Side jobs

[wewirepgh]

did every EC start off doing side jobs?

[emahler]

nope........

[wewirepgh]

Do you use phillps, slotted or hex drive screws?

[emahler]

nope.......

[mdshunk]

Do you use phillps, slotted or hex drive screws?I used to like the "tri drive" screws, but I mostly just get the hex drive one's now. Nutrunners for the drill far outlast phillips and robertson tips.

[satcom]

did every EC start off doing side jobs?

No! Electrical work in not a part time activity, nor is it a a hobby.

[macmikeman]

For those who answer no to the question, was there perhaps a family company already in place, and did the orig ancestor who started it up do side jobs in the beginning? Reason I ask is cause I have never met a contractor who never did any side work into startup, unless family buis. was the case. If your answer is still no, then you are a rare jewel indeed.

[highendtron]

Every good boss usually starts out following before he/she can lead, unless Dad/Mom indulged their offspring and gave them their push. In almost every case that I have seen, contractors that have inherited their expertise, generally, only last as long as they can afford qualified help!!

[LarryFine]

I did 'side work' before I became employed as a helper. What does that make me? (Be nice!)

[ultramegabob]

I dont really know what you guys are calling "side work" I always thought of side work as doing projects basically competing with your present employer without their knowledge. another name we call it around here is "moonlighting"

edit- now that I think about it, Moonlighting is usually just any second job

[mkgrady]

did every EC start off doing side jobs?

I never did side jobs before I started my business. I did a few small jobs for family and close friends but I didn't charge them.

When I worked for a contractor I worked hard and long hours. I never felt I had the time or energy for side work. That did however make it very hard getting my business started because nobody was calling when I started my business.

If I had known I was going to start a business I would have done side jobs, and If I had done side jobs I expect I would have started my business sooner than I did.

Mike

[ultramegabob]

I dont really know what you guys are calling "side work" I always thought of side work as doing projects basically competing with your present employer without their knowledge. another name we call it around here is "moonlighting"

edit- now that I think about it, Moonlighting is usually just any second job


If this is what your talking about my answer is NO... that could have gotten me fired, I went into business on my own basically because the company I worked for shut its doors. all the customers were used to dealing with me face to face and they were fair game for the taking without stepping on any toes....

[jmsbrush]

I never did any side work before I became an EC

[JES2727]

I did lots of sidework before I became an EC.

[boboelectric]

Got to. you just can't say "Here I Am", and have all kinds of customer base.It takes some time to build a credit base,Get your basic Capital, basic tools,establish insurance,Advertise,Outfit a decent truck,Or should I go to the S.B.A.? Plus you need reserve capital when some customer comes up slow or empty.

[emahler]

macmike....i fit that mold, partly...

there is a difference between a guy getting legal, keeping a fulltime job, and working nights and weekends to start his own thing...more power to that guy...

and a guy who isn't licensed (if required) or legal, and tells the customer that his boss sends him too "i can do it on saturday for 1/2 the price"

which kind are we talking about?

[Brady Electric]

When I started as a helper I did not know anything so I couldn't do side jobs
Later when I was trained a little I did work evening and weekends with the knowledge of my boss who didn't work evenings and weekends and he would give me advice when needed.
I soon realized that without him by my side I did not not as much as I thought I did.
Later own after getting my city card I did side jobs always with my employers blessings because it was always weekends or evenings. That's what I call side jobs.
Some people do side jobs and are allot cheaper than a qualified electrician which I think is wrong. Everyone that wanted me was because of me not the money.
Semper Fi Buddy

[infinity]

Actually for me side jobs were a way to learn about residential installations. When I first started in this business I worked for large companies that only did commercial work. Had it not been for me doing an occasional service or addition I never would have learned anything about the residential portion of this trade.

[steelersman]

No! Electrical work in not a part time activity, nor is it a a hobby.
True. That's why I work full time for someone else doing electrical work and after hours on my own time I work for myself doing "sidejobs". So does that mean that I'm doing it as a hobby? I don't think so.

[satcom]

True. That's why I work full time for someone else doing electrical work and after hours on my own time I work for myself doing "sidejobs". So does that mean that I'm doing it as a hobby? I don't think so.

Your doing it as a part time activity, and it can be difficult for you to schedule or respond to emergency calls, since your full time job requires your full attention, the way i look at it is a customer could be in trouble, and your full time work, will not allow you to respond to address their problem, when you working the business full time you don't have these problems.

