On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:08:17 UTC, "tim....."
wrote:

There's already a 'small job' man in my area (which
happens to be near you, but not near enough to compete)
who advertises in a free mag that comes through my door.

What area is that?

http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/assets/...rictlife28.pdf

go to page 2/3

I get that...have always thrown it away unopened....!

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
http://www.diybanter.com

tim..... wrote:


what's wrong with being a numpty odd job man?


Nothing if thats what you want to be - I don't. I want to earn a good
living not just beer money.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
tim..... wrote:


what's wrong with being a numpty odd job man?


Nothing if thats what you want to be - I don't. I want to earn a good
living not just beer money.

I'd need the beer money, but I need to be sure that there's
enough beer money available :-).

It's academic now. I've just been offered a job back in a
country whos employers aren't ageist. I don't really want
to go, but it's that or unemployment (or being an odd job
man!)

tim

tim..... wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:


what's wrong with being a numpty odd job man?


Nothing if thats what you want to be - I don't. I want to earn a
good living not just beer money.

I'd need the beer money, but I need to be sure that there's
enough beer money available :-).

It's academic now. I've just been offered a job back in a
country whos employers aren't ageist. I don't really want
to go, but it's that or unemployment (or being an odd job
man!)

The choice I faced was (a) finding another job at 50+, (b) finding a job
that would pay as well, (c) finding a job that would last.

As an 'odd job man' I could earn beer money. As a 'professional handyman' I
can earn £35K ish a year and am booked solid for a month ahead. Thats why I
didn't want to be an odd job oik.

I keep feeling the urge to either franchise the idea or write the ultimate
guide.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

The Medway Handyman wrote:

As an 'odd job man' I could earn beer money. As a 'professional handyman' I
can earn £35K ish a year and am booked solid for a month ahead. Thats why I
didn't want to be an odd job oik.

I keep feeling the urge to either franchise the idea or write the ultimate
guide.

That is not such a bad idea. Social trends (cash rich, time poor, little
practical education) are pushing ever more customers into a situation of
need. IIRC Colonel Sounders and Ray Crock were both in their late 50's
early sixties before they started developing their franchise businesses.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article , The Medway Handyman
scribeth thus
tim..... wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:


what's wrong with being a numpty odd job man?


Nothing if thats what you want to be - I don't. I want to earn a
good living not just beer money.

I'd need the beer money, but I need to be sure that there's
enough beer money available :-).

It's academic now. I've just been offered a job back in a
country whos employers aren't ageist. I don't really want
to go, but it's that or unemployment (or being an odd job
man!)

The choice I faced was (a) finding another job at 50+, (b) finding a job
that would pay as well, (c) finding a job that would last.

As an 'odd job man' I could earn beer money. As a 'professional handyman' I
can earn £35K ish a year and am booked solid for a month ahead. Thats why I
didn't want to be an odd job oik.

I keep feeling the urge to either franchise the idea or write the ultimate
guide.


A mate of mine took early retirement from a government "organisation"
before they sent him round the bend!, and I've never known him happier
and fitter

He's working as a landscape gardener and repairs, not short of work and
turning it away, and seems to charge what he likes at the age of 58 !...
--
Tony Sayer

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
tim..... wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:


what's wrong with being a numpty odd job man?


Nothing if thats what you want to be - I don't. I want to earn a
good living not just beer money.

I'd need the beer money, but I need to be sure that there's
enough beer money available :-).

It's academic now. I've just been offered a job back in a
country whos employers aren't ageist. I don't really want
to go, but it's that or unemployment (or being an odd job
man!)

The choice I faced was (a) finding another job at 50+, (b) finding a job
that would pay as well, (c) finding a job that would last.

As an 'odd job man' I could earn beer money. As a 'professional handyman'
I can earn £35K ish a year and am booked solid for a month ahead. Thats
why I didn't want to be an odd job oik.

I can understand that, but I can't quite see what you
are differentiating on.

is it:
number of hours worked.
types of jobs undertaken
or something to do with this 'professional' word that are using?

and is there some relationship between the first two?

tim

tim..... wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:


what's wrong with being a numpty odd job man?


Nothing if thats what you want to be - I don't. I want to earn a
good living not just beer money.

I'd need the beer money, but I need to be sure that there's
enough beer money available :-).

It's academic now. I've just been offered a job back in a
country whos employers aren't ageist. I don't really want
to go, but it's that or unemployment (or being an odd job
man!)

The choice I faced was (a) finding another job at 50+, (b) finding
a job that would pay as well, (c) finding a job that would last.

As an 'odd job man' I could earn beer money. As a 'professional
handyman' I can earn £35K ish a year and am booked solid for a month
ahead. Thats why I didn't want to be an odd job oik.

