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what do I need to start my own business as a tradesperson

The allure of self-employment is undeniable – choosing your clients, enjoying flexible hours, achieving a better work-life balance, and boosting your earnings potential. If you have the practical expertise and the drive to work independently, launching your own business could be the game-changing career move you've been waiting for. Join the ranks of the growing number of self-employed individuals in the industry and embark on your journey to success.

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what do I need to start my own business as a tradesperson

The allure of self-employment is undeniable – choosing your clients, enjoying flexible hours, achieving a better work-life balance, and boosting your earnings potential. If you have the practical expertise and the drive to work independently, launching your own business could be the game-changing career move you've been waiting for. Join the ranks of the growing number of self-employed individuals in the industry and embark on your journey to success.

More...

How much does a self employed electrician make in the UK?

According to recent research, self-employed electricians in the UK actually earn more than the average electrician. Out of 20,000 self-employed electricians used in the study, the average self-employed electrician earned a whopping £51,200 per year. This figure is 56% more than the average electrician!

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Tradesman fixing a boiler

When it comes to working as a tradesperson, there are no shortage of career avenues available. One popular option is to become self-employed; there are many benefits to being your own boss, so it's not hard to see why so many people are drawn to this route.

In fact, the opportunity to become self-employed is one of the main reasons why so many people choose to learn a trade in the first place.

If you're interested in training to become a tradesperson, you might be looking to find out a little more about what potential career opportunities will be available to you once you've completed your training. If so, this blog has relevant information for you.

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Average weekly earnings for self-employed construction workers are continuing to skyrocket beyond pre-pandemic levels, as Hudson Contract’s last month’s payroll data has recently been made public. 

According to Hudson Contract, the UK’s largest supplier of tax status and employment contract services in the construction industry, last month saw the average weekly earnings for self-employed tradespeople rise to £904, giving skilled workers an extra £124 per month. And this is just the average, and varies from region to region within England and Wales. In the East Midlands, for example, labour costs have hit an all-time high at £1,014 a week.

 

Self-employed tradespeople

 

This is following a continuous surge in demand as the construction industry, and indeed other projects around the UK, get back on their feet. The construction sector, along with the country, has been injected with a surge of energy, following the introduction of regeneration, housing and infrastructural projects which are already underway. The opportunities and necessity for skilled workers is breath taking, and is being reflected by these figures of rocketing wages. 

The cost of skilled labour rose by 3.6% in July of this year, a rise which arrived at a fortuitous time for the industry: Hudson Contract reported in June that the construction sector saw the most substantial rise in earnings out of any UK sector since the beginning of the pandemic, at an enormous 14% increase. Earnings have been steadily rising throughout this year too, with evident growth from March through to the present time. In May, average weekly earnings were up 20% on pre-pandemic levels.

This substantial increase in weekly average pay is generating a very hopeful and vibrant feeling within the construction industry. Hudson Contract, the largest UK supplier of tax status and employment contract services for those working in the construction industry, have given indicators over the past year and a half of the superb health of the construction industry. 

 

Managing Director of Hudson Contract, Ian Anfield, exudes this optimism, and gives the healthy state of the housing market as one of the reasons for this continued surge in high productivity for the industry and high pay for workers: 

 

‘The housing market is booming with the price of the average UK home increasing by nearly £25,000 over the last year’, he says, and predicts that this advantageous state of affairs will be likely ‘to continue for the foreseeable future’. 

 

He puts this down to ‘big infrastructure investments’, backed by the government ‘as part of its “leveling up” agenda, which is adding to confidence in the sector’. 

Hopeful and confident times indeed for the construction industry, though there are, as ever, notable challenges ahead. Anfield notes that ‘shortages in building materials and skilled labour’ is one such obstacle, compounded by the global pandemic, after-effects of Brexit and the like. 

But one way of solving this issue is to ensure that potential skilled workers are aware of the multifarious opportunities for professional and personal growth within the construction industry at present – judging by the statistics and expert opinions, these conditions are only set to improve, with higher wages and higher demand ever on the horizon. 

Now is the perfect time to become trained as a tradesperson – this is indisputable. Train as a tradesperson now in order to reap the benefits of a healthy sector – the healthiest in the UK – which is repaying the price of training ten times over. Becoming a tradesperson is a lifelong investment, a quick way into a rewarding, fulfilling, and financially secure career. It will equip you with the skills, employability, self-confidence and discipline you’ve been looking for, and will give you work to be proud of. 

That £1000 a week could be yours in no time – all it takes is a call to Access Training. 


Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

Juggling a full-time job and a personal life can be a tough task for many of us in the working world; however, that’s not to say it’s impossible.

In fact, some manage to play the game to perfection – quite literally. One such example of that is self-employed Yorkshire electrician, Ben Kaye.

