Side Jobs to Working Solo

[SiddMartin]

Expecting a lot of good discussion off of this,

How many of you guys started out w/ side work that eventually got so overwhelming that you branched off and started working for yourself.

What are the adv. / dis-adv to working solo and what (or how much) side work or other things were involved in your decision making?

Since we are all (or mostly) electricians, I am assuming you are all broke like I am:smile: and took some time to make that jump.

[Rewire]

I opened Jan 1st with no work but a plan.I spent a year reserching the market and writing a business plan and aquiring start up capitol much of which was our life savings.

[brian john]

23 years ago I came in the office on Monday and was told Friday would be my last day, they were shutting the testing division down. Assuming there would be a spot for me elsewhere in the company, I asked what am I suppose to do? I was told We do not give a F*** what you do. I am not stupid I can read the handwriting on the wall. I finished a few jobs they need completed and decide I had worked for everyone else and they all found my style to be a PIA, so I decided it was time to try my own thing.

I never told any customers what was happening till after I was completly out the door. And there is no side work in what I do.

[stevenj76]

But some of the most successful contractors, and I don't mean a podunk mom&pop shop, started it all with side work. All great sparkys are or have been side workers at one time or another.

A distinction must be made of course, one guy worked so much on the side all he did at work was coordinate his sidework and blab on the phone. I think two grand a month in child support garnished from his wages was really to blame for his cash jones. He was also dealing dope, I don't make this up.

Keep it under the radar. If the legitimate contractors here could find a way to figure out who you are and nail you to a cross for doing side work, they would.

My greatest success has been working for carpenters who work for a GC and have their own sidejobs going on.

When you do go above board, I wish you great success.

[480sparky]

I side occasional side work for the several years I was a wage-earner. Then I got laid off for lack of work. I took stock of what I had in the pantry.... experience, tools, a license, insurance, a couple of regular customers, good rep with the inspectors.... all the ingredients needed to hang out my own shingle.

So I did, and never looked back.

[brantmacga]

Expecting a lot of good discussion off of this,

How many of you guys started out w/ side work that eventually got so overwhelming that you branched off and started working for yourself.

What are the adv. / dis-adv to working solo and what (or how much) side work or other things were involved in your decision making?

Since we are all (or mostly) electricians, I am assuming you are all broke like I am:smile: and took some time to make that jump.


my decision to start a business didn't have anything to do w/ sidework; several factors played a role in my decision:

I saw a need in my community and thought I could fill that need better than anyone else.

I wanted a better life for my family and thought being "the boss" would make that happen.

I wanted to create jobs in my local community that are non-existent since nafta (that part i'm still working at), plus when i was in high school, i kinda told some business leaders that if they granted me this scholarship for college i would create some kind of business that would hire local people. i've had 3 so far and going on almost 12 month in business; none of them quite worked out. i forgot that our local work force is one of the least educated in the state, which is another reason we can't draw any businesses in. oh well.

[EBFD6]

OOOOOOOOHHHHHH........you said that dirty S-word! Look out!

Get ready to hear how you are "single handedly destroying the electrical trade as we know it", not to mention causing world hunger, depleting the ozone layer, killing baby seals, and who knows what else guys are gonna throw at you.

There are some on this site that believe side work automatically means that you are working for $15.00/hr, not pulling permits, and hacking every job you can get your hands on!

You are supposed to jump into business blindly and struggle to make ends meet, maybe have your house foreclosed. Taking unnecessary risks is the only way you'll ever become a "real" contractor.;)

[ceb58]

My business is still "side work" for me. I work for the state doing construction and maint. When I got to a point where I could see retirement a few years away I started my business. However, when I did start I said to myself, I am going to do this the right way. I had gen. liability and workers comp. cert. in place before I pulled the first wire for pay. I have kept my self small, I have 3 good ( if their are any:grin: ) GC's and I have built a repeat business with 20-30 private individuals and get more from word of mouth. At the onset I already had the majority of tools I needed, the job trailer, I was able to pay for it up front. My youngest son has been working with me for since he was 10, he is now 16 and he has learned quickly. When he grad. high school I can retire and go full time if this is what he wants to do, I did tell him if this is what he wants he WILL be going to comm. college for Business. The hardest part of the job.

