Giles
Well-known member
i keep a stash of paracetamol, ibruphrofen and piritin in glove box for the lads etc does that count lolI get real cravings for good drg.s ...... the ones I get usually mess with my mind
Furniss
Well-known member
Groundworkers drugs of choice
Lancs Lad
Well-known member
You don't supply them though remember.
They just find them
. Pathetic as it is they can sue you if you supply medicines and it roughs em up.
Bob
Well-known member
One thing I have noticed in my life is a lazy person will find a easy way to make a living and one person I know who was a good talker but a crap builder started enploying tradesmen and then just organized labour on his own jobs and done well
TiltyShaun
Well-known member
Pay your wife more for her graft and stay as you are. As others have said, those that want you will wait. Those that don’t deserve what they get!!!
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S
Stroppymonkey
Well-known member
My 2ps Worth....
I head up a team of 10+myself. (Was a little bigger but shrunk it back in last 2 years).
The most successful route for me ( and now its us) has been apprentices.. I took on the first when I was 29, and 15 years later Apprentice No.8 is on his 3rd year. Takes at least 5 years to get most to the stage where I trust them enough to work alone in customers houses. 5 of the Apprentices are still with us, and one is now a director after 11 years with me. Quite likely that he will be part of my exit plan. The other 3 are still working, one locally (as my competition!), one in Oz and the other is in Exeter.
Choose wisely, and you don't want them with too much get up and go... cos they are more likely to get up and GO! It's hard to see the potential adult in a 16-17 year old. They can surprise and please you, but are more likely to dissapoint to start with. It's a bit like having kids but without the nappies. Lots of spoon feeding to start with. Harder to find them as I get older, they seem to get younger and softer (or i get older and grumpier). Take a look at the parents, it can tell you a lot about what you are buying into. (Bit like dating!)
It's a very VERY slow long game, and you have to have the patience of a saint. Accept some compromise on quality, and lots of deep breaths. Pay them bugger all for first year and progress the pay rapidly (every 6 months and when they get tickets) after that so that once they are fully qualified they don't look at greener grass too much. After 10 years they need to be earning more per hour than you. (You get lots of other benefits)
There is a HUGE amount of satisfaction in looking back and realising that there are 7 (soon to be 8) decent plumbing and heating engineers out there that I helped create. Some of them have developed skills and abilities and qualities well beyond mine.
Wether this expansion route is fully transferable to the plant/construction industry in general.. I'm not sure.
I head up a team of 10+myself. (Was a little bigger but shrunk it back in last 2 years).
The most successful route for me ( and now its us) has been apprentices.. I took on the first when I was 29, and 15 years later Apprentice No.8 is on his 3rd year. Takes at least 5 years to get most to the stage where I trust them enough to work alone in customers houses. 5 of the Apprentices are still with us, and one is now a director after 11 years with me. Quite likely that he will be part of my exit plan. The other 3 are still working, one locally (as my competition!), one in Oz and the other is in Exeter.
Choose wisely, and you don't want them with too much get up and go... cos they are more likely to get up and GO! It's hard to see the potential adult in a 16-17 year old. They can surprise and please you, but are more likely to dissapoint to start with. It's a bit like having kids but without the nappies. Lots of spoon feeding to start with. Harder to find them as I get older, they seem to get younger and softer (or i get older and grumpier). Take a look at the parents, it can tell you a lot about what you are buying into. (Bit like dating!)
It's a very VERY slow long game, and you have to have the patience of a saint. Accept some compromise on quality, and lots of deep breaths. Pay them bugger all for first year and progress the pay rapidly (every 6 months and when they get tickets) after that so that once they are fully qualified they don't look at greener grass too much. After 10 years they need to be earning more per hour than you. (You get lots of other benefits)
There is a HUGE amount of satisfaction in looking back and realising that there are 7 (soon to be 8) decent plumbing and heating engineers out there that I helped create. Some of them have developed skills and abilities and qualities well beyond mine.
Wether this expansion route is fully transferable to the plant/construction industry in general.. I'm not sure.
Lancs Lad
Well-known member
Great post! And well done
Sick of hearing folk say I'd never take on an apprentice...they just leave etc.
