Not Taking Just Any Job That Comes Your Way??

ruskent

My business has changed so much in the last 2 years. I went from taking any job i could get to only wanting to do 'challenging and innovative' jobs.

I know i am good at what i do, so for some reason i feel like i am wasting my talents doing some run of the mill job that any one could do. If i can not do a innovative and challenging design on a job, i really do not have much interest in it.


This make any sense? I am just trying to advoid being "that contractor" that does everything.

I want to just do the jobs that show case my ability.

GregS

Why not do the jobs that make money?

Are the boring run of the mill jobs making you money? Why not try and upsell the customers on something a little better to showcase your talents?

PS: Didn't you post this question already?

Celtic

That's an admirable ideology...if you can secure enough of the niche work you desire...what do you do the other 51 weeks out of the year?

Seriously though...run of the mill jobs are good "training" grounds for the young helpers and a good "training/honing" experience for the estimator/negotiator seasoned man.

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KillerToiletSpider

Bid everything, and don't bid based on getting on the job, but what you want to make on the job, we bid just about all jobs this way, and turn down more work than we take, and we are running three crews.

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dirt diggler

Rusk -


I have projects that I am emotionally attached to
and
I have projects that I am NOT emotionally attached to


guess which ones I came in the HIGHEST bid?
guess which ones I make more MONEY on?
guess which ones GET DONE quicker?
guess which ones have HAPPIER clients?
guess which ones I am happier with by the time it's done?



Rusk - just helpful advice ... you need to feel what it's like to HAVE to make a living. Walk that line and then come back and talk about "innovative designs" ....

POOLMANinCT

then take up painting bowls of fruit or countryside meadows....

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ruskent

I am ready to start including yearly mainenance contracts in the final invoice on every job. I figured you'd be happy with that!!! Should help keep the cash flow moving.

slickshift

If you come across as the guy who will do anything, you'll have to

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Mike Finley

Hell yes it makes absolute sense. Most guys are working for a paycheck and see no further than next week. If you have a vision for where you want to end up then only do things that fit that vision and don't worry about anything else. Make a name for yourself and the skys the limit. You can end up with a national reputation or even an international one.

Talent is an extremely limited commodity. There are a ton of guys who can get jobs cutting lawns on a golf course, there are only a handfull qualify to design them.

POOLMANinCT

matt it is about profitablity, work which provides the ability to profit. I throw away untold amounts of aboveground pool work. am I a hypocite? no. would I do aboveground work if slow? only if I would make as much as an inground job. (so the answer is no) all I have been syaing to you is don't piss away profitable opportunities... does it sound fun to do a paver walk after you sold a 500k landscape.... hell no.... write the walk (whatever through the roof$$$$) you'll get most of them. real ho's don't want joe lawnmower doing their hardscapes.

btw in a couple of weeks ill post pix of an 80k liner pool.....

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......Less with the jaw & More with the paw.....

POOLMANinCT

matt I'd only be happy about that if you are charging ridiculously high unwarranted prices. on custom jobs of your nature "the going rate/fair price" does not exist... they will pay you what you asked because it is your baby...

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......Less with the jaw & More with the paw.....

ruskent

I'm finally starting to understand whats happening to me.

I lucked out and got some extrememly well off clients and was able to completly some increidable projects. Now the last 8 people i talked to are just for average projects.

What it really comes down to, i need to met with customers as much as possible for them to feel safe with me and to build a relationship. With these average project, there is no need to met more then twice and there for i can't seem to build any realationships.

skyhook

Do a great job on the average projects and sleep better at night.

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GregS

Did I mention upsell yet? Go into your meeting and learn what they want to do, and then get excited and spin it into something better. They just might follow your lead and take the upsell.

And yes you can build relationships with single meetings. Just make a good impression and they'll remember that and pass your name onto their neighbour.

lawndart

I will take any type of job that is awarded to me as long as it's a Finish Carpentry project. Big, or small jobs, it doesen't matter, I'll show up on the estimate. I hear all the time on the phone "I've called 10 contractors and none of them showed up" You'd be surprised with how many of those simple small piece of cake jobs have turned into very large projects for them, or their friends in the not so distant future.

Stone Mountain

To be honest, I'd rather do 10 $5000 decks than 1 $50,000 deck. Much easier, quicker, generally better money, less picky customers, less office time per job, less running around, more profit (I guess I already said that).
Also, you have the potential for more referrals and getting your name out more. That's simple math: 10 customers extolling your virtues rather than one.

The big jobs are really for ego (yours). They look nice in your portfolio, and everyone can go ohh, ahh, but the bottom line is how much you put in your pocket at the end of the day.

And by the way: I am starting a $20,000 deck that was reffered to me by a guy we did a $2500 fence for.

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Ten Fingers

Stone Mt, Smaller jobs are easier to put a price on, for me. Otherwise, a difficult 2-month job that I have will cause me a lot less worries than two month's worth of 2 to 4 day jobs.