[satcom]

You are supposed to jump into business blindly and struggle to make ends meet, maybe have your house foreclosed. Taking unnecessary risks is the only way you'll ever become a "real" contractor.;)

That is why you plan, and put up the money to see your way thru 6 months of operation, so you have less chance of failure, all business is a risk, but some guys want the best of both worlds, no risk, and play on the side, and hope for the best, not ready for business, and they are not risk takers, they are usually wage workers, just looking for a few easy bucks, and yes bringing down the hard working ligit contractors, in the process.

[220/221]

You are supposed to jump into business blindly and struggle to make ends meet, maybe have your house foreclosed.


Hey....that was my business plan :wink:



I did side work as soon as I could.....maybe six months in. I was roping houses but learned to bend rigid on that first side job. I remember looking at the small pile of materials in my carport (200 feet of rigid, some wp boxes, wire and par holders) and being really excited that I was going to turn it into gold!

My wages were $6hr at the time and I was about to earn a weeks pay in a single day. The more side work I did, the less satisfied I became with being a 9 to 5 drone. After a few years I became a dawn to dusk drone but I was happier. I am pretty sure I averaged 6.5 days a week for about a decade.


I hope I didn't bring down any contractors or do any real damage to the industry. I was trying to get ahead and provide a better life for me and my family. My son is an electrician too. 15 years now :)

[bpk]

I use to do a lot of sidework when I worked for other contractors. I got a job as a maintenance electrician and I told myself and my wife that I would never take another sidejob. Now I still work full time as a maintenance electrician, got my contractors license, and do more work (legitimately) than ever before. I think haveing a business and bidding jobs is kind of addictive, almost like people are addicted to gambling some are addicted to there business.

[brian john]

All great sparkys are or have been side workers at one time or another.

I never did side work and while not the greatest I'd like to think I can hold my own.

My main purpoes (other than being FIRED, basically) was the realization that employers did not like my attitude towards work. I always liked it my way.

[ramsy]

My main purpoes (other than being FIRED, basically) was the realization that employers did not like my attitude towards work. I always liked it my way.

You had some leverage. Maybe customers liked your results, and customers are always right.

Perhaps no one else had your skills and you used double speak and non-sensical phrases to tell them how you did it.

Brings to mind someone on this forum who described load testing for impedance as a fall-off potential test, which to me seems like a perfect specimine of a BS'ing electrician.

23 years ago I came in the office on Monday and was told Friday would be my last day, they were shutting the testing division down. ..I was told We do not give a F*** what you do.

Are you saying this company dumped an entire division and its customers just to get rid of the guy running that division?

If so, was that your plan, or was it more like after becoming the amazing peice of work that you are, you just made the best of a situation?

[gra electric]

For many years I struggled to find an outfit I could call "home". I always became frustrated with how my fellow workers would cut each other down in hopes of getting to the top. The rules that most outfits had seemed very counter-productive, and all the "boss" cared about was being the boss, not being a leader. One day I had had enough, I new driving into work that it would be my last day. Sure enough, the "boss" was in a bad mood so he got everyone together. He decided to preach to everyone that the office had a stack of applications an inch thick, and everyone here better step it up, or else. This clown started to pick apart everyone else's work, I had heard enough, and brought up how I had to replace the nice ROMEX cut in box he had installed with MC because when I turned on the ckt, it blew up. He couldn't even at least use an antishort bushing. To top it off, the wire were too short etc. When I brought this up, his faced turned red, and he threw me off the job. I never looked back. In fact when I see that guy again, I will probably shake his hand and say "thanks". So all those years of trying to find a home were actually years of training for my real home. I took all the good stuff, and left all the bad stuff. And yes, I worked much sidework, and I don't feel at all bad about it.

