com

I've seen these before on the M6, in both Olive Drab and White with Batten Burg, they use they for escorting out of Sellafield and other fun things

Not those, more lorry based and dark blue with police markings.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Met looks to buy military-style vehicles to tackle disorder in London

Scotland Yard wants to buy a new fleet of military-style armoured vehicles to help tackle public disorder, firearms incidents and riots in London.

www.standard.co.uk

 

[6feetdown]

Something like this?

Armoured Mercedes Vario 818D Escort Vehicle | L Jackson & Co

Armoured Mercedes Vario 818D Escort Vehicle, Direct from the UK military, armoured van

ljacksonandco.com

I've seen these before on the M6, in both Olive Drab and White with Batten Burg, they use they for escorting out of Sellafield and other fun things

Make a nice camper

 

[Giles]

Not sure government expect us to get through the winter. I was on the M6 today and saw a convoy of new Police riot trucks going the other way. These were not the transit with some mesh added or even the American style ones the Met Police bought but don’t seem to use, but small armoured lorries with high level windows in the back to stand and look out of, but most worryingly gun ports under every window. I’ve never seen a UK Police vehicle with gun ports before. It looked more like something you would expect the Chinese or any dictatorship to use. I guess they are expecting the worst.
Didn’t get any pictures as I was driving and can’t find any mention on google.

That’s nuke transport convoy

 

[Grahams]

Met looks to buy military-style vehicles to tackle disorder in London

Scotland Yard wants to buy a new fleet of military-style armoured vehicles to help tackle public disorder, firearms incidents and riots in London.

www.standard.co.uk

The met have had those for some time but don’t seem to use them. Not sure how good they are. I met a convoy of them on a canal tow path and they were trying to get me in my Ranger, towing a trailer to get onto the grass against the canal rather than them mounting the curb the other side. It could of course just be arrogance that I should get out of their way, but I didn’t fancy a swim.

 

[Lancs Lad]

That’s nuke transport convoy

If it was you'd have known. It's an impressive sight. Has it's own fire and ambulance plus wrecker and spare tractor units to say the least.
The comments and hype locally was hilarious like the thing would explode mid way through Preston....which would have been awesome tbf .
Never occured to some folk that there is a slim possibility that we'd look like Ukraine without it FFS.

 

[GazCro]

If it was you'd have known. It's an impressive sight. Has it's own fire and ambulance plus wrecker and spare tractor units to say the least.
The comments and hype locally was hilarious like the thing would explode mid way through Preston....which would have been awesome tbf .
Never occured to some folk that there is a slim possibility that we'd look like Ukraine without it FFS.

They were probably transporting a pair of gloves

 

[V8Druid]

Not sure government expect us to get through the winter. I was on the M6 today and saw a convoy of new Police riot trucks going the other way. These were not the transit with some mesh added or even the American style ones the Met Police bought but don’t seem to use, but small armoured lorries with high level windows in the back to stand and look out of, but most worryingly gun ports under every window. I’ve never seen a UK Police vehicle with gun ports before. It looked more like something you would expect the Chinese or any dictatorship to use. I guess they are expecting the worst.
Didn’t get any pictures as I was driving and can’t find any mention on google.

were they heading north or south Gra?

 

[Grahams]

were they heading north or south Gra?

Heading South, just north of M6 toll. Then a single one about an hour further on of slightly different design. More transport and less gun ports.