[Smudger]

I've tried in the past to employ, but I'm not the right person to do so, it drives me nuts!
I also wouldn't trust them to work alone and not to declare new work and they would eventually build their own work up whilst I pay them a wage.  So nope, I don't wish for the hassle n stress of employing, nor the fact of building work up, only to pay the needed expense of employing someone.

its this mistrust is why you can't employ - done correctly they don't get the chance to 'steal' work

Darran

[trevor povey]

my advice would to be to keep the overhead factor as low as possible and have the person come with you in your van.

[Smudger]

my advice would to be to keep the overhead factor as low as possible and have the person come with you in your van.

which is fine while they learn the rounds etc...   but 2 men never do double a single man on residential work,  then what happens when you start the next person ?

Darran

[Spotfree]

I find that when working alone I do in 6 hours what we do together in 4.

I also found that the two guys I had working with me in my van both ate with their mouths open.

[Stoots]

Working 2 to van is good on some days but on others that are less compact it eats into profit especially the more driving there is.

I think it depends on the team if one guy is slower than the other it's becomes a waste of time but if they are both in sync it can work well.

I've worked with guys that were better as a 2 man and guys that were better on their own.

So it depends

[STEVE-UK]

I've tried in the past to employ, but I'm not the right person to do so, it drives me nuts!
I also wouldn't trust them to work alone and not to declare new work and they would eventually build their own work up whilst I pay them a wage.  So nope, I don't wish for the hassle n stress of employing, nor the fact of building work up, only to pay the needed expense of employing someone.

its this mistrust is why you can't employ - done correctly they don't get the chance to 'steal' work

Darran

Darran, what processes do you have in place to avoid the mistrust

[Smudger]

I've tried in the past to employ, but I'm not the right person to do so, it drives me nuts!
I also wouldn't trust them to work alone and not to declare new work and they would eventually build their own work up whilst I pay them a wage.  So nope, I don't wish for the hassle n stress of employing, nor the fact of building work up, only to pay the needed expense of employing someone.

its this mistrust is why you can't employ - done correctly they don't get the chance to 'steal' work

Darran

Darran, what processes do you have in place to avoid the mistrust

hmmmmm...

don't really mistrust any of the guys but we work the following ways..

vans and equipment are parked at unit - not taken home
vans tracked and work time set - so if someone comes back with a slow day we can look at the route
no-one has a 'round' they do all the rounds we typically have 3 'rounds' of any given day - 2 single man and a 2 man day - so the guys always have different houses to clean - never the same ones month in month out
bonus for bringing in new work
we are nice bosses that pay pretty good money 

Darran

[NWH]

Picture it build it up to the point you are stacked out with work with hardly any gaps,you have 1-2 good workers but then all of a sudden they decide it ain’t for them.
This game a hell of a lot of people use it as a stop gap job unless it’s there business because keeping it simple allows you the flexibility to work and do what work when you choose,different ball game employing overnight you must put the hours in you must work in the rain you must generate enough money per month.
I’ve done it before and it’s a different job entirely,remember no one works or sees you’re business like you do it’s just a job to employees those that don’t see that are either lying or kidding themselves.

[NWH]

A lot of the hot water haters I reckon employ why would you want the extra expense if you’re not using it day in day out I wouldn’t,the more I think about it the costs in my head keep going up and up lol.
Double you’re earnings after every expense you’ll still be lucky to be making money but at least it’ll give you bragging rights down the pub saying you employ,like I say no one treats you’re car like there own if you have very good work you don’t want to lose I would tread careful letting Jeremy kyles extras loose on it 😂

[Scrimble]

If you cannot build a business by employing then the problem is you are a lousy businessman,

[Dry Clean]

A lot of the hot water haters I reckon employ why would you want the extra expense if you’re not using it day in day out I wouldn’t,the more I think about it the costs in my head keep going up and up lol.
Double you’re earnings after every expense you’ll still be lucky to be making money but at least it’ll give you bragging rights down the pub saying you employ,like I say no one treats you’re car like there own if you have very good work you don’t want to lose I would tread careful letting Jeremy kyles extras loose on it 😂

[NWH]

It all depends on what a particular 1 man band is earning,if you are earning 25-30k as a 1 man band then the need to push on or employ would seem a better idea.
If you’re at VAT limit or there abouts what have you got to earn when employing to end up with a similar amount in you’re pocket still,it’s a lot more scrubbing of windows than some may think.