Gerry

[SiddMartin]

I hope everyone realizes that to me "SIDE WORK" is legitamate work, it is not work that I aquired while on the job nor would it jeoparize my career. I don't agree with taking existing customers, I am talking about working for YOURSELF.
Just wanted to know some of the struggles that you guys went through in the beginning. If you started with a lot of money then don't reply b/c I can't relate.:)

[nakulak]

I always became frustrated with how my fellow workers would cut each other down in hopes of getting to the top. . . . I took all the good stuff, and left all the bad stuff. And yes, I worked much sidework, and I don't feel at all bad about it.

Gerry

well said
.

[Rewire]

If you start your business without enough money,enough planning or enough business knowledge the failure looms large.I went into business because I wanted to be in business not because I had no other options.I did not try and sit the fence when I became a contractor my ethics dictated that I could no longer be an employee of someone who I would be competing against for work.

[aline]

When I first started thinking about starting my own business I was currently working in a industrial plant. I worked nights and there was a GC, and 2 plumbers that worked nights with me.

One of the plumbers was a one man show and the other plumber had four guys working for him. Both were 100% legit, licensed and insured. Since I was considering starting my own business I was a bit troubled by the fact they had been working nights with me for 12 years now.

Why were they still working two jobs? Were they bored and didn't know what else to do with their time? Did they not get along with their wives? Did they have 10 kids at home? So I asked them why.

They both said they worked nights at the industrial plant for the benefits.
What they really meant by this is they don't charge enough and their business can't provide them with benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, vacation pay, sick leave pay, holiday pay, etc. So they work a second job so they can have these things.

There's another plumber in town that's running about 10 service trucks. He doesn't spend his nights working in an industrial plant for his benefit package. He's quite successful and has been featured in The Successful Contractor Magazine. He spends his evenings on his hobby of restoring old cars.

When I mentioned him to these plumbers I was working nights with they both said the guy charges too much and is a crook.

So I guess the only way to make money as a contractor is either become a crook and charge for silly things like health insurance plans, retirement plans, vacation pay, sick leave pay, holiday pay, ect. or get a second job so you'll have these things and be able to keep your prices down to a reasonable level and not become one of those high priced crooks.

There's an EC in my area that does a lot of new residential homes. He saves money by hiring anyone he can find to do the work for cash money under the table. That way he doesn't need to hire employees to do the work and have all the expenses that comes along with them. He wanted to know if I would be interested in wiring some of his houses for $25 under the table. He knows I'm a licensed contractor and he has the nerve to ask me this? What a joke. $25 an hour won't even but a dent in my overhead. I didn't quit my job at the industrial plant to become a contractor working for $25 an hour.

I went and looked at a job the other day. It's for a beauty salon. When I get there a landscaper truck is parked out front. The guy is a landscaper and works a bit slow for him right now so he's doing jobs like this. He said he was planning on doing the electrical himself but decided he wouldn't have the time. So he wanted a price from me for the work. He's not licensed to do the work and it's not legal for him to do the work. He still plans on doing the plumbing even though he's not licensed for it either.

He got a funny look on his face when I mentioned I would be pulling a permit if I did the job. I'm sure when he gets my price and knows I want to pull a permit he'll just do the work himself. I'm going to make sure the city knows about the job even if he doesn't have me do it.

More and more it's seems to me that to make money as a contractor you can't do things legally and legitimately.

I got another call from a guy who told me he used to be an electrical contractor and had just gotten out of jail for insurance fraud or something like that and wanted to know if I was hiring electricians.

[satcom]

When I first started thinking about starting my own business I was currently working in a industrial plant. I worked nights and there was a GC, and 2 plumbers that worked nights with me.

One of the plumbers was a one man show and the other plumber had four guys working for him. Both were 100% legit, licensed and insured. Since I was considering starting my own business I was a bit troubled by the fact they had been working nights with me for 12 years now.

Why were they still working two jobs? Were they bored and didn't know what else to do with their time? Did they not get along with their wives? Did they have 10 kids at home? So I asked them why.

They both said they worked nights at the industrial plant for the benefits.
What they really meant by this is they don't charge enough and their business can't provide them with benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, vacation pay, sick leave pay, holiday pay, etc. So they work a second job so they can have these things.

There's another plumber in town that's running about 10 service trucks. He doesn't spend his nights working in an industrial plant for his benefit package. He's quite successful and has been featured in The Successful Contractor Magazine. He spends his evenings on his hobby of restoring old cars.

When I mentioned him to these plumbers I was working nights with they both said the guy charges too much and is a crook.

So I guess the only way to make money as a contractor is either become a crook and charge for silly things like health insurance plans, retirement plans, vacation pay, sick leave pay, holiday pay, ect. or get a second job so you'll have these things and be able to keep your prices down to a reasonable level and not become one of those high priced crooks.

There's an EC in my area that does a lot of new residential homes. He saves money by hiring anyone he can find to do the work for cash money under the table. That way he doesn't need to hire employees to do the work and have all the expenses that comes along with them. He wanted to know if I would be interested in wiring some of his houses for $25 under the table. He knows I'm a licensed contractor and he has the nerve to ask me this? What a joke. $25 an hour won't even but a dent in my overhead. I didn't quit my job at the industrial plant to become a contractor working for $25 an hour.

I went and looked at a job the other day. It's for a beauty salon. When I get there a landscaper truck is parked out front. The guy is a landscaper and works a bit slow for him right now so he's doing jobs like this. He said he was planning on doing the electrical himself but decided he wouldn't have the time. So he wanted a price from me for the work. He's not licensed to do the work and it's not legal for him to do the work. He still plans on doing the plumbing even though he's not licensed for it either.

He got a funny look on his face when I mentioned I would be pulling a permit if I did the job. I'm sure when he gets my price and knows I want to pull a permit he'll just do the work himself. I'm going to make sure the city knows about the job even if he doesn't have me do it.

More and more it's seems to me that to make money as a contractor you can't do things legally and legitimately.

I got another call from a guy who told me he used to be an electrical contractor and had just gotten out of jail for insurance fraud or something like that and wanted to know if I was hiring electricians.

Excellant information, but some guys just don't get it, a lot of them, are wage workers, and will never really underatand the true cost of operating a business until they are out there on their own with no life boats, like a full time job, with benifits and study employment, then think nothing of under cutting rates by operating illegal, then crying but I have a family, well good news so do all the other guys that have risked everything and pay all the ligit expenses, the side worker has no regard for the laws, or respect for anyone else, me me me!

[aline]

To add to my previous post. In my opinion most people who do side jobs will never charge enough to make the transistion from side jobs to going full time or they'll end up getting a second job after running their business for awhile and find out they can't make ends meet with the prices they're charging.

Some don't care if they ever make the transistion from doing side jobs to going full time with their business. Side jobs are just extra money and they have no desire or plan to ever start a full time business.

A few will realize they need to charge more, raise their prices and their business will be able to support itself, provide them with decent pay, and benefits.

Others will give up the full time business and will go back to work for someone else and continue to do side jobs. I would guess there are a lot of contractors out there that used to have a full time business but couldn't make ends meet and had to give it up to go back to work for someone else. They are now having to do side jobs to pay off all the debt they got themselves into trying to start their business.

The plumber I mentioned in the previous post that has 4 plumbers working for him used to just run his business but decided he need the night job so he could have the benefits his plumbing company couldn't provide for him.

My suggestion would be if you want to make the transistion from doing side jobs to running a full time business you need to figure out how much you would need to charge in order to support a full time business. You then need to start charging that much for your side jobs now.

