A Few Reasons

Many homeowners have had bad experiences with contractors using subs
I spent 6 months being a 'fixer' for a company that used subs
Granted, I only showed up at the ones with complaints, but that gave me plenty of face time with HOs that will never do business with a contractor who subs out work again

Many of the complaints had to do with communication (lack of) in some way or another, with the subs and/or the contractor
There was the customer contract stating one thing, and the subs contract stating another
You can imagine how frustrating it would be to have your (as an HO) contract state 'doors' and the subs saying 'no doors'
The HO doesn't care what the sub's contract says, he hired XXXco, these guys are working for XXXco, why are not they doing what the contract says?
It's not on their (the subs) contract is not a sufficient answer for them
Then there was just plain crappy (in some cases super crappy) workmanship, with the subs not caring, and leaving the contractor to now try and make it right (or not)
It may have ended up OK, but it was not a pleasant journey

Admittedly, these few examples are from a sales oriented company (with little or no follow through) rather than a customer focused company with good subs and systems in place
But perhaps you could see why these HOs who were 'burned' spread the anti-sub word around the office and cook-outs

 

Since I'm a sub, I notice how some of the more seasoned GC's refer to me and introduce me to the customer when I arrive to do my work. The older, wiser GC's seem to calls subs "specialist contractors". That might be a good phrase to put in your selling toolkit. Everytime you're tempted to use the term "sub", instead use the term "specialist contractor". "We're going to be bringing in our tile specialist for the bathroom floor", for instance.

If you go to your family doctor with trouble catching your breath, would you rather he sent you to a "heart sub" or a "heart specialist"?

 

Since I'm a sub, I notice how some of the more seasoned GC's refer to me and introduce me to the customer when I arrive to do my work. The older, wiser GC's seem to calls subs "specialist contractors". That might be a good phrase to put in your selling toolkit. Everytime you're tempted to use the term "sub", instead use the term "specialist contractor". "We're going to be bringing in our tile specialist for the bathroom floor", for instance.

I agree with slickshift and MD, I never refer to or introduce a subcontractor as a "sub" or "sub-contractor", I always introduce them as "my electrician" or "my electrical contractor" or "my flooring contractor".

Usually I introduce them by name such as "This is Kevin, he is my electrician". and tell them we have been working together for X number of years. I am always at the job the first time any sub is there so I can introduce them to the proper people (homeowners, supervisors, etc.,) unless they had previously met during the planning/bidding phase on larger jobs. I always want the client to feel at ease with anyone I bring on the jobsite.

 

This is, IMO , a perfectly valid marketing strategy. When I decide to stop subbing and exclusively serve clients that I only select it will be my main one. It is especially useful for a low volume /high margin operation that I wish to have.

I will point out to prospective clients. that an all sub operation implies lack of commitment to quality, and to the most important asset that a company can have, which are loyal and well trained employees.


Mark

 

Mdshunk said:The older, wiser GC's seem to calls subs "specialist contractors".

My GC uses the word "team" in his radio spots. To his credit. he actually means it.

Mark

 

Second Look performs the majority of the work on your project and relies on a select few licensed, trusted professionals to handle the critical electrical and plumbing work. You can rest assured that your remodeling project will be done according to current building codes, and to the satisfaction of your local building inspectors.

 

One man's trash is another man's treasure. What one customer views as a value not not be viewed as a value by another.

Brian Phillips

 

I think slickshift summed it up pretty well.

I will add my .02 cents to this as well.

It's important to sell yourself as a whole and the subs are part of your network that keep your jobs going smoothly. Its all about managing and communicating with your subs and things should be fine. We sub out the sheetrock, tile and hardwood flooring and every job goes without a major problem. I consider my subs my "team" and we all get along very well and know exactly what needs to be done accordingly!

If you cant verbally communicate things well with your subs...write a realistic punch list so they arent doing things twice or out of sequence.....or the wrong way.

 

This has been on my mind for awhile. It seems like you can turn anything in to a postive selling point. Seems like alot of my compeititors brag about "not using any sub contractors." However, if you use subs you could easily spin it to explain to the customer how it is to their benifit.

Welcome to sales 101. Combining enough sales experience with shutting up and asking questions allows a professional to turn any competitors benefits into liabilities and vice versa. Long ago in either a Tom Hopkins or maybe a Brian Tracy seminar the excercise was exactly to do that.