Hi Folks, HandyMac reporting back for dooty, it's been a while since I frequented this newsgroup. "Hello" to old friends, "nice to meet you" to the new folks that I don't know. And if you weren't classed as a friend then the same parameters as before apply (e.g. "sod off IMM" or whatever you've transmoggrified into these days ;)).
Just thought I'd make my presence known. I've got 5000+ usenet messages waiting in this forum and I ain't got time to review them all, so take it from me that I'm not to date with latest rumours or gossip as far as the great god DIY is concerned.
I thought those who know me might like to know that I have now given up the general handyman bit. After nearly 2 years of trying to make it work out I've given up. Basic problem is that I can't make anything like a decent living out of it, if I make £200 a month these days it's a good month, and I can't exist on that sort of income level. Well I can, but living in the gutter isn't an option that fits into my radar.
Note: If anyone is looking at hiring someone the infamous John Inman phrase applies - "I'm free". Well, maybe I ain't gonna work for free, but I'm available.....you can get to me via the enquiry form on my regular web site -
One thing that has become very clear to me in recent months is that there are a lot more handymen out there these days, and that's obviously taken a goodly amount of business away from me. 12 months ago I was booking work 6+ weeks in advance, yet before I gave up at the beginning of this month I was pretty much able to book stuff in the next day. Being able to say "see you tomorrow" generally doesn't convey the right message to customers 'cos if you ain't seen to be busy then all sorts of wrong conclusions can be drawn. Much better to suck your teeth and say "well missus, I can do that job but I'm booked solid for the next 3 months see....".
I feel that there are a lot more IT people (or should I say "ex-IT" people) trying their hand at this handyman lark. The local Homebase and other DIY store car parks usually have half a dozen family cars with ladders on top and the usual paraphenalia that you expect a handyman to be carrying around. Maybe it's just a Thames Valley thing, for sure there have been lots of people finding their way out of work in this area these last couple of years.
If anyone was dreaming about trying their hand at giving up the day job to become a general handyman, my advice is - be careful. It has its benefits (it's nice not having to report to anyone), but the downsides really catch up big time before you know it. It's the kind of thing that you really need to be able to support financially without having to depend on the income, if you need to depend on the income it generates then I wouldn't recommend it as an option.
Depends on several factors though. If you are into building kitchens or bathrooms and able to command a couple of grand per job then it could work out fine. It failed for me because even though I could have done (and occasionally did do) I never really aspired to doing the larger jobs which took several days of effort. And there are only so many mirrors and cupboards you can hang for little old ladies.....basically I couldn't stitch enough little jobs together to provide anything like a decent working week.
Do I see this as a failure? No way. I can now grow old without having to look back and wish I'd tried to do this. For sure the numbers didn't work out - but I feel much better for having got off my butt to try something different. And there's a certain amount of satisfaction that Gordon Brown hasn't been paid the levels of taxes that he has ripped from me in previous years (everything is declared, I've never been a tax cheat - I just haven't been able to make enough income to make the tax take worthwhile for Gordon). If that has helped fsck Gordons figures these last couple of years I'm a happy bunny.
I guess it must be about time for another beer for those in the Thames Valley area. Assuming that someone isn't in the process of organising one perhaps I can start the ball rolling. The last one I went to was The George at Winnersh in Wokingham, some jolly decent food and pleasant company, so anyone fancy repeating that venue? Can go somewhere else if folks prefer.
Date wise, how does Wednesday April 6th grab you folks? Again, just a line in the sand that can be moved any which way.
Andrew