New self-employed welders – how do you find your niche of clients?

[Sam_colt88]

What do you specialise in – repairs, construction, fabrication?

And what kind of clients do you usually work with – industrial, commercial or residential?

I started out in this trade by working with a local workshop, but that came to an end.
Lately, I’ve been doing some container repairs, which seemed like it could turn into steady work – but honestly, most clients aren’t willing to pay what it actually costs, especially when it involves replacing walls or floors. Most would rather just buy a second-hand one.

I’ve also had the odd job come in – bucket repairs, lorry bumper fixes, and some requests from private customers for gates, fences and small metalwork – but it's all coming in very slowly, just a drip-feed.

So right now, things are really slow for me, and I’m not sure which direction to go.
Is it better to focus on private customers or try to find work with companies?

 

[brightspark]

What do you specialise in – repairs, construction, fabrication?

And what kind of clients do you usually work with – industrial, commercial or residential?

I started out in this trade by working with a local workshop, but that came to an end.
Lately, I’ve been doing some container repairs, which seemed like it could turn into steady work – but honestly, most clients aren’t willing to pay what it actually costs, especially when it involves replacing walls or floors. Most would rather just buy a second-hand one.

I’ve also had the odd job come in – bucket repairs, lorry bumper fixes, and some requests from private customers for gates, fences and small metalwork – but it's all coming in very slowly, just a drip-feed.

So right now, things are really slow for me, and I’m not sure which direction to go.
Is it better to focus on private customers or try to find work with companies?

both till you can get established .and if its that good chose your work im not a welder but it applies in most trades

 

[More Amps]

When you're starting out, just take whatever work you can get - and do it to the best of your abilities BUT make sure you're earning from your work - don't go chasing work by cutting prices or all your customers will be telling their friends they've found someone cheap. Also beware of people asking you to do work cheap as "there will be loads of work if you can do this job cheap". Advertise your services on Facebook (zero cost) and visit potential commercial customers to let them know who you are and what you can do for them. It all takes time to establish a reputation for good work. Good luck!

 

[Sam_colt88]

That’s true – it’s the logical thing to do.

I mean, where is it actually worth putting your marketing and sales efforts – handing out cards, making visits, etc.?
I’d really like to hear from people who’ve been through the early stages of starting their own business.

 

[More Amps]

In my experience cards end up in the bin or get lost, whereas a personal visit gives the buyer a chance to size you up and decide whether he wants to trust you to do the work. Effort is the key - if you can take some before and after photos with you to show people what you can do, it always helps. Equally if you're visiting businesses, be prepared to be told that they're too busy to chat to you, so be prepared to ask when would be a good time to return.

 

[sg66]

You are your best advertisement but it's only any good if you can back it up with good work, be prepared to work longer hours and take what you can when you start, you can he more selective as you gain work streams.

Self employment yea it's great, you are your own boss, actually your not, you have loads of bosses now and they don't give a stuff about you or any of your other work, it's not for everyone.....

 

[500e]

Personal contact is important especially with smaller Co.
Being able to talk to a face you know will get it done without hassle is worth money to smaller firms
But Don't buy work
If you are Workshop based keep it clean and surround tidy
Clean up-together equipment not necessarily new
Always pop in to see existing customers, a chat if they are into that , or just passing dropped in to see if
anything we can help with, if you dont someone will

 

[northwest]

cheap as "there will be loads of work if you can do this job cheap"

This translates directly to: you are not getting paid. Guaranteed. I usually used to cut and run if I ever heard these words and no, I am not kidding. You will learn.

 

[tom2207]

you are your best advert ,,, do the job you said you would do , for the price you agreed , deliver on time and thats all there is to it.

dont sell yourself short , pricing a job is often harder than doing the job

work that builds slowly will die slowly too , take comfort in that

dont be afraid to say no , its tempting to say yes to everything when your starting out , or the bills are adding up but remember this if you never remember anything else .... you may as well sit at home for nothing , as work for nothing . Theres no point in being the busiest man in the poorhouse.

 

[Erie Fred]

What equipment do you have ?

How many tons under hook ?
Just welding or fabricating ?
CNC plasma table ?
Slip rollers ?
Press Brake ?

Keep much material in stock for emergency work ?

 

[Sam_colt88]

Experience with TIG and MIG/MAG welding – stainless steel, machinery fabrication, non-sanitary piping, farm gates, handrails, and light structures.

I’ve got a 100m² workshop on my own property.

Equipment includes:

200A TIG welder

250A MIG welder

Bandsaw

Bench drill

Work van

12kW generator

45A plasma cutter with compressor

 

[Erie Fred]

What I am seeing in that list, is anything involving some "new build" probably involves
sub-contracting out the aforementioned CNC plasma/laser, and press brake & slip roll work.

Is that correct ?

Local shop trying to do that, we didn't send them any work, multiple weeks just to get a quote, as they
had to get sub contractor quotes, and the lead times all added up.

 

[Porkypine]

This translates directly to: you are not getting paid. Guaranteed. I usually used to cut and run if I ever heard these words and no, I am not kidding. You will learn.

I did some pipe welding for some muppets , cheap, kind of as a favour to a mate who was aquainted with them, totally saved their arsses too as the bloke they had started the job with screwed up and simply couldn't do it and it was quite a big job.
Anyway got another one from them subsequently, again getting them out of shtook on a bit of an emergency, when I presented my bill this time they argued like an absolute b'stard wanting the same price as I did the first one for;
The next time I saw it was their number calling I simply pressed 'reject call'

 

[Sam_colt88]

What I am seeing in that list, is anything involving some "new build" probably involves
sub-contracting out the aforementioned CNC plasma/laser, and press brake & slip roll work.

