Home Office-P.O. Box Or Street Address?

slickshift

I relocated to another state and will be starting over here
(New Guy Again)
I'm mostly a one-man band, painting, small remods, and a few specialties
I don't have a need for a separate office at this time, and will be using a small room at the house as an office

Although I have had advice suggesting that I should get a P.O. box for the business, I can't help but feel a street address helps give a more permanent, and local, feel to my new area

My feeling is that it'll be hard enough to get work as the New Guy
A P.O. box just sounds like it could be a little temporary (fly-by-night?)

Any thoughts?
Think I'd regret using my street addy?
More professional with a P.O. Box?

Thanks in advance for any input on this

Glasshousebltr

You pretty much sized it up, go with your street address.

Bob

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Bob

ruskent

Congrads on leaving mass. Where you heading now?

Mike Finley

Compromise between the PO and Home address is a rented box in a Mail Boxes Ect, (UPS store now I think), gives you a street address but's its a PO box.

rservices

I would go with the PO Box, you'll get your mail earlyer, I get my mail by 9:00 but I also deal with mostly comercial accounts that mail their checks. I'll never go back to getting my companys mail at my home.
I've also moved a few times since I started but my mailing address hasnt changed. I would think that in my case some of these companys would start to wonder if they were dealing with a gypsy.

55.00 per year

copusbuilder

Whats wrong with saving the money and using your home address? Everyone works out of their homes now? I am sure as a new guy you will not be presenting yourself as a conglomerate? Be yourself and be happy with it...People can see through the fakes.....

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Peladu

Who ar you running away from? (j/k)

That was my stance, I think people like to know that you are tangible and/or at least in their neighborhood. Especially a company name that they haven’t heard of yet.

Go with you gutt feeling. Works for me.

If you are afraid that a customer may have a beef with you and track you down to your house, then you may regret having a street address
If I am getting a bid from a sub and they are listed to a PO Box, they lose credit with me. I am not saying that I wouldn’t hire them, but if it was the first time to do business with them, I would definatley question the choice of using a PO Box. To me a PO Box doesn’t seem like the up-n-up thing, let me explain:
1. The person holding the PO Box could live/operate anywhere, not be local, I give the local guys first dibbs on anything, they also return the favor.
2. When you get mail, who has a PO Box? Well, lets see… it seems to be the same companies who piss the public off (but not always) (i.e. credit cards, insurance, but most off all junk mail.
3. PO Box appears, for a remodeler anyway, that they are hiding from something. Would you hire a babysitter for your kids/nieces/nephews (whomever) that would only give you a PO Box as a mailing address? If I needed to hire someont to put in a $40,000 kitchen, I wouldn’t give the PO Box guy a chance.

:goes to the drawer, pulls out new Flame Suit, and waits:

CGofMP

I agree with Mr. Finley on this one. Your home address compromises your personal security and privacy a lot easier than others.

The PO box however is a bad idea because companies like FedEx and UPS can not deliver to the post office - the PO will not accept. Mailboxes etc type places DO of course accept those items. Also there is ALWAYS someone there to sign for stuff during biz hours which means that your deliveries will not be held up.

Get that PMB (personal mailbox) and you get the best of both worlds.

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Grumpy

I'll take it a step further and say get an office. personally I wouldn't want people comeing to my home to do business but people show up at my office all the time. People tell me that nobody ever shows up at their house, makes me wonder how many just drive off when they see it's a house.


Definetly go with a street address of some kind. If you go with a PO box go with something that isn't the US postal service, since you will get to use a real street address. Kinkos and UPS stores both offer these services.

DecksEtc

It's funny you just posted this. I was reading an article last night that dealt with hiring contractors and renovators. The article stated that homeowners should not deal with contractors that used a P.O. box for their address and to ensure their mailing address was on the contract. I agree that a P.O. box lends itself to "appearing" like a shady operation - especially in the new world of internet businesses and the like. Personally, I use my home address. Having an office and a separate workshop is my ideal - it just isn't in the budget at this point in time. Maybe in 2007???

Who knows, one day I may be able to actually PARK a vehicle in my garage! LOL (talk about a pipe dream)

All in all it was an interesting article. It even had a section on how to "Be A Good Customer".

Grumpy

Maybe someone should write one of those. I know I have written the typial "how to choose a contractor" Maybe I can make a volume II: "Now that you have choosen your contractor"

copusbuilder

[QUOTE=Grumpy]I'll take it a step further and say get an office. personally I wouldn't want people comeing to my home to do business but people show up at my office all the time. People tell me that nobody ever shows up at their house, makes me wonder how many just drive off when they see it's a house.

Slickshift wrote
I'm mostly a one-man band, painting, small remods, and a few specialties
I don't have a need for a separate office at this time, and will be using a small room at the house as an office


When I had my office I could count the visitors on one hand. As a one man operation don't waste your money on an office. Spend it on beer

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George Z

For paint contractors it has been said that the magic number is 6.
A six person company can usually justify the overhead necessary
to have an office and someone to run it. I think that sounds right.

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slickshift

Thanks for all the great feedback
I appreciate it all

To answer some Qs:

I just moved to Mass

I'm not running...lol...

I'd love a separate office/workshop, but the prices here are so high...
To spring for a commercial spot and the new home would've left our new home budget below crappy little fixerupper level
For an extra couple K we got an office and garage
I hope to have a separate com. spot eventually

I have not had a client meeting at my former office....ever I think

I don't know if there's a mail mall deal close by, I'll poke around a bit

Other than that, I want to thank you all for your input
This does help, thanks

JustaFramer

I guess I am ********************ed as I live rural no front door service. One good thing I don't have to worry about a mailman coming around and screwing the wife.

Teetorbilt

I use them all, same as e-mail boxes. Some things are sent to my PO, some sent to my office and some sent to my home office. It all depends on who it is.

E-mail is sent to 1) a general box that is rotated as it is spammed, 2) a business box that is rotated much less often and 3) a personal box that has remained the same for 15 yrs.

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Grumpy

[QUOTE=copusbuilder]Copus you are my true doppleganger. Our philosophies on running a business are exactly backwards.