Running Your Business

You can run everything through one pot, but it will bite you on tax, cashflow and stress. A separate account is one of the easiest wins you've got.

If you've got a limited company, Companies House is the bit that puts your details on the public record and expects your filings on time.

You just want to close it cleanly and cheaply once everything's squared off. Finish jobs, issue final invoices, pay suppliers and staff.

HMRC's process is slightly backwards: to run CIS as a contractor, you first register as an employer and set up a PAYE scheme.

GDPR for sole traders and small builders. ICO registration, what counts as personal data, how long to keep records, and what to do if someone asks to be deleted.

On time and materials, day rate or cost-plus, the client is already picking up actual material costs, so increases just flow through.

For anything above small jobs, get proper legal input. This is for when you're a subcontractor to a main contractor, not a domestic builder for Mrs Jones.

Template T&Cs for UK domestic building jobs: what to include, which clauses are legally enforceable, and the wording that prevents payment and scope rows later.

Once you put someone on the books, the game changes. You must decide their status correctly — employee vs worker vs self-employed.

You want it reliable, insurable and not stitched up by the finance. You own the van outright from day one; no mileage limits, no handing it back.

A framework usually runs for up to 4 years for works, unless there's a good reason to go longer. The framework itself is not a promise of work.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 says every employer must have a general policy on health and safety and arrangements to carry it out.

Financial standing (turnover, accounts, insurances, CCJs). Health and safety compliance and accreditations (CHAS, Constructionline, SSIP).

Lease vs HP vs cash for your work van. Why PCP is a trap, what to check in finance deals, tax treatment, ULEZ compliance, payload, and how to choose.

You carry the risk of looking slow or disorganised if you can't justify your time. Less pressure to cut corners to stay inside a fixed lump sum.

If you control their hours, supply the kit, and they can't send someone else in their place, they're likely an employee, not a subbie.

A quote isn't just how much for the job. It's the thing a judge, Trading Standards or a stroppy client will wave at you if there's a row.

This isn't about what sounds fancier. It's about tax, risk, hassle and what actually fits the size of jobs you're doing.

Plenty of good trades have been through it and come out the other side. In UK speak, bankruptcy is for individuals (including sole traders).

If you're signing a commercial subcontract for the first time, get someone who understands construction contracts to look at it before you commit.

You usually get one when someone you owe money to (supplier, landlord, customer you've lost a case with, HMRC, finance company) issues a court claim.

Free guide to taking holiday when self-employed in construction. Saving, pricing, and avoiding burnout.

Free guide to returning to construction after a career break. CSCS, tickets, insurance, tools and rebuilding work.

You want money coming in and someone you trust legally able to steer the ship, not your other half guessing passwords on your phone.

Free guide to employing your first person in construction. PAYE, CITB levy, apprenticeships, CIS and costs.

Free guide to dealing with negative reviews for tradespeople. Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Google and response scripts.

Free guide to music licensing for workshops and construction premises. TheMusicLicence, costs and Spotify rules.

How to stop flaky customers wrecking your schedule. Quote expiry, booking fees, reschedule limits and the pencil vs pen system.

What happens when a self-employed tradesperson dies. Probate, van and tools, live jobs, deposits, HMRC, insurance, and the "hit by a bus" plan every sole trader should have.

Self-employed in construction with no pension? State pension alone is about £1,000/month. How to start, what it costs, and why your body is the reason you need one.

NEST, B&CE, People's Pension, auto-enrolment and how to find old construction pension pots. Plain-English guide for UK tradespeople.

Late to pensions but not finished. What state pension pays, how much to save from 50, career transition options, and free guidance for construction workers.

Employ staff? Auto-enrolment pension duties explained. Contribution rates, scheme setup, penalties, family members, and step-by-step for small construction firms.

Can't afford your tax bill? Time to Pay, penalties, bailiffs, what HMRC can take, budgeting for tax, and free debt advice for self-employed construction workers.

County Court Judgments explained for tradespeople. How CCJs affect your credit, van finance and work. How to set aside, pay off, or get them removed.

Enforcement agents coming? What bailiffs can and can't take, the £1,350 tools exemption, your van, controlled goods agreements, and your rights at the door.

Which debts to pay first when money is tight. Priority vs non-priority, why HMRC sits at the top, Breathing Space, and the 2am plan for self-employed workers.