Ideas for drumming up work please.

[Mar_mite]

Hello all.
I will try and keep the back story brief. I left the safety of employment two years ago (where I was a joiner for a small high end building firm) to go it alone. I rent (cheaply) my brother in laws large garage as a workshop and marketed myself as a built in specialist, lots of wardrobes and bookcases etcetera. It's gone well but have ended up doing a lot of site carpentry. Not workshop work. I now have the opportunity to take on a larger unit, but I if I take it on I'm going to need to use it more to justify having it. I think this will mean aiming at more traditional joinery work.

So, any ideas for me? I've sent out emails to local building firms, but haven't got a sniff.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Jacob]

Avoid the builders and go for the general public. Cut out the middle man. Stick to what you do best. Don't do rubbish jobs at all - just say no!

 

[SimonT]

This was a bit of a topic i remember popping up a while back, i think the consensus was that most people dont want to pay for custom made /hand crafted products, instead opting for the cheaper alternatives. But there most certainly are people wanting bespoke items. I think jacob in part is correct about cutting out the middle man (gradually though imo), although i would say you need to look at your figures and work and see where the majority is coming from. If for example you cut out the sub contract / building work will you have enough business to continue with the workshop and more hand crafted products? Ithink letting people know you are there and avaliable is key, do you advertise ?

 

[marcros]

if you are doing site carpentry, do you need a large workshop. It is not something that I have practical knowledge of, but I was a buyer at a number of housebuilding firms. The timber was delivered and stored at the site- either ordered by us, or by the subcontractor. You could probably get some good work offering wardrobes and similar when the houses are sold, and the sales staff are selling upgrades. To maximise this, I would suggest some samples of colours/finishes and invest in a good brochure. If you do it correctly, the sales staff will sell on your behalf, and you increase your work. You should be an attractive proposition if you are pricing against the likes of Sharps Bedrooms.

 

[xy mosian]

It used to be said that the best advertising, for local traders, was the School Gate. Mum's chatting about work being done etc..
There seem to be more people dropping the little one's from a car these days, perhaps School Gate advertising is disapearing. It might be replaced by the Golf Cart?
Perhaps local social groups, Church and the like.
Get yourself known in the company of people in your target customer group.
xy

 

[Cordy]

Use your present work-shop until you absolutely must take on larger premises
Don't go larger expecting to need the extra floor-space

Before moving calculate the overheads of an industrial property; including Water, electric, insurance, security, council tax and rent of course

Good luck with your venture --- I've been self employed since 1966 -- not woodwork related though

 

[gwr]

Hi Mar mite If it were me I wouldn't jump and make that commitment just yet! Can you not gradually make the transition (if that's what you want) slowly over a period of time. Gradually increasing the bespoke work while easing of on the heavier site work that way you keep your bread and butter wage while gaining customers through word of mouth on your custom builds.

 

[Mar_mite]

Wow, thanks for all the comments. I kind of need to move premises as I get the feeling I have outstayed my welcome. It wasn't ever ment to be a permanent thing anyway. I'd say I'm in my little workshop about half the time. I would like to move slightly away from built in furniture and more towards traditional joinery. In two years I've only made two doors and a couple of casement windows. I think Jacob is right, I should stick to the built-ins.

I like your idea of a glossy brochure marcros. Thanks

Yes Simon, I have advertised, when I started I posted hundreds of leaflets. I got quite a lot of work that way and since then it has been word of mouth from my first clients.

 

[Water-Mark]

If ever i run dry (self employed plumber, see what i did?) i stick cards through doors.
You only ever have time when your quiet so it doesn't cost much.
I always have a couple of boxes in the van too, that way if i work in a street where the houses are the same i have an idea of type client and jobs and they can ask a neighbour and look at my work.

 

[RobinBHM]

I run a joinery works in sussex. I started as a general joinery shop doing both fitted furniture, windows doors etc. I found it difficult to make good margins being too general so have steered the business towards orangeries. I used to spend a fortune on advertising, but learnt a great deal about search engine optimisation and designed a website around the phrases potential customers type into google. I now spend zero on advertising and get more than enough enquiries.

Specializing has meant I can offer a clearly defined product, which can be an issue in joinery its no good advertising 'we make anything in wood'.

