When can we work

[hiluxman]

I don't do 10 hours.

Sod that. Don't get me wrong I do jobs after work if needed. But that's more a help someone out than been expected to and few and far between.

But as is well documented on here. My digger is tracking to the trailer at 3pm....usually its well before that time too. But it's nature of the beast, my work load is totally different to others on here.

Sometimes I'll do an early start to fetch x from the quarry to stockpile in the yard then go do the daily job. But I'd not do it the other way round.

I did the long days/doing days and nights many years ago. Its not for me.

However I'd still not do longer days to have a day off. 5 days at my pace plus the Saturday catch up is where I'm at.

 

[V8Druid]

In theory when you are your own boss saying no should be incredibly easy, in practice its a bit different i find, although i do now find it easier to walk away from jobs i don't like the look of, or people i just don't want to work for.

exactly .. have to be selective ...
when I used to lose a bloke (which were nigh on impossible to replace even back then [2000,s]), I tailored the work load to suit the labour force available ...
there was a limit to what could be done in a week by X pairs of hands - so choose the more profitable/least hassle, work ...
used to spend my entire life taking on all sorts/planning work/designing/doing drawings/keeping materials flowing in/quoting/invoicing (and then chasing payments) to keep 12 guys busy.
made just as much bottom line with four guys and carefully chosen work, with less hassle and a lot smaller overheads.
initially forced into the situation by loss of labour, but did me a favour in the end.

 

[CPS]

16 hours today. (Although that's rare enough these days)
But I really want to go down to a 4 day week

 

[Bri963]

If you would not work 12 hrs shifts mon to fri sat 8 to 4 then grease up change oils etc sun lie in 8 to 4 you would not be on any of the muck shifting jobs I on was on in the sixties and seventies on Gleesons at Sizewell it was 6 in morning to 8 at night mon to fri 6 to 4 sat and 8 to 8 on sun. Scaffie on the D8 ask any chance of some overtime so he had a extra hour on the haul road

I was doing close to that into the 90’s on muckshift and until 10 years ago was still pulling the odd 80-90 hr weeks at Cat prepping machines for test/shipping. Then HR gently reminded us about the working time directive. House was paid off long before that, so not such a problem as it would have been a few years earlier. A few long hours when you’re young don’t hurt, but the shine’s gone off doing them now.

 

[JerryRtilt]

16 hours today. (Although that's rare enough these days)
But I really want to go down to a 4 day week

Just do a few 18h days and you should be able to.

 

[Smiffy]

Also got to judge it by how much you like your work. Equal pay would 4 days in an office beat 5 days on a site.
Whilst I'm sure there must be better jobs I'm also sure as hell there are worse

 

[Storrsy]

Also got to judge it by how much you like your work. Equal pay would 4 days in an office beat 5 days on a site.
Whilst I'm sure there must be better jobs I'm also sure as hell there are worse

So true. Here I am sat in the warmth, cracking view, no hassle job. TBh I'd struggle to think of anywhere I'd sooner be. A busy beach squashed in with everyone else, delayed at an airport waiting for a holiday, No thanks

Edit, the sun has since swung round since photos taken, glorious.

 

[CPS]

Just do a few 18h days and you should be able to.

I have done a week's work in a day before

In all seriousness though, I have a worked stupid hours before, and still do when I have to, but as I get older I really am starting to think , f**k it! What is it all about.

A few of the screener factories around here went to a 4 day week, not sure If it worked or if they still even do it. Although one owner reckoned it worked for him. They did an hour a day longer mon - Thursday and took Friday off. They only worked half day on Friday and by the time they all had a slightly longer break for there full Soda (fry up) they weren't worth f**k all anyway plus he could spent Friday getting caught up with other work instead of chasing after them.

I would love to do a 4 day week, but I know it would never happen.... I'd still be working just on none productive stuff

 

[JerryRtilt]

I have done a week's work in a day before

In all seriousness though, I have a worked stupid hours before, and still do when I have to, but as I get older I really am starting to think , f**k it! What is it all about.

