first paid refurb

[Screenman]

Could not agree more, make sure you run your business and do not let your customers do it for you.

[SoS]

I always say that most SR guys actually earn about 50% nett of what they invoice, now this is a very rough guide. I have been out of the loop for a while but I think it must cost about £300 per week to have a decent SR van on the road before you start taking wages, unless of course you are part of a franchise and then it can be a lot more, please correct me if I am wrong.

£300 per week? £1200 per month? £15,600 a year to own and run a van. I know you'd like everyone to drive a car with some dent rods in the back, but you are beyond reasoning if you believe this yourself, never mind expect anyone else to.

[Netenergy]

Read the London Gazette and believe, some can only dream of those earnings.

[AshfieldAutospray]

I'd guess that when Screenman said it was £300 a week to have a van on the road he wasn't just talking about the actual van.  If you take into account all the other overheads such as insurance, tax, petrol, advertising, etc then it's probably not far off the mark.

[Screenman]

SoS if you think I am wrong, prove it. I can easily make a list of the overheads a business incurs on a week to week, month to month and year to year. I may not be bang on correct but I am certainly not far off.

Please list all fixed and non fixed overheads, including depreciation I did this on the other forum once, now it is your turn.

Just a thought, why on earth would I want everyone driving around in a car with dent rods in, quite the opposite. It would only devalue my trade.

Just for kick offs to help you along.

Van hire, lease £350
Insurance         £100
Fuel                  £200 
road tax            £20
Clothing            £20
Accountant        £40
Stationery          £10
Advertising       £100
Phone               £30
Servicing            £25
Depreciation     £100
Consumables    £200

Total                 £1195

Franchise management fee £275, national advertising commitment £100

Now that is just a very quick guestimate, I am more than happy for you to come back with anything different. The vehicle costs are based on the guys that lease a newish van, of course if you purchased one then your depreciation figure would be way bigger.


Do not hide you head in the sand guys when it comes to expenses guys, most or a lot of the guys in our industry would earn a lot more being school teachers.

I am not on this forum to gain anything just to try and get across 36 years of knowledge, now accepted not all good, but I do know how to read a balance sheet.

SoS I think this is how you introduced your self to the forum,

"I'm Bert from Buckinghamshire.

I have some painting experience but I'm not sure about weather I can make it a full-time job. I get made redundant in three weeks and have some money to do something. Can anyone recommend a set of paints and some equipment."

You may know a lot about painting, but you sure could learn about business costs.

[SoS]

Just to clarify. You are saying it costs £45,000 to own and run a van over three years.

Yes or No.

[Netenergy]

£15k a per sounds about right to me, I'd increase the advertising/stationary, insurance and consumables while decreasing a few others, but as a ball park figure for a budget to the bank you would not be far off. I have over 7 years accounts to back up the above statement. It might be worth reminding a few that many of those selling 'the dream' suffer from the narcissism personality disorder, thus using others to self benefit like a extension of themselves. I know as one guy just last month served a winding up order on a franchise company only to find all assets had been transferred to another company called Cxx Xedxx International and the old company was filing for insolvency. Its a tough old world out there and if your going to make it you just have to be harder.

[Screenman]

SoS, yes I would say that is about correct, as others have also testified. I tend to err as often as possible on the side of caution. I also suggest most guys try and set thier standard of monthly living on what they NETT (not turnover) in December, this way they have a nice nest egg at then end of the year.

I am SoS certainly not beyond reasoning as you posted earlier about my character, everything I post has been researched and thought about carefully. I think more your statement is a personal attack on me and an apology should be forth coming, although I will not hold my breath waiting.

[boppins13]

chillax everyone getting abit heated in here but a good helpfull topic. Those wheels look good mate you should defo be charging more we usually get bout 45 per wheel trade and 65 retail. Stand your ground

[superior paint worx]

They look good, what did you charge. Try spray out cards for masking they are a lot easier and quicker, failing that if you have broken the bead cling film also does the job quickly. If you really want to use masking tape and paper try spraying the tyre with a  an aerosol adhesive first, even if the tyres have just been slicked the glue will stick and that tape also, both will come off easy with the paper when finished.

laminated a4 paper is even cheaper and wipes off easy and goes on n on n on..