Trading from home

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theframer
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Trading from home

Post by theframer »

I was thinking of getting a workshop built in my back garden,
Is it leagal to trade from home doing framing and will i need to pay buisness rates?
Thanks
Dave
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IFGL
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Re: Trading from home

Post by IFGL »

You will need planning permission, and yes you will need to pay some kind of rates, which may possibly be neutralized by the small business rates reduction rates( you have to apply for it), planning permission will be the hurdle.
theframer
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Re: Trading from home

Post by theframer »

Thanks for that i have seen a lot of framers trading from home,
I would like to know how many have gone down the route through the local council or just set up and kept quite,
Roboframer

Re: Trading from home

Post by Roboframer »

Put 'planning permission' in to the advanced search - here's one of many threads. http://theframersforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 51&p=52227
theframer
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Re: Trading from home

Post by theframer »

Thanks robo
Cant belive i didnt think to do a search :oops:
kev@frames
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Re: Trading from home

Post by kev@frames »

its legal subject to planning permissions.
You may get small business rates relief anyway.
you will be fined up to £20,000 if you try getting rid of trade waste in your domestic rubbish.

my mate built a workshop in his garden and ran a very lucrative full time framing business from it for fifteen years till he retired. So don't be put off by doomsayers. Just make sure you are on the right side of everything with the law and regulations and requirements, same as any other business.
Good luck. hope it goes well.
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Re: Trading from home

Post by cliff »

I work from home and have done so for 20 years. No planning permission but I could claim what's called in planning terms established user rights as I have been doing it for so long.Generally though your local planning dept shouldn't be that bothered unless you are making lots of noise and annoying the neighbours or if you have customers calling at your home - I don't, but go to customers houses, offering a free collection and delivery service. Time consuming but keeps the planners and neighbours happy!
Paul Hayward
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Paul Hayward »

so whats the opinion on this then? if you had a big garage sat empty and no job..a mortgage no one else will pay but ME...would you just get on with it ....or do everything the PROPER way :shock:

ive found myself at a MASSIVE crossroads in my life...done everything by the book over the years and its not got me that far yet :roll: :head: :lol:
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Re: Trading from home

Post by GeoSpectrum »

I would get on and do it from home, you can expand later if it works out. If you need to pay the mortgage you need to be earning...anywhere.
Alan Huntley
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Paul Hayward
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Paul Hayward »

GeoSpectrum wrote:I would get on and do it from home, you can expand later if it works out. If you need to pay the mortgage you need to be earning...anywhere.

Thanks Alan!....with so many crossroads ahead of me SUDDENLY its fried my brain! ...ive done EVERYTHING by the book in the past so it concerns me a bit...but doing everything by the book has not got me that far yet :lol:..... all fingers crossed!


Thanks again!!
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Re: Trading from home

Post by YPF »

Paul,

Working from home can still be done "by the book". My workshop is at home and I have engaged with the local council to ensure I remain within the law and their planning requirements, I have business insurance and, indeed, I have found the local council the cheapest for my business waste collection and they are quite happy to take any and all waste.

Good luck!
Steve
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Paul Hayward »

YPF wrote:Paul,

Working from home can still be done "by the book". My workshop is at home and I have engaged with the local council to ensure I remain within the law and their planning requirements, I have business insurance and, indeed, I have found the local council the cheapest for my business waste collection and they are quite happy to take any and all waste.

Good luck!
Hi there..thank you for your reply!
did you ask the council before OR after you started? how much bizz rates do you have to pay ? did you have to do change of use and Planning permission?....and how long did all this actually take?

Many Thanks again!

Paul
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Re: Trading from home

Post by misterdiy »

I say just get on with it. If it works out you will have to trade up and then contact the council for your new place, but I have always worked on the basis that the LA and everyone else in "authority" are treated on a need-to-know basis.

if the workshop in the back garden is exclusively for framing then you would need to declare for business rates (they have the power to go back 6 years) but if you keep your lawn mower or other home stuff in it then you could quite legitimately say that it is your garden shed - which is not rated.

Anyway business rates have been zero for the last 2 years for small businesses under £4000RV
Paul Hayward
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Paul Hayward »

misterdiy wrote:I say just get on with it. If it works out you will have to trade up and then contact the council for your new place, but I have always worked on the basis that the LA and everyone else in "authority" are treated on a need-to-know basis.

if the workshop in the back garden is exclusively for framing then you would need to declare for business rates (they have the power to go back 6 years) but if you keep your lawn mower or other home stuff in it then you could quite legitimately say that it is your garden shed - which is not rated.

Anyway business rates have been zero for the last 2 years for small businesses under £4000RV
many Thanks for your reply too!...im kind of between a rock and a hard place so think ive just got to get on with it and get earning asap... thousands of people work from home ..i should not of typed into google working from home :lol: ...RV £4000.... no idea how all that works :roll: :head: ...would i be correct in thinking a double garage would fall ito that? ie Nothing...would be good if that was the case 8)

the way i see it is ..its better i just get on and earn, support myself than be a burden on what little money is left in the pot!...i had my first experience of going to see the lovely lady at Jobseekers on Thursday and i really wish i never bothered...wast of 3 hours of my life :head: :lol: ...the worlds gone mad..while i was there a guy very politely said i really need you to help with this claim blah blah..when he was told no not today he wouldnt get out of the chair..police turned up and asked him to leave...then all the staff had at least a hour being interviewed about a man not wanting to get out of the chair :head: ...just get back to work.... :lol:
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Re: Trading from home

Post by IFGL »

You defiantly would pay no business rates working from home at the moment, with the small business rates relief, I doubt this will last forever, so milk it.
Paul Hayward
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Paul Hayward »

im just gonna get on with it and cross each bridge if or when i get to it! ...all insurance etc in place obviously...im not that daft :lol: ...its just the council Bods....what they dont know about cant hurt them...and its only a small little Business out of a garage...whats the worst that can happen :lol:
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Re: Trading from home

Post by misterdiy »

Absolutely nothing. Just get on with it and then seem surprised if you are challenged. if its your double garage it is already rated under domestic rates, so just keep the freezer in there or the lawn mower.
Paul Hayward
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Paul Hayward »

:lol: freezer next to the underpinner at one end and the lawnmower bt the back door at the other end ready to be chucked through the door next to the camera gear :lol: ...good idea :lol:
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Not your average framer »

When I was working from home. The council where not particularly bothered. I had to adhere to certain rules, mainly that customers could only come by appointment and no signage, or advertising was permitted anywhere on the outside of the premises.

They never even mentioned the refuse collections, but it was about 12 years ago, so the refuse collection rules may be different now!
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Re: Trading from home

Post by Paul Hayward »

traffic wont be a issue, got parking for 3 cars and no sign will be outside other than the House name ( that just so happens to be what were thinking of calling the Business 8) ) wont be having loads and loads of visitors, certainly no more than next door has with all their kids and grandkids every day! :lol:

cant imagine a huge load of delivery s either...and could even get the moulding delivered to a different address ... my father inlaw has all our wood chippings to mix in with sawdust for his chickens house and we have a woodburner 8) ...

i wonder what questions the council refuse dept would ask if i called them and said i would need a trade wheelie bin though?? :head:
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