A few of the screener factories around here went to a 4 day week, not sure If it worked or if they still even do it. Although one owner reckoned it worked for him. They did an hour a day longer mon - Thursday and took Friday off. They only worked half day on Friday and by the time they all had a slightly longer break for there full Soda (fry up) they weren't worth f**k all anyway plus he could spent Friday getting caught up with other work instead of chasing after them.

I would love to do a 4 day week, but I know it would never happen.... I'd still be working just on none productive stuff

Always good to have a goal, even if you never achieve it just lucky to be doing something we don't actually hate i reckon.

 

[Storrsy]

Always good to have a goal, even if you never achieve it just lucky to be doing something we don't actually hate i reckon.

Yeah exactly, just think of those poor souls with company car, pensions, payed holiday, nice office girls to oggle at and a body that doesn't go home at the end of the day feeling like it's ripe for a spine replacement.

 

[JerryRtilt]

Yeah exactly, just think of those poor souls with company car, pensions, payed holiday, nice office girls to oggle at and a body that doesn't go home at the end of the day feeling like it's ripe for a spine replacement.

Day off today, just back from the Osteopath, going to book in for a back transplant

 

[Quattromike]

So on the paid days off if you work 4 days instead of 5 does that mean you holiday allowance is dropped by a fifth?
So you only get 22 days paid holiday

 

[6feetdown]

I have done a week's work in a day before

In all seriousness though, I have a worked stupid hours before, and still do when I have to, but as I get older I really am starting to think , f**k it! What is it all about.

A few of the screener factories around here went to a 4 day week, not sure If it worked or if they still even do it. Although one owner reckoned it worked for him. They did an hour a day longer mon - Thursday and took Friday off. They only worked half day on Friday and by the time they all had a slightly longer break for there full Soda (fry up) they weren't worth f**k all anyway plus he could spent Friday getting caught up with other work instead of chasing after them.

I would love to do a 4 day week, but I know it would never happen.... I'd still be working just on none productive stuff

I picked up a can of paint this morning when I phoned yesterday message was along lines of because of coof 19 our opening hours are 9-2.30 mon to Thursday and either shut or less hrs on a Friday

 

[William127]

So true. Here I am sat in the warmth, cracking view, no hassle job. TBh I'd struggle to think of anywhere I'd sooner be. A busy beach squashed in with everyone else, delayed at an airport waiting for a holiday, No thanks

Edit, the sun has since swung round since photos taken, glorious.

As much as I like time of (the last 5 days I have spent 1 pottering around the shed/d2, 3 driving round the peak peak district with friends and 1 playing golf in the sun) I pretty much think a really good day at work beats them all. Those days can be few and far between though!

As for a 4 day week, it wouldnt affect me as my weeks aren't that regimented- I'll happily do 7 then 3, 4 then 4, 14 days straight, whatever suits me and whoever I'm booking in work with.

Not sure how a 3 day weekend will help people's finances- I know I definitely spend more at the weekend on food, beer, diesel, outings, hobbies etc etc. So even if the take home pay is the same, it might feel worse!

 

[Gunners]

As for a 4 day week, it wouldn't affect me as my weeks aren't that regimented- I'll happily do 7 then 3, 4 then 4, 14 days straight, whatever suits me and whoever I'm booking in work with.

