Need Some Advice

BLCS

my father and i have started our own business. we have the track mulcher for land and lot clearing. i have operated equipment for about 8 years now for other people and decided to stick my neck out and try to make it own my own. the work is few and far between right now(i know winter doesnt help) i would like to bid on some jobs or do some contract work, but i really dont know how to approach the contract process or exactly were to find jobs to bid on. any help or information would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

denick

BLCS,

What section of the country are you from? Who in that area will need your service? Is this your only machine / service you will offer? Have you set up a company with all the necessery permits licenses etc? Do you have an accountant that understands this type of business? A good lawyer who understands this type of law? Do you have a contract drawn up? Are you required to have a contract by law where you live? If you will work in different states do you know all there requirements? Have you figured what your operating and owning costs are and what rate you need to charge to make money?

There are many posts on this site about all of this. With quite a few very good people giving free information. Search the different forums. There is everything from advertising, Law, Contracts, etc..

Post some specific questions and the guys here will give you some good advice.

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

BLCS

What section of the country are you from? Alabama

Who in that area will need your service? foresters, residential, commercial, real estate companies, site developers, etc

where should i look or go to find jobs to bid on?

dayexco

Who in that area will need your service? foresters, residential, commercial, real estate companies, site developers, etc

where should i look or go to find jobs to bid on?

you just answered your own question...time to go start knocking on their doors

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

IDIGDIRT

Try to find some contractors who regularly rent those type of machines and approach them. If they rent, they probably can't justify buying one but still have the need occasionaly, so they may just want to sub it out. Plus they are using an operator who may not be as productive as someone who runs one of them all the time.
Another prospect is survey companies, I see them hand cutting paths on overgrowm properties all the time to mark lot boundaries.

Just some thoughts!

denick

BLCS,

Your service seems to be something that anyone with land could use.

If you want to do residential you would need to advertise. Something like your machine grinding things up could be a dramatic show on a cable TV ad. I don't know about out there but it is fairly cheap here to advertise on cable. An ad in the local paper could work. Offer a winter discount? Or even a local radio ad. The rental companies that rent tools and bobcats to Homeowners could send business your way.

For businesses, The utlity companies that own large tracts of land or right of ways. Every landscaper, excavator, tree service, pool company, tennis court installer, fence company, logger, developers, etc.. Just look at anyone who owns land or works on it. Imagine what you can do for that market. Go out and meet the people. Business cards, T shirts, Hats, to give away. Real Estate agents know when land is going to be sold and tell owners that they need access for customers to see the land.

All that said first you need to know how your going to conduct business. How much you charge. Contracts. Moving fees. How you want to get paid. Down payments? When you go see potential customers the worst thing I feel is a contractor who sells a speciality can do is not be prepared to answer the clients questions confidently.

If your the "guy" you need to show confidence on the outside, even if you have no idea of what your going to do. Don't lie, and don't promise what you might not be able to deliver.

Just a bunch of random thoughts

__________________
Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

BLCS

i have signs, business cards, and brochures out right now. i am going to do the local paper ad, the cable idea i didnt think of that, everbody watches tv at some time or another. thanks again to everyone for the advice and suggestions.

bobbyg

BLCS, I have just started a Bobcat Service business...I started up this summer and the first few months i had about 1 job per month (luckily this is a part time biz, im a full time firefighter)...

anyways, Nov and so far this Dec I have been jammed...i only take small jobs, mostly day jobs...but i've been doing extremely well with Craigslist.org...i have been getting about one job per week off it if not more and best of all its FREE!!!

good luck

dayexco

what do you prefer doing? being a firefighter? or a contractor? the reason i ask is....locally, it's very hard for small contractors to compete with firefighters...they have a guaranteed income from the governing authority, and on their days off, go out and compete with private enterprise. i personally think it only fair that you should make up your mind whether you want to be a firefighter, or a contractor......and attack that venue with a passion.

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

IDIGDIRT

Can't people have more than 1 passion in life? What line of work were you in when you decided to get into excavating? What if someone criticized you for competing against already established companies? Personnaly in these times of lazy a## americans, I think it's great there are still some people out there who want to work more than just 40hrs a week. I ran my business for years and was a volunteer firefighter until I got hired as a career firefighter. I still run my business as though I don't have a guaranteed income and I don't go out and cut throats of other contractors. There is enough of that going on already.

