Selective On The Jobs You Take?

ruskent

This thread might not apply to everyone here. but...

Are any of you guys selective on the jobs you accept? Do you take any job that comes your way? Or do you just take the jobs that will be most profitable and help advance your company?

Matt

Dave Mac

yes,

AtlanticWBConst

For us:

JOB SIZE: We pretty much will take any job in terms of size. Small to huge. At any given time we have a 'minimum' of 6+ jobs going. We want to keep the cash flowing...

JOB PROFIT: As far as lucrative vs. small money, we take it all. Small jobs add up. A dozen door installs...A dozen electrical light repairs....etc...

Most importantly: Small jobs also create 'networking' and 'connections'. Do a good job, and people always call you back for more work, no mstterr hoe small the original job was. And tell they tell their friends & their work associates.

We have landed additions, large roofing jobs, large commercial jobs, etc...simply by installing a front door for someone.

Many small jobs can...and....do lead to bigger jobs....and more calls....

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- Build Well -

Ted W

I'm very picky about who I work for.

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Carpentry and Woodworking - Chicago / North Shore - Ted's Carpentry

"I don't know everything but at least I think I do, and that's what really matters."

Teetorbilt

Absolutely selective!

There is a major developer/realtor here that I did ONE job for. I'll never do anything for him again. Money isn't everything and there's always new customers.

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mdshunk

I like to pick the work that pays in US dollars.

Mr. D

i took every job for my first couple years in business. now i learned that some jobs (customers) just aren't worth the headache, even if work is slow.

rino1494

2 things we always consider when taking on work. Money and headaches.

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C buck

Same here. When things get slow I'll take just about any job I can get, but otherwise I'll be a little picky. If theres a job I really don't want to do, I'll bid it high, or refer some one else.

ruskent

This got me thinking. I have been interview subs as of late. One sub said to me, "We can do this for you, this for you, and this for you, hell we will do anything for you as long as we are making money. Making money is all we care about."

I knew that, he was a company that i would not want to do business with.

Kinda unrelated to this thread tho

AtlanticWBConst

Ok...to an add answer - to the original question...

YES...we are selective about people or companies we work for.

I have always said, that all the money in the world is not worth a constant headache....and that includes potential difficult customers...

We absolutely would not work for anyone with a bad rep or difficult issues...no matter what the paycheck may look like.

I have had my biz partner meet with clients....then later tell me: "Trust me, we do NOT want to work for these people or for this company".

....That includes engineers....

J/K

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AtlanticWBConst

Yes, I agree ...BIG RED FLAG....

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mdshunk

There's a difference, too, between guys who do longer term jobs versus guys who do short term jobs. I can put up with anyone for a little bit. If I had to be at some weird-o's home or business for a few months, then I might get pickier. If you do "in and out" work, it shouldn't be a big deal who you work for, as long as you have a reasonable expectation that they'll honor the contract and pay the bill.

ruskent

I really wasn't thinking about weridos when i started this thread!

Lets say you were a deck builder. Toll brothers ask you to build all their decks. Each deck will be 450 sq feet out of pressure treated. Every deck is exactly the same. Money is not bad and they will pay you on time.

BUTTT most of the work you do is higher end IPE decks with all customer stuff.

The toll brothers gig would take all of your time and resources.

What do you do?

mdshunk

Easy one. Hire a crew to do the Troll's work.

Susan Betz

We are selective, we have to be. Then we go through droughts like right now where we have been 3 weeks without a new job...

We are waiting on materials to finish an arbor job.

We are selling and hopefully closing 3 jobs this weekend.

We are starting a $250K job in a month.

It never rains, but it pours.

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Fences of Distinction, Ocala, FL
http://www.fencesofdistinction.com

AtlanticWBConst

Yep...exactly....I agree with that...

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AtlanticWBConst

At times, that is so true....

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dirt diggler

you kinda need to get a couple PITA's before you really know what to look out for

hrscammisa

I agree with you all I found there is a time to be selective and then there is a time you have to eat I wont do any jobs were it starts out they are looking to cut corners hate that just seams from that point you can never make them happy. And nothing worse then patching stuff together never turns out good some times you just have to say no and eat hot dogs that week