If you can't sell your side jobs for that much now how do you expect to sell them for that much when you're in business full time and need to in order to stay in business?

If you can start selling your side jobs for that much now it should be a lot easier to make the transisition because you'll know you can get the price needed. You'll also be able put aside the extra money for working capital when you decide to make the transistion.

But like I said most people doing side work don't charge enough to be able to save up any working capital for their future business. They only charge enough for their current needs.

If you decide to go into business full time, will you be able to sell jobs at the price needed to stay in business or will you have no work because the side jobbers are under cutting your prices and you can't compete?
Will your current customer's continue to call you if you raise your prices or will they just find another side jobber to replace you?

[brian john]

Are you saying this company dumped an entire division and its customers just to get rid of the guy running that division?

If so, was that your plan, or was it more like after becoming the amazing piece of work that you are, you just made the best of a situation?

I was not running the division, I was a worker bee, me and 6 others were let go, 2 were asked to stay they left as well.

The guy running the division was kept on. We were not making any money. After we left they found over $250,000.00 in unprocessed billables for one year. The guy that was running the division was then let go.

Lastly the project managers did not like our group as they were forced to use us on jobs over a certain amount, this came out of the jobs budget and they did not like that. No matter that on some jobs we did save them money.


You had some leverage. Maybe customers liked your results, and customers are always right.

Perhaps no one else had your skills and you used double speak and non-sensical phrases to tell them how you did it.

Brings to mind someone on this forum who described load testing for impedance as a fall-off potential test, which to me seems like a perfect specimine of a BS'ing electrician

Being basically a DOLT, not sure how to respond/answer this?

[satcom]

I hope everyone realizes that to me "SIDE WORK" is legitamate work, it is not work that I aquired while on the job nor would it jeoparize my career. I don't agree with taking existing customers, I am talking about working for YOURSELF.
Just wanted to know some of the struggles that you guys went through in the beginning. If you started with a lot of money then don't reply b/c I can't relate.:)

No we did not start with a lot of money we took out a line of credit from a bank, we had little to no money saved, but needed the credit line to help thru the start up period, not too many understand the cost of operating a ligitmate business, and i am talking about a small one or two man shop, not a large company. The times were real rough, even with the line of credit, and with illegal side job guys, cutting the prices, so they could get some tax free money, it just made things harder, If some of these side job guys had to depend on the work payingf all their bills and benifits, you would hear them scream and demand the side work stops.

If your following all your state laws, and providing the needed insurances to conduct a legal business, then I would not call it side work, but rather start up work, and a lot of guys have to start up slow, and build the business.

[220/221]

The one thing I never did on side jobs was to bid them low.

One time I came in at 12K on a job bid by a real contractor at 7K :-? .

The GC looked at me with disgust and ran me off.

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Excellant information, but some guys just don't get it, a lot of them, are wage workers, and will never really underatand the true cost of operating a business until they are out there on their own with no life boats, like a full time job, with benifits and study employment, then think nothing of under cutting rates by operating illegal, then crying but I have a family, well good news so do all the other guys that have risked everything and pay all the ligit expenses, the side worker has no regard for the laws, or respect for anyone else, me me me!

Satcom, how is the sideworker any less endearing to you than the "legitimate contractor" who also isn't paying benefits, pensions, no lifeboat, etc?

[satcom]

Satcom, how is the sideworker any less endearing to you than the "legitimate contractor" who also isn't paying benefits, pensions, no lifeboat, etc?

What do benifits, and pensions have to to with working legal?

The lifeboat i am talking about is the present job the sid worker is doing, in simple terms if he leaves a job that has study pay and benifits, he has to man up and make it on his own, pay all the expenses of operating a business, all insurances, taxes, and payroll.

The side job worker, just dosen't have what it takes make it on his own. without a lifeboat.

[emahler]

OOOOOOOOHHHHHH........you said that dirty S-word! Look out!

