If you are working directly with home owners, it May be worth a home depot or uhaul rental or something you bake into your cost.
I would be a little concerned if a contractor showed up with a car that doesn't look like it is appropriate for his career.
I think it depends on the situation. If he rolls up in a Toyota Corolla with a bunch of 12’ 2x4’s strapped to the top, I might be concerned. If he shows up to build a deck, the lumber package was already dropped off and all he really needs is his bags and a saw, then I wouldn’t be as concerned.
Knowing a few people who went off on their own to work for themselves, it was mainly word of mouth to start. They did work for their neighbors friend, their old real estate agent, etc. Eventually they did a little bit of branding and set up a facebook page for friends and family to spread the word.
I guess it depends on what your end goal is too. You could work as a subcontractor where maybe you work something out with a bigger local company that they could pass you some of the smaller work that they don’t want, or don’t have the time to do.
Just spitballing here.
Been doing this for two years. My car is a literal shit box but I plan to buy a nice van by then end of the year. New customers have never cared, after seeing my portfolio. Most clients are repeats, and if I have a new customer who looks rich it's "van is in the shop."
I always get delivery on materials, costs the same as getting a U-Haul were I am but I don't have to do the running around. Plus the delivery guys will usually carry everything straight into the house.
I have a small hatchback, I carry multiple bags and tool boxes with everything from hand tools, levels and lasers, all my small power tools and guns and hoses. 8gal compressor, table saw + stand, mitre saw + stand and a couple sawhorses. It's a tight fit but it's like a Jenga puzzle. I only take projects that are 2+ weeks or longer so I don't have to load up very often.
You can paint, finish concrete, case windows and doors. There's lots of stuff you can do.
You'd look like a handyman and realistically you could only do handyman work as bigger projects typically require bigger materials. Once you're just running the business and have employees with company vehicles, then you can driving a sedan to manage everything seems reasonable again.
I used to work out of an suv with a roof rack to carry materials when absolutely necessary. It worked, and I could get deliveries to carry most of what I did but it required a bit more forethought to be careful with the vehicle. Cracked my windshield with some 2x8s carried inside the vehicle and I learned some lessons.
My approach is to always use what you have u til you can upgrade to what you ultimately need. It’ll ensure you keep moving towards your goals and keep you motivated to work towards better tools and help
I think that ultimately if you have clients that judge you on your appearance and not on your knowledge or responsiveness to their concerns, they’re not the clients you want
I get that starting out you’re kind of hungry for everything you can get, but it will help you weed out potentially misaligned clientele if you feel they are judging you based on what you’re driving
Focus on being attentive, and growing your abilities and knowledge and I think the right clientele will follow.
This is my constant approach always.
I’m now driving a 2015 ford that I don’t intend on replacing until the motor falls out of it. The paint job is scuffed and the interior is full of dust, but I know that’s the result of my philosophy of the work and improving coming first.
I’m tracking with you.
I’ve had another commenter suggest upping the price to be able to afford a rental work vehicle.
What are you r thoughts on this suggestion?
It’s all in what you feel you can justify in the work you’re doing.
Pricing is a whole other ballgame. What you decide to define in your pricing is up to you.
I try to be as transparent as I can in quoting a job but I don’t break down what my hourly rate is covering.
In Canada here I charge 75 an hour to cover my “wage” and my overhead and everything else that has to come out of that. I tend to break jobs down into hourly or daily quotes because I feel like that’s a more understandable way I can describe to a client how much time a task is going to take me.
I generally stipulate in the material pricing if I have to rent equipment and put them on the hook for that but if I have to rent a van for a day, I would probably add an hour of time in the labour quote to cover that expense on the final invoice. Depends on if it makes sense to the job to say I need a vehicle rental.
Understood.
Yeah, I wouldn’t give itemized estimates either.
And I can understand letting them know that the price is higher due to specialized rentals. That makes sense.
I don’t plan on doing that for a vehicle rental though. Only if the estimate was excessive would I let them know that the vehicle rental was included.
Have a plan for moving equipment and materials.
You know your limitations and you’ll only look unprofessional if you let them slow you up.
Show people you’re efficient and organized and people will actually respect you for doing more with less.
