How To Start Your Own Plumbing & HVAC Company?

roullette

OK I'm looking for some help if you guys could. I'm a Plumbing Heating and A/C Technician.

long story short my company that i absolutely love is starting a new business strategy that could be great for a companies business boost. there going to do a 10 hr 4 day work week and there starting to make Saturdays a scheduled work day. And if that becomes our busiest work day (which it would cause now there will be no more weekend emergency fees) there going to also make Sundays a scheduled work day.

As you can see by my title of this thread... I hate the idea of working saturdays and sundays!!!... but 10 hr 4 days a week i do like! 3 days off! whooo!

i have a really bad credit score (548). and i think a business loan is out of the question.. and also could be a bad idea if it doesnt work out.

How could i start my own business?

Do i need to suck it in for a few years till my score is better to be able to start my business?

i have a really serious business plan just dont know the best steps to execute it.

i know a guy who started his own business. he saved 50K and started it that way. hes only 21. i do not have 50K not even close

do you have to save that much loot to actually start your business?

also how can i get the best company advertisement with the cheapest amount of money spent?

whats the safest way to start your company, do i need to build a customer base before i even think of starting?

is it too risking to get setup then quit, then start advertising my company?

any good ways to help me in the ight direction would be great! thanks guys!

MALCO.New.York

Oy!!!

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roullette

thank you

roullette

.............................

Bill

1) Obtain plumbing license
2) Obtain HVAC license.
3) Obtain all insurances needed
4) Find GC's who are looking for these trades by calling them, advertising on the net and phone book.

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Double-A

First of all, how are you to be compensated by your company now?

Consider that starting your own company seems appealing from the standpoint of only working a five day week, or perhaps 4/10s, but the reality is, it doesn't happen that way.

If you're not willing to invest 80-100 hours a week or the first year or two to get up and running and on your feet, then you're just going to be running back to the company you're leaving now and a 40 hour work week is going to seem like a vacation.

Money wise? Three months expenses and salaries saved up as a minimum. Why? Because you're going to have to learn to bid and win jobs and beat the bushes for work for the first few months and you have to live and pay all your bills, not just personal bills, but the companies bills as well.

My advice? Plan your work and work you plan. Step out from the current job when you know what you'll be doing and how you're going to be doing it for the next 6 months. This means, you have to decide on a business model, and business plan, and research how to run a small business in your market. Knowing how to do the work is much less important than you think.

I would start with talking to an insurance agent and a CPA just for a reality check. Then call city hall or the county and see what is required for you to go into business from them. I think you're going to faint.

GL

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roullette

ty for your serious reply i have them all but the insurances.

im mostly worried about quiting my job an starting my own. i have no customers lined up. i currently make any where from 7500-8800 a week for my current company. i know if i get work i can survive easily but its just figuring out how to get customers in a semi fast way.

again thanks for your reply

Bill

DA, you are right, many people think being self employed means work 4 days. NO WAY!
I work sometimes 12 hours, 7 days a week.

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Bill

But you need to understand, being self employed is not as simple as that. You BETTER be prepared to work 80+ hours a day, sometimes 7 days a week.

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Virginia Plumbing Codes

roullette

thanks man. my current company charges 160 and hour on a flate rate scale. i plan on doing the same but on a lower priced rate. ill have a book for 95% of every job that needs to be done. and every call i will get i let them know on the phone i have a $59 estimate fee that gets deducted from the work if completed and have them sign once i step foot in the door then i will give them the estimate they need. if they think i am too high priced or they do not wont the work i get my estimate fee.

now i dont know if every one man show does free estimates thats not my plan. i was never traine don that an i do not like the idea of free time.

im just not sure how to make the decision on opening it.

im going to take your advise on atleast 3 months of bills saved. both mine and my companies. now i just need to think of a way to advertise to get work fast and efficiently.

roullette

ill work 100 hours a week if i make the money. money talks bull**** walks.. and right now my companies talking bull**** and im walking.

my average hours a week is 7-5 mon-fri. there cutting that to 40 hours 3 days off. on call used to be 10% commission. no we are working them on the regular. the companies plan is to become a franchise.

last year i went from my last name to employee # 92. i am just a number.