I can understand that, but I can't quite see what you
are differentiating on.

is it:
number of hours worked.
types of jobs undertaken
or something to do with this 'professional' word that are using?

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year old ex
Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms & tatty tee shirt
covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't turn up on time, doesn't
communicate with customer, no up front tariff of charges, has your details
written on back of envelope, bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not
insured. Charges very low rates.

Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site with all
details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully signwritten, wears
smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered corporate logo, has full range
of necessary tools, turns up on time or calls customer, has clear tariff of
charges, uses detailed job sheet, does job properly, clears up afterwards,
fully insured. Charges a fair but not cheap price.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
tim..... wrote:


I can understand that, but I can't quite see what you
are differentiating on.

is it:
number of hours worked.
types of jobs undertaken
or something to do with this 'professional' word that are using?

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year old ex
Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms & tatty tee shirt
covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't turn up on time, doesn't
communicate with customer, no up front tariff of charges, has your details
written on back of envelope, bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not
insured. Charges very low rates.

Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site with
all details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully signwritten,
wears smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered corporate logo, has
full range of necessary tools, turns up on time or calls customer, has
clear tariff of charges, uses detailed job sheet, does job properly,
clears up afterwards, fully insured. Charges a fair but not cheap price.

well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy, but I see what you mean now.

tim

In message , tim.....
writes

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
tim..... wrote:


I can understand that, but I can't quite see what you
are differentiating on.

is it:
number of hours worked.
types of jobs undertaken
or something to do with this 'professional' word that are using?

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year old ex
Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms & tatty tee shirt
covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't turn up on time, doesn't
communicate with customer, no up front tariff of charges, has your details
written on back of envelope, bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not
insured. Charges very low rates.

Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site with
all details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully signwritten,
wears smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered corporate logo, has
full range of necessary tools, turns up on time or calls customer, has
clear tariff of charges, uses detailed job sheet, does job properly,
clears up afterwards, fully insured. Charges a fair but not cheap price.

well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy, but I see what you mean now.

Don't forget ...

He's an illusionist by night



--
geoff

On 2007-09-25 21:47:22 +0100, geoff said:

In message , tim.....
writes

well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy, but I see what you mean now.

Don't forget ...

He's an illusionist by night

Aren't we all?

geoff wrote:
In message , tim.....
writes

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:


I can understand that, but I can't quite see what you
are differentiating on.

is it:
number of hours worked.
types of jobs undertaken
or something to do with this 'professional' word that are using?

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year
old ex Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms &
tatty tee shirt covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't
turn up on time, doesn't communicate with customer, no up front
tariff of charges, has your details written on back of envelope,
bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not insured. Charges very
low rates. Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site
with all details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully
signwritten, wears smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered
corporate logo, has full range of necessary tools, turns up on time
or calls customer, has clear tariff of charges, uses detailed job
sheet, does job properly, clears up afterwards, fully insured. Charges a
fair but not cheap price.

well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy, but I see what you mean now.

Don't forget ...

He's an illusionist by night

Which has taught me that presentation is everything.............


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

In message , The Medway Handyman
writes
geoff wrote:
In message , tim.....
writes

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:


I can understand that, but I can't quite see what you
are differentiating on.

is it:
number of hours worked.
types of jobs undertaken
or something to do with this 'professional' word that are using?

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year
old ex Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms &
tatty tee shirt covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't
turn up on time, doesn't communicate with customer, no up front
tariff of charges, has your details written on back of envelope,
bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not insured. Charges very
low rates. Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site
with all details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully
signwritten, wears smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered
corporate logo, has full range of necessary tools, turns up on time
or calls customer, has clear tariff of charges, uses detailed job
sheet, does job properly, clears up afterwards, fully insured. Charges a
fair but not cheap price.

well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy, but I see what you mean now.

Don't forget ...

He's an illusionist by night

Which has taught me that presentation is everything.............

Exactly what I meant


--
geoff

"Huge" wrote in message
...
On 2007-09-25, The Medway Handyman
wrote:

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year old ex
Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms & tatty tee shirt
covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't turn up on time, doesn't
communicate with customer, no up front tariff of charges, has your
details
written on back of envelope, bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not
insured. Charges very low rates.

Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site with
all
details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully signwritten,
wears
smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered corporate logo, has full
range
of necessary tools, turns up on time or calls customer, has clear tariff
of
charges, uses detailed job sheet, does job properly, clears up
afterwards,
fully insured. Charges a fair but not cheap price.

*applause*

Whilst I don't doubt Dave's sincerity, I personally don't see the
connection between "corporate Identity, tidy appearance,
logo on van etc with charging a fair price and not bodging the
job.

