Woodworking & Power Tools Forum - Festool Owners Group > OFF-TOPIC > General Friendly Chat > Any one here work in london or can give me advice on working there.
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Author Topic: Any one here work in london or can give me advice on working there.  (Read 1084 times)
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georgemingham

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Location: Devon, UK
Member Since: Nov 2010
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« on: April 20, 2012, 08:13 PM »
Hello everyone my names George, i completed my NVQ 3, 3 years ago and have been self employed ever since working on a wide range of projects from shop fits to kitchens, bathrooms 1st and 2nd fix work, but after my first taste of shop fitting i have decided that i really want to pursue a career in shopfitting.
i live in Devon at the moment but i really want a total life change and have always wanted to live and work in London.
i am totally unsure of how to go about it, i have a step sister who lives there that i might be able to stay with for a short wile, but do i take my van and all my tools(i have a LOT of tools) if i dont take a van how do i get from job to job.

im in need of some simple advice from someone who has/does live and work in london.

thanks for reading

George
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georgemingham

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Location: Devon, UK
Member Since: Nov 2010
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« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2012, 08:51 PM »
just had another thought about transport, how about travelling very like and getting a motorbike to avoid ques and cheep to run.
i will add up the weight of all my essential tools and work out were they would best fit on a bike.
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Kev

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Location: Australia
Member Since: Nov 2011
Posts: 2454
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2012, 11:20 PM »
I've got no idea about London today - but from a "city" perspective I be surprised if the pace and patience matched Devon.

Have you looked at sub contracting and asked what you would need to equip yourself with?

I was making enquiries locally about shop fitting in Sydney for another chap and found it is a fairly cut throat industry, with mostly off site fabrication and quick installs (to minimise store revenue disruption). Can't see London being significantly different unless you luck into a pub restoration or something similar.

Kev
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Davej

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Location: Bromborough, Uk
Member Since: Feb 2012
Posts: 152
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2012, 02:41 AM »
Just a  reminder that london has a low emission zone ( almost everywhere inside m25 ) and if your van is 06reg or older its going to cost £1500+ to convert it or pay £100 a day penalty !   i travel to london for occasional commercial contracts and most trades seem to be on site for 7am to beat the traffic . Maybe get a van vault that you can leave on site , a lot of  contractors do , then you could go on two wheels for rest of job. or post some pics of your bike loaded with tools  Big Grin dont forget that if you load a bike it can be very unstabe and if you get knocked off ( london drivers are nutters ) your tools could be smashed .
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joiner1970

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Location: London, England
Member Since: Jun 2007
Posts: 1218
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2012, 03:25 AM »
I'm on the outskirts of London near Thorpe park, Heathrow etc. I work in central London every now and then but not shop fitting, I work on big posh houses. I did at one point work up there all the time for a big firm doing hardwood fixing fitting out offices etc. I got fed up with traveling on the train so stopped. I don't mind the odd job up there now and then and most jobs we do are my side of London in Mayfair.

I won't put you off as you need to do it to see what its like but you will find the wages almost the same as anywhere now where you used to get a premium for working in London. This is mainly due to all the cheap foreign labour that actually live in London  Mad.

What ever you do good luck
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Mfteas up

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Location: United Kingdom
Member Since: Apr 2012
Posts: 6
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2012, 05:25 AM »
Hi George

I used to live and work in Devon with my father, also a carpenter, about five or six years ago i upped and moved to London.

London is a great city to live and work, the range and variety of work that i have done is huge and ive gone from being a site chippy to running contracts in design led shopfits, exhibition work, art fabrication and all kinds of work in between. Ive a small workshop in south London now and things are looking good.

Its a busy place with lots going on and isnt for everyone, but there are more opportunities for life and work than rural devon, i would give it a go, worst thing that happens is you dont like it and you go home but with a bit more experience.

Message me and i will pass you my details, not a promise of work but i do smaller shopfits and other things you may find interesting
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promhandicam

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Location: Surrey, UK
Member Since: May 2008
Posts: 95
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2012, 07:36 AM »
Quote from: Davej on April 21, 2012, 02:41 AM
Just a  reminder that london has a low emission zone ( almost everywhere inside m25 ) and if your van is 06reg or older its going to cost £1500+ to convert it or pay £100 a day penalty ! 

Not correct. My van is on a 53 plate and it is compliant. To check if yours is ok enter your registration number here
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kev carpenter

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Location: glasgow (scotland)
Member Since: Jun 2009
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« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2012, 09:54 AM »
I worked in London last year ( from Scotland ) it was actually ok but the price of living down there and I have a family that put me off long term, but there is a chance I might go back down after I finish my gas course. Personally if I was you I would put a advert on London gumtree in the job section putting your experience on there and working interest and I think having a van is best even just for short term till your happy with the company that you will be working with. But you should make your mind up were you want to work because you don't want to stay to far from we're you will be working ie: live in north London and work in south. Personally I think there is more work in south and south west London . Go for it and good luck Big Grin
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