BE ASSERTIVE Don’t get taken for a ride, urges City Accountants (London) Ltd, Given the reality of the popularity of Civil Engineers and the disparity between the London living wage, and the wealthy, it is no great surprise unscrupulous individuals will seek to take advantage of Civil Engineers. So, it is perhaps not surprising that people will see our readers as ‘fair game’. Civil Engineers often describe themselves as isolated, out of touch with neighbours and being rather secretive by nature, curious of how they are doing in comparison to others. Against this background is an in-built factor, no one must know life is anything less than great. To be a successful as a Civil Engineer first and foremost you have to be a nice person, affable and easy to get on with. The trouble is so often the shy and introverted personalities of Civil Engineers are taken advantage of by their spouses and household staff.
Profiteering Suppliers I have been to many civil engineering projects over the years where a subcontractor has boasted to me of the lucrative deal they have struck with the civil engineer, saying that they could have bought the construction material for much cheaper if they had tried harder to negotiate. You need to be much tougher! Get at least three quotes from companies before you select a supplier. Remember the supply companies are the ones making money in civil engineering. Crafty Office Staff Some staff are very good at negotiating their wages up. Often this is accompanied by a veiled threat of taking a job next door or taking your staff to one of your neighbours. The former being blackmail; the latter plain theft. Paying over the market rate for staff is one of the fastest way to the bankruptcy court. Opportunist subcontractors Subcontractors are renowned for overcharging Civil Engineers. Costs overrun, expensive problems are uncovered, companies going bust despite having taken large deposits. In their ‘disease to please’ I have seen many Civils pay over £1m to subcontractors for the project to end in a total financial and business disaster. So, what is the solution? Always appoint a supervising surveyor to deal with a subcontractor. It may cost £10k to £12k but will save you £100k’s in the long run. Soft on the home help Civil Engineers are often isolated and out of touch with your friends and neighbours.
This problem is often spotted by your household staff, who will make regular requests for excessive pay rises, flexible working and a host of other favours. The best answer is to say ‘no’ to any request. You can always negotiate up from that position at a later date. Lazy Spouses Life in the UK is very comfortable for successful Civils. The array of high end shops, theatres and restaurants are excellent. Regrettably this means Civil Engineers can sometimes attract ‘trophy’ spouses whose motivation is somewhat more financial and status driven rather than based on honesty or love. The result is a spendthrift spouse determined to spend as much of your money as possible in an attempt to cash in on their ‘matrimonial investment’. We have seen money frittered away on palatial homes, ridiculous extensions, expensive cars, horses, boats, private school fees and overseas property portfolios. Overspending spouses combined with a laissez-faire attitude from bank managers can lead Civil Engineers into serious debt in order to finance their extravagant lifestyles. Assertiveness for Civil Engineers • Don’t forget to learn to say ‘no’ particularly to household staff. • Do remember to be aware of the ‘Disease to Please’ particularly from builders. • Don’t be frightened to play off one supplier against another. • Do clearly convey what you want, then stay silent. • Don’t be afraid of silence. • Do remember you have the right to respect yourself. • Don’t forget you have the right to challenge others. • Do remember to be more selfish.
City Accountants (London) Ltd are Specialist Construction Accountants based North of London. They advise on a wide range of Construction Tax issues and regularly write for the Construction Press. City Accountants have over 20 years’ experience in Construction and Civil Engineering Accounts and are recognised for their proactive approach to Taxation in construction and business problems. Phone 01438 722224 or email kate@dentax.biz
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