How to be a Electronic independent contractor

Thread Starter

relicmarks

Joined Oct 13, 2006
355
How to be a Electronic independent contractor?

What kinds of forms do you have to fill out ?

How do you become a electronic independent contractor?
 

Thread Starter

relicmarks

Joined Oct 13, 2006
355
What type of license do you have to get? is there tests?

Can you become a Electronic independent contractor from just having experience?
 

thingmaker3

Joined May 16, 2005
5,083
Again, requirements vary from state to state.

Also, to clarify: Do you mean "Electrical Contractor?" or "Electronic Design Consultant?"

My replies thus far have assumed "Electrical Contractor."
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
I started rework conversation to find out what going on in the electronic field.
I have found by foot work talking to company rep's,that a lot of expensive Hi-tech
equipment is behind close door's.It would take a large investment and you have to
your place. First tell the AAC member's what you have in mind.Here you will not
have do a resume ,the can listen and make suggestion's.Most member's could only
advise because,they may won't to help you .If you want to start a business,
what do you want to in electronic's.I have some info and I'm sure other's will
help.Let's talk about it.
 

Thread Starter

relicmarks

Joined Oct 13, 2006
355
No i do electronic work i mean like upgrading IC's chips, transistors, resistors,capacitors , doing electronic work

I want to do electronic services repairing,rework,upgrades etc like freelancing jobs , being mobile with your tool chest in your car and going to peoples houses

But instead of them hiring me for $10 a hour i want to have a clip board and say i'm a indepedent contractor i will change your XXX these are my prices to do cleaning XXX , upgrading XXX, rework XXX, reparing XXX prices

How can i do this please?

I'm trying to get away from people hiring me for cheap money so i want to be more in control with a contract stating my prices like a electronic independent contractor does

example:
If your want your module re-capped it will cost you $200

Cleaning your module will cost $100

Instead of the employer or someone hiring me for a service saying i will pay you $10 a hour to re-capp my module and clean is and do it in 1 hour deadline

I want to be more in charge and tell them i'm not on a deadline or time clock

How can i be more in charge of my next new jobs ??
 

thingmaker3

Joined May 16, 2005
5,083
Get a business license and some customers. Don't forget to study your tax codes, get some insurance, advertise, and double check local zoning codes.

Instead of the employer or someone hiring me for a service saying i will pay you $10 a hour to re-capp my module and clean is and do it in 1 hour deadline

I want to be more in charge and tell them i'm not on a deadline or time clock
If you are employed you have one boss. If you are self-employed, you have as many bosses as you have customers. If you can't re-cap a board as quickly and reliably as the guy doing it for $10 less than you, you will have zero customers and zero income.
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
I am sure you are near a public library there is a free of charge organization
called S.C.O.R.E. They are retired exc.that will advise you how to start a business.
They will give staight information on your business plan.If you have a good plan
and they agree,they will help you get a small business loan and follow your progress.
If you are good at what you do,they will see that you don't fail. FED_EX is a
small business success.
 

mrmeval

Joined Jun 30, 2006
833
In Indiana there is no competence requirement, the radio and television license died in 1997.

You just need a business license so you can operate as a business and collect sales tax. This also has no competence requirement.

You will be considered self employed. You have to pay the Federal government whatever they want the self-employed to pay.

You need business liability insurance but I do know know if a business has to have it in Indiana.

Your state may vary in it's licensing and other requirements.

That does not mean you can get people to trust you. Once you've established all the licensing. You need to set up shop, advertise, build a customer base, etc.

That will take a long time and you'll go broke unless you have a day job or a large pile of cash you're willing to dump into this money pit.

One method of garnering a customer base is to set up your shop and become an independent warranty center for electronic products. They would then refer people to you for warranty repair and people will remember you and call you when it's out of warranty. Most manufacturers require about $50,000 in test equipment. Some require you to pay them a fee and to stock their parts. I think Mitsubishi wanted 5k, 15k in inventory and wanted us to buy their proprietary test equipment for 50k. To fix Sony monitors we would have had to buy $100,000 worth of their test equipment in addition to the regular equipment. All of them require for you to go to their training seminars. They might come to you or not. Some of them are free, some of them charge.

Consumer electronics repair is tough. I could set up a business and make money at it but I'd have to have a huge outlay to garner the warranty contracts and pay my people as peasants. Where I once worked we had 30 warranty contracts. Did not have Mitsubishi nor Sony's monitors. After a decade I was only head peon.

If you have the capability to do that type of repair there are so many other markets where it will pay substantially better. The requirements will be almost identical but the profit level is substantially higher.
 
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