Don't know if this has been covered, but RE: the van sign writing/insurance thing...
Am mate is a landscape gardener and so has a large van for his work. However, work dries up in the winter (obviously) so he then goes contracting as a delivery driver for another firm.
His solution was to have some magnetic panels made with his Co. logo and details on them that can be removed when not needed. They look rather smart and make his vehicle look more professional.
It would mean you could then remove the logo panel and not bollox up your insurance.
How much for two lots of stairs and landing in light oak?
Is that a serious question Molly? A whole staircase or cladding existing?
Interesting muddy - I might look into that.
Really just depends what you're doing. If you're doing gas/elec I'd want details of who you're registered with etc so I'd want a sign written van and some ID. If you're in just to fluff the carpets and rattle a few water pipes I'd probably care less, but a well presented, well identifiable person seems more trustworthy. I dislike the idea of letting an unknown, unmarked person into my home on a sub(butnow)conscious level.
I tend to take the view that the best tradesmen don't need to advertise & rely on the service they provide to work for them by word of mouth. Therefore, anything like logos or signs on vans I just regard as a waste of (ultimately my) money. In the past I've found that the biggest cowboys are the ones with the best 'image'. Let's face it. If you are going to con someone then a little bit of bling always helps.
I tend to take the view that the best tradesmen don't need to advertise & rely on the service they provide to work for them by word of mouth. Therefore, anything like logos or signs on vans I just regard as a waste of (ultimately my) money. In the past I've found that the biggest cowboys are the ones with the best 'image'. Let's face it. If you are going to con someone then a little bit of bling always helps.
Very true, but a) someone who takes care with their image is more likely to take care with a job (or more likely a scruffy sod who turns up in a beaten up rusting van is less likely to take care) and b)most people work by recommendation. Picking a wildly over-advertised van and a guy in pressed black trousers would be stupid, but so would picking the local hobo who managed to drag together a few quid for a van.
Well, I get all my work by word of mouth (in business 25 years), am a scruff and use an estate car for my work (=family car at weekends). I do however turn up on time, take my boots off on cream carpets, tidy up afterwards and do the work at the agreed cost (unless asked to do extra stuff).
Most of the good tradesmen I have met arn't too image conscious..the well dressed ones are usually too busy checking their lippy to get any work done! 😀
If it ain't broke, don't (try and) fix it. Why do you need a uniform if you're a one man band?
A logo and identity and, dare I say it, a brand image might be beneficial.
If there's enough work and you're not looking at expanding, I don't see any need to do anything differently.
DD, it was part serious. When we moved in I didn't think you could get wooden floors for stairs, so I dismissed the idea. Then later I thought a whole new hardwood staircase might've worked and not cost as much as I thought. Bit late now cos there's floor in all the rooms now and it'd cost a bomb.
I'd agree with don, if you're getting enough work I wouldn't bother.
Personally I don't have preference for a uniform / logo and the as long as the van is not a rust bucket sign written or not dose not matter. Magnetic signs sound like a good idea as I've herd from several people that sign written van = thief magnet.
I wouldn't and haven't picked a tradesman because of his apperance, I don't think having your comany logo on your shirt or jacket is necessery but i would expect someone to turn up in clean clothes witout holes ripped in them.
A clean well cared for van is something i look out for, not too fussed if it signed up or not. I do know of some people who use the magnetic signs and pop them on the van when on the job as it were to help generate buisness. In the past i have had neighbours come and ask me for details of a sparky i used because they saw his van outside my flat.
Having some personal knowledge of your appearance DD, I'd suggest you start off by running a comb through your hair and brushing your teeth
That's payback for you being unnecessarily nasty last night.
I think personally a nice logo/uniform/logo on vayn looks more professional, but then BT have nice looking vayns and they are shysters of the highest order of magnitude. 😥
You would of course need me to do your rebraynding, DD. I do for you cheaper than Binners. He has to charge a pie premium because he is Northern. 😐
No, I repeat NO SKINNY JEANS!!!
I would prefer a liveried van, a local name AND a landline number.
Mrs deadly would be looking after logos, re-branding etc but thanks for the offer Effin 🙂
Most of the best work we have had done has been by clean peole getting out of old vans and cars. Very rarely any van sign painting or uniform. If you ar busy and your punters like you..what's the problem?
Hmmmm ... quite a few tradespeople have been through C_G Towers over the last few years. In the main I have used Checkatrade or personal recommendation.
I tend to take folk as I find them so a liveried vehicle or company uniform is fairly meaningless.
Mind you, and I'm quite sure I'll be flamed for this, one particular appliance manufacturer ensures its engineers are very well turned out and, er, rather easy on the eye. 😉
BOSCH!
Well, not a problem so to speak Stoat, but just canvassing opinion. Sometimes, I can get set in my ways thinking everything [i]I[/i] do is more or less the right thing so it's not a bad idea to get opinions from the hive.
magnetic panels
no no no.
magnetic panels on a work van are used by drive tarmacers with a certain accent so they can change company details weekly. would rather have a clean unliveried van.
clean and smart clothes is more important than a more formal uniform imo. clean t shirt, work trousers looks smart.
Fair point. DD.
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Hard hat and a hi viz so that your customers know you're serious.
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