Build Build Build

[Grahams]

Its getting ever closer to the point of giving up and just working for whoever is paying the most to sit on a machine pushing slop around all day.
As we all do on here I was out late last night dropping a machine off to a site to try and get a jump on today (which is another total write off due to rain...) Whilst locking the yard up with several locks, gates and concrete blocks to try and stop the night shift robbing all my stuff, I was thinking to myself if I actually add the hours I work up, I bet I don't earn as much as I think I do...
Tuesday night I was answering emails and paying invoices till 10.30pm. Got in at 5 that day. 5 hours of paperwork generated since Saturday since I last cleared everything....
Getting hard to keep up with increased H&S enforcement on jobs, everyone wants a meeting because they decided to completely change the job I've already quoted for around but cant possibly do an evening or weekend - has to be in the day to suit their breaktimes.... Who's the fool here - I don't think its them - they are protecting their downtime....

Tax is going up, the risk is going up, materials have gone up, the rates have flatlined. I think its only stubbornness that keeps me going somedays

I enjoyed messing about with diggers, but the rest eventually got so bad I ended up retiring - not rich, but enough to get by.
The trouble is you are a youngster, so retirement probably not an option. I would look to farm out as much as possible of the paperwork to your accountant and see what you can automate in the way of RAMS, pricing etc. Yes it costs (although can be offset against tax), but it gives you some of your life back which is irreplaceable. I missed way too much of my daughter growing up.
Maybe set aside a half day each week for paperwork you can't avoid to reduce the evening work - difficult as you always feel you could be doing something more productive.
At the end of the day could you stand working full time for some outfit that doesn't give a s**t about you?

 

[V8Druid]

A decade of indecision sees cost of Parliament refurb treble

The committee driving plans to refurbish the Palace of Westminster has release new cost estimates.

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

" As might have been expected, the cost estimates are now heading towards three times what they were 10 years, when the top number was £5.7bn. Now it is £18.7bn. "

Board overseeing Houses of Parliament restoration recommends £3bn package of works to start this year

Delivery partners to be appointed for first phase of work which will include building temporary accommodation for both Houses of Parliament

www.building.co.uk

 

[V8Druid]

Concrete demand hits 75-year low

Demand for concrete and other mineral products in the UK fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025.

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

" With the current state of the market, the MPA expects no upturn in the market in 2026, with investor confidence remaining low, a sluggish economy and more increases in business costs ahead, including from higher business rates and a fuel duty increase in September. "

 

[Ma Kerr]

Unfortunately I can see most of this money going to consultants, and big company's that are barely keeping their heads above water, using it to prop themselves up, then creating non jobs and schemes that keep them in jobs without them doing any real work. Any work that's get done, will be done on a much reduced budget due to all the wastage at higher levels, with larger contractors under cutting each other to get the work, then with an another level of wastage, and non jobs, offering peanuts to sub contractors to do the work, with stupid payment terms, leaving poor quality work, probably overrunning, over budget, and loads of snagging jobs that never get done.
Material suppliers will bend over backwards for the `government` work, ignoring the regular customers, maybe putting their prices up to make up the shortfall from the government work.
The £5bn translates to probably less that half that in actual (poor quality) work done.

I hope I`m wrong, and decent work and money filters down to where its needed.

Can we put you down as "undecided"?
Seriously though, you hit the nails right on the thumb of the 21st Century in UK. (The blind leading the unwilling or incapable). All I would add is that whoever finally attempts the works, they do it with both arms and a leg tied behind their back as well.
Yours cynically...

 

[Vinpetrol]

Its getting ever closer to the point of giving up and just working for whoever is paying the most to sit on a machine pushing slop around all day.
As we all do on here I was out late last night dropping a machine off to a site to try and get a jump on today (which is another total write off due to rain...) Whilst locking the yard up with several locks, gates and concrete blocks to try and stop the night shift robbing all my stuff, I was thinking to myself if I actually add the hours I work up, I bet I don't earn as much as I think I do...
Tuesday night I was answering emails and paying invoices till 10.30pm. Got in at 5 that day. 5 hours of paperwork generated since Saturday since I last cleared everything....
Getting hard to keep up with increased H&S enforcement on jobs, everyone wants a meeting because they decided to completely change the job I've already quoted for around but cant possibly do an evening or weekend - has to be in the day to suit their breaktimes.... Who's the fool here - I don't think its them - they are protecting their downtime....

Tax is going up, the risk is going up, materials have gone up, the rates have flatlined. I think its only stubbornness that keeps me going somedays

You won’t be able to sit and be a lever puller because your head needs to be busier than that . I’m 61 and I’m still to young for that .
If it’s in you to problem solve , if you actually give a feck about the job you leave behind you , if you go on a job and find you are resolving isssues for the client then it’s in your nature to do your thing rather than work for the man . Pick out all the stuff that you do that you like the most , pick out the stuff that pays best , delegate as much of the office work that you can but keep hands on with customers you’ll be fine .
I’d bet nearly all the guys on the forum have been in that boat at some time or other if not they will be at some point . Any of us on here do so to improve . Either in what we do , how we do it , how we fix it , etc . You may change your path but I very much doubt it will be for pulling levers .