Get ready to hear how you are "single handedly destroying the electrical trade as we know it", not to mention causing world hunger, depleting the ozone layer, killing baby seals, and who knows what else guys are gonna throw at you.

There are some on this site that believe side work automatically means that you are working for $15.00/hr, not pulling permits, and hacking every job you can get your hands on!

You are supposed to jump into business blindly and struggle to make ends meet, maybe have your house foreclosed. Taking unnecessary risks is the only way you'll ever become a "real" contractor.;)

how bad does it hurt your head when you attempt to think?

[emahler]

.
I hope I didn't bring down any contractors or do any real damage to the industry. I was trying to get ahead and provide a better life for me and my family. My son is an electrician too. 15 years now :)

i don't know about damaging the industry....but did you have to destroy your son's life? couldn't you let him become something better than an electrician? like operate a honey truck or something?:D

[iwire]

how bad does it hurt your head when you attempt to think?

I notice you are not taking any chances of getting thinking pains. :grin:

[emahler]

I notice you are not taking any chances of getting thinking pains. :grin:

doesn't happen that often...kind of like you running a profitable job:D (compliments of peterd;))

[EBFD6]

how bad does it hurt your head when you attempt to think?

I was just making an observation of previous threads and peoples comments in general about sidework on this forum, that's all.

The term "sidework" is a very touchy subject around here.:smile:

As someone who works full time for a comercial/Industrial contractor and does a decent amount of "legit" resi sidework, I just get a bit of a chuckle reading some of the posts on this topic.

And my head hurts all the time!:D

[iwire]

doesn't happen that often...kind of like you running a profitable job:D (compliments of peterd;))

I don't bid them, I just deal with them. I have also cleared 45% on jobs taken for 20%.

You think 30 minutes per 8' fixture hung on aircraft cable with the rows running at a 45 degree angle to the building is enough? Thats receiving the customer supplied ligating package, inventorying it, unpacking, hauling trash, assembling, hanging, wiring inside and lamping.

[emahler]

i can only go on the information i'm given:D

unfortunately that didn't happen enough...otherwise 800 people would still have a job (no that's not a dig directed at you...just an observation)

[iwire]

iunfortunately that didn't happen enough...otherwise 800 people would still have a job (no that's not a dig directed at you...just an observation)

I am sure Peter was in the inner circle and knows exactly what happened and why. :smile:

Supposedly it had to do with the division in South Carlina that was the big problem.

However I really have no idea at all and don't lay awake trying to figure it out.

Right now the economys direction makes me remember 1988-91 when things got real slow.

[emahler]

I am sure Peter was in the inner circle and knows exactly what happened and why. :smile:

Supposedly it had to do with the division in South Carlina that was the big problem.

However I really have no idea at all and don't lay awake trying to figure it out.

Right now the economys direction makes me remember 1988-91 when things got real slow.

i remember those years all to well...those were not the best years...

[ramsy]

..not sure how to respond/answer this?

My previous remarks may not apply. No worries.
DOLT ? Dept. of Learning Technology ?

[ramsy]

i don't know about damaging the industry....but did you have to destroy your son's life? couldn't you let him become something better than an electrician? like operate a honey truck or something?

Never mind problems from illegal side work, see what the LA Times reports about contract/agencies stealing your Son's SSN for illegal electrical laborers.

http://blog.trustedid.com/?p=436
http://www.alipac.us/article2365.html

During the last year --under false promise of P-wage work-- 3 seperate employment agencies got my SSN for jobsites run by laborers. The hiring agency states US tax Form I-90 requires proof of ID, these agencies damanded my SSN each time, then the excuses varied why their was no work or referals.

The practice is so prevelent now, GC's are doing it themselves without paying agency fees.

This has become very frustrating during the last year in my area. These employers prey upon resumes posted to the State's CalJobs web site. A free list of resumes --those who have collected unemployment benefits-- provided to employers by the State.

