how much should i be charging for this

[Cris B]

I started working as a freelance mobile mechanic when I was around your age and did it for about 6 months before starting work with a firm. It let to some really good jobs and I'm glad I did it. Make the most of it and enjoy being your own boss, you'll learn a lot and quickly. The money will come with time, you just have to be patient!

 

[Welderpaul]

Business link was an excellent source of information when i was setting up. Lots of links to HMRC etc. Lots of things on there to think about that is easy to miss.

 

[chunkolini]

I went to business link and was not impressed to put it mildly.
They seemed to me to be people who had not got real jobs telling people how to work for themselves. While being paid by a 'nongovernment' organisation.
Not impressed why?
Arranged meetings being cancelled, people not turning up, then I had a visit.
The guy who came to visit took one look at my shelving units (www.coolshelving.com) and said nobody would want to spend that kind of money on shelves when they can buy them premade.

Pillock, he managed to insult me and rubbish a succesful business stream that then paid me over £20.00 per hour after costs had been deducted. he also asked 'Do you really think you can make a living doing this' when I had been at it full time for three years, and reccomended that I look into vehicle repairs instead.

I would say see what they have to offer but dont go expecting much.

Chunko'.

 

[rockjock620]

They are not there to assess the potential of your business (and he sounds like a bit of a knob TBH) they are there to tell you the ins and outs of running a business. They don't/shouldn't pretend to be Dragon's Den or Venture Capitalists. Take the knowledge they have for what it is - advice on on how, when you work for yourself, the knowledge you need to get you moving.

 

[Chickenjohn]

How much do you think I should charge for car restoration welding work if I'm working from home??

 

[s410man]

How much do you think I should charge for car restoration welding work if I'm working from home??

id say £10 miimum plus all costs from electricity to m5 washers and welding tips

 

[Welderpaul]

You lads really undersell yourselves.

 

[chunkolini]

I agree with welderpaul there.

£10.00 is nowhere near enough, though it is what I was earnng as a senior care worker running peoples lives and carrying the can for a whole bunch of colleagues.

If it is car repairs, that is one thing but restorations should be a lot more.
Why? a repair is something that needs doing. Restoration is purely elective, people are choosing to have this done as a luxury item that they can afford.

is that going to start a controversy?

Chunko'.

 

[Chickenjohn]

I agree with you Chunkolini, restoration work should be worth a lot more but one could only charge £20 an hour if I had a unit, i.e. a premesis. Doing the odd job from home £10 per hour is what I've charged for work on classic cars in the past.

For a restoration job, you generally have to quote a price based on how long you think it it takes to do the job. Restoring a car to a high standard, i.e. cutting out the rust and welding in new or fabricated panels takes a long time. If I were to quote at £20 or £30 and hour and the job would take three weeks (could quite easily to do a proper job) that is 120 hours, which would equate to £3600 labour plus panels and materials. This is uneconomic because you are looking at £4,000 bill for a car that will most likely be worth £3000 at the end of the work for a low end of the market classic car job such as a Morris Minor re-build for example.

And that is with no paintwork done, except on the underside to protect the repairs. At that cost the car is likely to be broken for parts and the customer will go and buy a restored car for £3000.

Quoting based on somewhere around £10, plus parts/consumables/costs and the restoration work becomes viable.

I'd rather work for a nominal £10 per hour (or even end up working for less if the job over runs the time I quoted and get paid for ) doing something I enjoy than lose a job and have no work to do and no money coming in. We are in a deep recession and you have to quote accordingly. I was made redundant from my £20 an hour job in 2009 and have not found permanent work since -despite applying for jobs for a year and a half. And I've already been turned down for a welding job on a truck even quoting at £10 per hour.

I agree with you, it is a luxury item restoring a classic car, but to add fire to the controversy, Chunks- I thought you were a communist! Your post, of which i agree with 100% reads very capitalistic in nature!

 

[chunkolini]

'I agree with you, it is a luxury item restoring a classic car, but to add fire to the controversy, Chunks- I thought you were a communist! Your post, of which i agree with 100% reads very capitalistic in nature!'

A communist? well maybe an aging hippy.

I realised a few years back that what I do when working to commission is purely luxury items, almost vanity objects if you want to be cynical. Which I became comfortable with, then started racking up my prices. If people like something enough they they will afford it. And if they wont then it is tough taters. I always include a haggle factor in pricing, but once somebody has paid that it stays that price plus a haggle factor.

When people 'want' something it is easier to get them to part with cash than when they 'need' it, it seems that once the need kicks in they get much less willing to pay for it. I presume that this only applies in times of relative luxury, ie we (or they) are not starving. I have noticed over the last 6 months the people who have the money are spending it again. (hmm, getting a bit off topic there).

Chunko'.

 

[Chickenjohn]

You're right Chunks, you have good business sense and are doing absolutely the right thing. It seems there is a demand for your good quality luxury product, and limited supply, so prices can rise if the consumer will pay.

The laws of supply and demand. An ageing Hippy with the ideals of a communist but the business sense of a capitalist!

As for me, I'm going to try and get started this year so at the moment there is limited demand. If things pick up and a waiting list develops them it is time to put the prices up. I believe that goods and services reach their own level naturally.

 

[s410man]

my boss is £14 per hour and seems to be making a tidy profit

i would say £10 profit wouldnt be to bad

thats £90 a day in your pocket afetr all expenses

 

[Chickenjohn]

Exactly, or more if you work a longer day.

 

[snowcat]

my boss is £14 per hour and seems to be making a tidy profit

i would say £10 profit wouldnt be to bad

thats £90 a day in your pocket afetr all expenses

£14 seems incredibly low, If you can run a business and keep 50% of your earnings your doing well, overheads just eat away, and too many do not realize this especially when walking in from an employed background.. I have know many many people set up a business and become an employee within a year because they just cant pay the bills...

Be very realistic with your REAL running costs, and stop them spirialing.....Charge a realistic rate, low prices attracts messes and bad payers....

 

[s410man]

£14 seems incredibly low, If you can run a business and keep 50% of your earnings your doing well, overheads just eat away, and too many do not realize this especially when walking in from an employed background.. I have know many many people set up a business and become an employee within a year because they just cant pay the bills...

Be very realistic with your REAL running costs, and stop them spirialing.....Charge a realistic rate, low prices attracts messes and bad payers....

hes been running for 27 years so must be making a profit

£14 hour is labour and consumables but any specialist work like thick bending etc and materials are on top of this

he does run old kit which probaly helps as he has no big outlay or depreciation and hes fully booked for around 4 months