HTF did you learn then ...
"What happens if we train our people and they leave?” “What happens if we don't, and they stay!”
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
several of my guys were kids I'd had on work experience initially, then took them on and trained them up ... were some of my best blokes and most of them still stay in touch with me today.
get the right ones and bring them on - can't beat it, to get a tailored work force .. several of them, completely non-academic - have gone on to gain engineering degrees with OU
Furniss
Well-known member
She's living the dream ...money doesn't even come into it !
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
's gotta be love
.....can't beat a willing volunteer though Kev ...
best help there is ...
Pam loves to get 'involved' (if she fancies what's afoot) ..
mention the dumper and she's there (unless it involves steep field hills/runs)
I personally think it is GREAT that you can work together like you do
Quattromike
Well member-known
We have the same, one guy just handed in notice last week after 12 years from school to where he is now, was almost crying when he spoke to me. Competitor half hour away are offering £2/hour more and van home. I accepted his notice as once someone has decided to go best to let them go and they might come back. If you factor in an extra hour traveling per day £2 per hour doesn't count for much and if a van home is an incentive then you're also paying tax on that.
We have 3 apprentices and another away to start so is definitely the way we're going but just hard at times to see them go. Aforementioned competitor will now have 3 of our old apprentices. Go figure
S
Stroppymonkey
Well-known member
Ours get the van and time paid both ways and paid breaks :-/
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
very, very frustrating ...
on the plus side ... well was for me at least ..
had one guy 6'4" 18st, started 'bodybuilding' and popping ketamine ...
became a liability - didn't know what he'd do next ..
fine one minute, fight the world next ..
truly nasty with it .........
had been with me years ...
came in one morning --
"so & so has offered me a job in Cardiff docks driving tippers for £1.50/hr more"
(and was already one of my best paid) ...
"Hope you enjoy your new job Dai .. been nice working with you " ...
EVERYONE breathed a sigh of relief ...
he'd become dangerous ...
bet he really enjoyed the 90 minute commute each way instead of the 15 minutes to us - in his own vehicle.
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
and on the subject of apprentices ........
www.theconstructionindex.co.uk
" ... scheme is open to all applicants, including people looking for a career change, or to return to work, as well as school leavers. "
anyone up for re-training ? ... i'm out .. can't see 'em wanting to keep me on at 70
Finning calls out for apprentices
Caterpillar dealer Finning UK has launched a search for 44 new apprentice engineers.
www.theconstructionindex.co.uk
" ... scheme is open to all applicants, including people looking for a career change, or to return to work, as well as school leavers. "
anyone up for re-training ?
... i'm out .. can't see 'em wanting to keep me on at 70
Furniss
Well-known member
I suppose ideal would be a younger bloke 30's who wanted to work for me for a few years with a view to taking over an up and running little setup, I could ease off in a bit and just help when needed 
More chance of bagging fog than that falling into place.
More chance of bagging fog than that falling into place.
Gunners
Well-known member
What are you paying and how close to the alps are you again?I suppose ideal would be a younger bloke 30's who wanted to work for me for a few years with a view to taking over an up and running little setup, I could ease off in a bit and just help when needed
More chance of bagging fog than that falling into place.
I fit some of your criteria
Furniss
Well-known member
Hows your french ?What are you paying and how close to the alps are you again?
I fit some of your criteria
EDIT : not really fair that, mine was shocking when I got here, despite night classes !
JerryRtilt
Well-known member
Do you have any tiltrotator/gripper experience ?What are you paying and how close to the alps are you again?
I fit some of your criteria
Storrsy
Well-known member
Thing is self employment and doing your own thing is great, there's alot to like about it. But definitely times where I think stuff this can't be arsed with the hassle any more. You work hard all day struggling away on your own and then come home to invoicing, emailing, quotes, days of spent looking at jobs or thinking of the next one, holidays are squeezed in here and there but I often think of them as a hindrance because they always seem to land when it's lovely dry weather and when you really want to be working! It's all consuming and could definitely see a scenario where it would be nice to work for someone else, do a decent job and steady days work but ultimately go home without anything to think about except what your having for dinner and whats on the tele!
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