[colin bird]

Thanks for reading ,I'm 53 and have good domestics round which is now to capacity for one man.
There is good potential in my area to gain more customers.
I don't like turning work way,but I am concerned about taking someone on in case they turn out to be unreliable when I have taken on more work,as this would mean I would have to work harder and longer to try and keep the round up to date,which is possible in the summer but not in the winter due to weather and limited day light hours
Should I stay  on my own and earn a good living,or take someone on,which I feel could be trouble,and disruption to my business,for possible not a lot of extra income.
I'm sure some have been in my position,any suggestions and advice is much appreciated
Many thanks

[Dave Willis]

I'm in exactly the same position and swamped with work - probably turned away ten jobs in the last week alone. I know I should employ. Problem is i really don't want to. I know I'll never find the right person and simply couldn't tolerate anyone who didn't come up to my expectations.
A lot depends on who you are and your character. As for me I can't see me changing so I'll stay as I am.
Read the Richy Wilts posts on how not to employ.
Read Perfect Windows and Smudgers posts on how to do it successfully 

[chris turner]

I think most of us end up in this situation sooner or later.  It really depends on your own personal circumstances how far you can or are willing to take the business.
Personally if I was in my 50s I'd be looking to slow down a little and have an employee or employees take the weight off my shoulders.
But then if you still feel good and are comfortable with what you are earning then the simplest option would be to stay as you are.
I'm 30 with a good size round, a solid income, have a missis who earns just as much as me and we have 2 young kids. For me thats enough, for now. I turn all but the best new work away as I don't want to over complicate my life during these crucial early years of my kids lives. Plus I just don't have time for anything else with doing school runs etc.
When I hit 50 though, kids will be grown up, I'll be older and wiser but fatter and lazier then employing would definitely seem the best option

[wpclean]

You can always test the water with someone for a day, and take it from there.    If I was to employ a young person I would look at investing a lot of time, and effort in advancing their skills, and confidence so that I could leave them to work on their own.
I would send them on every available course, and make sure they were paid a decent wage, and would mentor them.

I wanted to do all this with my son, but unfortunately he turned to drugs at an early age, and now suffers from paranoid schitzophrenia , and is unable to work, but I remember teaching him to use a squeegee when he was 12, and feeling a great sense of pride when he could cleana window without leaving marks 

[dazmond]

im the same although im 10 years younger!(43).good solid round.plenty of work(without slogging my guts out 10 hours a day,6 days a week).

TBH im happy as i am.of course i take new work on at the right price but i dont get many new jobs these days as theres too much competition.ive had large parts of my round canvassed,leafleted,undercutters having a go at least 10 times already in the last few months but i still get a little trickle of new jobs plus a few add ons every month so im happy

[Matt.]

Depends mate, are you going to employ him legitimate, this then goes down the route of employers insurance, holidays and all the other that comes with it

Or

Casual employment were they can be called in as and when required

Or

Cash in hand, were they come get paid and go home, no questions

Me personally am all commercial so only the top one applies, BUT........ If I was to be doing domestic work daily and majority of payments was cash then I wouldn't consider the top one and would be more inclined to consider the lower or lowest  one.

Benefits are there more in you do decide to expand and as your age increases there is always the possibility to rest more and let the guy do more.

Me personally I would defo go for it, I already have staff but am always on the look out for what I would consider to be decent lads with work ethic installed in the head, good lads will make you money so I will find work for them..........any one who thinks they going to turn up for work with me and stand around picking there backside gets told how it is

You are here to work, if you don't like it go find yourself a bus stop that will take you home, and that's it for them......down the rd

I think finding staff is the hardest part of it, training them is easy and finding work is easy, just not enough hours in the days

[Smudger]

Thx Dave !

As already been said, there is no right or wrong and you should run your business the way YOU think is best.

I'm almost 49 - when I started out 5 1/2 years ago my plan was always to employ - it's had its ups and downs with my fair share of errors, but overall it's been the right move for me ( I never saw myself cleaning windows in my late 50's )

Believe it or not there are some great people out there, we have a great guy who's 61 he only wants 1 or 2 days a week although he mucks right in on busy weeks doing 60 + hours his pace and quality matches everyone else on the team, so someone like this would be a good first step.

I'm lucky Mrs Smudger was a great recruitment consultant for many years so our recruiting process is pretty good and she has a great knack in finding the right person who fits in with us and the team.

Darran

[colin bird]

I'm in exactly the same position and swamped with work - probably turned away ten jobs in the last week alone. I know I should employ. Problem is i really don't want to. I know I'll never find the right person and simply couldn't tolerate anyone who didn't come up to my expectations.
A lot depends on who you are and your character. As for me I can't see me changing so I'll stay as I am.
Read the Richy Wilts posts on how not to employ.
Read Perfect Windows and Smudgers posts on how to do it successfully 
[/quote

I think I'm probably the same as you,one of the main downsides about not employing is either you keep working flat out as you get older or reduce the size of you round

[colin bird]

I think most of us end up in this situation sooner or later.  It really depends on your own personal circumstances how far you can or are willing to take the business.
Personally if I was in my 50s I'd be looking to slow down a little and have an employee or employees take the weight off my shoulders.
But then if you still feel good and are comfortable with what you are earning then the simplest option would be to stay as you are.
I'm 30 with a good size round, a solid income, have a missis who earns just as much as me and we have 2 young kids. For me thats enough, for now. I turn all but the best new work away as I don't want to over complicate my life during these crucial early years of my kids lives. Plus I just don't have time for anything else with doing school runs etc.
When I hit 50 though, kids will be grown up, I'll be older and wiser but fatter and lazier then employing would definitely seem the best option

The main think I noticed when I turned 50 was I started to feel tired,and fall asleep watching tv,I know it sounds funny but it's so true.
But in general I'm fit and can still put a good days work in,I have a son of 10 so not much chance of slowing down

[wpclean]

Thx Dave !

