advice

A Face-to-Face Meeting Gets a Contract Signed

I just put together a bid for a potential customer. He found me through my website, which is cool because that lets me know local people are finding us on the internet. That’s huge. So I went out to the prospect’s condo a few days ago. This guy is not a referral, so I don’t [...]

Slow Down…

So, I got the contract signed with the homeowner and they are spending big mucho-lottah. I sold my last job fully prepared and knowledgeable; clients love this kind of stuff! Photo: tell.fll.purdue.edu I fully tailored their contract to hashed out agreements and ideas with them; they are on-board for a project start date: Monday. Today [...]

Bringing Professionalism Back To Contracting

I don’t know about you, but being a professional in every aspect of your contracting business is so important today. You must not overlook anything. Your company vehicle. For the small independent, you must attempt to obtain a newer vehicle sooner or later. People will look at what kind of vehicle you drive up to [...]

Pesky Homeowner Peaks Over My Shoulder

Today was different. A customer hired us to paint (2) – 10′ x 12′ back bedrooms, and install crown molding. We advised the homeowners that any loose items should be either removed from the room or if items should stay, could they please move them to the center of the room as much as possible. [...]

How Valuable Is Failing?

I don’t want to be a failure. No one wants to be a failure. “How can there be any value in it?” one might say. I’d like to share a story. Many years back, I contracted with a commercial company to maintain a dozen or so apartment buildings. The scope of work entailed repairing, installing, [...]

Where Is My Competition?

This spring will be a good season for contractors. The writing is on the wall. The recession is finally somewhat over and folks are starting to prepare for renovations to their homes. People are staying in the homes they own longer. The banks aren’t making the easy loans anymore. Instead of shopping for larger homes, [...]

Take Your Tools With You

It is beyond me why some contractors leave their tools at the job site overnight. It is your livelihood. Why the hell do they still do it? I make it a rule of habit: NEVER leave any tools! If you are to tired to pack your stuff up at the end of the day, you [...]

Contractor Tips Are Great!

Jim Kirkland gives some pretty good tips about contracting. I thought I’d post it because I felt a hallelulah moment. They are also hawking a software program towards the end. I didn’t pay too much attention to that! Here’s the video~ Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook share via Reddit Share with [...]

Don’t Be A Slob When Service Calls

Some contractors get a lot of flack when showing up at a homeowner’s jobsite because of the way they are dressed. The client will never tell you, but you should take your uniforms seriously. They may not hire you again if your company appears unprofessional. You may have all your credentials in line: being licensed, [...]

This Is Really For Us, Contractors: The RRP Rule.

Much has been discussed by fellow contractors about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Renovation, Repair, and Painting for Lead Safety Final Rule (40CFR 745) that requires that renovations conducted for compensation, must be conducted by Certified Firms (your construction company) by Certified Renovators (you). If a house was built before 1978, you have to apply [...]

← Previous Entries

advice

A Face-to-Face Meeting Gets a Contract Signed

Slow Down…

Bringing Professionalism Back To Contracting

Pesky Homeowner Peaks Over My Shoulder

How Valuable Is Failing?

Where Is My Competition?

Take Your Tools With You

Contractor Tips Are Great!

Don’t Be A Slob When Service Calls

This Is Really For Us, Contractors: The RRP Rule.

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