Subs or Employees – Are Subs More Expensive?
Does subcontracting raise the price of the project?
Don’t Be This Contractor
Please don’t be this contractor. Please don’t be that homeowner.
Your Labor Rate and Your Markup
Using the wrong labor rate, or using someone else’s markup when you don’t know their assumptions, is one of the biggest mistakes we see and the difference can be thousands of dollars.
Adjusting Your Markup
In Markup & Profit Revisited, we explain how to calculate your markup. We’re often asked if you can adjust your markup based on the length of the job.
Hiring A Contractor: Truth vs. Myths
Some advice on hiring a contractor is just plain wrong.
The One-Legged Sales Call: Find Out If They’re Serious
One-legged sales calls. Frankly, this is much to do over a problem with a fairly simple solution.
Careful What You Pay for a Lead
I recently read an article reviewing a new lead-generating service, and it stated, “Our contractors only pay us a 5% referral fee, once they win the job.”
Bidding or Selling?
Are you bidding on jobs, or are you selling them? There’s a difference.
Free Estimates
What you do has value. Respect your time and your knowledge.
Are Your Clients Thinking “So What?”
On a sales call, if you’re speaking and your potential client is thinking “so what?”, you’ve lost them.
Insurance Repair Projects
A coaching client shared two recent experiences while doing insurance repair projects. One was positive, one wasn’t.
Clients Wanting Cost-Plus
Many building owners want a Cost-Plus contract because they believe they’ll have more control over the total cost of the project. It’s your job to educate them on the downside.
When Your Client Sets the Price
When your client wants a lower price, something has to change. It shouldn’t be just your price.
Maintaining Your Right to Lien
At least once a week I hear from someone who can’t get paid for work they’ve done.
Getting Quotes from Subs
Without a paid design agreement from the client, you aren’t sure you’ll get the job. Your subs are even less sure they’ll get the job.
Documenting Jobs
There are two benefits to documenting your jobs. One is protecting yourself in case there is a disagreement about the project. The other is providing information that will help you when you’re promoting your business.