[Dave Willis]

Just picked up a gutter clean that I can do without to be honest. Commercial job and they have sent me a form to fill out. They want to know my earnings for the last three years, previous work (and give examples) number of employees, insurance details, health and safety forms, qualifications etc etc for some run down crappy old peoples home.

I ask myself - what is the point with commercial work? I can earn the same money scrubbing domestic windows with no hassle, minimum outlay, no qualifications, no experiance and no questions.
I find residential work generally easier (maintenance cleans) closer to home with very little stress.
You guys must get stressed something rotten chasing tenders or attending courses for bits of paper to wave about.
Think I'll stick with the easy stuff.

Maybe I'm lazy - got too much work but really don't want to face the next step. Ie. expand and employ.

[Dave Willis]

 I don't have a problem with old people. 

[Dave Willis]

C&B do you have work in Trowbridge?

[Moderator David@stives]

Pass it to me, I will take it

[Dave Willis]

  are you guttercleaning now too? Or subbying out?

[Dave Willis]

Dave, with your credentials and contacts, you could make a killing on gutterwork.

[Dave Willis]

Thought you were in Bath? Must be someone else.

[Dave Willis]

Where did I put my tablets?  :

[daz1977]

a lot of commercial jobs and contracts, you have to earn over a certain amount to even apply for them,  i remember one for a council and your turnover had to be 3 x what the contract was work and contacts was worth something like 100,000 grand, thst why you might notice that it is the same companys getting the big contracts all the time

[Dave Willis]

So how is the Sole Trader meant to compete? He can't I suppose.
The longer I have been doing this job the more i think the commercial stuff is based on backhanders or backscratching. Seems to be one guy in my area who picks up all the new builds and subbys out. Same guy all the time.
He's in the right religious club and my guess would be he does the funny handshake stuff too. 

[daz1977]

they aint dave,  many try and get commercial, end up with small  jobs, but can only sub on the big ones,  u must be a member of the wrong golf club,   my great uncle use to have a engineering business and use to get all the work off the local council,  he use to drink in the old labour clubs every nite,  and went to all the sportman night that they use to put on, 

remember its who u know  not what u know

[Moderator David@stives]

No back handers from me, never done one in my life.

[Dave Willis]

Dave, you must get the hint now and again though. Often I've quoted on jobs where at the end the property manager comes out with "oh what would you charge to clean my conservatory - it's all green"
I seem to get these a lot and have always thought it's the freebie they expect at the end. Never done one though - I'm too cheap.

[Moderator David@stives]

Dave

I am too thick to take the hint, lol

[Dave Willis]

................. so the gutter cleaning?
I reckon you are - or very soon will be.