Running a trade
New to the trade? Your first year as a qualified tradesperson
Qualifying is the easy part — the first year of real jobs is where the learning happens. Here's what experienced trades wish someone had told them before their first paying customer.
What you'll need
- •Your qualification certificate and any trade body membership
- •Public liability insurance
- •A basic quoting template and diary
Step by step
1Sort insurance before your first job
Public liability insurance is essential — most customers and all commercial sites will ask for it. If you employ anyone, even casually, employers' liability is a legal requirement.
2Start with jobs you can definitely finish
Build reputation on bread-and-butter work before stretching into unfamiliar jobs. A completed small job gets reviews; a half-finished big one gets refunds.
3Learn to price properly
Work out your day rate from your costs, not from what feels reasonable. Include materials markup, travel, and time for quoting and admin — most new tradespeople undercharge by 20–30% in year one.
4Get a second pair of eyes when stuck
Every experienced tradesperson has phoned a friend mid-job. It's not failure — it's how the trade has always worked. Asking early is cheaper than stripping out a mistake.
5Document everything
Photograph work before, during and after. It protects you in disputes, builds your portfolio, and many insurance claims hinge on photos.
6Ask for reviews and referrals
Most new-trade work comes from word of mouth. Ask every happy customer for a review and to recommend you — one good review is worth more than any advert.
Common mistakes
- •Undercharging to win work, then being unable to afford to finish it.
- •Taking on a job outside your qualification because you didn't want to say no.
- •Skipping the paperwork — no written quote means no protection when a customer disputes the price.
When to get a second opinion
Stuck on your first real job? TradeAmigo connects you with experienced tradespeople who can diagnose from photos and talk you through it live.
Ask an experienced tradesperson