Help I Have Hit A Road Block

Turner080

I am new to this site but it sounds like the place to get my problem solved. I have been in the construction business for three years doing punchout work, concrete demo and repair, dirt work, residential remodels and handy man type stuff, just about any construction related trade you can think of to help me figure out just what it is I want to specialize in. I have narrowed it down to commercial because I hate dealing with home owners but past that i have know idea. Here are some stipulations I have to what type of trade: Not so much weather permitting, something that everybody needs in new construction, something for the most part where the time on the job is measured in days not hours, something that has a DECENT PROFIT MARGIN AND A LOWER OVERHEAD. Please any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Jason Whipple

Commercial interiors. Steel stud framing, Sheetrock, acoustical (suspended) ceilings.

I did it for years, never had a single rain day

Not much equipment to buy either.

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Turner080

I have thought about that quiet a bit how hard is it to find guys that are legal and do a descent finish job. I have a three to four guys that work for me but unfortunately I have to baby sit them because they aren't really skilled.

We Fix Houses

Welcome

We gotta figure some things out here first. What is it that your good at as a result of all this past experience ? If you don't have a clue, nobody else will. A lot of punch out guys want to move up. Stop the compass in a place or two and give us a hint ?

What are the top two or three trades / occupations that you see that you have aptitudes in and can see yourself mastering ?

Will you only work for yourself, or for another company to learn a specific trade or license ?

Cole

You never mentioned anything about profit?

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Jason Whipple

Oh yeah! Never mind interiors!

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Turner080

I am good at concrete work but that is a weather related business and its not like I am not good at what task I take on but its finding guys who can do what it is that I want to do. I have the money and resources to do almost what every I would like excluding dirt work. And I guess that I am not really looking to do all the work myself because I should be promoting my business but by all means I have no problem with getting my hands dirty next to my guys. I guess my problem is on the numbers side of things. Since I don't have skilled labor working for me I have to find guys. This poses my first problem I don't want to put millions of dollars and equipment into their hands right away. This makes me lean towards doing drywall but then on average what sorts of profit margins do you typically see on a drywall job versus something else. I work in Texas where we are not required to be licensed except for plumbing hvac and electrical which are not trades that really appeal to mean anyways. I mean I have a GC who I have know for quite a while who is willing to give me all the work I want its just I need a specific trade. He suggested drywall and framing but I guess more than anything I don't know what kind of profit margins im typically looking at if I want to win some contracts with other GCs.

Double-A

Have you considered new construction financing? It seems to meet all of your stipulations.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

cburke501

Interior finishes on commercial projects are a huge source of work for us. As mentioned earlier, you don't need many tools. Some screw guns, maybe fast track, fasteners and scaffolding or lifts per job. I don't know where you're located, but here all that work is Union. This eliminates the need to look for labor, as we can call the Hall and get experienced carpenters, tapers, etc. We've always made good money, the hardest part is shaking the checks out of the GC during and after the job.