Mike Finley

You're making $400,000 a year?

Double-A

No, he's grossing 400k a year in sales for his company.

I think this is a good negotiating point with them. I know plumbers in the Kansas City, MO area that knock down better than 100K a year, but they work every hour the company will allow and they sell, sell, sell. They take every on-call they can as well. These guys play hard 4 weeks a year (and I mean hard) and they want the money to finance that play and all the toys to make their days off work worth the taking.

The average plumber for that company makes 49K a year, so use that as a comparison.

Now, back to the post... If you think you're going to get your phone ringing enough to produce those types of numbers on your own running service, you need to consider all the things the company does for you and the inventory on your truck and how it gets there. These things will have to be done by you. Still think you can produce those numbers alone? You might want to talk to some of the one-plumber shows in your area for some more insight.

again,

GL

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

Remodel Bud

..........

HydroForce

Hi Roulette!
Fellow MA-MA Lic Holder (25 year)currently in FL. Have you made your move down yet? I do know someone hiring if interested. Appears to be real busy for PL's in areas of Central FL....hard time getting the real Mc Coy. They say their tests are real tough here...but they don't know "real" plumbing LOL! like in MA where plumbing was invented right-just kidding! You will find almost no Copper or Cast Iron here in FL! They live in an all plastic state of mind! Also, it is not inexpensive to live here, don't let anyone kid you. Housing is the only thing that is lower, but you really get what you pay for...NO LAND on the properties here. Utilities, house insurance and taxes are very expensive-plan on A/C almost all year long if your from up north. take your MA House/Property insurance and multiply it times 5! Also, Don't take credit or checks from anyone. State your message upfront-Cash only please!

dirtdiggler pt2

for that reason alone ... my advice is to step back and take a HARD look at the reasons why you want to start your own business


if the reason has anything remotely to do with having more time to yourself - that is fantasy land stuff.

realize what you're getting into, in other words. Having a business can be the BEST feeling in the world ... but it can be a huge NIGHTMARE when things are not going so well. Of all the things that can go wrong ... the liability ... the financial and legal responsibilities ...

so just don't jump in blindly.

accutempms

I can give you firm advise from somebody who's already been there. I started my company in february of 09, with a good credit score and money to back me up, over $100,000. and I'm closing the business down as of now. we had many contractors who did not pay us, and we had so many ac contractors in this area that contractors were willing to do the jobs for next to nothing. if I had been out in the field working more then in the office doing bids we may have made more money but the main thing you have to remember is what is your competition to work ratio. if you have 100 air conditioning contractors out there working but you only have 50 jobs being bid on then you're going to have some guys cutting their prices really low trying to get work. I fell into the trap of having contractors having me lower my price to meet somebody else's that lower than me, and the reason he was lower than me because he did not know how to bid jobs. and I cannot stress enough to make sure you have all your paperwork in order.

skcolo

They say when you are self employed that you only have to work half days.

The good thing is that you get to decide which 12 hours it will be.

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thom

Since the OP was 3+ years ago and his last post was in March of 2010, I doubt that he's considering current advice given here.

accutempms

It's more like work 18 hrs. a day, take no days off, and cash your check if there's any money left after your employees cash theirs. I had up to 18 employees at one time and all you do is have more stress. Think about having a 12 - 15k payroll each week.
I closed the company and filing personal bankruptcy to keep what I've got due to G.C.'s and a few customers not paying the invoices. I've got liens filed on jobs but it cost even more to collect because you have to hire an attorney to file suite. I was told that if you made a mistake filing that you could end up losing your lien. Good ol' attorneys, always there to put their hand in your pocket while saying that they are helping you out.
So if your interested in making peanuts start your company, but I was making $26.52 hr. in 2006, probably would be making close to $30 and have health Ins. if I would stayed put.