The Joys of Being Self Employed!

Being self-employed part two

When you are self employed there is no one else to rely on except yourself hence ‘Being Self Employed’ I would like if I may to show you a scenario when I made no money on a job that was somewhat lucrative in theory?

I received a phone call late one Sunday night maybe 10.00pm. The phone call came from my advertisement in the local paper advertising my services as a ’Mobile Car Mechanic’ The business was called ’DLBAutos” a lady spoke and said,

“Sorry to disturb you on a holiday and so late at night, but I have been towed home in my car. The Ford Orion has an engine failure? Do you know what that means?”

I replied along the lines of yes I do understand but I will need to view the car and diagnose the problem? She agreed to my £15 call out charge (way too cheap) I looked at the 1995 Ford Orion and the engine knocked and banged and clearly had no oil pressure. I asked if the car had been regularly serviced? And the reply was no.

“I said we have two ways of dealing with this, 1. I rebuild your engine from scratch I have a workshop and I am fully qualified to work on most if not all engines, or 2. I can find a replacement engine from a salvage yard and fit it for you?”

The Lady asked me the difference in price? I replied you can pay me to change out your engine for £90 labour plus obviously the price of the replacement salvaged engine. Or pay me to rebuild you’re own engine including sub contacted  services such as honing and boring the engine block and camshaft bearings as they will have suffered in a oil starvation problem. Machine shop time costs money and most Mechanics including me do not have the money to have a dedicated engine re-build facility. It would have been around £200 labour for me and approx £400 in parts. An average salvaged replacement engine was selling for £175 with a guarantee.

The customer said she was confused and will an old friend of hers be able to phone me that evening? I said of course why not. Once again I was nearly asleep as I was doing 3 jobs including my own business! The phone rang at 11.00pm! A rather slurring gentleman came on the phone and asked me for my qualifications to repair or replace his best friends engine? I said if its certificate No’s you want then it will take time as they are in storage at my parents house!