Incidentaly, I am a fire dept. captain at an Air Force base and we found out that the base is closing next year and we will be out of jobs by Sept.07. So I am glad I have the experience of another line of work(aka-passion#2) and I'm am equally as glad that I kept it running successfully so I may not skip a beat. Don't knock a guy for wanting to succeed and provide for his family.

bobbyg

day, i prefer to be a firefighter...however my wife and i decided it best for our family to have her stay home with our 2 and 4 year olds...and we absolutely need a second income...

so im taking a chance on starting my own biz...you use what you have to get by, no?


anyways check out craigslist.org if you haven't, i've had good success with it

dayexco

well, i'm 53 yrs old, my dad started in the business in 1947. there should be no criticism to me hiring people, buying goods. the criticism should come from people who are sitting on a guaranteed salary/benefits, and going out and competing for work in a limited market area with the advantage of being able to discount their services because of their guaranteed fallback.
am sorry to hear about your base closing and having to look for another line of work to support your family. i have family that is/was in the military. those who stayed the duration are doing quite nicely retirement wise. i personally feel that i shouldn't have to compete with the govt. that i pay for. locally, there have been a few tiffs....firefighters that are on 24, off 48........competing with house painters, sheet rock tapers, tree trimmers, concrete contractors. and with good reason. they are able to discount their work because they're already guaranteed a salary, benefits. the contractor has to go out and find and pay for his own. the head butt came to the city council, and they were asked, what do you want? the job at the fire hall, or competing against those who pay your wages? it stopped.

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

Cat385

I got my business started while I was working for a large sewer and water outfit. They let me rent any piece of equipment they had. I worked 7 days a week for 2 seasons before going on my own. I have a tri axle freightliner, 257b cat skid steer,320 cl excavator,d-5g,t-50 towmaster tag and a 950 loader. This is a very difficult business to get started in unless you have it handed to you.

rino1494

I agree. There is a state trooper that has a small excavating business on the side here. He does small stuff like driveways, footings, etc... He works 2nd shift as a trooper, so he must do nothing while at work.

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Life is hard. It is harder when you are stupid

Uncle Sam wants YOU....to speak ENGLISH

IDIGDIRT

I just love it when the average guy with a dream can work hard and see it turn into something great. But, without the help of your previous employer, you probably wouldn't have been able to make that move. Were his rental rates in line with local rental stores or did he give you a reduced rate to try and help you out? My guess is he did as he must have thought well of you to even allow you the opportunity. How many people in this business also started that way? LOTS!

My father ran an electrical construction business and I worked for him since I was 14 yrs. old running a trencher and branched out on my own after using his trencher to get established. Yes this business is difficult to get into however I did not have it handed to me. I had to take over all maintanance and upkeep of the machine and still keep up with his work first. An opportunity that I wouldn't have had if not for him.

IDIGDIRT

Day, I'm not trying to piss you off, just discussing different points of view. I never said anything about criticizing you about hiring,buying goods. How many of these firefighters have the equipment and experience to even try to compete with your business? Around here none! Yes we have grass cutters, window washers, painters, and such but none I personnaly know can come close to an operation such as you and Rino run. I can't speak for everyone, but when I am on duty my cell phone is OFF. I do not conduct business while at the fire station, my chief would have a fit. However, as I stated before I run my business as though I do not have a guaranteed income. I keep the two completely seperate and I don't reduce my rates because of that, I feel if another contractor can get top dollar for his work, so should I. Incedentaly, I am about 5 years from retirement age from the fire dept. although with the upcoming job loss, I won't get full retirement benefits and the reduced amount sucks. So my business is my only fall back to keep some kind of income for me and my family.

One last thing, around here,there are way more little guys with bobcats running around than guys with large excavators, dozers, etc. so my business has more competition. How many contracts have you lost to a firefighter with a bobcat?
I enjoy reading everything you and RINO have to offer, the documentation thread was enlightening to say the least. I hope we can still remain civil and enjoy all this forum has to offer.