Question For All You "One Man Shows"

ron schenker

I'd say 75% of the time I do the jobs alone, on rare occasions, when it's a big job, I'll have 2 or 3 helpers with me. I could still do it myself, and make a good buck, but sometimes the customer expects the work to be done in a short period of time. Obviously, I'd like to get out of there and onto another job asap.
My questions are...Do customers ever give you a hard time for working alone, rather than bringing in a crew and getting the job done quickly? Do they think that a "one man show" is cheaper or less professional than the "big guys"

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dumplin1078

I've never had anyone give me a hard time due to me working by myself. Like you if I need help to get the job done in a reasonable time I get help. These days I've had way too much work to be by-myself so my brother helps me, but I won't get anybody else cause that effects my pocket too much. And even worse I would have less control over quality. I miss being by myself though, this last week I had four smaller jobs going, I could have easily done them on my own but since I had such a good month, and I could still make a pretty good check for myself I let my brother work, it wasn't many hours but he wasn't sitting at home. Well on friday when I paid him he got all pissed about how low his check was.

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wolffhomerepair

I have never had anyone say it directly to me but There has been some jobs that seem to drag out that I can feel that the HO is just wanting it done.

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" Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time "

bcf

I actually get compliments, or at least good comments on all the work I do myself. Just last week my customer told me I must be strong as an ox But I do think that if I had any big jobs then Then might get uppset if I took so long.

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Matt Ehrenzeller-General Manager
A Great Divide Fence Company
www.agreatdividefence.com

Brickie

Unless you have a completion date in your contact with the HO, etc., it shouldn't matter. The price is the price. It shouldn't matter if you show up by yourself or with 20 guys.

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Stone Mountain

We often get this. A couple of my guys much prefer to work on their own. In fact one fellow wouldn't even take a helper when I offered to pay for him.
Many times, the customer will complain that they "didn't hire a professional company" to get just one guy.
They forget my delivery truck, my dump truck driver to pick up the old deck or fence, my foreman who comes around to check, my office manager (my wife) to take the phone calls and me (or my salesperson) to sell the job.
90 % of the time, when the job is done and is a work of art, they forget any complaints, however!

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steve-in-kville

I thrive to work by myself. I've taken on helpers over the years at larger rehabs or repaints.... but I see no reason to now. After having an "experienced" helper botch a paint job, I will only work by myself. I'm happier that way.

steve

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troubleseeker

We do get some customers who start geting impatient on larger jobs, but never anyone who got really nasty. We do high end renovations/additions and most of our clients are either repeat or direct referrel, so we are there for the quality, not wham bam speed.I.m sure some think a small operation should be cheaper, but a joking reminder that the trucks we drive were not donated, nor tools, nor our insurance costs, etc. They catch the idea quickly.

reveivl

Like you, Ron, most of my jobs are done solo. When I've got a re-roof or larger framing job I'll get labour help, but usually not for the reno type stuff. Never had a customer mention it yet.

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mdshunk

I do know that some people prefer to hire a one man show. They believe (and possibly rightfully so) that his overhead will be lower and they will be getting a better price. I have a good friend who can afford to hire whoever he wants to do just about anything he needs done around the house. He prefers to seek out the one or two man operations.

bevs

My customers know in advance that I work alone. A lot are repeat customers, so I figure they like my one man show. I try to stay with just finish carpentry, but sometimes you have got to take a job you. are not crazy about just to keep busy. I'm pretty content, and I think my customers are to.

Big Dave

I play off of the fact that I work alone. I tell the customers that I can keep better control of quality.

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Gordo

Worked myself to death the first five years in business as a solo operation.

Now have 1-2 full time employees on a consistent basis.....this frees me up to service the client by answering questions/hand holding which turns into more work!

SOME clients think if you are a one man op that you should be cheap.
MOST will not award you the BIG jobs because they want turn around.

Once you learn to manage employees/subs your profits will go through the roof compared to being solo.

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Looks like some pros were here.

Mike Finley

Md hit it on the head, some customers seek out the 1 mans and others want a bigger company. People have said all sorts of things to me, some get the perception that we are a small one man and have even said they like to do business locally with guys like me and others have said they wanted the confidence of having a bigger company like mine to deal with and stand behind the work. People who find us through a local paper service directory think we are a one man shop and people who find us through the BBB's link to our website think we are huge.

theworx

Most of our clients are repeat or referred as well. Never had a problem with how long a job takes to get done. More like the clients are impressed that one guy does almost every aspect of the job and has the talent to do so.

Just finished a job today for the Government (two offices added in an existing space). Met with the project manager for the Government and she was blown away at the quality of the work. Told her I did everything from the demo, the framing, the boarding, the taping, the painting, the install of the doors and sidelights, moving a light fixture, moving a hvac diffuser, and putting on the rubber cove base... Only thing I didn't do was move a light switch (our electrical sub did that - I won't touch 340 volts)...

It only took me a week to do this job and the big thing is the client is thrilled with the results. Keep on going you guy's who are talented one man shows... People will appreciate the quality (if they have a brain)!!!

snapper21

I grew up in a production framing world, so to speak, so I work fairly fast for a one man show. As I've been told there are advantages, and disadvantages to a one man show.
Disadvantage of course, the timeliness. But that's made understood at the beginning, and if you can hit your timelines you're allright.
Advantages: The worker that's building it, has a vested(SP) interest in the quality of the product since it's his rear that's on the line.
When you parlay what you want to the manager, sup., estimator, or whoever, your dealing with the builder directly so there is no communication breakdown formed.
Some enjoy the safety of it as they don't have to worry about whether the owner/manager has done background checks on his employee's.
There's more, but there are, in some peoples minds, advantages to the one man show.

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Just the thought of not trying is a stroke of ignorance.

Melissa

We've used it to our advantage at times. Sometimes people feel more comfortable when there aren't going to be a bunch of strangers in their home. Different strokes for different folks.

Frankawitz

I have had people ask while on a estimate if I'll be doing the work or will a crew of guys be doing it, I find that allot of people like the fact that I'll be there instead of a crew. On exterior paint jobs I will hire a few people to help out but any inside work I try and keep it to myself. I had my daughter work with me and my brother it helps to get bigger jobs done, but then I have to spend time going back and checking everything they did, I don't like the babysitting part of the job. I have been working by myself since my brother went into working outside for a Lawn company and my daughter is back in school studing to do Medical Billing for a Doctor's office. I told her with all the Babyboomers retiring she is on the right path to a good living. and she doesn't have to deal with all the plaster dust.

reveivl

"I told her with all the Babyboomers retiring she is on the right path to a good living. and she doesn't have to deal with all the plaster dust."


...or sick people.

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From where does knowledge come? If you need to know what is in a box, you could ask someone (not reliable), you could pray, (not useful), you can consult with the scripture (not helpful) or you could open the box (science)

RobertCDF

I also am a one man show... And I have had a few people not beleive that I do it myself. I have one customer that I did 3 decks for and now a garage. One of the decks was 20' off the ground. Another one had a 20' beam that was roughly 250 lbs. (keep in mind I am 5'3" and 140 LBS) He was home the day I set the big beam and could not beleive I did it myself. He told me later a neighbor asked how I could possibly lift and place that beam myself. And he told him "He just did it, it was amazing"

I like being a one man show. You guys are right, a lot of people like to see the owner doing the work. Some want things done a little quiker and is fine by me. You cant win them all.

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks