Disaster First Contract

[Femster]

At the end of the day there are only 2 things that matter:

- are you delivering to the best of your ability, given the context you're in?
- are your invoices getting paid?

If it's a yes to both, then I don't see the problem.

Yes to both.

[northernladuk]

If you aren't delivering to your agreed SoW surely your IR35 status is in jeopardy. You'll be seen to be under Direction and Control? I assume you have an SDS supplied by the client so technically their problem but raises an interesting situation about you knowing full well the IR35 status is in question. If this ever happened could the client argue the contract knew the status was potentially blown and open a can of worms?

IMO working off SoW is a different problem now than it was before due to the shift of responsibility...

Or have we covered this one already?

But back to the OP's situation. This isn't uncommon in contracting. I think we've all had it in one form or another where a contract is just untenable and we could do with going. This is where the flexibility comes in to contracting, you can go when you need to. It also adds to the point that the warchest is the most important thing in this phase and technically you should be poorer in the first 6 months of contracting than you ever were is most of your career. Every spare penny above living costs should be accumulating in the bank. So many new contractors think they've hit the rich list and spend it. I've seen grown men crying when a gigs get canned early and they've no warchest.

[Lance]

To be honest it is nearer £400p/d but maybe I didn't calculate it correctly. But speaking to accountant as advised by many it seems I would walk out with the same monthly salary with 2 and a half weeks of work. But then again I could be very wrong.

sorry what?????
Are you paid £400 per day to your LTD. company or not? If not what is happening?

[malvolio]

To be honest it is nearer £400p/d but maybe I didn't calculate it correctly. But speaking to accountant as advised by many it seems I would walk out with the same monthly salary with 2 and a half weeks of work. But then again I could be very wrong.

Very, very rough rule of thumb - (salary / 1000) = hourly rate. So 60k is £60 an hour is £480 for an 8 hour day. That will get you somewhere to matching the net take home outside IR35 and gives a starting point for negotiation.

IT also allows for the minor but very real detail you won't be working 365 days a year - closer to 9 months a year is reality, any more is a bonus.

You can work is the proper way of course. Add up what you need to spend a month to exist and pay the bills, add on the cost of doing the contract (travel, accommodation, whatever), add on a 20% contingency and the same again for fun and/or pension then add another 40% to that for corporate and personal taxes to get your necessary day rate minimum. You may be scared at how that works out...

[Gibbon]

So many new contractors think they've hit the rich list and spend it. I've seen grown men crying when a gigs get canned early and they've no warchest.

Yep seen that too often, get 6 months buffer as soon as possible and then slowly add to it. Don't let monthly commitments build up, keep to a min. Then when the project finishes you can enjoy going down the pub with other sorted subbies.

[d000hg]

sorry what?????
Are you paid £400 per day to your LTD. company or not? If not what is happening?

Many of us are paid hourly. Multiply by 7 is hard
Let's be nice to the new guy though

[northernladuk]

Many of us are paid hourly. Multiply by 7 is hard
Let's be nice to the new guy though

7? Slacker

[WTFH]

Many of us are paid hourly. Multiply by 7 is hard
Let's be nice to the new guy though

Make your bills easy by multiplying by 10.

[Lance]

Make your bills easy by multiplying by 10.

reminds me of a conversation recently.

Agent: your day rate?
Me: £800
Agent: how many hours a day
Me: 8
Agent: client can only do £600
Me: Ok £600
Agent: how many hours a day?
Me: 6

[zonkkk]

1. Unless it's outside your area of expertise just keep your head down and deliver. Invoice!
2. Forget challenging the project plan directly, it will only antagonise the wrong people. The team must feel the same way, let them push back; if they don't it's not your problem. Forget challenging the processes, follow them, as bad as they are. Invoice!
3. Don't waste your time enlightening the people around you about the 'true reality', do your best with what you're given, always stay professional and positive. Invoice!

Also, what might be seen as constructive criticism / being proactive coming from an employee, might be regarded as disruptive and irritable coming from a contractor.

Oh, and don't forget to invoice.