Hi guys, my names Liam I'm looking for some advice on starting owner driver excavator company

[doobin]

Hi mate, yeah I was looking at new, for the exact reason you just said, 2nd hand prices are so high, I was looking at a 1.9 but the price of a 1.9 is not a lot less than a 2.8, that's why I'm kind of on the fence a bit

1.9t is around 17/18k whilst 2.8t is around 26-27k. Quite a bit in it when I was looking

Still ended up with both mind

 

[JD450A]

JD450A, Ive got all tickets required and experience, my boss who Ive worked for since I left school is selling up, so I'm being made redundant so thought it would be a good time to have ago by myself, your 200-300quid a day working for someone else is not even close to what people earn around here as plant driver. I don't have any buisiness experience. I know it's not milk and honey, I appreciate your comments but I don't need the lecture on how tough it is, I'm not retarded, driving plant is a passion of mine and something that comes naturally to me, also I'm not just a stick puller I'm able to get involved in all aspects off repairs etc

See In that I've a completely different view. Right attitude to move forward without knowing what you have just said how the f**k can I give you any positive advice!

You need to remember that 200-300 a day is Gross... this is the business experience. Say £300 a day, knock off £50 a day diesel and wear and tear on your towing vehicle and trailer, now take another £20 off for fuel and daily wear/servicing/depreciation assuming your running a 1.5t machine. So £300 - £50 - £20 = £230.... That's without breakdowns, Insurance, fuckups.... Don't forget pricing work either where you will drive around looking at things at your expense.

Average Driver in Devon and Cornwall will sit at around the £150 - £200 a shift mark Hassel free. Hence why I say what I say. You've got to love being your own boss or it's not worth it. FYI I earn as much sat in a machine seat for someone else on hire as I do with my own digger.... Weird but true.... Mini excavator from me is £30 a hour, make of that what you will...

Biggest thing will be picking up work. If your very very lucky and your current employer who is packing up is the right sort there's a good chance a sensible conversation could sort that out?

Yeah I absolutely get what your saying, your acting like I'm gonna go balls deep into something I know nothing about

You'd be surprised how many times people ask exactly what your thinking about whilst knowing f**k all...... I know of a Taxi Driver that decided to become a mini digger owner operator..... you can guess how successful that was!

Most importantly, with your viewpoint it won't matter what size you go for.... it will either work well or not. You've the right history and attitude for it to work.

 

[GazCro]

Don't rule out working for builders it could generate regular work with very little effort on your behalf. You just want to make sure you're in charge of your aspect of the work and not just screwed on a day rate.

 

[Regy53]

Just go easy and see how you go, it will be tough but we all started somewhere and most of us was at the bottom at the start. I remember going to auctions and seeing people buy 10 machines at a time like machines were sweets. In a way i can do that now and it takes hard work and a real drive on what you do. Same when all the lads on here started out with just a mini or a micro. Lynch started with 1 x 3CX...

Good luck

BTW Hitachi ZX19U would be my weapon of choice

 

[Giles]

My point being when setting out on a new venture don’t limit your market, I set out did landscaping etc then specialised in equestrian was great until 2008 banking crisis managed to jump into the factory work and we got few years doing foundations and building work in factories without going near a field.

advice be honest don’t know how to do something don’t wing it, do a good job, don’t do loss leaders they never pay off it’s a race to the top not the bottom

 

[Furniss]

Lots of good advice above

I would add that if you are conscientious,organised,tidy and honest then you will get enough work to keep you busy before too long.

 

[Liam1992]

Thanks for all the advice guys, really appreciate it. I'm not ruling out building work at all I would rather not, it's needs must, if i need to i will. Yeah I was looking at hitachi, do u have 1?

 

[Mark]

What sort of work was your current employer doing? As you said you boss is packing it in have a conversation with some of his clients explain your case how you have work for him for x years and now he’s packing it in your starting up your self and would be interested in continuing his work. I recently started my own business and Everyone tried talking me out of it, if you have the money and are prepared to be able to lose it worst case scenario go for it! If not you will regret it and always wonder what could have been. Everyone has to start somewhere my grandfather started off with nothing and built it up to what we are now having 50 plus machines.
good luck

 

[GazCro]

As above what work have you been doing. What work do you want to be doing. 1.5 tonner work is scratty shi**y end of stick however you look at its the nature of the job where access is limited. But it can be argued to be the most profitable if you look at the outlay and fuel cost.
I'm lucky to have taken on my dads business and customers/colleagues but if i was starting from scratch I'd honestly look at finding somebody else's seat to sit on like Rory says. Having said that I like the fact it's v v rare in ever more than 20 mins from home which wouldn't be the case if i worked for someone else.

