Oh, I understand your point ... it's hard to compete with a $15/hr handy dandy!
Yet, again, it's a bit misleading. None of us needed years of training to learn how to change ordinary light bulbs.
Our advantage is in doing what the cheap guys can't. Before I left Reno, my main customers over the years included:
- A very large apart ment complex, that called when their maintenance guys were stumped;
- A property management firm that likewise knew the limits of their guys (I'd usually get called after months of failed efforts);
- A plumbing comapny that called me when the boiler or pump controls got a bit involved; and,
-Several restaurants that were still suffering from years of 'third world' repairs.
As most of this stuff was 'maintenance,' I generally did not need to pull a permit, and could not rely upon the laws to guarantee me a market.
That's why I said that a mess like the one described above is an opportunity for a real pro to show the customer the value of having a real pro!
