Residental Work

MotorMan

I am currently trying to help a friend break into a new area of work. The advantage for me is I help him start this and then eventually take over the company for him. He has been in excavating and grading for over 30 years doing big projects (major roadways and big parking lots, etc) and is ready to scale down to smaller residential jobs(driveways, sidewalks, small parking lots). He has a skidsteer, rubbertire backhoe and 6 yd boxdump. I feel we can turn that into instant work and start making good money, With his experience and my selling/bidding capabilities. My question is where do I start ie marketing, generating leads getting the word out. I do not have large sums of money so I have to be choosy. I have considered getting on with a lead generator company but not sure about that. Can anyone help?

Cat385

Residential work (my opinion) is all about contacts. Get out there and talk with realtors,builders,homeowners ect. Maybe drop your rates a little to get in with some of these guys. In this line of work everyone looks at the $$$$. Its a very tough business to start in because of the amount of guys doing it. Good Luck

rino1494

Just to add to what cat said. Maybe put a ad in the paper. For residential work, it mostly comes from referrals. If you provide quality service and work at fair prices, then everything seems to snowball from there. The only problem is, it takes a few years to get your name and reputation out.

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jmic

Small ads in weekly papers, drop your cards off at diners, stores, deli's ect.

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Joe

4theroc

everybody says get with realator's builder's etc. Yea this is a good start, but when your just starting out, Advertising in the newspaper is an excellent way to get a foothold in there. Lots of real estate agents homeowners etc. look in the newsaper for contractors to do work. Plus advertisement is cheap. Stay away from lead generation services like Service Magic. They charge you like $17 a lead and 75% of em are from dead beats who are just playing around about the work they want done.

tgeb

OK, so you are helping a friend start a business that will be your business in a few years, is that correct?

When you say residential are we talking new construction, renovations/additions, or direct to Harry Homeowner? Each has a different target audience.

As far as the referral services, I don't have to much faith in them personally, (i have never used a referral service), I would think you could get a lot of price shoppers that only want to make sure the guy they are planning to use is being honest.

Now 1 last question, in what part of the country are you located? If you're in my zip code, I have lots of good advice.

If you are located in another state, I have even better advice.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

MotorMan

I am located in Tampa. I can pretty much go in any direction I want to. I am just trying to decide which is the best to start. My friend is extremely talented in excavating and grading and clearing. He has the equipment, personnel and insurance, I just need to get the work. He mentioned the residental market, driveways, patios etc because your in do the work get paid and your out. I like that idea but I think there other avenues as well. Maybe trying to hook up with builders and do ther site clearing and grade for homes they build. I'm not sure where its most cost effective. It's pretty much up to me to generate the business and then watch and learn from him.

dayexco

if you have a local homebuilder's association, ask if you can join as an associate member. attend a few meetings, introduce yourself, shake a few hands, buy a few drinks

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Cat385

The builders exhange is a very good idea. We joined this jan. it was only 300.00. We have already bid a few jobs from there listings. Should know next we if we got any of them.

denick

Motor,

I don't get a clear picture of what you are doing and I don't know what things are like or how they are done in Tampa FL.


You said driveways and patio's. Are you going to be doing the surfacing of these and the excavation? You have the people?

If your just going to do the excavation and your brain storming and have the time. Ride around and look at what's going on with the equipment you are going to have. Write down what's happening and how. Then get the phone book and in the yellow pages find every heading that you can imagine something that they do could use a machine. Start a list... electricians, plumbers, mason's, concrete, utility companies (phone, electric, cable, etc) Tennis court, pools, landscapers, etc. look at every heading if you can imagine that people in that heading could use your service, be imaginative. then under each one write what it is you think they need. (did you see the post where one of the guys is talking to a playground chain store on a site pad prep deal). write them down. I could go on and on but you need to do some of the work. Then figure out how to approach that target customer.

You need to know what your talking about when you go see them so know waht you can and cannot do for them before you meet.

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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

dayexco

we subscribe to the internet version of our builder's exchange 1100 a yr. but we can view all plans at the exhange on the computer, you can scale, measure area, do counts off of it. we really like it

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

Cat385

Sounds like we are getting a heck of a deal. Actually its only 250 a year. The first year you pay the extra 50 for the sign up. They have evrything listed on line also.

dayexco

for your 250, you can view, download, print.....all of the blueprints, specifications, and bidforms? if you're getting that, you're getting a VERY good buy. i'd like the name of who you are signed up with and their URL. this fee allows us 4 work stations to perform at one time.

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

Cat385

www.nwbrx.com

dayexco

i can't get that link to work

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ctkiteboarding

me either??????

Cat385

try typing it in yahoo search it will come up

dayexco

cat, you had a typo, here's your link

http://www.nwrbx.com/

and that plan service doesn't allow the viewing of blueprints, specs, and legal documents. it only allows you to see plans on file at the exchange.

i subscribe to www.plainsbuilders.com this allows us to view all of the plans they have on file there, plus we can do takeoffs directlyonline. i'm sure that's why there is such a range in the price of the service i'm paying as to what you are. you really need to encourage them to get setup planwise electronically. saves a lot of running back and forth to the exchange to pickup/return plans

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.