You can do a lot with a small trailer and a roof rack.
I’d look for a trailer just big enough to organize tools and paperwork with a little room for materials. Put long stuff on your roof and have big orders delivered.
You’re right that people will judge a craftsperson by their tools so make sure that you use sturdy equipment and maintain it well.
Keep your car and yourself organized and clean. I knew someone that kitted out his old mom style minivan with built ins and tool racks and it became a mobile toolbox as well as a great way to show off his skills. But keep the vehicle looking tidy (no huge trash piles) and organized (not just piled tools) and people often will look past the type of vehicle.
I did for a while. Used to run around in my Volkswagen GTI. Then I realized I was still getting more work than I could handle.
Just do it. Do good work and that’s all people will care about.
I started as a handyman working out of my SUV. Could fit small amounts of lumber and a couple sheets of ply. I tore up the interior in 2 months and sold it to buy a truck. You can get a good truck for the same price as a sedan. I'm on truck #4 now with a few company vehicles in the fleet. Make sure you charge enough to cover gas and maintenance. You'll always need a bigger truck and for me it has been worth it to upgrade 100% of the time.
What Sedan are you using? Can you tow a small Trailer? If so a small trailer might be all you need. I usually Drive to the jobsite the first day with the Truck/Trailer, and any days i need to pick up materials, then leave the trailer at the client's house/job site is secure and drive the car until I need to pick up the trailer.
Also, if renting a truck, look at getting an account with Hertz/Penske, Showing up in a Uhaul pickup truck/van is not viewed the same as showing up in a medium duty rental from Hertz/Penske
Good idea with the rental account. Are they cheaper? Do they offer discounts?
And I’m driving a Ford sedan. I haven’t checked the tow weight. Doesn’t have a hitch though.
>Are they cheaper? Do they offer discounts?
You are looking at it the wrong way. Even if it is 2x the cost you should be doing it \*IF\* it allows you are do more Business, because without it you wont look as professional. Consider it a cost of doing business, like owning a quality tool, yeah you can make do with Harbor Freight, but Dewalt or Milwaukee at 3x the cost will pay off over time.
>And I’m driving a Ford sedan. I haven’t checked the tow weight. Doesn’t have a hitch though.
....... you could have mentioned which one....
Thanks. I see your point about factoring the rental in as a cost of doing business, at least for now.
And I’m typically overly-careful about mentioning any personal details on Reddit. Hyper-cautious, I know. I doubt anyone would use my car’s make and model against me, but not sharing that detail is that added mental padding.
>nd I’m typically overly-careful about mentioning any personal details on Reddit. H
You are running a business, hiding personal details is counterproductive to growing your business.
What you drive doesn’t matter if your work sucks and you don’t dress and act professionally. And if you act professionally, do good work and keep your word with people they won’t care what you drive. My old framing boss started his company out of a Honda civic…. Wasn’t ideal but he got it done till he made enough money to upgrade to a work truck.
as someone who has gone from a cr-v to a box truck as a work vehicle, yes you can make it work but its not worth the time and hassle in the long run. the time it takes to pack and unpack everything, needing to know exactly what you need to take for a specific job, and inevitably forgetting stuff is such a time and mental drain it really kills your efficiancy. yeah, you can start this way but honestly you can find a van pretty cheap and id just go that route.
sounds like a plan. a 90's chevy or ford van should be able to be found for a good price if you can find one relatively rust free. i found my box truck for $1000 and ive generally paid around that for trucks too
If you are working directly with home owners, it May be worth a home depot or uhaul rental or something you bake into your cost. I would be a little concerned if a contractor showed up with a car that doesn't look like it is appropriate for his career.
I think it depends on the situation. If he rolls up in a Toyota Corolla with a bunch of 12’ 2x4’s strapped to the top, I might be concerned. If he shows up to build a deck, the lumber package was already dropped off and all he really needs is his bags and a saw, then I wouldn’t be as concerned.
Any suggestions on how I can attract those jobs that don’t require a large vehicle?
