A builders job is to construct or repair houses and other buildings. Here, I’ll be giving tips for a first-time builder to find their way in bricks, timber, mortar, and steel. However, I will also advise that even after reading these tips if you don’t feel as though you’d be confident and successful in building entirely by yourself, get a company to help.
You can get a steel building priced up easily online. One place you can do this is Armstrong Steel who are America’s number one preferred Steel Building Systems provider and have connected with over 1 million online customers. For expert help from their specialists and ensured fast turnarounds, it would be beneficial to invest in online professionals to help. However, if you’re confident in getting the job done yourself, here are 10 tips that you need to follow.
- GET LICENSED
Unleash the power of a state license and get one for yourself. It works both ways for builders by protecting their clients as well as enhancing their marketability. Today, property owners are shrewder than ever and the best ones do not want to save funds by working with unlicensed workers. They know that such builders may disappear in the middle of a project or do a below average job which could result in safety hazards. You can find more information about what licence you need here.
- GET CERTIFIED
The subsequent need after getting a license is getting certifications to rise above the crowd of builders. A client would naturally take a builder more seriously upon seeing his or her accreditations. These days, a steel building certified general contractor is more valuable than the rest due to its ever-increasing popularity.
- MANAGE THE CASH FLOWS
A majority of small builders go out of the game in the first few years due to problematic cash flows. A first-time builder could do the following to avoid clogged cash flows:
- Ask customers for deposits up front.
- Request your creditors for stretched repayment terms.
- Converting receivables to cash.
- GET THE RIGHT BUSINESS TOOLS
A cursory online search would reveal the leading business tools for general contractors. To be successful, you need to be efficient with the business tools that are relevant to your scope of work. Also, learn the software to optimise your operations from design to billing, accounting and design.
- GET SERIOUS ABOUT ONLINE MARKETING
Word of mouth and personal referrals are still relevant, but today it is all about your online presence. The significance of showing up on top or on at least the first page when prospects are searching for your services is paramount. Therefore, even if you are a freelance builder there are many authentic platforms to get yourself registered and then progress through the ranks as you gain credibility through your work.
Moreover, it is admissible to be regular on social media by frequently tweeting or posting updates and announcements related to your industry and your own expertise.
- DEFINE YOUR UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION
A builder should know that his or her competitors are also licensed, certified and using the best software available. Therefore, to distinguish themselves they need to define their unique selling proposition. It could be their skills, attention to details or an eye for design which will make them exclusive.
- ALWAYS START WITH A CONTRACT
An essential tip to have a successful career as a builder is to always start a working relationship with a contract. It shall define the cost, quality of items being installed, approximate start and finish dates, and written specifications regarding the intended design. A good contractor never leaves anything to guess work by detailing every aspect in the mutually signed contract.
- IMPROVE YOUR INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE
It is not a hidden secret that keeping a close eye on the happenings of the construction industry is always beneficial. Today, about 3 million construction jobs account for 10% of the total UK employment. Moreover, it is an annual £110 billion industry and contributes 7% of the GDP. Moreover, approximately 1/4th of the construction is in the public sector while the rest of the 3/4th is in the private sector.
- IT IS NOT ONE JOB
To consider construction just one job is a dangerous over simplification. It is a blend of several jobs. When a building project is going on, you see lots of different people such as carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers, scaffolders, and tilers doing specific orderly tasks. Every individual’s output or the lack of it is the responsibility of the contractor.
- DEFINE YOUR AREA
It is admissible to mark the communities you have local knowledge about in your work resume once you get more experience as a builder. This is because a general contractor sees as many buildings as a realtor and therefore is better placed to offer insights about its different aspects to the clients.