Looking for work

[steven1784]

Best just put yourself out there offering your services and if your still doing subby work for other companies keep that going untill you have enough of your own work. Just start small. A few parish magazine adverts and perhaps a Facebook page if that's your thing- hire in for the time being to see how it goes...

il give it a go and try and see sick of making everyone else money and taking all of the gratitude for it!! Thanks for the advice and tips

 

[steven1784]

welcome @steven1784 ... you may be getting PO-ed, but it keeps the cashflow going ... as Storrsy says start small/slowly and build from there -- feet first into major commitments is a brave move - if you don't have a client base to maintain the cash flow .... end of the day, we all need to make it to live.

Just pissed off with flying someone else's flag
thanks for the tip though

 

[steven1784]

If you’re allready full time subbing in others machines then maybe buying your own machine on finance and then subbing out WITH a machine to keep pennies rolling in, then the odd day/weekend etc chasing your own work. So many variables here. What size machines do you run for others?

its normally 13t and 24t
Im happy to buy a machine but it's getting the work?
I work all of the hours normally 11-14hrs per day and I treat the machines like my own
if anything breaks down I jump on it and fix them if I can so Im probably too keen?
some of the other drivers just ring the fitter's and sit there until it's back up and running

 

[steven1784]

What do you envision by helping you or giving you a chance?

If I as a small contractor with 15 years or so of customers and web presence etc started passing you leads that I’m too busy to do I’m training future competition and diluting my client base?

If I sub you in then you’re in client’s ear saying how you’d be cheaper direct

Not much incentive for existing contractors unless they’ve got 1-2 year job that they need say an 8 ton on and you buy one fill that role but think most just buy their own and employ you as a driver.

Have to do what most us did and just put yourself out their and drum up some business and deal with customers on Sunday night at 9pm lol

I'm not wanting to have a fleet of machines just a 13ton-24ton and just myself
Im not wanting to cut someone else's grass just have a little piece of the cake
I work 11-14hrs day's and I'm more than happy to deal with people on a Sunday night
I think they know that I'm keen to have my own business and I'm not the best driver in the world
I just want a piece of the cak!

 

[steven1784]

What do you envision by helping you or giving you a chance?

If I as a small contractor with 15 years or so of customers and web presence etc started passing you leads that I’m too busy to do I’m training future competition and diluting my client base?

If I sub you in then you’re in client’s ear saying how you’d be cheaper direct

Not much incentive for existing contractors unless they’ve got 1-2 year job that they need say an 8 ton on and you buy one fill that role but think most just buy their own and employ you as a driver.

Have to do what most us did and just put yourself out their and drum up some business and deal with customers on Sunday night at 9pm lol

There is something to be said for getting on with the friendly competition though. I'd happily pass on jobs more suitable for someone else and visa versa. Help each other out on jobs etc. Not all about cut throating each other.

Well said it works both ways

 

[Furniss]

Depends on your character but for me at least its one of those jobs where you either work for yourself in an effort to make a decent living and accept all the shite that that entails or do something else completely.

 

[doobin]

I'm not wanting to have a fleet of machines just a 13ton-24ton and just myself
Im not wanting to cut someone else's grass just have a little piece of the cake
I work 11-14hrs day's and I'm more than happy to deal with people on a Sunday night
I think they know that I'm keen to have my own business and I'm not the best driver in the world
I just want a piece of the cak!

As no one else has said it, it’s a s**t time to be starting. House bashing has slowed right down, and interest rates mean finance will cost you a lot more than it did three years ago.

As a one man band you’ll be the first to be laid off.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I'm not wanting to have a fleet of machines just a 13ton-24ton and just myself
Im not wanting to cut someone else's grass just have a little piece of the cake
I work 11-14hrs day's and I'm more than happy to deal with people on a Sunday night
I think they know that I'm keen to have my own business and I'm not the best driver in the world
I just want a piece of the cak!

I would imagine that is a difficult size to break into for the owner op? Lots of transport logistics etc. Maybe better just working more normal hours week and get your own tow-able machine and try and find your own weekend work to dabble in running your own business? Or get a BHL and do Saturday jobs

 

[Lancs Lad]

You'll know your area but a cheap duck and trailer and do the short duration jobs that need a bigger machine but transport kills might be worth a look at?
Sunday night before bank holiday disclaimer applies.

 

[Russell]

If you are a farmer or somehow have free storage it might be worth a go. If not I think It would be difficult to do anything other than lose a load of money every year.

 

[6feetdown]

Depending where you live a big machine as a single operator would take some covering of overheads I would think.
I can hire a 13t on self drive for 480 a week maybe a little less if I pushed it.
As said moving a big machine has a cost unless you've got a deal or your own transport

 

[Russell]

Thats mental, the 14-15 ton jcb I did my cpcs in was something like £100,000-£150,000. You have got to be careful because its when you can't make the payment on the finance that the finance company really makes its money.

 

[craig]

The self drive rates some have put up on the forum for machines in that weight class would make an operated hire very difficult I would guess, unless you can bring something special along.
What type of jobs do you work on now? Look around the site, are there any parts of the jobs you feel you could do it better or more efficiently?

 

[craig]

What kind of rate do operators get in your part of the country?

 

[steven1784]

You'll know your area but a cheap duck and trailer and do the short duration jobs that need a bigger machine but transport kills might be worth a look at?
Sunday night before bank holiday disclaimer applies.

That sounds like a good idea never thought about getting a duck and trailer?

 

[steven1784]

As no one else has said it, it’s a s**t time to be starting. House bashing has slowed right down, and interest rates mean finance will cost you a lot more than it did three years ago.

As a one man band you’ll be the first to be laid off.

I've noticed that the house trades have started to slow down!
Definitely I'll be the first person to go with being the new guy

 

[steven1784]

What kind of rate do operators get in your part of the country?

The self drive rates some have put up on the forum for machines in that weight class would make an operated hire very difficult I would guess, unless you can bring something special along.
What type of jobs do you work on now? Look around the site, are there any parts of the jobs you feel you could do it better or more efficiently?

I'm doing slurry lagoons,little bit of muck shifting,concrete crushing,forestry roads,cattle roads so I'm doing a little bit everything
There's no big house schemes going on

 

[steven1784]

What kind of rate do operators get in your part of the country?

We're getting between £17-22hr depending on what,distance and who you're working for

 

[doobin]

I'm doing slurry lagoons,little bit of muck shifting,concrete crushing,forestry roads,cattle roads so I'm doing a little bit everything
There's no big house schemes going on

That's very different and changes the picture entirely.

Do a bloody good job and make sure the farmer is happy and you will soon pick up recommendations. Try to avoid a race to the bottom, but we all know farmers are tight. Start with easier stuff such as track repairs on day rate.

 

[craig]

I'm doing slurry lagoons,little bit of muck shifting,concrete crushing,forestry roads,cattle roads so I'm doing a little bit everything
There's no big house schemes going on

As @doobin says that changes things.
Guessing your all ready self employed?
You may get away with a slightly older machine (vs housing site) keeping things a little more affordable while getting going, but its still a chunk sitting waiting for your break. As someone else said may be a smaller machine, (not direct competition to your current job) keep your ears open, and speak to the right people, grab any leads you can, do they best you can, and build from there.