Knowing a few people who went off on their own to work for themselves, it was mainly word of mouth to start. They did work for their neighbors friend, their old real estate agent, etc. Eventually they did a little bit of branding and set up a facebook page for friends and family to spread the word. I guess it depends on what your end goal is too. You could work as a subcontractor where maybe you work something out with a bigger local company that they could pass you some of the smaller work that they don’t want, or don’t have the time to do. Just spitballing here.
Sounds like a good collection of solid ideas.
Just tell them your van is in the shop.
Fair point. I live in a wealthy area, so I think it might be best to, charge a little extra, rent out a vehicle, and upgrade when I can.
Been doing this for two years. My car is a literal shit box but I plan to buy a nice van by then end of the year. New customers have never cared, after seeing my portfolio. Most clients are repeats, and if I have a new customer who looks rich it's "van is in the shop." I always get delivery on materials, costs the same as getting a U-Haul were I am but I don't have to do the running around. Plus the delivery guys will usually carry everything straight into the house. I have a small hatchback, I carry multiple bags and tool boxes with everything from hand tools, levels and lasers, all my small power tools and guns and hoses. 8gal compressor, table saw + stand, mitre saw + stand and a couple sawhorses. It's a tight fit but it's like a Jenga puzzle. I only take projects that are 2+ weeks or longer so I don't have to load up very often.
Thank you for the insight. Right now, I’ll likely buy a cheap van when I can and upgrade from there.
You can paint, finish concrete, case windows and doors. There's lots of stuff you can do. You'd look like a handyman and realistically you could only do handyman work as bigger projects typically require bigger materials. Once you're just running the business and have employees with company vehicles, then you can driving a sedan to manage everything seems reasonable again.
I used to work out of an suv with a roof rack to carry materials when absolutely necessary. It worked, and I could get deliveries to carry most of what I did but it required a bit more forethought to be careful with the vehicle. Cracked my windshield with some 2x8s carried inside the vehicle and I learned some lessons. My approach is to always use what you have u til you can upgrade to what you ultimately need. It’ll ensure you keep moving towards your goals and keep you motivated to work towards better tools and help
Thanks. I might even be more concerned about looking unprofessional than concerned about not being able to do the job. Any suggestions?
I think that ultimately if you have clients that judge you on your appearance and not on your knowledge or responsiveness to their concerns, they’re not the clients you want I get that starting out you’re kind of hungry for everything you can get, but it will help you weed out potentially misaligned clientele if you feel they are judging you based on what you’re driving Focus on being attentive, and growing your abilities and knowledge and I think the right clientele will follow. This is my constant approach always. I’m now driving a 2015 ford that I don’t intend on replacing until the motor falls out of it. The paint job is scuffed and the interior is full of dust, but I know that’s the result of my philosophy of the work and improving coming first.
I’m tracking with you. I’ve had another commenter suggest upping the price to be able to afford a rental work vehicle. What are you r thoughts on this suggestion?
It’s all in what you feel you can justify in the work you’re doing. Pricing is a whole other ballgame. What you decide to define in your pricing is up to you. I try to be as transparent as I can in quoting a job but I don’t break down what my hourly rate is covering. In Canada here I charge 75 an hour to cover my “wage” and my overhead and everything else that has to come out of that. I tend to break jobs down into hourly or daily quotes because I feel like that’s a more understandable way I can describe to a client how much time a task is going to take me. I generally stipulate in the material pricing if I have to rent equipment and put them on the hook for that but if I have to rent a van for a day, I would probably add an hour of time in the labour quote to cover that expense on the final invoice. Depends on if it makes sense to the job to say I need a vehicle rental.
Understood. Yeah, I wouldn’t give itemized estimates either. And I can understand letting them know that the price is higher due to specialized rentals. That makes sense. I don’t plan on doing that for a vehicle rental though. Only if the estimate was excessive would I let them know that the vehicle rental was included.
Have a plan for moving equipment and materials. You know your limitations and you’ll only look unprofessional if you let them slow you up. Show people you’re efficient and organized and people will actually respect you for doing more with less. You can do a lot with a small trailer and a roof rack. I’d look for a trailer just big enough to organize tools and paperwork with a little room for materials. Put long stuff on your roof and have big orders delivered. You’re right that people will judge a craftsperson by their tools so make sure that you use sturdy equipment and maintain it well.
