Starting a trades business? Step-by-step guides for electricians, plumbers, builders and more — from registration to your first job.
DNO notification is one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of solar installation – and getting it wrong can leave your customer’s system non-compliant, their SEG application rejected, or worse, cause grid stability issues. This guide explains what DNO notification is, when it applies, and what solar installers need to do. What is a DNO?…
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is one of the most important commercial drivers for residential solar in the UK – and as a solar installer, understanding it is essential both for advising customers and for positioning your business competitively. This guide explains what the SEG is, how it works, what it means for your customers,…
The qualifications you need to be a plasterer in the UK are not legally mandated – unlike gas engineers or electricians, there is no licence required to plaster professionally. However, the qualifications you hold significantly affect the work you can access, the rates you can charge, and the credibility you project to customers. This guide…
MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certification is the gateway to residential solar work in the UK. Without it, your customers cannot access the Smart Export Guarantee or most grant funding – making you commercially unviable for the majority of domestic solar jobs. This guide covers exactly what MCS certification involves, how to get it, how long…
Getting more work as a plasterer is the challenge every self-employed plasterer faces – whether you’ve just started out or you’re an established sole trader looking to fill the diary consistently. The methods that work best for plasterers combine free digital presence, active referral generation, and strategic trade relationships. Here are 10 proven ways to…
Solar installation sits at the intersection of electrical work, roofing, and energy systems – and the qualifications reflect that. Unlike some trades where you can start with minimal formal training, solar installation has a well-defined qualification pathway that you need to follow correctly, both for legal compliance and commercial viability. Here’s exactly what you need….
The UK solar market is booming. Installations have grown year-on-year since the energy price crisis of 2022, and demand shows no sign of slowing. For electricians, roofers, and construction professionals looking to expand into solar, 2026 is an excellent time to enter the market – but only if you set up correctly from the start….
If you want to know how to start a plastering business in the UK, the good news is that the barriers to entry are low, demand is consistently strong, and a skilled plasterer can build a full order book within months. This guide covers every step – from registering with HMRC to getting your first…
Sending a professional quote from your phone as a tradesperson is now completely achievable – and it is one of the highest-leverage habits you can build. The tradesperson who quotes from site, within minutes of a survey, consistently wins more jobs than the one who goes home to the laptop. This guide covers exactly how…
Getting busy as a sole trader is one thing. Building a construction business that works without you doing everything yourself is a different challenge entirely. The skills that make you a great tradesperson – attention to detail, hands-on quality control, doing the job right – are different from the skills that make a business scalable….