ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Business Related Discussion Is hiring worth it?

We have been slammed with work and thinking about hiring for a while. We just found out we got a $3.2 million job, and we need a crew. In the past we have just gotten help from other one-man-shops. It costs a little more, but they carry their own insurance, etc. Is it worth the hassle to have employees, or is it better to just turn down work and keep it small?

that is a tough call. i woul do the math and see which would be better on the $$ end. but if you decide to go the employee route can you keep them busy all year or will it just be temporary

I'm not saying it is the best solution but there are also construction staffing companies that take care of the employee requirements.


Tom

Good Topic: I would not hire full time for a "seasonal" job. This is never a wise idea. When work runs out, and employees start doing "clean up" and small stuff around the shop. This can also drain the Company's bank account. I would save time on interviews etc. Try these guys: http://onsmartpages.com/diversifiedstaffingservic/homepage/

We could keep a couple of guys busy year round. We wouldn't hire more than that. Just wondering about the hassle and stress of having employees.

There is money to be made off employees...good employees that is.Get a couple of bad eggs and all of a sudden your running a day care center.

For me I say "stay small, keep it all" (da money that is)

If you can find a couple of good guys...treat them right and it will pay off.

shortcircuit

Yes employees can be good for your bottom line. They can drain your wallet if you have the wrong guys and can't keep control of them. They can be a REAL headache if they aren't reliable. If you have work planned that needs 3 men and even just 1 doesn't show, your in trouble.

Here was my experience.
By myself I made decent money but had to work incerdibly long hours. With 1 helper I made about the same, but not quite as many hours. With 2 guys I started making really good money. When I went to 4 guys my income dropped back to a little less than I made by myself due to higher overhead and related expenses. With 6 guys, my income went right back to the highs and still increases with every man we add because the overhead is divided over more manhours.

Basically you just have to be carefull and understand that in the beginning they aren't going to give you freedom, they are going to give you headaches. It all depends on what you're trying to do. Are you happy with status que or are you trying to build a business. It's really up to you and what your personal goals are.