n this episode of the Off The Tools Podcast, Wayne Bettess and Andy Jones tackle a subject every trade business owner needs to hear right now:

rising fuel prices and why you must stop absorbing business costs yourself.

With diesel prices pushing towards and beyond £2 per litre in some areas, the cost of running vans, engineers, tools, materials, deliveries and day-to-day operations is climbing fast. But far too many tradesmen are still trying to keep customers happy by taking the hit themselves.

Wayne and Andy explain why that mindset is dangerous.

If your costs go up and your prices stay the same, your profit is the thing that disappears.

Inside this episode, we cover:

• Why rising fuel costs must be passed on to the customer

• Why absorbing extra costs damages your profit

• How one van can quietly cost thousands more per year

• Why business costs must be built into your pricing

• Why “I don’t want to upset the customer” is poor business thinking

• How job management and quoting software help lock in proper pricing

• Why every trade business should know its numbers

• Why annual price reviews are not enough in a fast-changing market

• How fuel prices affect the wider supply chain

• Why sole traders often miss the real cost of running a van

• Why being busy but underpriced still leaves you broke

• How the Off The Tools Pricing Calculator helps expose the real numbers

This episode is perfect for plumbers, heating engineers, electricians, builders, gas engineers and trade business owners who are feeling the squeeze from fuel, materials, labour, tax, insurance and running costs.

Because the truth is simple:

You are not there to subsidise your customers.

You are there to run a profitable, sustainable business.

Wayne and Andy also introduce The 90 Day Forge, the new Off The Tools programme launching in January. This is an intense 90-day programme designed to help heating business owners build stronger foundations, understand their pricing, implement systems, improve quoting, collect reviews, build better customer journeys and step properly into the role of business owner.

When fuel prices rise, material prices rise, supply chains rise and operating costs rise, your prices need to rise too.

Otherwise, you are not protecting your customers.

You are simply taking money out of your own pocket to keep everyone else comfortable.

Key Takeaway

In this episode of the Off The Tools Podcast, Wayne Bettess and Andy Jones tackle a mindset that holds far too many tradesmen back:

victim mentality.

From blaming cheap competitors, the economy, customers, VAT, tax, accountants, staff, lead platforms and “the race to the bottom”, too many trade business owners give away their power instead of taking ownership of the business they are building.

Wayne and Andy break down why it is only a race to the bottom if you choose to run in that race — and why the real opportunity in 2026 is to compete on value, not just price.

They discuss why customers are willing to pay more when the experience around the job is better: faster communication, proper booking confirmations, on-the-way messages, clear pricing, good software, strong reviews, professional branding and a business that feels reliable from start to finish.

Inside this episode, we cover:

• Why “race to the bottom” is often an excuse

• Why cheap competitors are not your real problem

• How to compete on value instead of price

• Why customers pay more for a better experience

• Why answering the phone and communicating properly matters

• How victim mentality shows up in pricing, VAT, tax and staffing

• Why blaming customers keeps tradesmen stuck

• Why your current customers may not be your future customers

• How better systems and software help you charge more

• Why business owners need to think like problem solvers

• Why surrounding yourself with the right people changes your standards

• Book recommendations for mindset, ownership and resilience

This episode is perfect for plumbers, heating engineers, electricians, builders, gas engineers and trade business owners who feel frustrated with the market, pricing, customers or competition — but know deep down they need to take more ownership.

Because the truth is, two businesses in the same town, doing the same trade, in the same economy, can get completely different results.

The difference is usually mindset, standards, systems and the willingness to take responsibility.

It is only a race to the bottom if you choose to compete at the bottom.

Stop blaming the market, the customers, the government, the accountant, the competition or the economy.

Take ownership, build more value, improve the customer experience, charge properly, and surround yourself with people who are moving forward — not moaning from the sidelines.

Key Takeaway

In this episode of the Off The Tools Podcast, Wayne Bettess and Andy Jones talk about one of the biggest things holding tradesmen back:

taking advice from the wrong people.

There are plenty of people in the trade industry willing to give advice. Some mean well. Some are stuck in the past. Some are projecting their own limits onto you. And some simply haven’t built the kind of business you actually want.

Wayne and Andy break down why you need to be careful who you listen to, especially when it comes to pricing, hiring, marketing, software, AI, admin, growth and building a real business.

A simple question to ask yourself is:

Would you swap your business for theirs?

If the answer is no, be careful how much weight you give their advice.

Inside this episode, we cover:

• Why broke tradesmen often give dangerous business advice

• Why experience alone does not always mean good advice

• Why “I’ve done it this way for 30 years” can hold you back

• How outdated thinking keeps tradesmen stuck

• Why pricing advice from cheap tradesmen can damage your business

• Why taking advice from family and friends can be risky

• The danger of listening to people who have never built what you want

• Why trade businesses need current advice, not advice from 10 years ago

• How AI, software and customer expectations are changing the game

• Why AI is a tool, not a magic replacement for people

• Why surrounding yourself with the right people changes your standards

• Why being in the right environment helps you think bigger

This episode is perfect for plumbers, heating engineers, electricians, builders, gas engineers and trade business owners who want to grow but keep getting pulled back by old-school advice, negative opinions or people telling them what cannot be done.

Because the truth is, the advice you follow shapes the business you build.

If you keep listening to people who are stuck, you will probably stay stuck.

If this episode hits home and you know it is time to stop winging it, stop taking advice from the wrong people, and start building your business properly, then The 90 Day Forge has been built for you.

This is Off The Tools’ new 90-day programme designed to help heating business owners forge the foundations of a stronger, more profitable and more organised business. Over 90 days, we help you focus on the key areas that matter — pricing, systems, numbers, marketing, software, admin, customer journey, and the mindset shift from tradesman to business owner.

It is not about fluffy motivation. It is about building the foundations properly so you can create more time, more freedom and more profit.

Find out more here:
https://offthetools.co.uk/90dayforge

Be careful who you take advice from.

Someone might have good intentions, but if they have not built what you want to build, their advice could keep you stuck.

Take advice from people who are ahead of you, people who are current, people who understand the modern trade industry, and people who have actually built what they are talking about.