Subcontract pool fitter for pool builders

Pool building and refurbishment companies, and sometimes main contractors on larger leisure or hotel projects.

A day rate or a price per job or per pool. There is no need to find end customers, but your income depends on a few contractors keeping you busy.

• A specialist trade such as tiling, groundwork, plumbing or liner fitting
• Working to a main contractor's programme
• Reliability and tidy site work

• Public liability insurance, and check what main contractors expect you to hold
• Employment status: check whether you are genuinely self-employed or HMRC might see you as an employee, particularly under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)
• Relying on one or two firms for most of your work is risky if they go quiet
• Check that work such as electrical or gas is only done by people with the right qualifications
• Late payment is common in construction, so agree terms in writing before you start

Startup costs are typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on your trade, the tools and equipment you need, and your insurance. These are estimates, not guarantees.

Monthly revenue is typically around £2,000 to £8,000, depending on your specialism, how much work pool firms give you and how reliably you are paid. This is an estimate of revenue, not profit.

Check your employment status, including whether HMRC might see you as an employee, and how the Construction Industry Scheme applies. Also check the insurance main contractors expect, that gas or electrical work is done by qualified people, and agree payment terms in writing.