[benaround]

So, if you are an Electrician during the day and you need a few more dollars

to make ends meet, the only logical thing to do is sell cars !!

Heaven must be full of sparkys.

[Pullnwire]

I have been an electrician for 15 years, and had my license for about 5. I have been out on my own for 1year two months. I used to hang fans and cut in cans to the tune of about 5k a year on the side, all with my employers blessing. (he hated resi. gave it to me) I got my contractors license in 04, and my sidework bumped up to about 40k before I went out on my own. I did have liability insurance and commercial truck insurance the whole time, and I claimed it all on taxes. ( my wife said she would not go to jail for me, implying I would get in trouble with the tax man.) Plus I had a large client base with alot of referrals. I do no advertising and am very busy. I am very lucky for that.

[Brady Electric]

I understand what you are saying Satcom but it look like to me that Pullnwire and Infinity are doing it the right way.
I also believe that Stellersman would somehow take care of any customers he has on the side if needed.
Like I said when I started all my side work was with my bosses blessings and they would back me up
I always believe in doing nothing behind your bosses back
I only did work that they didn't want to do and never tried to take there business
There's a right way and a wrong way in this world to do things and I believe to always treat everyone the way you want to be treated
As a boss I have always in the past supported my help if they wanted to do side work but I always checked up on them to make sure they did it right
Although not I just have one man and he works all he wants to, after all we are not as young as we once were
Sometimes side work is really someone doing work that you don't have time to do, so you let your help do the job and make more money than you would have paid them
It can also be a learning tool which is better than going to school but you have to be willing to get involved
Everyone that I worked for in the past did this for me and I return the favor
Having said all that Most so called side jobs are behind bosses back and they even still parts along with cheaper prices which I DO NOT AGREE WITH AND WOULD NOT PERMIT
In life there are those that take advantage of a good thing but we cannot condemn everyone for those few
I wouldn't be the electrician if I hadn't had good bosses who would work with me so I return the favor by helping others
Some could argue the point that if you help others to do side-jobs they really aren't side-jobs
Semper Fi Buddy

[ceknight]

........the way i look at it is a customer could be in trouble, and your full time work, will not allow you to respond to address their problem, when you working the business full time you don't have these problems.

Yeah, right. And that's on which planet? :)

When you're working the business full time, you simply have more of those problems...

[ishium 80439]

Definately did side work. The first company I worked for made no secret of the fact that side work was how they started their business too. The reality of running, scheduling, completing jobs, cashflow etc when you are the only one in the loop is a hard thing to learn and even harder to teach. I couldn't imagine working for someone else on a Friday and then decide over the weekend that Monday morning I'm starting my own EC having to take on those extra tasks w/o having taken the baby steps first.

The primary rule that I abided by was you don't (mess) where you eat. I never once took a customer from an employer although the opportuntity presented itself plenty of times. I did things that aggravate some forum members but it A) helped pay my bills, B)gave a real perspective on what it takes to run a company and not just be a foreman/ leadman and C)helped me make the transition from employee to employer. Without side work or a family business I don't know how else I would have gained this knowledge.

[steelersman]

Your doing it as a part time activity, and it can be difficult for you to schedule or respond to emergency calls, since your full time job requires your full attention, the way i look at it is a customer could be in trouble, and your full time work, will not allow you to respond to address their problem, when you working the business full time you don't have these problems.
There aren't any true emergency calls for the type of work I do (mostly residential). Or at least none that can't wait until 2:00 in the afternoon when I get done with full time job. Also I can leave work anytime I want. I don't have to get my 40 in order to stay employed. If I need a day off or come in late I have that freedom (Thank God).

[76nemo]

I am presently in NY. I don't do construction. I do service/maintenance calls. You all can complain we in NY don't need a license. I understand your gripe about work, insurance and licensing. Alot of you guys/gals bash non-licensed maintenance personnel. You bash the fact with good reason, I understand.

If I hold my own insurance, than I see no reason to bash me/us as you have continually seem to do. I hear alot of you guys/gals say they wouldn't employ a maintenance guy/person. You guys/gals run it, I just go in to check for problematics. I don't see why you are so harsh on the rest of us who come in and find problems, that's what we are hired for:cool:

I have a job to do, just the same as the rest of you all. I collect a paycheck just the same as you:grin: