Staying away and families

[kevpuk]

Yep, I leave home around 7am on Monday, get to Client for 9-9.30....then leave on Friday around 4pm, and get home 6-6.30 - quite easy to rack up the 5 PWD @ 7.5hrs Mon-Fri with this....
Spareroom was a revelation for me, as not only does it greatly reduce my overheads it also gives me a home-from-home in the week; admittedly, your mileage may vary, but I am very content @ £400pcm (in London!) and minimal food costs - certainly less than my projected spend based on Premier Inn etc.

[The Spartan]

I find that the bulk of contracts I come across seem always to be away from home so and it's seems to ring true so I have spent the last 18 months working away (13 months of it in Zurich), like another poster said discuss it with your family and see how they feel about it. If you do take a contract away from home make sure the time you spend with the family is quality time as well, I couldn't have done this gig without the support of Mrs S and mini S.

[kevpuk]

Valid point - Mrs fully supports this; in fact, it was her who suggested pursuing The Life of Contractor in the first place ......and minis go with the flow.....
As above, I couldn't/wouldn't have left relatively cushy permie role without this support

[Ticktock]

I don't have children (married and dog), and I've just been asked about 6 months in Edinburgh. I live near Reading. My wife also works Saturday afternoons.

Flights look to be a pain in the arse. Southampton airport would be ideal, but that means Flybe, with just 10kg handbaggage unless I pay more. Even then, looking a few weeks in advance there aren't flights available every Monday, so I would have to sometimes go to Heathrow. I've checked Spareroom, got a basic monthly idea of cost, checked flight costs, thought about food, etc, and then looked at upping my daily rate to compensate for it (although the client won't go as high as I'd need to fully cover the costs).

Bottom line for me is that I need to work. I'm still fairly early on in my contracting career, so still building reserves, and then need to save for a new car, get a deposit for a house, etc, so I'll look at any work where I'm not actually making a loss as being better than sitting on the bench. I've proposed either WFH for one week in every few, or WFH Monday and/or Friday, or alternatively arriving late Monday (and possibly leaving early Friday) and making hours up over the week, but we'll see what the client says. If they don't agree to a compromise on Mondays at least then this is a no go, as flight times mean I can't get to them for 09:00 Monday mornings, and there's no way I'll fly on Sunday every week as that would only give me a very short time with my wife.

It's not ideal, and I don't even have kids. If I did then I'm not sure I'd even consider it. As it is, I'll take it, but only if there's some compromise so that my wife doesn't get too used to being without me!

[TheFaQQer]

Just wondering how many here have family but work location means they have to stay away in the week.

I ask as my contract is coming up shortly and as I live in London that's all I've really looked at location wise. But, based on the tulipty state of the market I may have to be more flexible.

Done it for most of my working life, firstly as a consultant and then as a contractor - you go where the work is. If there is no work near home, then you either do nothing waiting for work near home, or you travel to where the work is. There's no in between really.

It's far from ideal, but because I've always done it, the family are used to it (although I've had 2 1/2 years working from home now). Last time I was away visiting this client, my younger daughter was upset - first time ever, I think, but I was halfway round the world for two weeks. Elder daughter tries the guilt trip, but now I explain that if I don't go to work, we get no money.

[Scrag Meister]

I live with my wife in London, and my children are of an age, non-resident, where they don't mind where I live as long as I can, fund Uni, help with the house deposit, and lend money for a new car.

My wife on the other hand would be happy to travel if it was required, and wouldn't mind short away-from-home contracts, but she certainly wouldn't be keen on a year+ away during the week contract.

[psychocandy]

$64000 question is do you try to get some flexibility agreed at interview/offer stage? Or wait until you get the gig and see how things lie?

BUT, Might be a no-go as someone pointed out if they want you there 9-5 mon-fri. Too late if you sign up then find this out.

Then again, might look like a whinging contractor and might put them off.

Could go either way. In the past, I've always gone for the 2nd option and not mentioned but I'm wondering sometimes whether to change for the future. Dependent on how desperate I am.

[The Spartan]

Option 2 for me, go in show them you're the dog nuts and then pose the question after having established a good run of form with client.

[kal]

Difficult one, I stay over a couple of nights a week, doing longer days so that I can come in later one or 2 morning a week = i get to see the kids (for a few minutes at least) before I leave, not ideal but better than nothing (especially with the tulipty state the market right now). Agree that weekends have to be totally family focused to make up for it though!

[kingcook]

$64000 question is do you try to get some flexibility agreed at interview/offer stage? Or wait until you get the gig and see how things lie?

That's easy... you tell the client your WFH rate and your onsite rate.

Oh hang on a min... there's always some fat greedy agent in the middle who doesn't really care about WFH vs onsite rates, and just a) wants to maximise his commission, and b) wants to know your rate up front anyway so he can pre-agree his rate with the client