ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Business Related Discussion How Long Do Tools Last?

Nah, I've averaged 4-8 guys or so over the last five or six years. I envision having maybe 15-20 in the future. I've got no desire to have a mega company. I've not got a big ego to stroke. Just want to make a good living and sleep well at night knowing I've not screwed anybody, customers or help.

However if I like what I see at that point and manage that ok then who knows. Maybe you have three or four hundred. If your company is that big you likely don't even know half the guys names, don't know who your company is hiring or how many benders and saws your company has. Not that it's important to know. You just need people you can trust to hire for you with your guidlines. If you can't keep quaility people then you're constantly hiring. The more turnover you have the more likely you are to get bad help.

As far as hand and cordless tools go, my guys buy their own. I buy the benders, band saws, threaders & hydraulic & hand KO sets etc. Replace their worn bits and hole saws etc. If their cordless drill dies etc. I have it repaired or replace it. If it gets stolen, they replace it. It's part of their required tools. I don't get any flak about it. On the other hand, many of the tools I bought previously to put on the trucks has walked off but I don't do that now except for large hammer drills etc.

Regards