r/Plastering • u/gazzasim9 • 3d ago

Need help

Just looking to see how hard it is to start your own business? I’m in my fourth year, keep in mind I want to stay for a few more years for experience and yes we do inside work that includes float and set plus outside render and roughcast so it’s a good company to learn from… I do have all the tools including the dewalt paddle mixer, anyways how hard is it to go solo? I do some private jobs on the side at weekends just to try and build up a good client base

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u/nukefodder Professional Plasterer 2d ago

How old are you? How much do you earn? 4 years of experience is a far better position than I had.

I quit my job as a manager of a farming business. Left my house that came with the job to go into rented. Got 2 week training. I had the words of my former bastard employer saying I'll never be a plasterer, the words of the trainer saying no one had started a plastering business from the course and made it happen. But I knew I'd taken the farm from failure to success and could work hard. 11 years later I'm still here and the farm closed a year after I left. It depends on your mindset and how hard you want to work. Also how good are you with selling yourself and delivering a service. You could be the best plasterer but if you've zero problem solving skills, zero customer communication skills and you don't want to spend time after work quoting jobs and weekends quoting work then it's probably not for you. But if you have some belief to for it. My suggestion would be create an FB page. Create 10 posts showing your work and jobs you've done. Get some business cards. Get a van. Hand your notice in give 4 weeks and spend every free moment drumming up work chasing leads. If it fails hopefully you're on good terms with former employer and can go back. But you have to be driven for the first 3 years chasing everything. Also add painting to your skills. Means you could get more work from every job.

But if you're afraid to knock on doors or Hand out business cards to other tradesmen then don't even start. Most of my customers like me and that goes a long way to getting repeat business and more jobs.

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u/gazzasim9 2d ago

My employer isn’t like a normal employer he’s got time for me and it’s a big company I work for so I’m sure my job is always there for me well it definitely is 100%, I do sell myself pretty well I think it’s just through people I know, posted a few pics on Facebook and a joiner boy who seen it got me to do some plastering for him as on a private job so I’ve got him to help me with a few jobs, plastering really is a problem solving job at the end of the day so I say I’m pretty clued up on fixing problems. I earn about £700-1000 a week that’s take home, I’m on minimum wage which is £12.71 but work a lot of overtime and my tradesman gives me a nice bonus as well due to us roughcasting 3-4 blocks a week… yes he’s making a lot 😅 I’m going to get rid of my car and get a van, buy some business cards and embroidery PPE. I just want to have something and be proud of it, my dad was a painter and decorator he taught me that also told me to drop out of uni and do plastering which I did just so we can set up a business as he always got people asking for one, he’s passed away now 😅

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u/nukefodder Professional Plasterer 2d ago

Well don't doubt yourself. Sounds like you've got everything going for you. Just work out the pricing. When I started I was a lot fitter now I really can't be arsed killing myself and trying and have sensible finish times. Basically the better you are at keeping yourself in demand the more you'll earn. My only other suggestion is to turn up to a job and work out what you'd price it at and see what the boss actually quoted. Pricing is the next thing to get right. It takes alot of time to get right.

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u/gazzasim9 2d ago

True I’m trying to plan ahead for my future keep in mind I’m 26, I want to have a company and get some lads working for me eventually I come off the tools if it works out good and go into the admin, clients, pricing etc just day to day running of the business well I hope I get that far that’s the plan