2 Years In...

6stringmason

Hey guys. It will be two years this April that I have been on my own. I have been doin better than when I was in the beginning but still not where I'd like to be. I was hopin it would pick up. I did get a few more contractors to put bids in for but havent gotten any call backs yet. And the ones I have put bids in for I call back every couple weeks to see how things are going and see if they have any questions. I tell them " I would love to do some work for your company and show you what we can do. So please keep us in mind."

Other GCs just flat out say no.. we dont want anyone else. Thank God the wife has a college education and makes some decent money or I would never have lasted. I would like to get to the point where I dont have down time except maybe winter.

So my questions are... How long did it take you guys to get going solid? And how do I go about gettin GC's to consider me to do work for them? Its not like I do bad work. I do great work. Im not expensive but Im not cheap either. I send out big packets once in awhile to different GC's with pics of my work and things about my company. I tell them what seperates me from other people. What we do that is free and part of the job like double flashing over windows, grouting in at soffit lines, making sure we leave the jobsite like we found it or better in some cases.

I have 2 guys that work part time due to the availability of work but would like them to go full time. We do all new residential and some remodel work when needed like chimney repair or porch repair. Any ideas or advice would be appreciated. Im afraid another year of part time just wont cut it. I dont want to hang it up after a few years after everything I have invested including blood, sweat, and tears but Im getting a bit discouraged.

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Cole

I hear where you are coming from.

The bad thing is you need GC's to give you work, have you thought about working for the homeowner or even remodeling on the side?

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Gordo

Hang in there buddy. Just keep doing good work and tell people you work off of referrals so they will tell someone about you. You want to be word of mouth referred. It took me 5 years to become established. Year 6 I hired a full time employee. I am in year 10 and just hired another full timer. Even though I continue to have work there is always that feeling things will slow down and crash. Stay diversified, pay your taxes, and treat your guys right.

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Looks like some pros were here.

pwrpapa

I hung my hammer up for good. Sold the biz an haven't looked back.
Man, what a good feeling it is to get the heck out of contruction.
After 30 ball bustin yrs. I'm just happy to be alive.
Now I'm going to do what I always wanted. "NOT A DAMN THING" LOL....

maj

Here's how I got started almost 10 years ago....
I've worked for a couple of carpenters since high school for about 15 years. I was pretty confident in my construction skills,and pretty happy with my position as lead carpenter, when I was suddenly layed off due to company folding operations. There I sat with no job and 4 young children.

I was pretty well known in the community and it is my hometown,being born & raised here. Everyone I talked to encouraged me to go out on my own.So I walked into one of the local lumberyards where the owner is also a GC and builds many houses a year. I did not even say a word to him yet, when he asked me to frame 2 houses for him as soon as the frost is out of the ground.

I jumped all over it, submitted the bids, which was a total learning experience, as I never had to deal with that side of the business.He accepted the bids.

My first goal was to do a SUPER job and make sure people notice the quality I was doing. Remember now, I live in a small rural community, so everyone takes notice when something new is going on.I now have a good reputation and very seldom look for work. I am usually 8 months to a year booked and the GC who I started for still calls me at least 4 times a year to see if I can handle any work for him.Most of my work now comes from the customer themselves wanting me to do their work, no competition.

I would recommend you not bug the GC's, this makes you look hungry. A hungry contractor these days is probably hungry for a reason! Try to get small jobs, hang your sign out, and get noticed. Do absolutely top notch work. Take your time,but be realistic. Try to focus on areas where there's alot of building going on, and the GC's will notice your work, so will the neighbors.

Grumpy

I wish I could answer. I am in the same boat as you. I was making more as an employee, but I'm not struggling either. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and have put together a road map to navigate the dark tunnel.

If GC's aren't cutting it for you then you have to target another audience. I target primarily the end customer. The more levels of seperation between you and the customer the less money you earn which is why I prefer not to work for GC's. I work for a few GC's which is nice because it keeps a little bit of work flowing in, but by far I make much much more money when I deal direct with the customer.

An old timer who is selling off his printing business after I don't know how many years told me "You just gotta roll up your sleeves and do it. There is no other answer, just do it."