See, this would suit me fine, and was kind of how I was working. Then 2020 came around and I haven't had a spare day let alone week since! Its a nice problem to have, and maybe at my time in life and with a large mortgage to pay I should be grateful for being busy. But I feel like I'm running out of steam now and am fed up with people expecting me to work around them and give up my evenings and weekends to make their schedule work. Its not how the jobs start out, but somewhere between starting and ending, a load of extras appear or "can you just's"/ "While you're at it" and these add time to the job, which removes any spare time I have planned between finishing one and starting the next. I was allowing a week between projects but its just getting absorbed with more work. Then the next customer is on the phone getting aggy because you are delayed from the date you gave them 6 months ago as a predicted start date!
Getting really near the point of sacking it all off again and finding some other way to earn money - I've honestly had enough of feeling under pressure and being hounded on the phone as to where I am and why haven't I looked at/ priced/ turned up at/ worked miracle's on some job or another. The one man army thing has worked well for me and is very profitable no doubt, but its literally killing me, you cant do everything at the same speed bigger companies can for ever.
Someone suggested getting a PA to help with paperwork, phone calls, diary planning etc. Anyone else do this? I need to find an answer before I blow up and tell everyone to do one... again!

 

[Storrsy]

See, this would suit me fine, and was kind of how I was working. Then 2020 came around and I haven't had a spare day let alone week since! Its a nice problem to have, and maybe at my time in life and with a large mortgage to pay I should be grateful for being busy. But I feel like I'm running out of steam now and am fed up with people expecting me to work around them and give up my evenings and weekends to make their schedule work. Its not how the jobs start out, but somewhere between starting and ending, a load of extras appear or "can you just's"/ "While you're at it" and these add time to the job, which removes any spare time I have planned between finishing one and starting the next. I was allowing a week between projects but its just getting absorbed with more work. Then the next customer is on the phone getting aggy because you are delayed from the date you gave them 6 months ago as a predicted start date!
Getting really near the point of sacking it all off again and finding some other way to earn money - I've honestly had enough of feeling under pressure and being hounded on the phone as to where I am and why haven't I looked at/ priced/ turned up at/ worked miracle's on some job or another. The one man army thing has worked well for me and is very profitable no doubt, but its literally killing me, you cant do everything at the same speed bigger companies can for ever.
Someone suggested getting a PA to help with paperwork, phone calls, diary planning etc. Anyone else do this? I need to find an answer before I blow up and tell everyone to do one... again!

Something's not right there. Sounds like you have some rather unaccommodating customers but perhaps also fallen into the classic self employed trap of taking on too much and not saying no enough? I've taken on a job (the one I'm on now) which will last a straight 5 months, sounds great and it's a nice enough job but I've had to turn away probably about 6 months worth of work because I'm now booking well into next summer and enough is enough. What I've learnt from this is that as a sole operator the massive jobs are actually counter productive due to the number of other customers I have to let down. I think jobs lasting between a week and a fortnight are my sweet spot, it means I'm not having to look at loads of jobs to fill the diary and moving kit around all the time but at the same time feel like I can keep quite a lot of customers happy this way...

 

[Vinpetrol]

Something's not right there. Sounds like you have some rather unaccommodating customers but perhaps also fallen into the classic self employed trap of taking on too much and not saying no enough? I've taken on a job (the one I'm on now) which will last a straight 5 months, sounds great and it's a nice enough job but I've had to turn away probably about 6 months worth of work because I'm now booking well into next summer and enough is enough. What I've learnt from this is that as a sole operator the massive jobs are actually counter productive due to the number of other customers I have to let down. I think jobs lasting between a week and a fortnight are my sweet spot, it means I'm not having to look at loads of jobs to fill the diary and moving kit around all the time but at the same time feel like I can keep quite a lot of customers happy this way...

I hate turning work down , I’m often having to juggle less urgent work to accomodate everyone .