 

[DaveDCB]

Got to be pension now but depending how far away from that age you are. I've not used that route myself.

it’s something I’m looking into.. I’m just a bugger for using all my savings on the next big thing! I guess locking it away in a pension would stop that!!

 

[Jimoz]

Until enough have invested in pensions then they get targeted. Or you get excluded from state pension as you’ve provided for yourself

it’s something I’m looking into.. I’m just a bugger for using all my savings on the next big thing! I guess locking it away in a pension would stop that!!

That's why I've never used them. Im still a couple of decades off being able to access and a lot can happen in that time. I just use isa to make investments with tax free returns but can access the money anytime. I think if I was closer to 50 I'd be shoveling whatever funds I want to invest into pension via salary sacrifice and reducing Corp tax. You can take what 25% tax free at 55 or 57? Then can draw the rest just paying tax as if you would have when drawing out company originally. It's all down to individuals circumstances

 

[V8Druid]

That's why I've never used them. Im still a couple of decades off being able to access and a lot can happen in that time. I just use isa to make investments with tax free returns but can access the money anytime. I think if I was closer to 50 I'd be shoveling whatever funds I want to invest into pension via salary sacrifice and reducing Corp tax. You can take what 25% tax free at 55 or 57? Then can draw the rest just paying tax as if you would have when drawing out company originally. It's all down to individuals circumstances

not quite that simple ... tax on pension drawings is very complex

 

[Regy53]

Can we put you down as "undecided"?
Seriously though, you hit the nails right on the thumb of the 21st Century in UK. (The blind leading the unwilling or incapable). All I would add is that whoever finally attempts the works, they do it with both arms and a leg tied behind their back as well.
Yours cynically...

Are we saying this is spam IP says UK which rarely is spam so I'm undecided

 

[Storrsy]

I'm starting to think this is my Winter of Discontent. No lack of work. But endless rain and the amount of time im having to put into jobs because ultimately most of the people organising them don't have the foresight or experience to be doing so and are paid for their time anyway and require multiple sight meetings often taking half a day at a time, so much "time off" is really just spent bolstering my business, which I get is part of it but then when you come towards the end of the tax year like now your faced with either a clobering tax bill for your efforts or simply having to re-invest it back into the business to offset it- it's not really a reward is it and only the Gov are the ones to benefit.

 

[V8Druid]

I'm starting to think this is my Winter of Discontent. No lack of work. But endless rain and the amount of time im having to put into jobs because ultimately most of the people organising them don't have the foresight or experience to be doing so and are paid for their time anyway and require multiple sight meetings often taking half a day at a time, so much "time off" is really just spent bolstering my business, which I get is part of it but then when you come towards the end of the tax year like now your faced with either a clobering tax bill for your efforts or simply having to re-invest it back into the business to offset it- it's not really a reward is it and only the Gov are the ones to benefit.

and getting worse only time you see the benefits are when you take the 'out' route, but even then you get a kicking from HMRC, unless so much/enough is 'hide-able'

 

[V8Druid]

That's why I've never used them. Im still a couple of decades off being able to access and a lot can happen in that time. I just use isa to make investments with tax free returns but can access the money anytime. I think if I was closer to 50 I'd be shoveling whatever funds I want to invest into pension via salary sacrifice and reducing Corp tax. You can take what 25% tax free at 55 or 57? Then can draw the rest just paying tax as if you would have when drawing out company originally. It's all down to individuals circumstances

sadly not the case Jim...... you are taxed based on the entire pot (including the 25% 'supposedly tax free tranche) so can be some big bills/rates on whatever further tranches you take .... believe me the bastards have you every which way.
it's a massive con as there is no such thing as the 25% 'tax free' ... you don't pay it on that slice, but get hammered on everything else down the road - I have the tee shirt Boyo ... still arguing with them to get some of it back as when you do 'cash in' you're taxed at an 'emergency rate' of 43.3% and then have to argue the toss about what they are really entitled to keep - IIRC base rate is 34% of entire pot so they get you on the 'swings and roundabouts' route and will almost certainly end up paying more than you would have at 20% base rate
Private pensions are a con - end of ...... and that's without all the fees you get charged annually for 'managing' it

 

[Storrsy]

and getting worse only time you see the benefits are when you take the 'out' route, but even then you get a kicking from HMRC, unless so much/enough is 'hide-able'

I think speak for myself and probably quite a few others here in my sort of age bracket (38) but it's a bit of tricky place to be at the minute, finding myself approaching something of a crossroad- Old enough to be able to have gained quite a bit of experience and invested for a profitable small business and fit enough to still do it and actually want to, BUT still having the reality of 20-30 years really before any thoughts of retirement, and the way things are going there isn't the incentive to employ staff or invest in the longevity of the business for when perhaps physically not quite so up for it anymore. Either case of quit while we're ahead and still able to go into other ventures/employment or stick it out for the long haul but 20-30 yrs is a haul if it's going to be constant battle all the time without much reward.