As already been said, there is no right or wrong and you should run your business the way YOU think is best.

I'm almost 49 - when I started out 5 1/2 years ago my plan was always to employ - it's had its ups and downs with my fair share of errors, but overall it's been the right move for me ( I never saw myself cleaning windows in my late 50's )

Believe it or not there are some great people out there, we have a great guy who's 61 he only wants 1 or 2 days a week although he mucks right in on busy weeks doing 60 + hours his pace and quality matches everyone else on the team, so someone like this would be a good first step.

I'm lucky Mrs Smudger was a great recruitment consultant for many years so our recruiting process is pretty good and she has a great knack in finding the right person who fits in with us and the team.

Darran

Didn't realise you were so old Daz 

[colin bird]

Depends mate, are you going to employ him legitimate, this then goes down the route of employers insurance, holidays and all the other that comes with it

Or

Casual employment were they can be called in as and when required

Or I


Cash in hand, were they come get paid and go home, no questions

Me personally am all commercial so only the top one applies, BUT........ If I was to be doing domestic work daily and majority of payments was cash then I wouldn't consider the top one and would be more inclined to consider the lower or lowest  one.

Benefits are there more in you do decide to expand and as your age increases there is always the possibility to rest more and let the guy do more.

Me personally I would defo go for it, I already have staff but am always on the look out for what I would consider to be decent lads with work ethic installed in the head, good lads will make you money so I will find work for them..........any one who thinks they going to turn up for work with me and stand around picking there backside gets told how it is

You are here to work, if you don't like it go find yourself a bus stop that will take you home, and that's it for them......down the rd

I think finding staff is the hardest part of it, training them is easy and finding work is easy, just not enough hours in the days

I can see the benefits of having staff,but can als see the negatives like having to employ them on the cards,and then they become unreliable or long term sick then it's hard to get rid of them.
Probably the best thing is take them on as casual and see how they go,I quite like the idea of that,I will keep an eye out for a potential person.
Thanks for your advice

[colin bird]

Thx Dave !

As already been said, there is no right or wrong and you should run your business the way YOU think is best.

I'm almost 49 - when I started out 5 1/2 years ago my plan was always to employ - it's had its ups and downs with my fair share of errors, but overall it's been the right move for me ( I never saw myself cleaning windows in my late 50's )

Believe it or not there are some great people out there, we have a great guy who's 61 he only wants 1 or 2 days a week although he mucks right in on busy weeks doing 60 + hours his pace and quality matches everyone else on the team, so someone like this would be a good first step.

I'm lucky Mrs Smudger was a great recruitment consultant for many years so our recruiting process is pretty good and she has a great knack in finding the right person who fits in with us and the team.

Darran

That person you have who's 61 would be perfect for me

[colin bird]

I would stay as you are personally. Do you really need the grief for little extra money, If your long term goal is to semi retire then concentrate on employing others otherwise continue working your best stuff without any hassle and just give out ridiculous quotes!

That is what I thnk most of the time and totally agree with you.
As I get older I worry about my health and the effect illness would have on my business,luckily I'm currently fit and healthy,but if I stay on my own and became ill let's say for a few months,when I returned to work,I may only have half a business left,where as if I take someone on they would be able to keep going whilst I was off.

[colin bird]

im the same although im 10 years younger!(43).good solid round.plenty of work(without slogging my guts out 10 hours a day,6 days a week).

TBH im happy as i am.of course i take new work on at the right price but i dont get many new jobs these days as theres too much competition.ive had large parts of my round canvassed,leafleted,undercutters having a go at least 10 times already in the last few months but i still get a little trickle of new jobs plus a few add ons every month so im happy

Hi dazmond I've read a lot of your posts that offer good advice and make a lot of sense,it. Sounds like you business and life is in a good place ,good luck t o you

[Dave Willis]

Falling asleep in front of the telly? Tell me about it! 

[Roy Harding]

I would charge a lot more on all new work from now on, may be 50% or 100% more. If you get work from now it will be a cream paying job. I would then gradually  increase the prices of all my other work. And all the customers that are slow to pay or job I did not like doing, up they would go in price or I would let them go when there was better paying job.
Don't work harder work smarter.

Roy

[Jonny 87]

Falling asleep in front of the telly? Tell me about it! 

I'm 27 years old and do that regularly!

Bit worrying. 

[dazmond]

I would charge a lot more on all new work from now on, may be 50% or 100% more. If you get work from now it will be a cream paying job. I would then gradually  increase the prices of all my other work. And all the customers that are slow to pay or job I did not like doing, up they would go in price or I would let them go when there was better paying job.
Don't work harder work smarter.

Roy

[dazmond]

thats what ive been doing for the last 5 years roy!and as a result im earning close to 20k more a year than 5 years ago.your posts over the years have helped inspire me to build a better,more profitable round without working silly long hours.

[Walter Mitty]

Stay as you are and give new potential customers my phone number.  If it's a viable job, once I price it and get the job, on the third clean I'll give one clean's worth of money to you - just for passing a phone number on.
Not a joke. Our work areas do overlap.