[NewContractor41]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here and just wondering what is your most profitable type of work for your trade?

If you can, please be specific, meaning instead of saying just "roofing", maybe include the specific type of work.

I'm asking because I am the new marketing manager for a small/medium sized remodeling contractor. The owner is also looking into partnering/expanding into other trades as well, so I'm interested in whatever info I can be provided.

Frankly, I've been in sales for years, but not in this business, so I'm looking for all of the "independent" information I can get, not just what I'm being told here.

Thanks everyone in advance for any help you can be,

Mike

 

[huggytree]

I make the most on bathroom gut/remodels in high end OLD neighborhoods (1900-1920s')

they are difficult and ive done so many I know what im getting into ahead of time...I can bid pretty high because of the quality desired and the difficulty(which after years of doing them isn't that difficult anymore)

i can often complete them in 1 day (im a plumber)...id be rich if i could get 3-4 a week


my worst profit is from 1 hour service calls...no matter what i do or charge i don't make much and the call back rate can be very high at times....if you touch 1 thing if often effects other things down the line depending on how junky their plumbing is.

 

[tedanderson]

I make most of my money from upgrading and improving projects that have already been completed.

Like if Nerd Squad from the Big Blue Box store installs an entire home theater system by stapling the wires down the baseboard. I made good money from hiding all of those wires. Or if I am getting rid of the old system and installing a new system, most times every piece of equipment is going exactly where the old equipment was.

So in both of these scenarios I am charging the same price for installation work without the time, effort, and headaches that go along with figuring out the best strategy to do the work. Someone else has already done the thinking before I got there.

 

[mako1]

"Contractor ", maybe include the specific type of work.
Whatever I can make a living at these days and still put my name on.

 

[Roofcheck]

Small to medium size jobs. I've done $40,000 roofs that take 3-4 weeks and you need eight to ten guys to open up large roofs. I can make much more money on $8,000-$12,000 medium roofs with 4-5 guys in the same amount of time.

Want to grow a business? Do more money making jobs not the big glorious ones that look great on your website (like the one below).

 

[mstrat]

Anything that can take a week or less

 

[mstrat]

Small to medium size jobs. I've done $40,000 roofs that take 3-4 weeks and you need eight to ten guys to open up large roofs. I can make much more money on $8,000-$12,000 medium roofs with 4-5 guys in the same amount of time.

Want to grow a business? Do more money making jobs not the big glorious ones that look great on your website (like the one below).

Completely agree...I'd rather build 10 homes under 2000 ft2 than one 20,000 ft2 home...but that's just me.

 

[Warren]

We tend to do well on large insurance jobs. Major structural damage to homes that are 40 years old are less are about the best. I prefer the "tree fell on house" vs the major fire jobs.

 

[charimon]

400-500 sf basement tile jobs with 18"x18"

 

[Splinter]

5x8 Bathroom remodels. Damn near every house on Long Island has a 5x8 bathroom in it.

 

[Driftweed]

"white-out" with existing flooring to be trashed. Blow n go! Avg $350/hr when we get em. Wish thats all I had to paint sometimes.

 

[Jay hole]

Any job that I bid really well, and I get my overhead and profit right. And it gets done ahead of schedule, with no problems and no call backs. And the client pays on time with no bickering.

 

[Metro M & L]

Free work for churches. Im going to mormon, catholic and baptist heavens with a grip of muslim virgins to plow my elysian fields. You cant take it with you; thats why I work for free for mutually exclusive godheads. Gotta cover your bets.

 

[jlsconstruction]

300 to 500 sqf decks and re roofs 20 to 30 sq But what I enjoy is I complete different monster

 

[ranteso]

Sellling Kool-Aid on the sidewalk back in 1967, I'll never see profit like that again. No rental fee for the table, chair, and free Kool-Aid, cups and ice from Mom.

 

[Inner10]

I make most of my money from upgrading and improving projects that have already been completed.

Like if Nerd Squad from the Big Blue Box store installs an entire home theater system by stapling the wires down the baseboard. I made good money from hiding all of those wires. Or if I am getting rid of the old system and installing a new system, most times every piece of equipment is going exactly where the old equipment was.

So in both of these scenarios I am charging the same price for installation work without the time, effort, and headaches that go along with figuring out the best strategy to do the work. Someone else has already done the thinking before I got there.

Those are the worst because you don't make up anything on materials...they are just labour and accessories.

The most profitable for me are large integrated projects where I'm supplying automation, hvac, lighting, sound, intercom, network etc.

The best jobs for cash flow are installing multi-room audio in finished homes.

 

[ranteso]

In all seriousness I believe the OP's boss has not a clue. I've worked many trades, been in business a long time and I know what makes money and why. I don't need to hire a "Marketing Manager" to tell me what I already know.

Expanding to what? "partnering/expanding into other trades as well" not going to happen.
A carpenter contractor is not going to partner up with an electrician, plumber, security system, vacuum systems, etc..
they don't need you , they do fine by themselves. Hire them out and mark them up, easy, nothing to learn and all you do is cash a check.

 

[SectorSecurity]

What does it matter? The reason I say that is because what is profitable for me probably isn't going to be profitable for you/your company.

You should know what brings in the big dollars.

 

[TNTRenovate]

5x8 Bathroom remodels. Damn near every house on Long Island has a 5x8 bathroom in it.

Same here. I love me some 5x8 bathroom renos. Most I can be in and out in a week. We have them down so much so that we could do them on auto pilot...come to think about it, I think that last few that we did were on auto pilot. :thumbsup:

 

[TNTRenovate]

Any job that I bid really well, and I get my overhead and profit right. And it gets done ahead of schedule, with no problems and no call backs. And the client pays on time with no bickering.

So your saying it's never happened. :no::laughing: