Business Overview:

Starting a construction site cleanup business is a great way to be part of the real estate world without the stress of buying and selling properties. Each time a home or other building is built, there is a huge mess that needs to be cleaned up. Paint gets splattered all over, stickers need to be removed from new windows and sawdust coats nearly every surface. Any leftover debris will need to be hauled away and the bathrooms and kitchens all need to be left sparkling. Contractors simply don’t want to bother with these cleanup duties which is why a cleanup business can really clean up in the construction industry. Before you get started, it’s crucial that you purchase a business license and insurance. You must be covered financially if there is any damage done to a home while you are cleaning it. Next you’ll need various cleaning supplies including cleaning agents as well as supplies like brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners, etc. You’ll also need some heavy duty ladders and a large truck to haul away trash. You have a couple of options when it comes to a cleaning crew for your business. You may choose to start out small and do all the work yourself but soon you’ll need to hire additional workers to handle the demand of simultaneous jobs. Be sure to interview these workers carefully, check references and even conduct background checks to ensure your workers are trained and trustworthy. The final thing you’ll need to make this business idea a success is, of course, customers. Advertise your services at local construction trade shows and spread the word among realtors in your area that your new business is ready to take on clients.

A Day in the Life of a Construction Site Cleanup Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any appointments you have scheduled. You or your cleaning crew will head to the job site and perform cleaning tasks. If your crew does all the work or you have no appointments that day, you will concentrate your efforts on marketing your business in your area.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be realtors, contractors and subcontractors in need of high quality construction site cleanup services.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing materials
• Business license
• Liability insurance
• Cleaning crew (optional)
• Cleaning supplies
• Ladders
• Truck
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• As long as new buildings are being built, there will be high demand for construction site cleaning services.
• The start-up investment is relatively low.
• You can hire workers to do the cleaning for you.
• You are likely to get repeat business from contractors and realtors if you do quality work.

The Bad:

• The work is labor intensive.
• It can take some time to build your client base.

Resources:

• International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association
• International Sanitary Supply Association
• Wikipedia on Construction

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Business Overview:

If you want to offer an in-demand service and own your own business, you should consider learning how to become a safety consultant. Construction projects can be dangerous, and it’s important to have correct safety measures in place to protect construction workers while they are on-site. This is what your construction consulting business will aim to ensure. With this business idea, you consult with construction companies, in exchange for a fee, on how to meet safety and protection standards during their construction projects. This is an important, in-demand and profitable service to offer as construction companies are legally required to take safety consulting in the USA and most countries. As part of your service you’ll consult your construction clients on health and safety procedures such as on-the-job safety, and issues regarding things like disasters and epidemics and how to prepare and respond to such emergencies. You will also inspect their safety policies and give feedback on how to improve the work environment as well as emergency procedures. In order to run this business, you’ll need training related to the construction industry on health and safety laws and practices. Once you have the required skills, you can start this business relatively quickly and inexpensively. You can start and run your consulting business from the comfort of your own home, although you will of course be required to travel frequently to inspect your clients’ construction sites. Given the high demand for construction safety consultants as a result of existing legal requirements, you can certainly expect to see some great profits with this business. If you’re dedicated and committed, starting a safety consulting company could well be the business idea for you.

A Day in the Life of a Safety Consulting Business Owner:

As a safety consulting business owner, your day will begin with a check of your diary to see which clients you are booked in to see that day. You will then travel to your clients’ construction sites and carry out on-site health and safety checks. You will also review their procedures on events such as disasters and epidemics. Having carried out your health and safety checks, you will then compile a report on your findings and consult with your client on how to improve health and safety on their construction site and ensure they are complying with relevant laws and procedures. You will then return to your client’s site at a later date to follow up and check on how they have implemented your recommended safety procedures.

About Your Customers:

You customers will be construction companies that need consultation on how to improve the safety of their constructions sites, and comply with existing safety laws and procedures.

What You Need to Start:

• Training on health and construction safety laws and procedures
• Marketing (word of mouth, flyers, online, etc.)
• Business license
• Financial tracking software

The Good:

• Your services are likely to always be in high demand as the USA and most countries require that construction businesses receive safety consulting.
• Due to the demand for construction safety consulting services, you can potentially make great profits with this business.
• You can start at a relatively low cost.
• You can start this business from your own home office.

The Bad:

• You will need to be comprehensively trained in health and safety laws and procedures in order to start this business, which may take some time.
• It may be a while before you see good profits as it will take some time for you to build up a consistent client base.

Resources:

• Construction Safety Council
• National Association of Safety Professionals
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
• Wikipedia on Construction

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Business Overview:

If you love good craftsmanship and know a bit about design and building materials, why not turn your expertise into a profitable deck building business? In fact, you don’t even have to build the decks yourself, you can simply contract the work out to talented carpenters and tradesmen while you interact with your customers and plan all the details of the job. To get started with a business idea like this, you will need a few things right away. First, you need a contractor’s license and builder’s permit, plus a business license and insurance. With the legal details set, you will need a vehicle large enough to carry the building materials you will need to create your custom decks (or you can hire a builder who already has his own vehicle). Then you will want to have ideas and plans for custom decks to show potential customers—there are computer software programs that make this work incredibly easy and impressive to your clients. You might also use a computer to create professional contracts for your work, plus you can use it to easily keep track of your business finances and to advertise your business. If you build beautiful decks, or if you hire builders to do it for you, your handiwork will have your customer list multiplying in no time.