Is that correct ?

Local shop trying to do that, we didn't send them any work, multiple weeks just to get a quote, as they
had to get sub contractor quotes, and the lead times all added up.

Yes, that’s right – I don’t have CNC, a press brake or a slip roll. For jobs that require that kind of processing, I subcontract the cutting or bending when necessary – but that’s not the main type of work I’m aiming for.

My focus is more on functional fabrication, repairs, light structures, handrails, farm gates, small-scale custom builds, and on-site welding. I’m a one-man operation

 

[Erie Fred]

Yes, that’s right – I don’t have CNC, a press brake or a slip roll. For jobs that require that kind of processing, I subcontract the cutting or bending when necessary – but that’s not the main type of work I’m aiming for.

My focus is more on functional fabrication, repairs, light structures, handrails, farm gates, small-scale custom builds, and on-site welding. I’m a one-man operation

Seen people try to make a go at it, I wish you well.
Around here, even repairs it seems need those sub contracted services, but in house for instant
turn around.

As far as one man, some of the shops I deal with are one man.

 

[premmington]

Small one man "engineering shops" - near us - the only ones that last offer a bigger package.

1. They make there own product and sell it.

2. The offer machining as well - lathes and mills.

3. The repair things as well as just make things (gluing them together)

----

My mate does the "whole package" from:

Selling gates and fence, red lead builders steel, hydraulic ram repairs, blowing pins in diggers and machining new ones, engineering work for local university, odd turning job, odd welding job, altering agri plant, stuff for showmen, hand rails, lifting gear, food prep machinery - fish and chip ranges - making wheel dipping tanks - making powder coating plant and ovens - buying restoring and selling stuff - be honest the list he will do is truly endless...

This is because unless you want to be making stainless stuff all day for the food industry in our area - there just is not enough plain fabricating work about to feed everybody...

@Brad93 will explain the above to you @Sam_colt88 - better than I could ever

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

Great advice above and ...
Don't be a busy fool.
If you ask people to come to your premises, you need to arrive the same way they do and look at what they see. It's not your place. Look at how you present yourself to them. Act as if you've arrived, like a customer. Would you do business with you? That's so important, you've only got minutes to make the right impression. If I turn up anywhere, subconsciously I'm already starting my buying decision, is it tidy, are the painted areas washed and paint maintained (if you don't want to maintain paint DON'T paint). Are the windows clean?
And all that before you've even met them, now what do you look like?

Clean overalls, yes, I know it's a dirty business, but overalls are supposed to be dirty, but they shouldn't be able to stand up on their own. You need at least 3 pairs, possibly more, rotated by the level of **** carrying. The best engineer is not the dirtiest. Always be able to shake hands, so protective gloves that reveal clean-ish hands.

Please, please, please DON'T call me MATE, PAL, BUDDY! I'm none of them, I'm your next pay cheque. I've worked for all age groups, and I always call customers Sir or Ma'am. If I know their names, it's Mr. Green and Mrs. Green, until they permit me to use their first names. Then REMEMBER it!

The minute they leave, don't just go back to the job you were on. Take a minute, write down everything that you can remember about them, did they mention a dog, kids, Grandkids, house, place they live, what was the job for, colour, style, rough price if you gave one. The same should be done with phone calls; you'll be your secretary, salesperson, estimator, diary keeper, and accountant, all in that one phone call or meeting.

I worked with an architect's/civil engineer's office and was looking through their customer files. On the back of the front cover file was a contact sheet, Date, who called, discussed, and to be actioned by (or similar). Column headers. Every one of them was empty, bar a couple that had no useful info.
We immediately instigated, no conversation without notes on new or existing clients, especially existing! Turns out a couple of years ago now, he mentioned to me, he won a court case, based on the meticulous record keeping of dates and notes. It's not just that, but you can, within seconds of opening the client's file, know where you're up to, what's been promised, what's been said, AND make the client feel like they are important to you, because they feel important.

People BUY PEOPLE, before buying products and services! You don't give money to people you don't like, who look shoddy, who look like they don't care about their place. Why would you? So don't ask your customers to do that, either.

Anyway, enough rambling. Good luck.

 

[bourbon]

I agree with everything above. When I started where I work now. I talked to a guy that my dad had known all his life. He was an old fashioned rep. He gave me valuable advise. What ever the product, you are firstly selling yourself. Be polite, as mentioned, sir or madam. Don't give them a load of bullsh@t and deliver what you promise. I've tried to do that for all the time I have worked there and get customers asking for me by name now. Sadly, although I still have questions to ask him. he passed away last year.

 

[Erie Fred]

Yes, that’s right – I don’t have CNC, a press brake or a slip roll. For jobs that require that kind of processing, I subcontract the cutting or bending when necessary – but that’s not the main type of work I’m aiming for.

My focus is more on functional fabrication, repairs, light structures, handrails, farm gates, small-scale custom builds, and on-site welding. I’m a one-man operation

Look on U-toob at "snowball engineering".
He's doing much of what you describe, look at the equipment he has.

 

[More Amps]

One avenue that may be worth having a think about is domestic gates and security grilles - if you create some designs, then you have the chance to push your work more up-market (someone calls you and says they want a gate, you turn up and show them your drawings and you have a good chance to get people thinking beyond a "simple" gate and also gives you a chance to mention all the other wonderful items you can create) Never turn down "bread and butter" work - it all puts money in your account and you never know where it will lead.