Hi there new to this forum

As from end of last year ive had to become vat registered 🙁
The problem i have is 50% of my customers are non vat registered so the added cost of vat is making them run for the hills! Have lost 4 jobs so far this year which is not good in this climate,I have looked at ways of keeping costs down (ie) reduced labour costs! option (2) is that i absorb the vat on materials because i charge vat on final cost of job of which is labour and materials,Or is this the way it should be done?
Because charging vat twice as such is pushing the cost up to far!
Any ideas/veiws would be Great!