Basic Rules for The Self-Employed Decorator
By Mike Gregory
If you’re a decorator and you’re thinking about becoming your own boss, there are a few very basic things that you must get right in order to succeed. I’m no big professor or guru so this blog is going to be very basic, but getting all the points right will be vital for your next step. These are the basic rules for any self-employed decorator.
Don’t under sell yourself!!
Running a small business isn’t cheap and you’ll have running costs to pay from the start, up until you retire. Not just that, but you do a lot of unpaid work in the evening, either quoting, washing tools or getting organised. You need to find a way you can make it pay, so do not undercharge on quotes, even when you’re desperate for work!!
I’ll give you an idea of what I mean. Your running costs include your insurances, keeping your van on the road, tool maintenance, mobile phone and any scheme memberships. Everyone’s running costs are different, but mine are roughly £30 per day.
So if your running costs are £30 per day and you’re only charging £120 on your day rate, then your actual wage is £90 per day. If you have to do some running around after your day on the tools, maybe go out and price a job, then you’re working 10 hours for that £90. That’s only £9 per hour!! You can earn a better working at Asda!!
Look the Part
A decorator need to come across in the right way!! If you turn up in a car with paint up the sides and scruffy genes on, then you’re not going to win the work. Have a van, keep it clean, make sure you’re wearing whites and keep them clean too.
Look After your Tools
For no other reason, than it’ll be expensive if you don’t. Wash brushes and rollers every week (or every day if you have time). Keep everything in a box or bag and make sure you can get your hands on the tool you need, when you need it.
Clean and Tidy Job
Your work needs to be bang on, that goes without saying. The other thing that goes a long way is keeping the job clean and tidy. Set your base out and keep all your tools on it. When you finish a job, get everything looking immaculate before you go. Get it dust free, remove any waste and make sure there is no paint on anything there shouldn’t be paint on. You’ll impress everyone you work for by doing this.
Don’t be a Mug!!
You are the expert!! Do not let your customers tell you how to do your job or push you around. Your price is your price and you are available when you are actually available. If a job runs over, do not be afraid to pick up the phone and have an awkward conversation with your next client to push their start date back. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed!!
Basic Rules for The Self-Employed Decorator
Great advice Mike.
I would add not to give customers your full discount at merchants, your discount is commercially sensitive information.
Merchants push for this as desperate for any trade stop customers going wickes..
Not to let customers know you work weekends. Once your start they expect all time, l speaking from past experience.
Your weekend is your time its a hard job especially over 40s body stars to desperately need a rest.
Can actually sadly cause marriages to finish, Wifes not stand for bringing kids up themselves every weekend…its 2020 not 1970. that be FAR FAR more expensive AND damaging than losing a few weekends work over the year.
Think twice 99pc customers couldn’t care less about your personal happiness all matters their job done.
Holidays extremely important, book advance and take it cause if you dont you wont take it off and sit about house, sadly l now think holidays are starting to become hard to justify to customers pre Covid.
Great Advice Mr Mike G
In regards to the job pricing and running costs, its so easy to fall into the trap of paying the bills and undercutting yourself, I made a small excel costing program that I use, its crude compared to the ones you pay for, but for my business, it works, it can be downloaded free from the website, there is a password needed, and this is emailed back. here is a link to view: https://www.intserv.co.uk/pd-worksheet-2/ image. by the way great forum.
All keep safe.