Getting Your Foot In The Door With Larger Builders?

lusori

I have been doing home improvement projects for a while, but I would like to work on larger projects for builders. I am not sure how to go about getting work with builders. Should I contact them directly? It seems like these builders generally contract large companies to do all their concrete work. Im looking into expanding as well.

Any suggestions on how to go about getting my foot in the door?

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Lusori Construction - Concrete/Brick/Stone/Pavers contractor
www.lusori.com

Mud Master

Talk to them, call them, approach them on site, ask other builders you know if thier builders are looking to accept bids for concrete, or do they already have someone they use faithfully. I know I got into alot of New home construction through builders I knew.

I know not all builders contract large companies. Most of my commercial builders use big companies, AJO Concrete Construction, Mcguire, Belfast Valley Contractors..being in MD you may know them.(My father used Castaway for years for all his pours, now he uses two older men that used to work for Louis Cristofo) But alot of my home builders use small independant guys, one guy who does footings and foundations for one of my Million Dollar Contractors only has 3 guys. These builders understand its quality not quantity.

Don't be afraid to take the risk, get your name out there, anyway you can.

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Ed the Roofer

Knock on job trailer doors when the type of work you want is being done, as they will be doing more of the same.

Read their blueprints and provide a bid. Get on their bid list.

Order the Dodge Reports, (or find a large library that suscribes to it and read them for free). Other construction related upcoming new construction job reports in your area?

Call, call back again, and call back some more, if that is the avenue you want to get into. You must be willing to wait long for payouts and get excuses why you did not make the deadline or anything else the GC wants to snowball you with. Can you afford to not get paid for 30-45-60 or 90 days? If you can't, then this work is not for you yet. Not all GC's pay like this, but most try.

Ed

Mud Master

I Disagree, I get my final draw within 30-40 days. Some will sweat me out til 50 or so, but they know I won't wait around. And with an established relationship you'll most likely get your money in a respectful amount of time. True, there are those who will hold it as long as they possibly can, but its not the majority. Just need to state in both your invoice and contract to "please pay promptly to avoid an interest charge of X% on all invoices over 30 days", I personally do 2%. But like I said, if you can establish a relationship with them, and provide them with prompt service and a great finished product, they will WANT to pay you at the risk of losing you if they don't. At least thats been my experience in the 21 years i've been in this industry.

Damn, i've spent over half my life in this business. I need a hobby.

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woodmagman

Lusori…I would start with a letter addressed to the CEO (do your home work find out who they are and spell their name correctly), it will get to the desk of their assistant at the very least, then be delegated from there. I hate “to whom it may concern” letters. It makes me think that they just pulled our company out of a hat and sent a letter off. I usually take as much time reading those letters as it takes to make a rim shot.
In the letter I would start by asking the company if they would be interested in building a relationship with your business as you are considering expanding.
Enclose email address, web site, and business cards with web site and phone number if your card does not have your cell phone on it, give it to them in the letter. Be professional and tell them you will be fooling up with a phone call in a number of days. And follow up.

HUDSONVALLEYEXT

We never did any work for builderS because of the 90 day pay thing. This winter there was no work so my partner went on this condo job site to talk to the G.C. Turns out they wanted to fire their current siding company. We put in bids for 13 buildings and it took them 2 months to get back to us but we got the job. They are only in phase 2 so there is going to be like 50 more buildings. We are going to get real cool with these guys for we get a lot more work. It also turns out they write checks every 2 weeks.

GOING TO JOBSITES IS THE WAY TO GO !

Ed the Roofer

When I started my business, I only had one contact who was a carpentry contractor. He was building Wendys Restaurants, and I made an appointment and read a blueprint and gave him a price.

A couple of weeks later, when his roofer didn't show up for a few days on a Mobil gas station mini-mart, I got a call to see if I could get to it NOW. I got there and set up my kettle anf the other roofing company chows up. The super told him to take a hike and I wound up doing 85 Wendys and about 220 Mobil gas station roofs.

I found out what other GC's were doing the same kind of work and now with some experience behind me, it was an easy sell. BTW, I was about 50 % too low on my first 1/2 dozen jobs, and the only way I made it was because I was 33 % of the labor at that time.

Knock on job trailer doors at the beginning of the job set up and you will be amazed at how many are looking for another bid, if thats the type of work you want to get into.

Ed

CheckmateOhio

Whenever I am looking for work, I show up at the jobsites first thing in the morning. Ask around to see who the super is and talk to them. Phone calls to the office usually don't work out to well because you are usually talking to someone who has no idea they need help or want bids. Years ago I made a call to a builder to see if they needed any framing crews. They said " no we are all good right now" Next day I show up on site and the super tells me that they are hurtin for framers. I got a print that day.
Problem is now days all the nationwide companies pulled out and left their worthless help here lookin for work.

kylemfk

i agree
best way to get to them is to show up on jobs

find a super/project manager

that is how I find 95% of my business

lusori

Thanks guys, thats good advice!

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Lusori Construction - Concrete/Brick/Stone/Pavers contractor
www.lusori.com

ruskent

I never had the best experience working for builders. But i always worked for the lowend builders.

I ran into a high end custom home builder i have met before at the gym the other day. I introduced myself to him and said i now have my own company. He told me to stop by at the job site in a few weeks to talk to him. The next day i mailed him a letter and a trifold. I'll stop and see him in about 1-2 weeks. Hopefully it works out.

This weekend at the homeshow, i was approached by a spec house builder, who builds 8-15k sq ft homes. I am alittle nervous about this guy but i am going to take the time to atleast met with him this week.

lusori

I'd like to hook up with some builders because thats really good steady work. I don't mind making less, but it would be nice to have work year round.

Hopefully things will pickup.

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Lusori Construction - Concrete/Brick/Stone/Pavers contractor
www.lusori.com

Teetorbilt

Join your local builders assocn. and start rubbing elbows.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

ruskent

I am meeting with a builder at the end of the week who does 12-18k sq ft houses.

This may be way out of my league, but its worth the time to go met with him. First thing i will discuss is how payment works. I can't afford to wait for my money. I want to be payed the same way i do from homeowners. I can't afford to float hundred of thousands for months or days for that matter.