 

electrician courses, self employed electrician, electrician career

 

Shocking Victory

A master of the work/life balance, Mr Kaye somehow manages to juggle being a full-time electrician while also playing hooker for Halifax RLFC.

Halifax currently play their rugby in the Championship, the second-tier RFL division beneath the Super League; however, the northern underdogs have had their fair share of headlines in the top-flight too.

This season, the Fax shockingly made it to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, defeating Bradford Bulls in the quarters before being knocked out by league giants, St Helens.

Kaye himself has also had his fair share of time in the rugby spotlight, having played for the mighty Leeds Rhinos and Harlequins RL (AKA London Broncos) in the Super League.

In a wild twist of fate, Kaye even wound up working on the Leeds’ Headingly Stadium during the ground’s renovation, lending his electrical expertise in the demolition of the South Stand.

 

Electrifying

Despite being just 30-years old, Kaye believes himself to be in the twilight of his rugby career, having sustained a myriad of injuries over the course of his playing days, including two torn groins and severely torn biceps tendons.

Speaking to the BBC prior to the showdown with league giants, St Helens, the bright spark told cameras he would describe his dual careers as what else but… “electrifying”. Need we say more!

Jokes aside, Kaye’s moonlighting as a weekend rugby league warrior highlights a key bonus of being a self-employed electrician – that being flexibility.

 

Freedom

Between mid-week call-outs, installations and routine jobs, being a self-employed electrician provides you with the freedom to work largely to your own schedule, taking on as much or as little work as you like.

What’s more, the electrical trade provides a virtually endless stream of work. Electricians are in constant demand and, barring any revolutionary global breakthroughs, that doesn’t look to change any time soon.

If you’re looking to put the power back in your hands, why not take charge of your future by training to become an electrician? At Access Training UK, we offer a variety of courses that are specifically engineered to get you plugged in, charged up and good to go in no time.

Meanwhile, we also offer a range of courses tailored towards more experienced tradesmen looking to further their careers, hone their skills and build on their existing training and expertise. Whatever your skill level, we can help you give your electrician career healthy boost.

 

For more information on our electrical courses, call Access Training UK today on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online using the link below.

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If you’re someone who’s finding a monotonous nine to five job isn’t fulfilling your ambitions, then becoming self-employed will seem like a very appealing option! Being your own boss gives you lots of freedom to:

  • Choose who you work with
  • Decide your own working hours
  • Determine your own rate of pay

And much more! Self-employment often appeals to people with young families who need more flexibility in their lifestyles to cope with the demands of young children. However, self-employment is something that people of any age or skill level can pursue with the right training and motivation to do so.

How can Access Training Academies help me become self-employed?

Access Training Academies specialise in providing the training you need to pursue a career in the profession of your choice. Whether you want to start your own electrical company or become a freelance carpenter we can give you the training you need to become your own boss in a short space of time.

We are one of the country’s leading training providers and we have a range of courses to suit all skill levels. Even if you are a complete beginner, we can teach you the technical and practical elements of your chosen profession so that you leave our training centre feeling confident enough to work!

Success Stories

You might be thinking, ‘I’d love to be self-employed but I’m not sure how feasible it really is.’ There’s no need to doubt your abilities, we’ve had plenty of successful students go on to become self-employed when they leave Access Training Academies with their new qualifications!

Here are a few student testimonials to inspire you:

  • I'm the happiest I've ever been in my working life. I love being my own boss and having control over my work schedule. And I'm earning three times what I was at the BBC! - Richard Gates.
  • This course has led to me becoming self-employed as an electrician and I’ve expanded my family's building and roofing business - Scott Daly.
  • I plan to become a self-employed as a plumber and the course has helped me learn all the skills I need to work on my own confidently – David Morgan.

So, what are you waiting for? Enquire today to start your journey towards becoming self-employed in a profession you love! We will guide you every step of the way.

Browse Our Courses Today >

So you've got your qualifications and are ready to start your new life as a self-employed tradesperson. Being your own boss can mean great things like having full control over what jobs you do, what hours you work and when you can take your holidays - but there are some things you'll need to put some serious consideration toward. It's time for you to consider just how much you plan to charge for your services.

