Expect the Best, Prepare for the Worst
If the worst happens, will those left behind be able to either carry on or close shop without your presence?
Design Agreement Surprises
If you want to avoid problems when selling your services, take steps to prevent problems at your first meeting.
The Same Business Principles Apply to Every Trade
Most of the training available for construction focuses on production. We talk about business, and business principles don’t vary no matter what type of work you produce.
Make Jobs More Profitable
Materials, change work orders, borrowing tools, punch lists, resolving issues.
Improve Jobsite Productivity
An efficient, productive construction project makes for more profitable jobs. It’s easier when you pay attention to these details.
Selling Design Agreements
With a renovation or remodeling project, your goal from the very beginning should be to sell your services by way of a design agreement. Sell an agreement to design the project since that’s the first necessary step before the job can start.
Setting Priorities
If you’re a business owner, prioritizing how you spend your time is critical. There aren’t enough hours in a day to do everything that needs doing.
Estimating Labor, Accounting for Trash
Estimating a construction project requires working through the details. The better you cover those details, the more accurate your estimate.
Building Inspectors and Your Estimate
The building inspector who shows up can increase the cost of your project. That’s why you need to add an inspector factor to your estimate.
Estimating Construction Costs
Estimating errors cost money, because the purpose of a construction estimate is to know how much to price a job.
Trucks, Phones and Language
Keeping your business sharp and profitable is an ongoing process, and it’s easy to get lax about little things that can cost big money.
A Guaranteed Price
When selling construction services, quoting a guaranteed price protects homeowners from the price increases that happen with a too low price.
Who You Listen To Matters
As I watch young people decide to become a coach or consultant in construction, I wonder how much they really know.
Get Ahead of Job Delays
Job delays are often caused by the things we don’t see; you can’t stop all delays but you can get ahead of them.
Increasing Your Markup
Like many of you, I read industry magazines to keep up on new ideas. Much of what I read is good, but a recent article titled “Strategies for Increasing Your Markup” requires a comment.
Value Your Work
Your work is vital; rather than worrying about your price, recognize and sell the value you bring to a project.