6 Tips to Help Contractors Maximize Value

SAN DIEGO - Jan. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- Here are 6 great tips for contractors.  Get a free contractors insurance quote at http://www.mainline-ins.com

Consider fixed-price quotes

Quite often more times than not, customers are price sensitive and shopping for the lowest quotes on their contracting job. Rough estimates are a great way to start, however, it’s important to consider the finalized cost for the job so that you and your customer will have clarity of how much the job will ultimately cost you. For example, if there’s a slight chance that a wall may or may not have to be removed, a cost should be provided to the customer upfront so that there is no confusion.  A little bit more time will have to be spent on research and analysis of the job at hand, but in the long run it’ll help build positive word of mouth marketing and good reputation. Of course, reinforce that cheaper does not always equate to better quality.

Build an itemized list of materials and labor hours

Which then leads me to the point, it will be advantageous for you to construct a list of materials and labor hours needed to complete the job. Not only will this itemized list help build transparency in your work, it’ll also help for better book keeping and aid in keeping track of raw materials and man hours you’ve provided for the job. Of course, it’s highly unlikely that you’re going to estimate using 1,328 bricks during your project but estimating around 1,500 bricks will give you some flexibility to stay within budget should any of your materials become defected or unusable.

Obtain your contractor license

Seems like a no brainer right? Generally, contractors are assumed to have years of experience in their craft which gives them credentials to perform contracting jobs. However, only 27 states require state licensing and regulations vary from each state. California remains one of the more stricter states where up and coming contractors need to have 4 years experience, demonstrate financial solvency and pass various written tests to become licensed. By obtaining your contractor’s license, not only do you instantly become more valuable, you’re also much more marketable and demonstrate high level of trust with your customer. It’s no wonder why in 2006 Better Business Bureau received 1.1 million inquiries from people regarding reliability reports on contractors they were considering on hiring.

Have a trustworthy manager

Perhaps you’re considering taking on a project in addition to your other 5 projects you’re working on simultaneously, so things can get a little hectic. It’s good that you’re in demand, but it’s no excuse to work on a project without a clear deadline provided. By hiring a trustworthy manager, you’ll make sure things are progressing as planned and no customer will feel neglected. Your supervisor should oversee the project from start to end and ensure the project is staying within budget. By having responsibilities and duties dispersed amongst your project manager, you’ll save yourself the headache of angry phone calls from past due customers demanding their project be finished.

Be environmentally friendly

This does not mean to sell your truck and purchase a Prius to haul all your tools and equipment. This does mean however, to be environmentally aware of how you dispose of waste and materials from your project. For example, if you’re replacing tiles containing asbestos, it means those tiles need to be properly disposed. This does not mean the garbage can in the back of your local supermarket. Disposing of waste materials properly will not only save the environment and possibly lives, but also save you the trouble of penalty from the Environmental Protection Agency in the long run.

Are you insured?

You definitely want to be insured in the contractor industry. With numerous tools and equipments that are heavily used on a daily basis, they are prone to damage and wear and tear over time. With equipment insurance, even if one of your most prized power tools fails on you, you will be eligible to have the cost reimbursed to you and the plus side is you will be able to complete your project within time; equating to a happier you, happier customer, and happier business.

Do you have any other tips that you think should be added?  Let us know in the comments!

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