Don't know masses about the subject but a lot of my mates are self employed and I was thinking of going Contract (Quantity Surveyor) myself. You can set up a company and then you are an employee or you can simply be self employed, I think I am right in saying that the later dosen't offer such good tax relief as your own company, could be wrong though. One thing that is importnat though is insurances i.e. third party, pulbic liability etc which all cost serious premiums depending on your overall company turnover and the type of activities which you undertake etc.

Just my two pence worth