how big are you guys? we're a 2 man unit (my dad and myself). with 2 trucks his pick-up and a early 90's bell telephone bucket truck. hoping to grow another man by next summer or so and a 3rd truck by then.

how many guys have bucket trucks? and what size lift do you guys have?

Just 3 people here, ME MYSELF and I. On latger jobs I bring my sons in, but getting harder to do now that he is at GA TECH (GO JACKETS) and the other has a part time job!

We have a total of 8 guys right now. I'd like to add 4 more next year just doing service calls, if we can get the business. We don't want to do new construction, but we keep having high end contractors asking us and if they pay our price we might add some guys for that. As for a bucket truck, we don't have one, but if we had some business that required it, I'd get one. What do you use yours for the most and how do you get the work?

we use ours for lighting mostly but there's other instances that pop up that we can use it for. in all actuality this year we were using it more for tree trimming in our slow times.

Couple years ago we were down to about 6 guys, this last summer we were past 30. Right now we are around 20 guys. This summer was just crazy for us.

We mostly do new commercial constuction so we don't have a bucket truck. We actually do, but it just sits in the yard due to the insane insurance requirments and that we rarely have a need for it that a lift or a boom lift on the job can't handle.

We have one lift, but we rarely use it and just rent lifts for our jobs. Moving our lift around just isn't cost effective compared to the prices lift companies give us and that we usually have 3-5 lifts rented at a time.

Just me. Our son helps once in a while when I really need him, but he had just as soon be somewhere else. Wish I could change that.

Most of my work is "old work" residential. Got a club-cap pick-up so I can haul our two younger daughters around in with a camper shell I built shelves into. Works pretty good. Constantly revising my tool and material list I carry with me everywhere I go. Love systems and preditabilty.

[tax guy] Proprietor and sole employee[/tax guy], although I've been known to hire out as an "extra pair of hands". Having my own insurance & ticket helps with that...

Have a full-size p/u truck, but I'm looking at a service body/bucket truck (<35') for the future. If I don't go with the bucket, probably a covered (low-profile) service body truck. I like the cabinets, and not having to crawl and dig.

Another me, myself and I here. Pull kids from CHI for help when I need it.

1 van, 1 bucket truck, Use my buddies scissor lift when I need it, all my own benders and stuff.

I rent trenchers and scallfolding when needed.

It's not the size of your company it's how you use it (to make money). Myself and another electrician.

Tom

Tom,

The larger the company, the larger the losses.
Yup, i have seen 2 man operations bring in more profit, then companies twice their size, it seems when they get big, they panic and accept jobs on the low end, and it's all down hill from there, taking jobs just to get work, they end up with a lot of work, and no money, to pay the added overhead it creates.
Over the years, i have seen so many good electricians start out, and fall into the trap.

I'm the whole show, though there are days I could use another pair of skilled hands. When it's slow I work on the business, and when it's busy, I put it in the bank. I've been thinking lately that it might be nice to build a saleable business for retirement. As it is, this would be sold for inventory.

Dave

One man show for most jobs. Have a journeyman and a couple of helpers that i call when needed and they are availble.

1 man wrecking crew. ford ranger and cargo type mini van.
I do electric and HVAC. if help is needed with an install I go grab somebody from skid row and toss them 40-50 when done

One man band here but usually able to round up a few friends for help. Just becuase I wear a lot of hats doesn't mean I wear a cape though. I wouldn't be able to do half of what I do without some helping hands.