I realise a website can be a huge amount of work, but you could perhaps create a photobucket or similar site with examples of work to begin with. I use indesign for desktop publishing and have designed leaflets, then emailed the file to an online printers. High quality colour A4 prints dont cost much to have done.

I do know people get lots of work through social media, but I have no idea how to use facebook, so cant advise at all on that!

I believe there is a good market in built in furniture: living room, bedroom, boot room, dressing room, home office/study. Track saws like festool now mean carcases can be professionally made without the need for a panel saw.

 

[Jacob]

.
Specialising has meant I can offer a clearly defined product, which can be an issue in joinery its no good advertising 'we make anything in wood'. .....

I agree. If you specialise there are at least 3 benefits - you get better at doing it than the unspecialised opposition, you get a name for it, you get efficient with design/materials/suppliers etc.
It's not that you are hacking out the same old stuff - there will be development and you slowly build an even better and more secure niche.

 

[Mar_mite]

All good advice. I think I will stick with marketing myself in the built in furniture area (with the odd bit of joinery being a treat). I do have a website, which has been quite useful when you go round to look at a job and the client says "I want something just like this". I think I shall update the website and learn more about this search engine stuff.

 

[Claymore]

........

 

[petermillard]

As well as the website, I find it's useful to have a portfolio of recently completed work available for customers to view - I use Foliobook on an iPad, but it could just be a simple gallery on your phone. I'd avoid glossy brochures - lots of money tied up in a 'static' product - though agree that some people like to have something other than a business card left with them; a simple card presentation folder containing a few loose printed pages with details of the type of work you're there to discuss can be quite effective, and can be easily customised.

And yes, plenty of built-in work to be had; the people who are moving are wanting to 'make their mark', and the ones staying put seem to be 'fixing-up'...

Cheers, Pete

p.s. re. the workshop - I'm probably only in mine 50% of the year, but for the 50% that I need it it's invaluable!

 

[Mike.S]

If you're not already on Checkatrade (I've no affiliation), it may be worthwhile - several peolple I know use it to search for tradesmen.

 

[finneyb]

If you want more traditional joinery try getting on the National Trust's list of contractors near to you - they will need one-off's doing on a regular basis. Also Historic Houses Association http://www.hha.org.uk/ has over 1500 properties nationally that will need one-off's doing.

HTH

Brian

 

[woodfarmer]

When I ran my business before I retired I made a big decision. I wouldn't have an advertising budget, instead I regarded any expense for warranty work or helping my existing customers as my advertising. The busines grew about 13% a year for 10 years.
Never do or be involved in any poor work or practice. This means you have to avoid those that want a "patch up job cheap". If it fails inside of ten years they will moan to all and sundry about your less than perfect work.

Do you by anychance have room to erect a sectional wooden hut? they can easily be double skinned and double glazed and the rent will be zero. The 20x10 shed I put up in 1989 is still there. It cost less (new) than a years rent for the smalles unit I could rent nearby. Also as a sectional hut it attracted no rates and my travelling costs to work were also nil. as a joiner it means you could "nip out to do a 5 minute job easily". Plus when you retire you get to keep the shed.

There are many advantages in running your own business as a limited company rather than as a self employed sole trader.

 

[Jacob]

.....
Never do or be involved in any poor work or practice. This means you have to avoid those that want a "patch up job cheap". If it fails inside of ten years they will moan to all and sundry about your less than perfect work......

Agree. Let somebody else do it.
Also don't get into competitive pricing - if they want the lowest possible price keep away - put your estimate well up and burble on about quality of work etc.

 

[HOJ]

In my view, you can never have enough space when working commercially, without it I couldn't work efficiently or take on the projects I do.
I have 2 sets of part built stairs, for delivery tomorrow, just delivered 6 windows and 18 doors, made 4 large storage boxes and doors,
plus all the stock I need for the next project/s, let alone the machines and tools.

I can just roll along with work as and when, without having to pack things away.

I have specialised in the sense, I work predominantly in Oak, and generally advertise on that basis, my marketing is locally based,
the furthest I have had to travel for work in quite some time is 20 miles.

I try to avoid working for "Builders" but never the less some times I have to, I unintentionally, work on a lot of listed building and barn conversions.

I will never be rich, I just keep climbing the slippery pole.