 

[hiluxman]

See, this would suit me fine, and was kind of how I was working. Then 2020 came around and I haven't had a spare day let alone week since! Its a nice problem to have, and maybe at my time in life and with a large mortgage to pay I should be grateful for being busy. But I feel like I'm running out of steam now and am fed up with people expecting me to work around them and give up my evenings and weekends to make their schedule work. Its not how the jobs start out, but somewhere between starting and ending, a load of extras appear or "can you just's"/ "While you're at it" and these add time to the job, which removes any spare time I have planned between finishing one and starting the next. I was allowing a week between projects but its just getting absorbed with more work. Then the next customer is on the phone getting aggy because you are delayed from the date you gave them 6 months ago as a predicted start date!
Getting really near the point of sacking it all off again and finding some other way to earn money - I've honestly had enough of feeling under pressure and being hounded on the phone as to where I am and why haven't I looked at/ priced/ turned up at/ worked miracle's on some job or another. The one man army thing has worked well for me and is very profitable no doubt, but its literally killing me, you cant do everything at the same speed bigger companies can for ever.
Someone suggested getting a PA to help with paperwork, phone calls, diary planning etc. Anyone else do this? I need to find an answer before I blow up and tell everyone to do one... again!

I've a lad who answer my phone, only the chosen have my own number.

 

[Lancs Lad]

See, this would suit me fine, and was kind of how I was working. Then 2020 came around and I haven't had a spare day let alone week since! Its a nice problem to have, and maybe at my time in life and with a large mortgage to pay I should be grateful for being busy. But I feel like I'm running out of steam now and am fed up with people expecting me to work around them and give up my evenings and weekends to make their schedule work. Its not how the jobs start out, but somewhere between starting and ending, a load of extras appear or "can you just's"/ "While you're at it" and these add time to the job, which removes any spare time I have planned between finishing one and starting the next. I was allowing a week between projects but its just getting absorbed with more work. Then the next customer is on the phone getting aggy because you are delayed from the date you gave them 6 months ago as a predicted start date!
Getting really near the point of sacking it all off again and finding some other way to earn money - I've honestly had enough of feeling under pressure and being hounded on the phone as to where I am and why haven't I looked at/ priced/ turned up at/ worked miracle's on some job or another. The one man army thing has worked well for me and is very profitable no doubt, but its literally killing me, you cant do everything at the same speed bigger companies can for ever.
Someone suggested getting a PA to help with paperwork, phone calls, diary planning etc. Anyone else do this? I need to find an answer before I blow up and tell everyone to do one... again!

Put your prices up. 10% isn't even covering inflation ATM ...in your neck of the woods folk seem to have money to burn...cannot get over quantity of millionaire+ pads around Guildford liphook etc.

 

[Quattromike]

See, this would suit me fine, and was kind of how I was working. Then 2020 came around and I haven't had a spare day let alone week since! Its a nice problem to have, and maybe at my time in life and with a large mortgage to pay I should be grateful for being busy. But I feel like I'm running out of steam now and am fed up with people expecting me to work around them and give up my evenings and weekends to make their schedule work. Its not how the jobs start out, but somewhere between starting and ending, a load of extras appear or "can you just's"/ "While you're at it" and these add time to the job, which removes any spare time I have planned between finishing one and starting the next. I was allowing a week between projects but its just getting absorbed with more work. Then the next customer is on the phone getting aggy because you are delayed from the date you gave them 6 months ago as a predicted start date!
Getting really near the point of sacking it all off again and finding some other way to earn money - I've honestly had enough of feeling under pressure and being hounded on the phone as to where I am and why haven't I looked at/ priced/ turned up at/ worked miracle's on some job or another. The one man army thing has worked well for me and is very profitable no doubt, but its literally killing me, you cant do everything at the same speed bigger companies can for ever.
Someone suggested getting a PA to help with paperwork, phone calls, diary planning etc. Anyone else do this? I need to find an answer before I blow up and tell everyone to do one... again!

This is what I'm feeling also, except for sacking it all in. We have a family business, my old folks my uncle my sister all work at the business but still find I get drowned with the workload. We have about 1.5 times our yearly turnover in orders going forward, some of it it overdue and some is customers getting their orders in early so they are on the list. My fear is we have lots to get on with but not enough guys getting it done and struggling to find any that are keen to crack on with it. I'd like to work less and everyone get paid more and have it easier but who will do the work