Many people will work it out from a simple calculation of hourly rate multiplied by 35 hour week multiplied by 52. However how do you come up with a reasonable hourly rate in the first place? Installer Online have come up with a list of 10 things you'll need to factor in to come up with the best price tag:

  1. Invoicing: Ask any self-employed person and they'll tell you this is a far more important part of the job than you might realise. Time spent invoicing or chasing up cash is definitely something to consider.
  2. Marketing: Word of mouth is only going to get you so far, you're going to need to come up with some sort of marketing plan. How extravagant you choose to be is entirely up to you, but either way it's going to cost money.
  3. Your skillset: So you've got the qualifications, but is that it? Will these need updating every so often? You might be alright as not many qualifications need regular top ups, but be sure to research this when starting up the business.
  4. Accounting & Tax: When you become self-employed you become responsible for paying your own tax. If book-keeping isn't your strong suit, have you thought about employing an accountant? This can prove quite costly, but there are also accounting services available which are tailored specifically to the contractor, freelancer and sole trader. They have low costs and simple online interfaces to allow you to process your own accounts. Many of these are available from a low monthly fee and not only save you time and money they can also relieve you of the stress of scribbling around to do your accounts at the last minute.
  5. Holidays: The downside of having the freedom to choose your own holidays is that you're no longer paid for that time. Including bank holidays most full time employees get around 6 weeks paid leave per year. This is the equivalent to a 12% increase in your hourly or daily rate.
  6. Insurance: Every business needs insurance. Not just that, but there's many different types you may need - public liability, business car insurance, contents insurances etc. Make sure you know exactly what you need and scout around for the best prices.
  7. Your toolkit: Again, these are going to cost money and inevitably need replacing somewhere down the line.
  8. Travel: Petrol costs are another thing you're going to have to keep in mind.
  9. Quotes: You will have to pitch and quote for work in order to generate new business. These take time and often a lot of effort and often you won’t get paid a penny unless you win the business. Although you can offset the cost of providing quotes by upping your hourly rate this will be one of the biggest areas that you will find you work on with no pay whatsoever.
  10. Premises: As your business grows, you may find that working in a spare room or out of your van simply doesn't cut it. Whether its for admin or storage purposes, any excess space you need may end up incurring additional costs.

So with those things in mind, does your initial estimate seem a little low? Installer Online advise raising it by around 30%, but you also need to be aware of just how much your customers are prepared to pay. But don't get discouraged! Although it's a lot to think about its true that tradespeople earn an impressive annual wage, and 70% of the self-employed workforce now earn over the national average of £26,093!

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Have you considered stepping into a brand new career and becoming a fully qualified tradesperson? Here at Access Academies we offer a full spectrum of trade courses including plumbing, gas, electricity, carpentry, tiling, plastering and painting & decorating. By training with us not only will you enjoy our state-of-the-art facilities and experienced tutors, but also gain exactly what you need for a long and prosperous career. To find out more please get in contact with our course advisers on 0800 345 7492.

New research conducted by Pink Plumbers, a national brand delivering female plumbers, has found that more women have the desire to become their own boss in the workplace then men.

The research, which was carried out last May, had a sample of 2000 adults from across the UK. It found that almost two out of three people (63%) wanted to take the steps toward self-employment. A total of 66% women wanted to be their own boss, narrowing out the males asked who came in at 60%.

Pink Plumbers was set up by single mother and entrepreneur Jo Lawrence, who created the franchise to make it easier for women wanting to join the plumbing trade by offering support and confidence. There is a clear gap in the market for female plumbers, with her research also noting that 86% of women think there should be more women working as plumbers. 69% of men also agreed.

Apart from setting up her Pink Plumbers franchise, Lawrence has also been proactive in organising a series of college roadshows across the UK, speaking to students about her own experiences as a plumber. She will also be publishing a book titled Hints and Tips for the Practical Plumber, which is due for release in September. It is designed to provide business and plumbing tips to help plumbers navigate through the difficulty of setting themselves up. 

Encouraging trainee plumbers to take the steps to become self-employed is also something we encourage here at Access Training. As well as providing you with vital qualifications through our range of bespoke plumbing courses, our teaching staff will also guide you on how to set up your own plumbing business. If you would like to find out more about what Access can offer you, please contact us on 0800 345 7492.

Via HVP Magazine

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are currently consulting recently published plans to simplify the way self-employed people pay National Insurance Contributions.

It has been put forward whether it might be less hassle to collect contributions alongside Class 4 NICs and Income Tax through the Self-Assessment Process. This would mean self-employed people would only need to fill in an annual SA return to have these NICs collected. The aim is reduce the administrative burden on self-employed people, which is the main area many express difficulty in when taking the steps to become self-employed.

HRMC are also encouraging representatives of the self-employed to respond to the consultation before the final review. The closing date for this is the 9th October 2013. More information can be found on the HMRC website.

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The financial aspect of going self-employed with your trade can be offputting to many skilled tradesmen, but here at Access Training we make sure our students are fully prepared to take that next step in their career. As well as all the relevant qualifications in electric, gas, plumbing and various construction trades, help is on hand to give you the basic knowledge you'll need to handle the technical side of self-employed life. After that you'll be free to enjoy working flexible hours while being your own boss. For more information on our training courses and what is needed to become self employed contact us via email or telephone 0800 345 7492.

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