I suggest that you look no further than a certain national
plumbing company that regularly appears on House of Horrors
type programs if you think that they do.

tim

tim..... wrote:

Whilst I don't doubt Dave's sincerity, I personally don't see the
connection between "corporate Identity, tidy appearance,
logo on van etc with charging a fair price and not bodging the
job.

There isn't a connection between any of these attributes as such, in the
sense that you can look the part and still produce crap results.

However, if you wish to be accepted as a professional handyman, doing
all of them would be a basic set of pre-requisites.



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-09-25 21:47:22 +0100, geoff said:

In message , tim.....
writes

well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy, but I see what you mean now.

Don't forget ...

He's an illusionist by night

Aren't we all?

Actually I'm not an illusionist at all. Close up & mentalism are the only
two branches of magic I'm into.

"A lot of people think this is an optical illusion - but it only looks like
one".


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

tim..... wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
tim..... wrote:


I can understand that, but I can't quite see what you
are differentiating on.

is it:
number of hours worked.
types of jobs undertaken
or something to do with this 'professional' word that are using?

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year old
ex Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms & tatty
tee shirt covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't turn up
on time, doesn't communicate with customer, no up front tariff of
charges, has your details written on back of envelope, bodges job,
doesn't clear up afterwards, not insured. Charges very low rates.

Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site
with all details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully
signwritten, wears smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered
corporate logo, has full range of necessary tools, turns up on time
or calls customer, has clear tariff of charges, uses detailed job
sheet, does job properly, clears up afterwards, fully insured. Charges a
fair but not cheap price.

well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy, but I see what you mean now.

100 years ago we criticised people who couldn't read & write.............


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

John Rumm wrote:
There isn't a connection between any of these attributes as such, in the
sense that you can look the part and still produce crap results.

However, if you wish to be accepted as a professional handyman, doing
all of them would be a basic set of pre-requisites.

Yes, looks right dosn't always mean it is right; on the other hand what
is right probably does look right.


--
djc

The Medway Handyman wrote:

100 years ago we criticised people who couldn't read & write.............

Now with modern schooling, there is no longer the stigma attached to it! ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 2007-09-26 11:44:07 +0100, Huge said:

On 2007-09-25, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year old ex
Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms & tatty tee shirt
covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't turn up on time, doesn't
communicate with customer, no up front tariff of charges, has your details
written on back of envelope, bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not
insured. Charges very low rates.

Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site with all
details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully signwritten, wears
smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered corporate logo, has full range
of necessary tools, turns up on time or calls customer, has clear tariff of
charges, uses detailed job sheet, does job properly, clears up afterwards,
fully insured. Charges a fair but not cheap price.

*applause*

I'd say ovation.

That is the essence of all properly conducted business. Proper job,
proper attention to detail, proper service and above all not selling on
price.

On Sep 26, 7:54 pm, Owain wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
tim..... wrote:
well I think that it's a bit unfair criticising people for not
being internet savvy,
100 years ago we criticised people who couldn't read & write.............

... now we give them a BA in Meedia Studies...

Spelling error! It is of course 'Meeja Studies'.

I find that 'Multimedia Design and Technology' is even worse. Which is
why I, a regular, am using another name for this post...

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-09-26 11:44:07 +0100, Huge said:

On 2007-09-25, The Medway Handyman
wrote:
Odd job man;
No corporate identity, no web site, arrives in a scruffy 10 year
old ex Telecom van, no signwriting, wears old jogging bottoms &
tatty tee shirt covered in stains. has inadequate tools, doesn't
turn up on time, doesn't communicate with customer, no up front
tariff of charges, has your details written on back of envelope,
bodges job, doesn't clear up afterwards, not insured. Charges very
low rates. Professional Handyman;
Van, website, overalls, cards etc all bear corporate logo, web site
with all details & prices. arrives in smart clean newish van fully
signwritten, wears smart overalls & polo shirt with embroidered
corporate logo, has full range of necessary tools, turns up on time
or calls customer, has clear tariff of charges, uses detailed job
sheet, does job properly, clears up afterwards, fully insured. Charges a
fair but not cheap price.

*applause*

I'd say ovation.

That is the essence of all properly conducted business. Proper job,
proper attention to detail, proper service and above all not selling
on price.

That would be my raison detre mon amie.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

wrote:

I find that 'Multimedia Design and Technology' is even worse. Which is
why I, a regular, am using another name for this post...

Ah, ok Bob....


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:47:36 UTC, John Rumm
wrote:

wrote:

I find that 'Multimedia Design and Technology' is even worse. Which is
why I, a regular, am using another name for this post...

Ah, ok Bob....

Who, me?

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
http://www.diybanter.com