 

[Liam1992]

My boss owns DGW SAND COMPANY LTD, its a sea sand dredging company. Congratulations on the success, what you said is exactly why I'm going to give it a go, I would rather try and fail than get to 60 years old wishing I did try and have regrets over it

 

[Stubota86]

Yeah I absolutely get what your saying, your acting like I'm gonna go balls deep into something I know nothing about, agreed I don't know alot about running a buisiness but that's why I'm here for advice
[/QUOTE]

On the business side of things mate I would say:

Get your name out as early as possible, call around people you know, local adverts, Facebook etc can go a long way and get some sign boards made up to leave outside jobs you’re on.

Get insured - public liability etc.

Don’t undersell yourself just because you’re a start-up.

I’ve been working for myself almost ten years, ended up 7 days a week working for a firm during the day then nights and weekends for myself (with my firm boss’s blessing) so was lucky to have an income while still building a client base of my own but it came at a cost - being so busy you assume everything is going swimmingly but it’s only half the battle, you have to be on top of your paperwork from day one. Don’t ever fall into the trap of thinking the back office can be on a back burner, it can’t. Accounting software apps like Xero or Quickbooks can be a real help. Send quotes in writing (can be done on the apps), set out your payment terms on the quote. Send your invoice the minute you finish. Don’t get blagged for money and if you do start working for bigger companies, managing agents etc then don’t get too deep into it without seeing money. I’ve had to wait over a year for payments off managing agents who have overspent on annual service budgets. By that point they had me over a barrel with other big projects.

Register for standard deduction CIS so if you do start subbing for builders they only stop you 20% on labour (make sure you detail fuel, plant hire and transport costs separately as the tax is only taken off the labour). If you don’t register for it you will be deducted 30% on labour which hits your cash flow. Sorry if you’re already familiar with CIS.

Good luck! None of the above is meant to put you off, I love working for myself, could never go back to being employed but there will be ups and downs.

 

[Regy53]

Also don’t over estimate what people say or promise you. I have experienced and witnessed the whole oh I’f you had a machine I would use you etc... very rarely is true

 

[Jimoz]

A bmw you say have you looked into linear screens?!

 

[Giles]

Have

What sort of work was your current employer doing? As you said you boss is packing it in have a conversation with some of his clients explain your case how you have work for him for x years and now he’s packing it in your starting up your self and would be interested in continuing his work. I recently started my own business and Everyone tried talking me out of it, if you have the money and are prepared to be able to lose it worst case scenario go for it! If not you will regret it and always wonder what could have been. Everyone has to start somewhere my grandfather started off with nothing and built it up to what we are now having 50 plus machines.
good luck

mark,

have you left the family business then mark and gone on your own?

 

[Left hooker]

My boss owns DGW SAND COMPANY LTD, its a sea sand dredging company. Congratulations on the success, what you said is exactly why I'm going to give it a go, I would rather try and fail than get to 60 years old wishing I did try and have regrets over it

They finishing dredging full stop ?

 

[Liam1992]

They finishing dredging full stop ?

It's a bit up in the air atm, there's gonna be a few meetings with the harbour commission to see where things are regarding licensing etc, but probably going to be sold as a company, so it may keep going

 

[TiltyShaun]

My boss owns DGW SAND COMPANY LTD, its a sea sand dredging company. Congratulations on the success, what you said is exactly why I'm going to give it a go, I would rather try and fail than get to 60 years old wishing I did try and have regrets over it

DGW not short of £££ so someone will be keen to take it on if they have long term contract.

 

[Liam1992]

DGW not short of £££ so someone will be keen to take it on if they have long term contract.

Yeah it's a bit of a complicated setup regarding contracts, won't go into detail

 

[Left hooker]

It's a bit up in the air atm, there's gonna be a few meetings with the harbour commission to see where things are regarding licensing etc, but probably going to be sold as a company, so it may keep going

The amount of sand that goes out the door can't see it stopping dead as it has trucks waiting in huge ques

 

[V8Druid]

self employment is a way of life, not a job ...... it can and hopefully will give you a lot ....... but it comes at a cost ...