Starting a Tractor, Sand & Gravel, Road Repair, Brush Clearing Business

[plowhog]

Kevans advice is terrific. +1

 

[kermitismydaddy]

Thank you Kevan,

That is almost exactly what I have done as well... started off doing odd jobs for folks at church last year. I have insurance and bonding and am in the process of getting my landscape contractor's license and class-A driver's license.

I get what you are saying about controlling expenses but I need equipment to do the work or else I will be pushing a weed eater and someone else will be getting $65 an hour to mow and fix roads.

My old website, if you are interested, is haulinghandyman.com and my new one is about to launch and is zap haul com created by the great design team at Bloqe.com

Warmly,
Ben

While not directly on point, I have a friend that started a business more or less in the same way you are thinking of. In his case he was retired, had lots of tools so he was constantly doing small jobs for friends and relatives and was a little bored. So he started with a simple local ad in the Calgary newspaper; "Handyman, small repairs and renovations, Call xxx xxxx" That was it . While waiting to see what happened he got himself insured and bonded. Gradually the calls began to come in. Small jobs at first but almost entirely by word of mouth he soon had all he could handle. As time passed and his reputation spread he ended up with 5 trucks on the road and about 15 to 20 people he could call on for whatever the job required. So if he were advising you I think he'd say: Start small, control your overhead,get insurance and get bonded, use everything you have on hand before investing in new equipment and be patient. If you do good work and you customers are happy, word will spread.
I hope this is of some help.
Kevan

 

[RichM752]

Hi ya Ben, I'm interested in working along the same lines as what you are doing. Just fitting out a new L47 as we speak. I have a 14' Pj dump trailer and a few workers, when and if I need them. I'd like to concentrate on construction/land cleanup, fire prevention clearing, brush removal, dump runs, etc...I'd like to talk to you regarding the insurance /bonding . PM me if you have a little time to spare, and hopefully I can pick your brain an bit to help myself get started on an even keel. I retired last year and have time on my hands. I like your plan and work philosophy. I'm north of you in Mount Shasta. Cal Fire requires homeowners to stay current on defensible space surrounding homes. I believe anyone that can afford it, paying for a few hours of tractor work is well worth the result. And I like the idea of helping some folks who can not afford the full amount. Good luck with your adventure.
Rich

 

[Orange Convertible]

Hi Ben

I did have a look at your website. VERY impressive. You did a fine job on it and, from the testimonials on your site you should have no problem expanding your enterprise. Now the trick will be to find the niche where you are the "go to" guy for the kinds of work you want to do. Based on your track record, my moneys on you.

Good Luck
Kevan

 

[kermitismydaddy]

Hi Rich,

I am happy to discuss my limited experience with you. I live in an extreme fire danger zone, so, like you, I will expect to be doing a fair amount of "defensible space" work.

Warmly,

Ben

Hi ya Ben, I'm interested in working along the same lines as what you are doing. Just fitting out a new L47 as we speak. I have a 14' Pj dump trailer and a few workers, when and if I need them. I'd like to concentrate on construction/land cleanup, fire prevention clearing, brush removal, dump runs, etc...I'd like to talk to you regarding the insurance /bonding . PM me if you have a little time to spare, and hopefully I can pick your brain an bit to help myself get started on an even keel. I retired last year and have time on my hands. I like your plan and work philosophy. I'm north of you in Mount Shasta. Cal Fire requires homeowners to stay current on defensible space surrounding homes. I believe anyone that can afford it, paying for a few hours of tractor work is well worth the result. And I like the idea of helping some folks who can not afford the full amount. Good luck with your adventure.
Rich

 

[RichM752]

Thanks Ben. I sent you a PM.
Rich

 

[kthompson]

Some things work in all businesses and some of those have already been pointed out and if I repeat sorry.

