Shameless newbie questions - help appreciated

[Goya]

they want a 38 hour wee . . .

Jesus, what do they drink?

[rootsnall]

My skill area is generally quoted as a daily rate but I have never come across a contract that didn't stipulate how many hours constitute a day. If you are asked to work more hours then I usually ask to take time in lieu, or alternatively bill them for it. Even when I have been working with permie consultants doing long hours I have never done more than the odd half hour extra as a freebie.

[Philhere]

I was advised that contractors get public liability insurance to cover any damage/injuries the contractor accidentally causes (coffee over keyboards or pushing the client downstairs).

[Sockpuppet]

My skill area is generally quoted as a daily rate but I have never come across a contract that didn't stipulate how many hours constitute a day. If you are asked to work more hours then I usually ask to take time in lieu, or alternatively bill them for it. Even when I have been working with permie consultants doing long hours I have never done more than the odd half hour extra as a freebie.

Depends on the situation.

I have been know to pull off 14 hour days for over a week only billing for 40 hours.

It depends what you want. Money or the name on the CV. Me I'm only contracting for a short time where skills != bits of paper and reputation is everything. So by putting the time in on the contract hopefully it makes up for it. By getting the biggest names on the CV (really there are only 4 or 5 real logistics companies that put out large....valuable work) I can hopefully make work easier for myself when looking.

Example: New daily rate looks like it could be nearly 1.5 the old rate which is not bad... approaching the magical £100k a year...

I might be able to afford a house yet

[VectraMan]

My skill area is generally quoted as a daily rate but I have never come across a contract that didn't stipulate how many hours constitute a day. If you are asked to work more hours then I usually ask to take time in lieu, or alternatively bill them for it. Even when I have been working with permie consultants doing long hours I have never done more than the odd half hour extra as a freebie.

My last contract explicitly said >4 hours = a full day, but any more than 8 would still be paid the same. So in theory I could have done 4 and a bit hours a day and still collected the full amount, but I doubt I'd have been kept on long. In reality I just worked roughly full time hours (cue Denny), and on occasion did a few hours extra but then pleanty of times I did a few hours less. If you get the job done the client is going to be happy.

I'm working a per hour job now, and to be honest I don't really like the clock watching that goes with it.

As for insurance, join the PCG to get the IR35 insurance (pays your legal costs not your tax if you lose), and the Professional Imdenity/Public Liability/Employers Liability package they recommend (£150 IIRC).

[Denny]

My last contract explicitly said >4 hours = a full day, but any more than 8 would still be paid the same. So in theory I could have done 4 and a bit hours a day and still collected the full amount, but I doubt I'd have been kept on long. In reality I just worked roughly full time hours (cue Denny), and on occasion did a few hours extra but then pleanty of times I did a few hours less. If you get the job done the client is going to be happy.

I'm working a per hour job now, and to be honest I don't really like the clock watching that goes with it.

As for insurance, join the PCG to get the IR35 insurance (pays your legal costs not your tax if you lose), and the Professional Imdenity/Public Liability/Employers Liability package they recommend (£150 IIRC).

My policy with clients is simple: provided they cut me some slack and trust me to do the work without client control freaks watching the clock to ensure they are getting their money's worth I will work all the hours god gives if that's what it takes to complete a task on time - and I don't bill the extra time either. On the last job I worked through to 1am on a couple of Sunday's running to ensure that my client got his deliverable to take with him to Malaysia.

This approach has never failed yet and I still get to eat properly in the evening cutting out all of the timewasting commuting when it's not necessary without coming home exhausted after frustrating train journey only to bung an unappetising defrosted meal for one in the microwave because I haven't the energy to cut up carrots, peel a few spuds and fry a chop. Do that too often and you soon feel too tired and unable to concentrate.

Of course, I don't expect you guys with wives at home to cook your dinner for you to understand that problem.

[Robwg]

There is one insurance that you need to have in that it is illegal for a Ltd not to have - can't remember which one (either Employee or Public liability).

Most contracts stipulate the million pound PI as well (at least all the contracts I have had have).

In the grand scheme of things - the 3 of them together aren't that much a year (less than a tenner a week).

[Waldorf]

There is one insurance that you need to have in that it is illegal for a Ltd not to have - can't remember which one (either Employee or Public liability).

Companies are legally required to have BOTH employer & public liability insurance, personally I have never bothered!

[Gonzo]

Companies are legally required to have BOTH employer & public liability insurance, personally I have never bothered!

There was a change in the Law a couple of years ago. One man band companies are no longer required to have Employers Liability Insurance.

There are some that argue that if you do not have Employers Liability Insurance then the Revenue could argue in an IR35 investigation that you could not in practice invoke the right of substitution in your contract and therefore it is a sham. As far as I can see though, engaging another contractor (i.e. company) would resolve that.

[BrilloPad]

My last contract explicitly said >4 hours = a full day, but any more than 8 would still be paid the same.

I was at the same end client as I am now a year ago(I did 6 months elsewhere) and I remember doing a half day and billing for half a day - they payed me for a full day! I must try the same trick again soon - cheers for reminding me. I suppose there have to be some benefits for working for a large, red-tape bound bank.