6stringmason

Well thanks for the replies guys. I think Im going to stick it out. I wish I was in the area where I could look for work outside of GC but unfortunately for masonry there isnt a whole lot that can be done in that field. I will give it another year. We'll see how it goes from there.
I have been getting more as time goes on, but just not where I was hopin to be. I guess not everything works out like you expect but I think I will make it work.

And maj thats good advice about not buggin the GC too much. I guess I never really though of it that way. I was hopin they would see that Im eager to work and prove myself to them. I always show them pictures so they know I dont hack things together. Yet theres people in business whos work I've seen that looks like it was done by kindergartners. But who said life is fair right? lol

Thanks for the talk guys!

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Kamps Masonry & Concrete Countertop Design Green Bay, WI
920-680-3195
Visit our website @
http://www.concretecountertopsdesign.com/

maj

In the GC's eyes, an eager sub is eager because he has no other work. They don't care if you're just starting out,like you, or been doing it for 20 years.They all have their favorite subs that have not let them down in the past.
Unfortunately,or maybe not, you are in the first stage of many difficult situations to come. This whole process is a learning process,with a new curveball or fastball being thrown at you every time you think you have the pitcher figured out.
As a mason, maybe you could try specializing in a certain area, such as fireplaces or concrete countertops, I hear they're getting popular. This might eventually turn into a very lucrative business where you can charge just about anything if the people really want it.

Remember; nothing is impossible, the impossible just costs more

theworx

I personally don't like unions. I'm not a member myself. But my Uncle, a top quality mason, joined the union years ago. He had his own company (retired now), but used to get most of his jobs from going down to the union hall and looking at the job postings. He is very well off now because he did work for contractors who posted, did quality work for them, and had repeat business because of it. Mostly commercial work. I have no idea if this would be an option for you. Just pointing out that it worked for my Uncle.

Mike Finley

Hey stringmason - Don't get discouraged, focus on how far you have come. Your'e a B2B business model. (Business to business) Because your business is expanded by relationship marketing, which can have a very long sales cycle, the sales cycle meaning from first contact of your potential customer to first sale. It isn't unusual for that sales cycle to be 5 years or more. So 2 years into it is nothing. Focus on your successes, your most powerful tool will be determination.

Look into Harvey Mackay, he is chairman and CEO of Mackay Envelope Corporation, an $85 million company he founded at age 26. He is the king of B2B and relationship selling. A lot of what he has to offer is going to apply to you. Specifically look at his book "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty".

Don't get discouraged I've been where you are, when I was 23 I took my company from last place to #2 in my market in less than 5 years, but it was a ball buster and there were days when I beat my head against the wall with the same frustrations I am hearing from you. There were some potential purchasers of my services that I must have made over 20 sales calls on over a period of 5 years and they still never hired me. I swear back then I used to think they just had something against me, but over time I realized it wasn't about me, it was more about the established relationships they had with somebody else already.

Eventually the tables will turn - someday you will be the preferred vendor of a GC and he will be getting sales calls from some other upstart mason looking to take work away from you. That upstart mason is going to be feeling exactly like you are, the tables will be reversed. The things you are doing are excellent and will pay off for you, the missing element is just time.

Teetorbilt

Network! Network! Network!

You have to give to get!

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

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fez-head

I used to do allot of tuck-pointing and could never find a bricklayer to take on the small jobs that needed relayed. I'm talking about chimneys from the roofline up, porch walls, mail boxes etc.. It seems to me like a brick layer would make an ideal tuck-pointer and could do very well for himself.

Here is some good info that may help www.acmetuckpointing.com/html/masonry_info.html

I was charging $25 per square foot to tear down and relay a chimney from the roofline up and $50 per brick to replace individual bricks in a wall or chimney.

To patch and stain spalled brick I charged $25 per brick. Tuck-pointing was $5 per square foot and waterproofing was 60 cents per square foot and very easy money.

There is also a lot of money to be made working for the government on tuck-pointing projects. I learned the trade when I was young from a company that did nothing but government work. I started out grinding out joints and worked my way up from there.

Good luck to you

denick

6 string,

Not knowing your area it is not easy to be specific in what you can do to increase business.

You seem to have confidence in your production and quality.

How is your knowledge of your real costs of doing business?

Are you sure your charging enough for what you do?