[Smudger]

I don't scrub 'em anymore 

Darran

[NWH]

It will be for me again but not at the moment I want a hassle free existence in the not to distant future,anyone who says employing is not hassle is pullong  the wool or trying to.

[Ooooooog]

Our latest did one day and gave his notice!

[dazmond]

Our latest did one day and gave his notice!

how long had he been working for you?

[Ooooooog]

Our latest did one day and gave his notice!

how long had he been working for you?

One day?

[Shrek]

Our latest did one day and gave his notice!

how long had he been working for you?

😂😂😂

[Stoots]

It's hard in this business because when you employ you need to generate extra work fast. Problem with that comes a lot of Messer's, non payers etc. Then there the learning curve and getting up to speed of the employee which can take months. Then there's the little things that p you off...not cleaning sills, leaving gates open, walking across neighbours garden, not returning pump off, forgetting to post notes, the list goes on. Then there's the weather which you must crack on no matter what. Paying them for holidays is quite sickening when no money is coming in. There's the extra admin of organising sheets, texting customers, dealing with complaints. All the extra b******s with payrol, time sheets, pension, extra costs. Wasting fuel, damaging van or equipment, buying extra equipment. Not really having a day off because you are wondering what employee is getting up to out in your van, what's he going to do today to cost you money. That's before they are ringing in sick. Oh and after a few months of you putting up with all that and training them up etc just when you think you might start to turn a profit they bugger off leaving you with too much work or having to find someone else and go through it all again.

I believe having multiple employees and office staff etc would make all the above much easier but when you are starting out into it wow it's a lot of extra hassle and I can see why a lot who have tried employing just decide to stay solo. There becomes a point in life where extra money just isn't worth extra hassle and losing sleep over.

That said I've just set on a new guy lol because I feel like I give up on the idea because it's hard then I will have quit and I hate the thought of quitting more than i hate the struggle of growth.

[dazmond]

It's hard in this business because when you employ you need to generate extra work fast. Problem with that comes a lot of Messer's, non payers etc. Then there the learning curve and getting up to speed of the employee which can take months. Then there's the little things that p you off...not cleaning sills, leaving gates open, walking across neighbours garden, not returning pump off, forgetting to post notes, the list goes on. Then there's the weather which you must crack on no matter what. Paying them for holidays is quite sickening when no money is coming in. There's the extra admin of organising sheets, texting customers, dealing with complaints. All the extra b******s with payrol, time sheets, pension, extra costs. Wasting fuel, damaging van or equipment, buying extra equipment. Not really having a day off because you are wondering what employee is getting up to out in your van, what's he going to do today to cost you money. That's before they are ringing in sick. Oh and after a few months of you putting up with all that and training them up etc just when you think you might start to turn a profit they bugger off leaving you with too much work or having to find someone else and go through it all again.

I believe having multiple employees and office staff etc would make all the above much easier but when you are starting out into it wow it's a lot of extra hassle and I can see why a lot who have tried employing just decide to stay solo. There becomes a point in life where extra money just isn't worth extra hassle and losing sleep over.

That said I've just set on a new guy lol because I feel like I give up on the idea because it's hard then I will have quit and I hate the thought of quitting more than i hate the struggle of growth.

yep my experience too mate...ive had around 80 lads working with me in the past in my trad days,albeit on a casual basis(cash in hand).i hated it...truly.......i much prefer working by myself...

also with WFP you can earn a lot more money than ladder work so no need to employ to make a half decent living.......