muddstopper
Veteran Member
I will echo some of the other comments about contracts and insurance. First have a contact that says what you will be doing and how much it pays, whether by the hour or set price. It doesnt matter who hires you, it seems they think that since you are on the site anyways, it wont hurt to get you to dig one more hole to plant one more tree, but they dont expect to pay you extra for the extra work. A rock Clause is your friend. It could mean the difference in you starting a hole and not being able to complete so you dont get paid, or you start a hole you cant complete because of rock, but you still get paid.
Having insurance, including workerscomp is always a plus when dealing with other contractors. It means they dont have to furnish it for you and reduces their liability, as well as their cost of doing business. It also lowers a homeowners liability if you or one of you workers get hurt on their property. As a homeowner, it is their responsibility to make sure you are insured and they are liable for you if you get hurt, your having workers comp lowers their liability. Most homeowners dont realize that if they hire you and you get hurt, they are responsible for you. They think if they are paying you to do a job, they are not responsible, not true.
One of the best and fastest ways I found to advertise and build a buisness requires little money. Go to your local builders inspector office and ask for a list of all their licensed contractors. Get a list of all the area realitors. Make a brochure of some of your work and mail it to everybody on those list. Include a buisness card with the Brochure. People tend to forget about and throw away brochures as soon as they look at them, but business'es will keep the business card as a possible future contact. Next time they need a contractor, they will search those business cards and you name will be there. Best thing about Realitors and other contractors, those are the folks that tend to have repeat business. Homeowner advertisement and advertiseing to the masses is expensive, tends to be a one time jobs, and those are the people hardest to please. Target advertiseing took us from $40,000 a year to $250,000 in one season. That will pay for a lot of stamps.
One other thing to consider, Get a Dunns number. this will put on a nationwide list available to other contractors. That way if some out of state company gets a contract on a big project, they can look at the Dunns list of contractors in that area and see your name. Large companies like to hire as much local as they can, it cuts down on the expenses of having to move in their own people and equipment. I have had all kinds of calls from companies from all over the US asking me to bid as a sub on everything from Walmart Stores, to power substations, some local and some not so close. You do have to be a legitimat business to get on the Dunns list, but if you want to grow your business, you need to be there.
Having insurance, including workerscomp is always a plus when dealing with other contractors. It means they dont have to furnish it for you and reduces their liability, as well as their cost of doing business. It also lowers a homeowners liability if you or one of you workers get hurt on their property. As a homeowner, it is their responsibility to make sure you are insured and they are liable for you if you get hurt, your having workers comp lowers their liability. Most homeowners dont realize that if they hire you and you get hurt, they are responsible for you. They think if they are paying you to do a job, they are not responsible, not true.
One of the best and fastest ways I found to advertise and build a buisness requires little money. Go to your local builders inspector office and ask for a list of all their licensed contractors. Get a list of all the area realitors. Make a brochure of some of your work and mail it to everybody on those list. Include a buisness card with the Brochure. People tend to forget about and throw away brochures as soon as they look at them, but business'es will keep the business card as a possible future contact. Next time they need a contractor, they will search those business cards and you name will be there. Best thing about Realitors and other contractors, those are the folks that tend to have repeat business. Homeowner advertisement and advertiseing to the masses is expensive, tends to be a one time jobs, and those are the people hardest to please. Target advertiseing took us from $40,000 a year to $250,000 in one season. That will pay for a lot of stamps.
One other thing to consider, Get a Dunns number. this will put on a nationwide list available to other contractors. That way if some out of state company gets a contract on a big project, they can look at the Dunns list of contractors in that area and see your name. Large companies like to hire as much local as they can, it cuts down on the expenses of having to move in their own people and equipment. I have had all kinds of calls from companies from all over the US asking me to bid as a sub on everything from Walmart Stores, to power substations, some local and some not so close. You do have to be a legitimat business to get on the Dunns list, but if you want to grow your business, you need to be there.
