Worried if i turn down extension I will be axed

[Ketchup]

My current ClientCo is a large supermarket. My initial role was a 3 month to develop System A, this was delivered and i was extended by another 3 months to deliver CR's and a reporting module. Once this was delivered, i was offered a 12 month extension to build System B which i have been working on since last October.

Due to some legislation being introduced, ClientCo don't want System B to be deployed in September as planned so have pushed it back until January/February 2014 and i am now back working on changes to System A. I have been offered an extension until then but don;t want to take it. I plan to go abroad for 6 months in February, but am worried that if i turn down the extension, they will get someone in (cheaper) who will stay until the end.

Part of me thinks i should take the extension, then just leave when i need to, but am reluctant to p*ss off client-co as i am well respected here and could be a cash-cow for me over the coming years.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I have only been contracted for a few years and would love some advise from the more seasoned contractors.

[rurffy]

few questions for you before i give my opinion.
1.Do you intend to come back to the UK after the 6 months to work? or are you gonna be gone for good.
2.Whats your area of specialty - Easy to find a substitute??

[Scruff]

Hertfordhsire or Holborn?

[proggy]

My current ClientCo is a large supermarket. My initial role was a 3 month to develop System A, this was delivered and i was extended by another 3 months to deliver CR's and a reporting module. Once this was delivered, i was offered a 12 month extension to build System B which i have been working on since last October.

Due to some legislation being introduced, ClientCo don't want System B to be deployed in September as planned so have pushed it back until January/February 2014 and i am now back working on changes to System A. I have been offered an extension until then but don;t want to take it. I plan to go abroad for 6 months in February, but am worried that if i turn down the extension, they will get someone in (cheaper) who will stay until the end.

Part of me thinks i should take the extension, then just leave when i need to, but am reluctant to p*ss off client-co as i am well respected here and could be a cash-cow for me over the coming years.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I have only been contracted for a few years and would love some advise from the more seasoned contractors.

They can't just fire you because you refuse an extension, if they do then you don't want to work for a company that behaves that way to contractors.

[northernladuk]

They can't just fire you because you refuse an extension, if they do then you don't want to work for a company that behaves that way to contractors.

Yes they can. If they think getting a resource on that will see it through to the end now rather than 6 months time they are quite within their rights to give notice. In fact they are within their rights to get the other guy in and ask the OP not to come in because he has no work to do.

We are a flexible resource and it cuts both ways, we can duck out of gigs as we see fit as per this example so the client can also remove contractors as they see fit. This isn't a reflection on the client, the OP has initiated this problem so not not unreasonable for the client to react in the best way to protect it's business.

[proggy]

Yes they can. If they think getting a resource on that will see it through to the end now rather than 6 months time they are quite within their rights to give notice. In fact they are within their rights to get the other guy in and ask the OP not to come in because he has no work to do.

We are a flexible resource and it cuts both ways, we can duck out of gigs as we see fit as per this example so the client can also remove contractors as they see fit. This isn't a reflection on the client, the OP has initiated this problem so not not unreasonable for the client to react in the best way to protect it's business.

So if you hired a plumber to do your bathroom and then asked him if he could do your kitchen after he finished your bathroom, he said no he is going away, you would tell him to sling his hook midway through the job. If a client did that to me I would blacklist them. For one it's just idiotic to lose all that knowledge and start with a blank slate contractor.

[Ketchup]

few questions for you before i give my opinion.
1.Do you intend to come back to the UK after the 6 months to work? or are you gonna be gone for good.
2.Whats your area of specialty - Easy to find a substitute??

1) Not sure, I like the idea of working abroad but until i'm there i can't make an informed decision

2) .net dev, specialise in a few niche areas though (pdf manipulation)

Hertfordhsire or Holborn?

Neither, Paddington

Yes they can. If they think getting a resource on that will see it through to the end now rather than 6 months time they are quite within their rights to give notice. In fact they are within their rights to get the other guy in and ask the OP not to come in because he has no work to do.

We are a flexible resource and it cuts both ways, we can duck out of gigs as we see fit as per this example so the client can also remove contractors as they see fit. This isn't a reflection on the client, the OP has initiated this problem so not not unreasonable for the client to react in the best way to protect it's business.

This is the point i was making. If i had a project with 9 months left and i could either have 1 def for 4 months and 1 for 5 or 1 for the full 9 months, i would go with the one for the full duration of the project.

[Ketchup]

So if you hired a plumber to do your bathroom and then asked him if he could do your kitchen after he finished your bathroom, he said no he is going away, you would tell him to sling his hook midway through the job. If a client did that to me I would blacklist them. For one it's just idiotic to lose all that knowledge and start with a blank slate contractor.

No, but if you had a plumber in to do your bathroom and you asked him to do your kitchen, if he said he can do half, would you give the work to him or to one who could do the full job.

[proggy]

No, but if you had a plumber in to do your bathroom and you asked him to do your kitchen, if he said he can do half, would you give the work to him or to one who could do the full job.

I would not give him the kitchen job, but would let him finish the contract he and I signed.

[Ketchup]

I would not give him the kitchen job, but would let him finish the contract he and I signed.

Normally this situation would be ok, but because Project B (which i was contracted for) has been pushed back and a freeze on work on it. In the meantime i am on another project until work resumes, but when it resumes i wont be able to complete it as i need to leave in september (has to be september as visa restrictions will apply once i turn 30 and will hamper my travelling plans)