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Post by johnc on Jan 21, 2021 8:50:01 GMT
I know lots of self employed tradesmen and they are all working with a big list of people wanting jobs done - they simply can't afford not to work and the self employed support is for many of them unworkable.
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Post by ChrisM on Jan 21, 2021 11:06:24 GMT
^ If you still have a job and are working from home, it's great for tradespeople since you don't have to worry about taking a day off work to be home to let them in etc.
When we had our leak in the kitchen at the start of the year, we were very lucky that the plumber was able to come round same day as he was reasonably well booked up with work for a few weeks.
Many's the time I've wondered if I'd have been better off becoming a plumber rather than an engineer.......
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jan 21, 2021 11:24:45 GMT
Couple across the road are having a new bathroom installed and there has been 4 vans parked up outside - one electrician's and three of the bathroom company's, so there has been upwards of 4 people at a time working in a small room. I suppose it's allowed but I don't see much social distancing going on.
In fact, as you walk around, there seems to be tradesmen everywhere; new kitchens, extensions, carpet fitters, new boilers, oven cleaners etc. The tradespeople seem to be doing very well.
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Post by Alex on Jan 21, 2021 11:37:33 GMT
Couple across the road are having a new bathroom installed and there has been 4 vans parked up outside - one electrician's and three of the bathroom company's, so there has been upwards of 4 people at a time working in a small room. I suppose it's allowed but I don't see much social distancing going on. I'm sure that where they cant socially distance they're all wearing masks...
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Post by garry on Jan 21, 2021 12:58:22 GMT
^ If you still have a job and are working from home, it's great for tradespeople since you don't have to worry about taking a day off work to be home to let them in etc. When we had our leak in the kitchen at the start of the year, we were very lucky that the plumber was able to come round same day as he was reasonably well booked up with work for a few weeks. Many's the time I've wondered if I'd have been better off becoming a plumber rather than an engineer....... nothing stopping you making that transition now is there?
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Post by garry on Jan 21, 2021 13:02:52 GMT
I know lots of self employed tradesmen and they are all working with a big list of people wanting jobs done - they simply can't afford not to work and the self employed support is for many of them unworkable. That's true in my area. I've got two rental properties where I'm struggling to get some work done. I think many people put their summer holiday spending into a new bathroom instead
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Post by Big Blue on Jan 21, 2021 13:46:41 GMT
We’ve had decorators, carpet fitters and sparks in over lockdown and plumber to come. None at the same time but our house looks nicer. The other issue for tradesmen is they must be loaded if they’re still working as they can’t go down the pub on an evening and piss it all up the wall.
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Post by chipbutty on Jan 21, 2021 14:21:49 GMT
A colleague's brother left a banking career to retrain as a plumber - loves it and the control he has over his work life balance.
You don't have to go as far as retraining as a plumber either - as long as you are generally competent with smaller scale DIY and of a pleasant and honest demeanour, you will never go short of work as a general handyman.
I ran into an ex colleague in 2019 who had recently retired from JLR and he was doing just that. He got himself a transit and as soon as he got a couple of jobs under his belt, recommendation took care of the rest.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jan 21, 2021 14:23:07 GMT
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Post by michael on Jan 21, 2021 14:26:55 GMT
A friend of mine runs owns a plumbing company and I look after his Facebook account. Quite often the respondents to job adverts are from people who would like to retrain. One of his staff was a personal trainer who wanted a better income and career prospects.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jan 21, 2021 15:19:11 GMT
A friend of mine was a legal advisor and was good at tiling so went on a course and set up as a tradesman tiler. Unfortunately, at late 40s, he found that his knees just wouldn't take the daily kneeling required for the job and packed in after 9 months or so.
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Post by Tim on Jan 21, 2021 15:47:16 GMT
We've had a joiner and electrician in (separately) at various times.
Plumber coming tomorrow but no need for social distancing, he'll be finding out why the fucking septic tank is backed up again (and no it's got nothing to do with my diet) so can stay outside with his dirty hands.
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Post by johnc on Jan 21, 2021 17:32:16 GMT
Good tradesmen can easily make £50K a year if they put the hours in.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jan 21, 2021 18:44:11 GMT
Good tradesmen can easily make £50K a year if they put the hours in. And then some.
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Post by Eff One on Jan 21, 2021 19:25:21 GMT
I'm thinking of retraining - made redundant from Carnival UK (cruise holidays) last summer. Web content author salaries were never brilliant and are in steady decline - I was on 15% less at Carnival than a similar role 8 years previously. And that's without taking inflation into account.
No idea what I'd retrain as, though.
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Post by LandieMark on Jan 21, 2021 20:39:47 GMT
I've looked at a couple of things. Electrician appeals to me. course is about £5k.
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Post by ChrisM on Jan 21, 2021 20:55:59 GMT
No idea what I'd retrain as, though. Pick something you're either good at, enjoy doing or that pays a lot of money. I'm sorry to find out that you've still not found anything; I've found it bad enough working from home for almost 10 months (with an occasional journey into the work site), but to be stuck at home for months and not being paid, when you are capable of great things must be so much more frustrating. Can you paint, hand wallpaper, do electrics or plumbing? Write childrens' stories?
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Post by Alex on Jan 21, 2021 22:13:31 GMT
I'm thinking of retraining - made redundant from Carnival UK (cruise holidays) last summer. Web content author salaries were never brilliant and are in steady decline - I was on 15% less at Carnival than a similar role 8 years previously. And that's without taking inflation into account. No idea what I'd retrain as, though. I know everyone mocked the government for their adverts about a ballerinas next job being in cyber but if you already have some skills from web design could you look at something in the IT business. I know that the firm we use to develop our web based compliance system are struggling to get enough staff and replace those moving for higher wages so there must be plenty of work out there.
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Post by Andy C on Jan 21, 2021 22:31:48 GMT
My brother works in cyber security . Tbf he’s a lot more brainy than me but he earns a fortune . Much more than me anyway doing gas and electrics
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Post by johnc on Jan 22, 2021 7:06:20 GMT
I've looked at a couple of things. Electrician appeals to me. course is about £5k. Electrician's are always the smartest (and most expensive) tradesmen.
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Post by johnc on Jan 22, 2021 7:08:40 GMT
Good tradesmen can easily make £50K a year if they put the hours in. And then some. I know but there is only so much you can put on a public forum.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2021 11:22:07 GMT
Apart from that, all cash transactions would make HMR suspicious, then they would really go to town.
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Post by Roadsterstu on Jan 26, 2021 7:42:24 GMT
Good tradesmen can easily make £50K a year if they put the hours in. I'm always amazed at the number of big houses that have a tradesman's van on the drive of an evening. And the nice cars.
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