When I reported my ID was taken under false pretext, the Employment Devolopment Dpt. in my State claimed the agencies checked out fine, I had no evidence of ID theft, and referred me to the Dpt of Labor.

Lifelock reports no attempts on my credit so far, so it appears (According to LA times article above) the harvesting of our SSN's is only being used to get illegal laborers working at the jobsites.

[220/221]

couldn't you let him become something better than an electrician?


Believe me, I didn't want him to get into construction. I gave him a few years to choose his own path before I asked him to join us. As fate would have it, things have turned out nicely.

[peter d]

I am sure Peter was in the inner circle and knows exactly what happened and why. :smile:

I don't really know why the company went under, nor do I really care, other than the fact that many people lost their jobs. I left 6+ months before it happened anyway. With hindsight it looked like they sunk because of very bad management on all levels, and trying to be the cheapest guy on the block.

[peter d]

doesn't happen that often...kind of like you running a profitable job:D (compliments of peterd;))


It's true that Bob ran some jobs that were losers. That said, every foremen I worked under at CES ran jobs that were losers (and a few that made money). Most of the jobs I worked on in my 1+ years there under multiple foremen lost huge amounts of money.

The losses were greater than the gains and you know the rest of the story.

[HaskinsElectric]

Expecting a lot of good discussion off of this,

How many of you guys started out w/ side work that eventually got so overwhelming that you branched off and started working for yourself.


I know of no other way to start a contracting business. I got my license and started doing side jobs on evenings and weekends. When the money I made on side jobs exceeded what I made on my day job, I quit my day job.

[HighWirey]

The losses were greater than the gains and you know the rest of the story.
And who ran those P/L numbers?

Best Wishes Everyone

[macmikeman]

I started out by doing side work .In Hawaii. Then they started spraying Paraquat, and that ended my full time job, so I had to contract electrical full time.:D

[RHJohnson]

Since I was known to do volunteer work for all the local activities for the kid's quite a lot of people would ask me to do side job's for them. My answer was: - if I charged enough to not be mad at myself they were going to be mad at me.......if I charged very little they would be happy, I would be mad at myself, .... and I would be cutting the throat of the EC who was doing it for his family's living. With that mindset I turned down all that work.
After 20 years with one company, at the time I thought I had the greatest job in the world, we closed - permanently. I was one of the chosen...I got transferred to another site. I hated it! But by then I was on my way up - but I really did not like the way things were at my new job. Management did not trust labor, and labor did not trust management. Both were wrong. I had been promoted, and ran over 50 men, mostly electricians and mechanics. The pay was great, but life was miserable - from loving my job I had grown to where I hated going to work. I was mad, and I let everyone know, all the time, my bosses and the workers. Each side was fighting the other about everything! It's not just management that creates problems....
Two years was all I lasted. I went out on industrial construction projects. These weren't local - there was no local construction at all. I traveled 200 miles to the 1st one, then 600 miles to the next. I thought I may as well go where I wanted. What I did know was that I was never again going to work steady for any one company.
In less than 2 years I found my niche - and became self employed contracting to engineering firms doing electrical start up on their projects.
I got to work from Alaska to Florida, and Maine to California. They paid my travel, my expenses, and when a job ended I took a loooong vacation, until I wanted to work - or needed to work again. Then I had to find another job.
I think I had l8 different contract jobs in 20 years!
But when I began contracting I had to buy my insurance, and pay all the taxes, and I put 20% into my retirement plan. I was able to retire early because I planned it all out. I had to make a living and support my family without any workers compensation if injured, and no unemployment if out of work. And so I had to charge enough to do all those things.
If you are a successfull EC you have that good feeling inside. Its worth all those hours you work. Just don't work cheap, and do quality work. Let midnight electric go belly up. If they do have good skilled workers pretty soon those guy's will be working for you.

