spray1974

Was made redundant a couple of months ago and am fed up and want to start my own business. Was planning becoming a handy man. Any ideas where or how to get help starting up a small business? How do you start a small business with limited funds... I have all the tools equipment that I would need so there is little expense to out lay other than maybe a cheap run around van. How do you survive until you get a customer base. I have a trade its not like am going into this blind with no skills to offer. Any idea's would be welcome. Sick of living of the missus need to become the provider again....

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

Business Link is a fantastic resource.
Like you I was made redundant (back in Jan 09). Searched for 3 months to find a job but couldn't. Had some enquires about doing the odd job for previous people I'd don't work for so decided to take the plunge cause to be honest, it doesn't take much to start earning more than the Job Seekers Allowance now does it
I would say go for it.
The negatives about working for yourself? You'll do much longer hours than you would ever have done working for someone else, and managing the cash flow is possibly the most painful part.
The actual registering with the tax office and setting up a bank account etc is really easy and straight forward.
Not sure whether they do it now, by Abbey were doing free business banking for life back when I set mine up.
Good luck

JackClark

Declare yourself a Sole Trader with the Tax Office, go out and earn money, job's a good 'un.

Leslie

All you can do I think is to start off and build the clientele up bit by bit with recommendations from your customers. Can't think of any easy way I'm afraid. But it can certainly be done.

Les

MMT WRX

I quit my job and set up as a sole trader about 5 years ago although we had a bit of cash put aside, so no immediate financial worries. Even as a sole trader you can employ, as we do, but you must then have employees insurance.

You don't need to register for 3 months and to be honest there's no urgency in setting up a business account. We used our existing account to start with but now use Alliance and Leicester because they don't have any charges except if anybody gives you a bounced cheque, which costs £7. Everything else is free and they're handy because everything is done through the local post offices. We looked at others but they all wanted to charge for paying in cash, cheques, drawing cash etc. That may have changed though more recently.

For what you are planning to do I would go door knocking with some leaflets explaining your services. Don't just push flyer's through letterboxes because they just end up in the bin. Look smart, knock on some doors and tell them what you can do. Get a customer base growing, word of mouth seems to be the best, so do a good job and be reliable.

Public liability insurance is relatively cheap although you don't legally have to have it.

Although I've not used them a company called Vistaprint are very cheap for business cards and flyer's, infact if your happy to have their logo on the back I think they're free.

Jsut made me think of a guy local to me who's a handyman...his van says Hubbyhire...at least I think he's a handyman.

Dave1980

go for it, just done it myself.

was made redundant from the construction industry back in July last year, been doing agency work for the last 8 months or so. after my agency job finished decided to take the plunge and gone self employed as a Quality Control consultant.

do the odd bit of actual building work myself as well working for various other companies as a subcontractor.

easy to set up and going well so far

just register on the HMRC site as a self employed sole trader and away you go.

spray1974

Cheers guys thats put me in the right direction. I've worked as a limited company before through an umbrella company, but that was basically through and agency for another company. Am wanting to get this right without making any mistakes and make a right go of this. Thanks for the solid advice I'm getting flyers made up and will be canvassing the doors soon. Just hope people dont think am a politician looking for votes with the suit on

Lee247

Go for it
I've been self employed for years and would not have it any other way.
Don't forget to stick a few cheap adverts in your local paper, you'd be amazed how many people will see it. Oh and local shop windows.
You'll soon find word of mouth will take over, as folks recommend you based on a good job done.
All the best

Mark Mac

All good advice above,
One avenue for you to explore is letting/estate agents.
The bigger ones seem to be coming away from national cover companies that sub-contract the work and are looking for direct labour.

We have had great success exploring this route, make sure your insurance's are in place and your registered as some have a fair amount of paperwork to get through.

Get a web site sorted, you can send this around like a CV. Plus it can make your "company" look like the dogs bollocks.

Good Luck...

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

Use your own bank acount for now
chq are dissapearing fast anyway
generally cash is best for small jobs

Van most important is. Well presened signwritten van
with a nice logo you must have
lots of buisness cards and keep in van and wallet at all times

make sure you have extra locks on van and revererse it up to your house so noone can open the door and put a bollard on your drive for security too

in your buisness plan make sure your prices include an extra £2000 income to give you 4 weeks holliday money
no point being self employed and having no hollidays
a goodquality Filofax ( remember those yuppies ) could not live without one
never write things down on scrap bits of paper they get lost

Local newsagents windows a typed advert far better then small handwrote note

not sure what sort of handyman services you offer then can advise further

And when I used to lecture to buisnesses

Always have a picture of your dream car / house or whatever
stuck on your fridge / phone / pc wallpaper and in your van and everytime you save £500 put a little mark beside it 1111 thencross it as a block of five

Sounds tacky but it worked for me for 30 years to motivate you

Ray T

And don't forget you do not have to charge VAT below a certain level (60-70K or thereabouts turnover ), so makes you more "attractive" price wise.

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

The basic question is always
are you've cheaper
or better then your competitors ?
If the answer is no
then don't bother

njkmrs

Good luck fella .
Nothing to lose so go for it .

StickyMicky

If you have no job then you have nothing to lose anyway.


But i would recommend a holiday before you start up as it will a while before you get a chance of another one

Been self employed for nearly 6 years now, don't think i have ever had more then 5 days off in a row

Boils my **** when the missus gets about 13 weeks off a year that reminds me, shes due back in tomorrow mwwwaaaha ha ha