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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 21
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jo Offline
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Try becoming a member of a local builder’s exchange (plan room)
The exchange I belong to has about 250 jobs at any given time some estimators set up shop doing take- offs all day long. Eagle, please don’t promote GC to shop bids

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,116
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Happi.

See if there's a local Contractors' Association that you can join and go to the meetings. Bring some cards to pass out to anyone that asks. You could make some good contacts over Coffee and Donuts there, and stay on top of what is going on in your area.

You should also be able to get discounted group rates on Insurance through them which would more than cover the yearly membership dues.

Another idea might be to make contacts at your local realtors

Bill


Bill
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 324
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I cant tell you how to build your business but I can tell you what worked for me. Make lots of freinds in the other trades! If you buddy up with a plumber or an HVAC man it will come back to you. Go out of your way to look out for the other subs when you starting out. Do'em some favors and they'll remember you when there out on the slab and the GC says he's trying to line up the other subs. This brought me a bunch of work when I started out a few years ago. I was fortunate to work for a good business man while traning but more fortunate to work for a bad business man. I really learned from his mistakes. Here is my list of what I suggest to do.

1 Join home builders assoc.

2 Get your name out. Truck signs, yard signs and biz cards. If you want to deal in new construction DONT get an ad in the phone book.

3 Show up on time as promised (duh)

4 Keep you trucks clean and in good working order. If you cant see the bed of your truck you need to either get busy and install those materials or clean it out.

5 Keep your help clean! No ear, nose or tounge rings. Company shirt is a must, NO EXCUSES.

6 Bill out on time! Turn in your draws as requested. Make sure the builder knows the fee schedule. In residential I use 60/30/10. Youre a little ahead on the money by doing this but it can save your a**. If you don't get your draw, don't go back. I include a job total and balance on my invoices.

7 Get changes in writing and charge for them immediately.

8 Leave the job cleaner than when you got there. Boy this really sticks in a builders head. We broom clean each job before we leave and put all trash in one pile. It takes ten minutes to do, your work looks neater, and you wont believe the things you'll find. Tools, parts and so forth.

9 Make sure you have your ducks in a row. Get all your supplies for the job there the first time. Takes a good bit of prep but it keeps you there working. There's not a whole lot of money in driving to the supply house on a contract job.

Do all this and you too can be an overworked electrical contractor!

[This message has been edited by arseegee (edited 06-15-2002).]

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
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arseegee;
golden advice there...
i took a broom outta my truck and the carpenters made fun of me for a hour, asking if they taught me 'broom' in my apprenticeship, which end does the work..etc...

yet i get along fairly well with said crew now....

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 257
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arseegee,

I do everything that you just said except for the builder's association. The only reason that I never joined the buildes' association is because, as I mentioned in another thread, we can't compete with the "electricians" wiring homes around here. (Remember, no license required in PA)

I do everything else and am still not busy. Been doing it for 10 years.

Wish I new what the secret was.

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 324
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Master66, it's hard to have fair play when there are no rules. That is something that I would have to take up with my state gov. If you dont have any licensing now it's not gonna help you much in the immediate future because IF they implemented statewide licensing they would probably grandfather all the jacklegs in without any testing. This is what GA did in the mid 80's. So we still have some guys that don't really qualify but are in the trade just because the sent in an application before the dead line. I spent years as an apprentice and started helping my uncle in my teens. Then went back to school after college to prepare myself and learn what I didn't in the field. All of this makes me proud to say I'm licensed and I take it very seriously. I still get the low baller from time to time and say can't do it for that. I had a contractor call me today and tell me that a customer wants to remove a wall in a house that we just roughed. I asked him what he had alloted to move all the switches and recepts and he said nothing. Thats when I about lost it so I replied "$50 dollars per drop once conductors are installed and I think there are 9 drops". He could not believe that and said he wasn't gonna pay it. So don't think you the only one who's getting no respect. If you could stand the heat and the gnats I'd say come on down here.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 257
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arseegee,

Thanks for the reply.

Maybe one day I'll make it down your way.

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 324
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Master66, have you tried to get into a special nitch. One of my buddies who started from meager beginings is one of the strongest companies I know, just from falling into the right nitch. He got into wiring fuel dispensing equipment and hooked up with one of the companies that handles the gas pumps for minute marts. He handles nothing but the pump wiring (explosion proof), canopies and signaling system. Only wires the whole store if it's close to home. He does it with a crew your size and the money is great. He did just under seven digits last year.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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Another point:

If you have the capabilities and there are no licensing problems in your particular area, try to cover installation of telephone, TV, alarms, and any other similar systems as well as just electrical power.

I've had several jobs in my area where someone has been "doing up" a place and was quite pleased to learn that I could handle all of this stuff so that they wouldn't have to call in a whole load of other people to take care of it.

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