How do you appear to the people you work for? physically

What other work is going on that is masonry?
swimming pools, terraces, sidewalks, fireplaces, retaining walls, bread ovens, masonry heaters. etc?????

What is the repair market for any of those things?

Who is generating this work? Real Estate people, Landscapers, Architects, Designers, Caretakers, Facility Managers, ???

Where can you meet them? As Teetor said, NETWORK.

Is there a successful mason or builder in your area maybe retired that you can talk to for advice. Look for a guy who is involved in the community or a member of church activities. People who are involved with people usually are easy to get to know and want to help.

You seem to have a lot of enthusiasm and want to tell people about your work. You may have thought of most of what I have written. I would make 1 more suggestion.

LISTEN!
When you meet a potential customer or contact introduce yourself, look them in the eye, give a great handshake, hand them a card and ask them “what can I do for you”. Then LISTEN and LISTEN. Most everyone involved in the construction business will tell you about how they think you should do your job or their experiences or some story or give advice when you meet them. They’re telling you something about how to get their work. If you LISTEN sincerely because you want to learn what they think and need. 95% of the time that person will remember you and give you a chance at some point. Very few people LISTEN anymore. When their done show them the brochures or pictures but always leave space in what you have to say for them to tell you. Nothing shows respect to someone like taking the time to listen to them.

You shouldn’t waste time on a BS’er but their not hard to sort out.

Sorry if I went on about the listening part but you might want to give it a try. It can take some practice. I started going to work at the age of 8. I’ve been listening to some of the most wonderful people in the world for 44 years and they all want to tell you something and appreciate being listened to. There are some real jerks though.

Just a thought.

Good luck.

Nick

toddcla2002

Wow, some fantastic advice here.

I don't know what trade associations or builders associations are available to you but those are good for networking. Chamber of Commerce meetings are good. Go smile shake some hands, don't sound pushy or desperate. If you find builders that are happy with their masons....ask why, if you are sending them brochures etc. send a pre-stamped postcard that they can note their interest level or give you some type of feedback.

Where I live there's lots of homeowners that are their own GC and they therefore eliminate the middle man and are looking for quality contractors that can hold their hand and smile...look into that maybe.

Construction can be tough....just don't disappoint and cover your back and you should be good. NOW GO GET SOME WORK!

~Todd

Melissa

I'd give it more than 1 year. It takes time. The first 5 years are the toughest. We're on yr 3, and it has gotten a little easier.

You've already got the ball rolling. Just make sure to establish a good rep. I agree don't sound too desperate. But be available. Kwim? I sound like I'm giving dating advice.

When we're looking for a sub, we want someone to make our job easier. Someone that doesn't require supervision, is easy to work with, does a very good job, good rates, shows up on time, calls back right away, good with the customers- just in case, etc. Someone to make us look good, basically.

ruskent

It just takes time. I'm in my second year of business now. Last year i'd do a 8k job then have no work for two weeks. This year i decided to do more advertising, and should atleast triple my gross from last year.

If i was you and was not having much luck with GCs i would target homeowners! Repairs, chimmeneys, blue stone patios, retaining walls, mailbox pillars. Maybe even get into stamped concrete. You could do patios and walkways. There are a hell of a lot of different ways to make money as a mason and do no work for GCs.

Glasshousebltr

6string, I've been up and down like a freekin roller coaster on crack. The bottom downs were all preceded by a devorce. It takes a special kinda fella to stick it out in this biz where theres a rainbow and a shot gun behind every check book. Just from what I've read of your posts here the last year or so, I think you have what it takes and your work sure sizes up.

So, the next time you start feeling down and out, pressured by the forces that be, think about your old buddy Glass, and the screwed up twisted crap that spills out his mind infecting his world like a cage of monkeys happy gassed for the first time.......uh?........

Bob

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Bob

A+Carpenter

Sounds to me like you just told me a little about me in the past.

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Grumpy

Are you kidding me? Who gets to maintain, tuckpoint and seal those brick buildings which are already built?

Who gets to rebuild chimneys and parapet walls? Call some of your local roofers and offer your services.

copusbuilder

I can't imagine not missing the trades. I mean the quality just keeps getting better and better

But why hang around on a contracting forum??? Unless you are just trying to remind yourself why you retired

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