 

[V8Druid]

I think speak for myself and probably quite a few others here in my sort of age bracket (38) but it's a bit of tricky place to be at the minute, finding myself approaching something of a crossroad- Old enough to be able to have gained quite a bit of experience and invested for a profitable small business and fit enough to still do it and actually want to, BUT still having the reality of 20-30 years really before any thoughts of retirement, and the way things are going there isn't the incentive to employ staff or invest in the longevity of the business for when perhaps physically not quite so up for it anymore. Either case of quit while we're ahead and still able to go into other ventures/employment or stick it out for the long haul but 20-30 yrs is a haul if it's going to be constant battle all the time without much reward.

bang on .... you either have to accept that making a good/decent living is the way it is ...... or ... like so many others (apparently) and jump ship to somewhere that will give you better returns for the efforts you are willing to expend in bettering yourself .. 's never going to happen in this sinking ship of a country

I used to make decent bucks, buying and selling - anything from bikes/vehicles, machinery, whatever would turn some profit, as a (quiet ) side line, but I fear that those days are long gone ... very little in the way of bargains to be had these days in anything -
auctions're ****ed and every man and his dog wants top dollar for anything they think is worth selling .... aside from making money by selling 'ideas', dealing's one of the few ways to make money without proper graft, but doesn't come without significant risk, these days and investment, (that might not always show a decent return).

 

[Furniss]

You won’t be able to sit and be a lever puller because your head needs to be busier than that . I’m 61 and I’m still to young for that .
If it’s in you to problem solve , if you actually give a feck about the job you leave behind you , if you go on a job and find you are resolving isssues for the client then it’s in your nature to do your thing rather than work for the man . Pick out all the stuff that you do that you like the most , pick out the stuff that pays best , delegate as much of the office work that you can but keep hands on with customers you’ll be fine .
I’d bet nearly all the guys on the forum have been in that boat at some time or other if not they will be at some point . Any of us on here do so to improve . Either in what we do , how we do it , how we fix it , etc . You may change your path but I very much doubt it will be for pulling levers .

Bang on - you just cant sit and watch a s**t show if you're not made that way.

 

[Storrsy]

Bang on - you just cant sit and watch a s**t show if you're not made that way.

To be able to sit and watch someone elses s**t show and get paid for it would be a dream at the moment tbh probably a dream with a short shelf life though!

 

[William127]

To be able to sit and watch someone elses s**t show and get paid for it would be a dream at the moment tbh probably a dream with a short shelf life though!

I did a week for someone else in January, reasonable money, in theory set hours and no stress.
In reality I did all my normal problem solving, went to the yard before and after work as needed and found it far more stressful- because it wasn't my job I couldn't just turn round and say to the end customer 'its too wet for this, wrong time of year, wrong method, we need a rethink'. Just had to carry on pushing the slop round

Think it totally depends on your mindset, and after 20 + years of working for my Dad then myself it's very hard to stop being the 'thinker' on a job

 

[V8Druid]

another tier of pen pushers to sip at the cream dish

Developer Salboy opens construction division to wider market

Salboy Construction will focus on time-critical and distressed housing schemes.

www.constructionenquirer.com

 

[Vinpetrol]

I did a week for someone else in January, reasonable money, in theory set hours and no stress.
In reality I did all my normal problem solving, went to the yard before and after work as needed and found it far more stressful- because it wasn't my job I couldn't just turn round and say to the end customer 'its too wet for this, wrong time of year, wrong method, we need a rethink'. Just had to carry on pushing the slop round

Think it totally depends on your mindset, and after 20 + years of working for my Dad then myself it's very hard to stop being the 'thinker' on a job

That’s absolutely right , I think it would be impossible to reprogram your head to be able to put up with that on a permanent basis. The sparky who wired my pad jacked it in as he had a bad back and is now working for the man He’s bored shitless and I bet he will be working for himself again before this years out !

 

[Smiffy]

That’s absolutely right , I think it would be impossible to reprogram your head to be able to put up with that on a permanent basis. The sparky who wired my pad jacked it in as he had a bad back and is now working for the man He’s bored shitless and I bet he will be working for himself again before this years out !

As I said in another thread, your thinking about it wrong. If you are running a company then you are equivalent of management. Anyone on here will get bored pushing slop round site but ultimately anyone on here is massively overqualified to do that. I'm not talking site management I'm talking about senior management positions where the same problem solving occurs but equally it is rewarded financially.