Getting My Own Work

Tonym81

I have had a Stucco business for 2 years now, but all I have been doing is sub-contracting. I get lots of work but my potential profits are virtually cut in half when someone else is supplying my work.

I have done a few private jobs here and there but nothing to keep me busy full-time, for that I depend on the stucco contractor to keep me going all year.

I want to slowly get out of sub-contracting and getting full-contract jobs and double my profits. I do realize this takes time and when I am working full-time its hard to do anything else.

I have thought of advertising in my local paper, and on my trucks and van, and trying to make some connections best I can.

Can anyone give me some tips, so I can get my own work instead of depending on one sole contracter?

Thx.

Dan_Watson

anythign but service magic!!!

Tonym81

I do real deal pro stucco, conventional texture... is unmatched.

Acrylic, yea I do it. Texture a 250 Square yard wall by hand and call it "magic".

Anyone can do acrylic, or EIFS, its beat off crap that is highly overpriced and overrated.

No wonder there is no place to talk about Convetional stucco, or convential + acrylic finish here.

It's all called "masonry".

The least you could could do is spell a simple word correctly, when someone is asking a real question.

send_it_all

Uhhh...dude?
I'm not sure why you just got offended, but what Alwysconfused meant by that was...There is an online lead service called "Service Magic" that puts contractors together with homeowners who are looking to have work done to their home. They are notorious for sending the same leads to too many contractors, causing bidiing wars and lowballing. Alwysconfused was simply suggesting that you dont use them.....for your own benefit....so you can make a profit.

Tonym81

Ok, Srry , I had no idea what he meant. No Offence intendeted on my part either.

I don't even live in the US. Western canada is where I work, How could I understand what you are talking about?

My apologies.

Thx for clarifying what he meant... honestly I read it and was thinking ?????

Just misunderstood, is this common in US? cause I have never seen this here.

threaderman

It looks like you shouldn't be knocking anyone else's spelling.

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stuccosteve

Put together a portfolio of some of your best work, create a pricing structure for your product and make a list of the general contractors in your area. Contact the persons in charge of estimating at the GC's and meet with them and sell yourself and your services. It will be time consuming but if you say what you do and do what you say and provide competitive pricing you will get work.

Drapery Guy

Take pictures of everything you do, even video if you can. I have sent out a DVD showing my work. It's easy to do and you can do it yourself. The main question that people are really asking is, why should I give my business to you and not the other guy. When you do get YOUR OEN JOB, treat them like kings. You have to really go out of your way to do a perfect job. After a while the refferal work will start coming in. good luck to you.

quote=Tonym81;398938]I have had a Stucco business for 2 years now, but all I have been doing is sub-contracting. I get lots of work but my potential profits are virtually cut in half when someone else is supplying my work.

I have done a few private jobs here and there but nothing to keep me busy full-time, for that I depend on the stucco contractor to keep me going all year.

I want to slowly get out of sub-contracting and getting full-contract jobs and double my profits. I do realize this takes time and when I am working full-time its hard to do anything else.

I have thought of advertising in my local paper, and on my trucks and van, and trying to make some connections best I can.

Can anyone give me some tips, so I can get my own work instead of depending on one sole contracter?

Thx.[/quote]

JBBS

Im not sure I would go as far as to say ANYONE can do EIFS.

Tonym81

I meant it takes 3 days to learn how to do it (if you have previous stucco experience) where as texturing takes years.

Most EIFS/Acrylic guys never textured a wall in their life (from my experinces) and very few actually can, thats why they do it, besides its easier, and the wages are slightly higher.

Thats all I meant.

JBBS

3 days? Do you smoke pot regularly?

Tonym81

I did for 3 days and learned the job, its actually quite simple. Im sure it takes longer to perfect it.

I did the same as a guy showing me how to do it in 3 days I was working by myself without any help.

Maybe you do it differently or Its different here, but its not rocket science.

JBBS

Tonym81

Hehe, Its actually not that hard to pick up.

But whatever, this is getting off topic.

Thanks for the replies, I really do appreciate it.

woodchuck2

Around here word of mouth has gotten me all my work, i have been advertising with not one phone call but i will continue anyway. I have my trailer lettered and i hand out business cards to everyone i can. I have also bought t-shirts for my direct family and friends, free mobile advertising and who doesnt need a new shirt anyway. Dont burn your bridge with sub-contracting, at least it is some income. I sub-contract for the Electrician i used to work for, he pays good and he just hooked me up with a housing developement he will be starting on. We work good together and he already knows up front my business trailer will be on his job, best part is he has to deal with the owners and all the bids. All i do is show up, work, take money and go home. I charge $45 an hour for my own jobs, he will be paying me $30 to sub and he will be paying me an extra $65 an hour for my excavator. $30 an hour isnt alot but i dont have the headaches he does either and he estimates this to be at least 2 years of work and the development may be getting bigger yet.

Custom Builder

I pay $7.5 pr sq ft for real stucco, materials and labor. I can usually get them to band around the windows and just under the soffitt for free if I pay for the materials. How much do you expect to get on your own?

buzzsaw12345

I recently registered with AAOA, has anyone ever heard of them or gotten any work from them? that's the American Apartment owners Association.

Floordude

"I pay" and "I can....get them....for free"

He is talking about really running his own gig, not an employed subcontractor, like he is now. I'm sure he can't compete with the Mexicans doing your stucco, as exploited employees and calling them subcontract labor.

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