Something I like is good signage on your equipment. Easy to read. If you can get or have a simple phone number that helps. Take your current number and see if it spells anything that would tie to your business. A new handy man or is new to me I have noticed in the last few days here business name is; "call the man". Catchy name but not sure the phone number was. Good to the houses or business around where you will be working once you get the job (you may line up other work while in the area, explain the type of work you do and where you will be working and give them ONE business card. You had them a hand full and they trash them, I know. The simple push down yard signs, with business name and phone number and if you can place where you will be doing the work a couple of days in advance and if they will allow it to remain a couple of days after do so. The signs must be easy to read. They are not expensive and it will help anyone who may need to make a delivery to the job site locate it also. You may wish to develop some sort or reward for those who send you business. If so keep it reasonable I would say under $50 to begin with for you can always raise it but hard to lower. Ask for them when you get the job done and ask can you use their name when you call them. Do not think people who have hired you will remember all you do. They will not or many will not. I find that in my business too often. On business cards people like refrigerator magnets, look for ones in a design that relates to your business and price shop them heavy.

 

[kermitismydaddy]

Awesome Advice K!

You might have been a marketing consultant in an previous career? I will take this all to heart. Much thanks, Ben

Some things work in all businesses and some of those have already been pointed out and if I repeat sorry.

Something I like is good signage on your equipment. Easy to read. If you can get or have a simple phone number that helps. Take your current number and see if it spells anything that would tie to your business. A new handy man or is new to me I have noticed in the last few days here business name is; "call the man". Catchy name but not sure the phone number was. Good to the houses or business around where you will be working once you get the job (you may line up other work while in the area, explain the type of work you do and where you will be working and give them ONE business card. You had them a hand full and they trash them, I know. The simple push down yard signs, with business name and phone number and if you can place where you will be doing the work a couple of days in advance and if they will allow it to remain a couple of days after do so. The signs must be easy to read. They are not expensive and it will help anyone who may need to make a delivery to the job site locate it also. You may wish to develop some sort or reward for those who send you business. If so keep it reasonable I would say under $50 to begin with for you can always raise it but hard to lower. Ask for them when you get the job done and ask can you use their name when you call them. Do not think people who have hired you will remember all you do. They will not or many will not. I find that in my business too often. On business cards people like refrigerator magnets, look for ones in a design that relates to your business and price shop them heavy.

 

[Cat_Driver]

If it was me I would get a skid steer. I got so much more work out of a skidsteer than I ever got out of a tractor.
Unless you're plowing fields a skid steer does so much more. I can sit in the cab and switch from attachment to attachment and never leave the seat. I could put on a trencher attachment and do several hundred feet of trench in hours, rather than days with a backhoe. Put on the grappler and it was a monster, spinning around on a dime in tight areas. I watched a guy did a pool out with a skidsteer.

It is the Victorinox of tractors for all around versatility and untility

 

[Fallon]

If it was me I would get a skid steer. I got so much more work out of a skidsteer than I ever got out of a tractor.
Unless you're plowing fields a skid steer does so much more. I can sit in the cab and switch from attachment to attachment and never leave the seat. I could put on a trencher attachment and do several hundred feet of trench in hours, rather than days with a backhoe. Put on the grappler and it was a monster, spinning around on a dime in tight areas. I watched a guy did a pool out with a skidsteer.

It is the Victorinox of tractors for all around versatility and untility

I'm in the process of spinning up my side gig doing tractor stuff as well. Had to turn down a couple gigs recently & forward them to a friend with a skid steer. They were just to tight for my tractor. Mowing is my bread & butter, followed by some driveway maintenance & stall mucking & manure moving. So a tractor makes sense for me Especially for the mowing & fact I often road up to 30 minutes around the neighborhood (faster than loading & unloading).

Be careful on the digging & trenching. Insurance for digging is expensive. I just went with a landscaping type policy & can't do any more digging than post holes or a sprinkler system, no burying power or water for me at this time. Annoying as I bought a 3pt trencher for a few personal projects & can't use it for the business (although I knew that when I got it).

As this is my side gig ( Noel Tractor Services llc – Doing tractor work in the Parker Elizabeth CO area ) I just focus on smaller jobs that are close so I can easily bust them out in an evening or on the weekend. My initial work came from Nextdoor: Join the free private social network for your neighborhood (kind of like a neighborhood Facebook) & word or mouth. Enough that I ended up going legit, registering the business & getting the right insurance. I can't speak to any other advertising as I haven't put up any signage yet this year or done any advertising at all other than putting up the website. Been a slow winter with no snow worth plowing yet.