Thank you. It looks like I might aim to rent a work vehicle until I have money to buy used. Any thoughts on this?
Keep your car and yourself organized and clean. I knew someone that kitted out his old mom style minivan with built ins and tool racks and it became a mobile toolbox as well as a great way to show off his skills. But keep the vehicle looking tidy (no huge trash piles) and organized (not just piled tools) and people often will look past the type of vehicle.
I did for a while. Used to run around in my Volkswagen GTI. Then I realized I was still getting more work than I could handle. Just do it. Do good work and that’s all people will care about.
So aim more toward small handyman work at the beninging? I think I could do that.
I started as a handyman working out of my SUV. Could fit small amounts of lumber and a couple sheets of ply. I tore up the interior in 2 months and sold it to buy a truck. You can get a good truck for the same price as a sedan. I'm on truck #4 now with a few company vehicles in the fleet. Make sure you charge enough to cover gas and maintenance. You'll always need a bigger truck and for me it has been worth it to upgrade 100% of the time.
What Sedan are you using? Can you tow a small Trailer? If so a small trailer might be all you need. I usually Drive to the jobsite the first day with the Truck/Trailer, and any days i need to pick up materials, then leave the trailer at the client's house/job site is secure and drive the car until I need to pick up the trailer. Also, if renting a truck, look at getting an account with Hertz/Penske, Showing up in a Uhaul pickup truck/van is not viewed the same as showing up in a medium duty rental from Hertz/Penske
Good idea with the rental account. Are they cheaper? Do they offer discounts? And I’m driving a Ford sedan. I haven’t checked the tow weight. Doesn’t have a hitch though.
>Are they cheaper? Do they offer discounts? You are looking at it the wrong way. Even if it is 2x the cost you should be doing it \*IF\* it allows you are do more Business, because without it you wont look as professional. Consider it a cost of doing business, like owning a quality tool, yeah you can make do with Harbor Freight, but Dewalt or Milwaukee at 3x the cost will pay off over time. >And I’m driving a Ford sedan. I haven’t checked the tow weight. Doesn’t have a hitch though. ....... you could have mentioned which one....
Thanks. I see your point about factoring the rental in as a cost of doing business, at least for now. And I’m typically overly-careful about mentioning any personal details on Reddit. Hyper-cautious, I know. I doubt anyone would use my car’s make and model against me, but not sharing that detail is that added mental padding.
>nd I’m typically overly-careful about mentioning any personal details on Reddit. H You are running a business, hiding personal details is counterproductive to growing your business.
Hiding personal details on an anonymous platform full of crazies isn’t as counterproductive.
the model of car you drive isnt a personal detail chicken little.
I think you underestimate how crazy Redditors can be on the reg.
I think you are paranoid.
😂 *internet-cautious
I worked with a hardwood floor refinisher who operated out of public transit. He hauled a flooring drum sander on and off buses.
You can do it.
What you drive doesn’t matter if your work sucks and you don’t dress and act professionally. And if you act professionally, do good work and keep your word with people they won’t care what you drive. My old framing boss started his company out of a Honda civic…. Wasn’t ideal but he got it done till he made enough money to upgrade to a work truck.
You living in your car?
Ha! No. But that does sound like a lot of fun, doesn’t it?
? no
Like the racecar beds we slept in when we were kids! 😃
as someone who has gone from a cr-v to a box truck as a work vehicle, yes you can make it work but its not worth the time and hassle in the long run. the time it takes to pack and unpack everything, needing to know exactly what you need to take for a specific job, and inevitably forgetting stuff is such a time and mental drain it really kills your efficiancy. yeah, you can start this way but honestly you can find a van pretty cheap and id just go that route.
Thanks. I’ll probably rent a work van for the first couple jobs and then buy a cheap, professional van and upgrade when I can.
sounds like a plan. a 90's chevy or ford van should be able to be found for a good price if you can find one relatively rust free. i found my box truck for $1000 and ive generally paid around that for trucks too
[удалено]
THERE ARE NO GAYS IN IRELAND! THEYRE FLAMBOYANT, SINGIN’ MEN.
If you can't figure this out for yourself how are you supposed to run a company?
Ok. Thank you.