small business

[mischief121]

How much could a small business expect to earn(1 van husband and wife)e.g plumber,carpet fitter carpenter etc.Just wondered what other self emloyed people are eaning.many thanks.

[buildersmate]

This is really impossible to gauge because so much depends on the ability of the individual to bring in business, and the number of hours they are prepared to work. Anything from �15k to �80k+.

[whambam]

A lot of general handymen types that work from home with a van often charge around �25 - �35 an hour in labour, and sometimes add some profit onto the costs of the parts/materials.

If you are skilled and certified enough to do whatever job it is you are looking to do then I would expect you to be adding on �30 an hour in labour.

If you are unskilled and looking to go around sweeping up leaves from peoples gardens for example, you would obviously have to lower your labour costs to around �8 - �10 an hour.

Obviously you could charge more, but it may make you uncompetitive against other people, or charge much less but then your reducing your overall salary.

Obviously the idea of �30 an hour sounds fantastic (30 hrs = �900) but you also have to take into consideration your paying van costs, business costs, possible licence costs, diesal costs, etc etc.