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and 19 anonymous users online.
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#177088 - 04/21/08 10:03 PM
Introduction letter to General Contractors
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Trick440
Member
Registered: 08/15/05
Posts: 180
Loc: Waterford, MI, USA
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Does anyone have any tips and/or advice on what to include in a letter to general contractors when soliciting work?
I'm thinking just a small intro about the company, what we are about, what type of work we do, then just ask to be considered or put on a bidding list for any current or future projects they may have.
Anything other ideas on what to include?
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#177104 - 04/22/08 07:25 AM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: gfretwell]
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Trick440
Member
Registered: 08/15/05
Posts: 180
Loc: Waterford, MI, USA
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I'm talking about just a letter. This is for the few bidding type websites I use that list projects that you need to contact the general contractors.
In alot of cases when calling the contractor they want you for fax over info reguarding your company and if they like what they see they will keep it and put you on a notification list to contact you to bid on projects.
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#177110 - 04/22/08 08:54 AM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: Trick440]
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electure
Moderator
Registered: 12/24/00
Posts: 3627
Loc: Fullerton, CA USA
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Why not simply direct them to your website?
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#177112 - 04/22/08 10:27 AM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: electure]
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LK
Moderator
Registered: 01/21/03
Posts: 1702
Loc: New Jersey
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Sending out letters to companies you have no background on, is usually not very productive, you can end up attracting dead beat contractors at best, it you want to attract quality pre screened contractors, use a company like Blue Book, with years of proven sucess, at delivering subs work, you will have to pay the fees, but trying to run a business on the cheap you may end up with a lot of nothing, invest a little on quality marketing.
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#177114 - 04/22/08 10:41 AM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: Trick440]
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hackelect
Junior Member
Registered: 09/24/06
Posts: 6
Loc: Reno
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A lamb asking directions to the lions' den ....
You can tell a lot about someone from their posts. Trick 440 ... I don't think you're ready to go solo. I think you lack both the technical and business experience needed. I strongly recommend that you get some formal training in the trade, work for a real contractor, and see how things are done. Being an electrician, and running a business, are two separate trades.
A lot has been posted, in the past, about GC's. The short version: The GC is NOT your friend. Most of us do our best to never deal with one.
Finally, you really want to have the local inspectors at least neutral in their attitudes toward you. If they have the idea that you're a disaster waiting to happen, you'll have them counting screw threads. If nothing else, consider every objection a cheap lesson.
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#177122 - 04/22/08 04:51 PM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: hackelect]
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Trick440
Member
Registered: 08/15/05
Posts: 180
Loc: Waterford, MI, USA
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A lamb asking directions to the lions' den ....
You can tell a lot about someone from their posts. Trick 440 ... I don't think you're ready to go solo. I think you lack both the technical and business experience needed. I strongly recommend that you get some formal training in the trade, work for a real contractor, and see how things are done. Being an electrician, and running a business, are two separate trades.
A lot has been posted, in the past, about GC's. The short version: The GC is NOT your friend. Most of us do our best to never deal with one.
Finally, you really want to have the local inspectors at least neutral in their attitudes toward you. If they have the idea that you're a disaster waiting to happen, you'll have them counting screw threads. If nothing else, consider every objection a cheap lesson.
hackelect, I appreciate you ability to know me through my posts online.
Oct., 2007 the company I worked for went under, and started my company Nov. 2007. With me and a van. I now have 2 commercial guys, me, 1 apprentice and a carpenter, 3 trucks, one is for the building division. I'm a master electrican, electrical contractor and a licensed builder. I have all my insurances. I'm making about 4x what I was making when I worked for someone doing residential at $24 and hour with a van I took home.
I'm also setting up with a young master plumber who wants to work under Rhinos name, Rhino Plumbing. So I will have everything covered but HVAC.
I have done all this in 6 months? Bring on the Lions.
I put my posts out there, I'm not ashamed to ask anything. I do too much to know everything.
How do you now deal with a GC? If you do your best to never deal with them? They hire thier enemies?
That inspector in my other post is a joke. One of my reasons for posting it was with the chance he may see it. I'm not scared, he knows, and I know exactly whats going on. Thats the lamb standing up to a lion.
I can do without your opinion. If you don't have something to say about the post, then don't say it.
Edited by Trick440 (04/22/08 04:56 PM)
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#177124 - 04/22/08 04:59 PM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: Trick440]
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Trick440
Member
Registered: 08/15/05
Posts: 180
Loc: Waterford, MI, USA
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I also use blue book, and 2 others. And 3 free sites... I do alot of good things for being so bad at it. 
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#177130 - 04/22/08 07:47 PM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: Trick440]
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WireNuts29
Member
Registered: 07/24/07
Posts: 45
Loc: Mass, U.S.A.
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Trick I think that is impressive, the quick company growth. I also kind of find it funny the responses given to questions on this site. Sometimes condescending... Any how I think you can have a huge leg up in commercial work, if you get in with property magagement groups. A for instance is the company I work for. The "construction division" did the base build up of a particular mall. 15 years ago, the owners of the property now, use us for service of other malls, and we are on a very short list of E.C's the company will let do tenant fit-ups in their facility. My point is skip the G.C's and impress the people who hire them, and then you can get your company on that list... Best of luck
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#177131 - 04/22/08 08:21 PM
Re: Introduction letter to General Contractors
[Re: WireNuts29]
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Trick440
Member
Registered: 08/15/05
Posts: 180
Loc: Waterford, MI, USA
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Thanks WireNuts,
Great advice... Property managers. That should of been obvious. Thats an angle I didn't even think of yet. Probably because they seem to be a more elusive beast, compared to general contractors who are a dime a dozen.
Again awesome advice. This whole thread is worth what I have just learned.
Thats why I come here. I visit a few marketing & advertising forums and there is a slim to none chance I would get advice specific like that.
I do admit I sometimes come off half cocked and may ask a question in a post that I could find myself if I took the time. I kind of look at it like this, why waste my time figuring out what it has taken people years to learn, they took the time and learned it, great, now I just have to utilize thier info... Just saved myself all that work, now I can take that information and carry on to the next step, beyond even what the person I have learned from has gone.
Ok no more posts for me for awhile. Please share any advice you guys may have, thanks.
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