[JohnME]

I hate side work. I would rather just work late for my employer and collect time and a half. I only do side work for friends/family that rope me into it, mostly my wife is the one who volunteers my services :( and if I charge them what I make at time and a half for my employer, they get pissed off, so I end up "losing" money.

I would rather volunteer for habitat for humanity than get screwed by some cheap skate.

[teco]

I started my own company 19 years ago. Side work had nothing to do with it. I served my four years as an apprentice for a six man commercial and industrial shop owned and run by two old navy electricians for 43 years. One was on our state board of examiners. I always thought an electrical license was for working for yourself because thats what they told me. They always treated us with respect and paid you what you were worth. Then their son's took over and everything changed. They did not know how to run the business and we started to lose customers. I was just getting my masters and thinking its time for me to start my own thing. I started in 1989 and things were hard but I quickly realized that working two to three days a week was better than my full time job. I was lucky and my wife worked and had benefits. I had a hard time finding commercial work but found enough smaller companies like small machine shops etc. Then about a year later something funny happened. Two of the industrial companies I use to take care of for the old shop found out I was working for myself and called me and I have never looked back since. God smiled on me that day.

Mark

[bikeindy]

I worked for an Industrial Plant and started my business that way. I was a single dad with three boys ages 10,9,5 so i didn't do side work as I had no time for it. I did contract work durring the day and told the plant manager that i wouldn't be in. They didn't like it much but wouldn't fire me, I got away with too much but I had given them a chance to pay me what I was worth, they wouldn't do it so I missed a lot of work. I won't get into the details as to why they wouldn't fire me lets just say it would have cost them a lot more to fix problems had they done so. I still do work for them but as a contractor now, and at a good rate. the situation was win win and I have been in business for six years now. I don't know what all this talk about slow down is, my business is up 54% over the same period as last year, and there is lots of work for those who know where to look and those who do quality work.

[teco]

I worked for an Industrial Plant and started my business that way. I was a single dad with three boys ages 10,9,5 so i didn't do side work as I had no time for it. I did contract work durring the day and told the plant manager that i wouldn't be in. They didn't like it much but wouldn't fire me, I got away with too much but I had given them a chance to pay me what I was worth, they wouldn't do it so I missed a lot of work. I won't get into the details as to why they wouldn't fire me lets just say it would have cost them a lot more to fix problems had they done so. I still do work for them but as a contractor now, and at a good rate. the situation was win win and I have been in business for six years now. I don't know what all this talk about slow down is, my business is up 54% over the same period as last year, and there is lots of work for those who know where to look and those who do quality work.

Being a single Dad to those boys must be harder than any job is. Got to respect that. I also am very busy. I'm about a year out. But I know lots of companies down to 4-day weeks and layoffs in Mass. I'm steady and credit that to good hard work and great service but there is always a little luck to it. If my customers were really slow maybe they wouldn't be spending now.
Mark

[mwysinger]

I know of no other way to start a contracting business. I got my license and started doing side jobs on evenings and weekends. When the money I made on side jobs exceeded what I made on my day job, I quit my day job.

THANK YOU!!

Finally, somebody who knows what I mean about starting LEGALLY with sidework and growing from there.

[BackInTheHabit]

I know of no other way to start a contracting business. I got my license and started doing side jobs on evenings and weekends. When the money I made on side jobs exceeded what I made on my day job, I quit my day job.

How long ago was it that you started your business and what type of work (residential, commercial, industrial) do you perform?

BTW: What is you Amateur Call Sign?

[SiddMartin]

THANK YOU!!

Finally, somebody who knows what I mean about starting LEGALLY with sidework and growing from there.

this is exactly what I was referring to.

[bradleyelectric]

I know of no other way to start a contracting business. I got my license and started doing side jobs on evenings and weekends. When the money I made on side jobs exceeded what I made on my day job, I quit my day job.

I had a full time job and was a single full time parent. No time for side work. I quit my job, took the masters test, bought a used van and started handing out business cards.