Your Work Has Value
I’m addicted to the creature comforts that my home provides. Those comforts are provided by skilled workers in the construction industry.
Invest In Your Business
Investing your time and effort in discovering how to run a successful construction business is a key to success.
Educating on Quality
Home and building owners need to know that hiring the least expensive contractor often means compromising on quality.
Renegotiating the Price
How should you respond when a client wants to change the price AFTER the job has started?
Sales: Setting Ground Rules
Michael shares a few situations you’ll run into when selling construction-related services that provide the opportunity to set ground rules for the relationship.
The Advantage of Continuing Education
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been doing things the same way for 1 year or for 65 years, taking the time and initiative to find out if there’s a better way increases your odds of success.
Is Cost-Plus the Solution to Underpriced Jobs?
Both fixed-price and cost-plus contracts carry risk. Is cost-plus the solution?
Resolve Estimate Details Before Quoting
His salesperson sold a kitchen remodel without resolving some details. The homeowner insisted it wouldn’t be a big deal. It was a big deal.
Employees: Details that Cost You Money
Nothing is more frustrating than to work hard only to find out your business isn’t making money. Michael discusses three things that can make a big difference on the bottom line.
Estimating Construction Profitably
Estimating Construction Profitably is a guide to estimating; or more accurately, a guide to creating your own estimating system.
Changing the Terms of the Contract
Why do clients enter a contract and then think they can unilaterally change the terms?
Motivate Your Construction Employees
In construction, employees are motivated and engaged when they know the reason behind their work. They need to know their jobs matter.
After the Sale; Pre-Job Layout
The pre-job conference or pre-job layout is when all the details get ironed out that can easily be forgotten. It’s when the job is handed from sales to production. After this meeting the production manager is in charge.
In Construction, Communicate the Details
Are you giving your clients the information they need to be confident you’re building the job they want?
Business Skills and Your Construction Business
It’s easy to think we already know all we need to know. If you want to be successful, continually improve your business skills.
Should You Join a Trade Association?
During a recent “Sharing Ideas” online discussion, the subject of trade associations came up: Is joining a trade association worthwhile?