Hi Pinch, sorry for the lateness in responding.
The company I use to irk for was " Hammonds Bedrooms", I did start working 5 days a week for them, but gradually over the years it went down to just two days a week out of choice on my part. Like you said about the place you subbied for, they didn't really like you doing your own work especially when it was bedrooms, but as it was a stipulation that you had to be self employed. They have no issues with you doing your on work, as long as you could give them enough notice to them to book work in and around you. I eventually left due to money goalposts kept on moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the stipulations on returning back to a job to finish off if parts where missing/wrong/not ordered that kind of thing because of the new consumer law regulations that came in last October, was just a proper pain in the *.
Had some good years and made some good money working for them and got an awfull lot of private work from it but now it's time for me to do my stuff.
Unfortunately I had my garage done over 6 weeks ago and had £3500 worth of tools stolen!!!!!!
Not a happy wood tickler at the moment!
Colin