[tonyoliver]

a honest moment here from me.
 i have always undervalued the work i do. at first its becouse you are starting out then you underprice as thenew  jobs are based on the old jobs and so on until like me  i have a full round but make little money, compound this with never putting up my prices and i get poorer and poorer each year.
 yet as a ladderman the risks are still the same as if i priced top end . myb expenses rocket but not my income.
i was stunned when a new wc put a card in my door and says he do my windows at 20 pounds when i would have quoted six.
i have wished i had seen this forum 20 years ago when i started out as i would now have a top paying job compareable to the risks involved .and could hold my head up high  in any company.
i am now rebranding my bussiness and starting to put up prices and charge a proper rate for my new jobs at present i never get undercut as the prices are at 1988 rates .
yes i am a mug yes   i am stupid   yes i am making our job harder as the new custys base thir value on what we all have previously charged
 i am sorry for letting my trade down and also for letting my familly down.   no funds despite working  six/seven days a week is dispiriting. my rock bottom was when i could not after a full weeks work afford a new pair of shoes for the little one. i am thanks to you all a new man with new sprit ,more energy more spunk as the ammericans say i am reborn and i thank you all .very liberating  thank you

[matt]

a honest moment here from me.
 i have always undervalued the work i do. at first its becouse you are starting out then you underprice as thenew  jobs are based on the old jobs and so on until like me  i have a full round but make little money, compound this with never putting up my prices and i get poorer and poorer each year.
 yet as a ladderman the risks are still the same as if i priced top end . myb expenses rocket but not my income.
i was stunned when a new wc put a card in my door and says he do my windows at 20 pounds when i would have quoted six.
i have wished i had seen this forum 20 years ago when i started out as i would now have a top paying job compareable to the risks involved .and could hold my head up high  in any company.
i am now rebranding my bussiness and starting to put up prices and charge a proper rate for my new jobs at present i never get undercut as the prices are at 1988 rates .
yes i am a mug yes   i am stupid   yes i am making our job harder as the new custys base thir value on what we all have previously charged
 i am sorry for letting my trade down and also for letting my familly down.   no funds despite working  six/seven days a week is dispiriting. my rock bottom was when i could not after a full weeks work afford a new pair of shoes for the little one. i am thanks to you all a new man with new sprit ,more energy more spunk as the ammericans say i am reborn and i thank you all .very liberating  thank you

good luck to you

[tonyoliver]

thanks matt

[NWH]

Tony surrey is a good area,get out there and make it pay mate.Head out to where it`s green and quiet.

[EasyClean]

This topic has been all about undercutting for work. I would also like to mention that if we don't put our prices up by 3-5% every 1-2 years then we are also undercutting ourselves short of a pay rise to keep up with the rate of inflation.

[matt]

a honest moment here from me.
 i have always undervalued the work i do. at first its becouse you are starting out then you underprice as thenew  jobs are based on the old jobs and so on until like me  i have a full round but make little money, compound this with never putting up my prices and i get poorer and poorer each year.
 yet as a ladderman the risks are still the same as if i priced top end . myb expenses rocket but not my income.
i was stunned when a new wc put a card in my door and says he do my windows at 20 pounds when i would have quoted six.
i have wished i had seen this forum 20 years ago when i started out as i would now have a top paying job compareable to the risks involved .and could hold my head up high  in any company.
i am now rebranding my bussiness and starting to put up prices and charge a proper rate for my new jobs at present i never get undercut as the prices are at 1988 rates .
yes i am a mug yes   i am stupid   yes i am making our job harder as the new custys base thir value on what we all have previously charged
 i am sorry for letting my trade down and also for letting my familly down.   no funds despite working  six/seven days a week is dispiriting. my rock bottom was when i could not after a full weeks work afford a new pair of shoes for the little one. i am thanks to you all a new man with new sprit ,more energy more spunk as the ammericans say i am reborn and i thank you all .very liberating  thank you

tony, your not a mug, just some1 who whilst starting out priced up too cheap ( we have all done it ) and then kept the prices the same, didnt increase them ( many dont ) it all add's up to a round thats not erning its full potential

put you prices up a quid or 2 to start, this will help, then any new work that you price, price it well ( you havent the work to start, so nothing to lose if they say no, if they say yes, then your onto a winner with your new prices, when you have a bit of wel priced work, put your old un's up a little more, if you lose some, well you have your new work to cover it

as i said in my last post

good luck

[Paul Coleman]

a honest moment here from me.
 i have always undervalued the work i do. at first its becouse you are starting out then you underprice as thenew  jobs are based on the old jobs and so on until like me  i have a full round but make little money, compound this with never putting up my prices and i get poorer and poorer each year.
 yet as a ladderman the risks are still the same as if i priced top end . myb expenses rocket but not my income.
i was stunned when a new wc put a card in my door and says he do my windows at 20 pounds when i would have quoted six.
i have wished i had seen this forum 20 years ago when i started out as i would now have a top paying job compareable to the risks involved .and could hold my head up high  in any company.
i am now rebranding my bussiness and starting to put up prices and charge a proper rate for my new jobs at present i never get undercut as the prices are at 1988 rates .
yes i am a mug yes   i am stupid   yes i am making our job harder as the new custys base thir value on what we all have previously charged
 i am sorry for letting my trade down and also for letting my familly down.   no funds despite working  six/seven days a week is dispiriting. my rock bottom was when i could not after a full weeks work afford a new pair of shoes for the little one. i am thanks to you all a new man with new sprit ,more energy more spunk as the ammericans say i am reborn and i thank you all .very liberating  thank you

Tony.  It sounds like you have arrived at the point where I was a couple of years ago or so.  I think a lot of it was about how I saw myself.  If I didn't value myself sufficiently as a human being, then I wasn't going to ask enough fore my labours.  This forum has been just brilliant for me too.

[macmac]

Gordons
I see you've made a mistake in your profile, you've accidently put a 2 in front of the 3   : : :

[steve k]

Gordons...you must be heading towards minimum wage if you are in the arena of undercutting...

Jealous... of what exactly?

if you are struggling for work come on down to Liverpool and I will gladly pay you £10 a hour to clean the windows on my round...while I sit back and enjoy a lucrative retirement...but then again could I trust you not to "steal" my customers...probably not...so you`re sacked

[tonyoliver]

thanks shiner for the moral support i will be putting something back into the community
20 years exp  i am glad you made a change too as i love my job  i know an accountant who swears he will scream if he sees another bit of paper or a client who admits to the i.r that he hides his undeclared under the matress!!
yet people at this moment dream of becoming accountants
i want to stay as a wc i have made a small niche for my self in this tough little bussines now i want it to pay better so thank you all again it is good to know your not alone.