A Day in the Life of a Deck Building Business Owner:

When you’ve got a project in the works, a typical day will be spent either building (if you’re the owner and builder of your business) or supervising building projects. This will include inspecting the building materials to ensure their quality, reviewing plans repeatedly to make sure the customer gets the deck made to their exact specifications, and handling any unforeseen or last minute plan changes (like inclement weather, for example). Over the course of the day, you will want to check in with your telephone answering service or mobile email device to return the phone calls of existing or potential customers. Finally, at the conclusion of the day, you will want to review your finances, check on any future projects and materials you might need and (hopefully) take a respite on a beautiful deck of your own.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be looking for a talented, trustworthy, and competitively priced deck builder who is willing to work with them to develop and build the deck of their dreams within their budget.

What You Need to Start:

• A business license, permit, and insurance
• A contractor’s license
• A work vehicle
• Deck-building tools
• Knowledge of deck design and building materials
• Business contracts for securing payment from customers

The Good:

• You can take on as many jobs as you (or your employees) are able to handle.
• Your business can grow with your experience.
• Startup investment is low to minimal.
• Much of your advertising can be done by customer recommendation.
• The business can be lucrative and personally rewarding.

The Bad:

• The work can be affected by the weather; jobs may be more seasonal than year-round.
• If you’re the builder, you won’t likely be able to take on more than one job at a time, thereby limiting your income potential.

Resources:

• North American Deck and Railing Association
• Deck Industry Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Carpenters and Carpentry Contractors
• Wikipedia on Deck Building

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Business Overview:

If you have solid knowledge of the roofing business and you’re ready to be your own boss, consider starting a roofing business and watch your income take off. You will definitely need a bit of startup cash and a solid roofing business plan in order to succeed with this business idea, but you will likely earn your investment back—and then some—very soon after you open your business. So here’s the 411 on how to start a roofing business: First you’ll need to get a business license, a local permit, business insurance, and equipment (vehicle, tools, safety gear, etc.). Then you will want to hire trustworthy roofers to complete the jobs you win as the roofing contractor. Finally, you will want to advertise your business to keep your company and your employees happy and working well. As contractor, you will need to be the face of your business; in other words, you will interface with your customers and ensure they are happy with the job your roofers do. You will be responsible for the quality of the work your company provides.

A Day in the Life of a Roofing Business Owner:

Your days as a roofing business owner will begin early as you confirm the day’s jobs and ensure your roofers get to their respective locations. You will also do well to keep a close eye on the weather since it will affect your employees’ ability to work (it will also give you work—leaky roofs can mean big bucks), and you will want to have your mobile business phone handy to take customer calls throughout the day. Keeping up with business records and finances will fall on your shoulders as well, and handling employee or customer issues will be your job too. As owner, your decisions will affect the success of your company.

About Your Customers:

Customers of a roofing business will be in need of roof repair—either emergency or for maintenance reasons—and will be looking for a reliable and reasonably priced company to handle their needs.

What You Need to Start:

• A business name
• Business license, permit, and insurance
• Roofing tools and safety equipment
• A work vehicle
• Qualified and licensed roofers
• Advertising capabilities
• Financial-tracking software

The Good:

• You are not only your own boss, you are also a small business owner.
• You will be providing a valuable service for your community.
• You can take on as many roofing jobs as your employees can handle.
• The business can be started with a reasonable startup investment.
• The business can be quite lucrative, especially if your advertising techniques are effective.

The Bad:

• You will have to handle the wants and needs of your customers and of your employees, so having interpersonal skills is very important.
• Your business may have slow seasons with unpredictable inclement weather.

Resources:

• National Roofing Contractors Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Roofers
• Wikipedia on Roof Construction

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Business Overview:

If you are great at building things and making repairs and you’re looking to start your own business, you should learn how to start a home remodeling business. The home improvement industry is booming thanks to cable network shows and the proliferation of home improvement mega stores. These days it seems many homeowners are trying to make improvements themselves. However, it’s often the case that an unskilled homeowner isn’t qualified to make extensive renovations and needs to hire a professional. This is why starting a home remodeling business is such a great business idea. But you should know that having skills and desire isn’t enough to have a successful business. You also need a home remodeling business plan to help focus your efforts and make sure you don’t waste time. Your business plan will outline what services you will offer, your pricing structure and how you plan to market your business. You’ll also need to decide if you want to hire a staff to help you with your renovations. Taking on a remodeling job, even a small one, can be tough to do on your own. A staff of employees or hiring subcontractors will help you be able to focus on marketing your business. You will still meet with clients and spend time at job sites but not having to do the actual work all the time frees you up to focus on obtaining more remodeling jobs. The best part of having your own home remodeling business is you can initially take on jobs in your spare time. As the word spreads about your topnotch work, your client list will grow and you’ll be able to focus on your business fulltime.

A Day in the Life of a Home Remodeling Business Owner:

As the owner of your own remodeling business, you will first check your schedule to see what jobs you will be working on that day. You will stop by the store on your way to the job site to pick up any supplies you may need. You will meet with your crew on-site to make sure the project is on track then you will be able to go work on marketing your business. Then you may want meet with local home improvement stores and find out if you can be on their referral list. At the end of the day, you will check in with your workers to check the progress of that day’s job(s) and take a look at your finances to make sure everything is on track.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners and apartment and condo owners and managers needing high quality home renovation work done.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• License and insurance
• Tools and supplies
• Truck or van to transport larger items

The Good:

• Demand for this type of business is high.
• You can work as much or as little as you want.
• You can partner with other contractors to get more business.
• You can charge top dollar for high quality work.

The Bad:

• Home remodeling is hard work.
• You will need some patience (and some reserve capital) while you wait for your business to turn a profit.

Resources:

• National Association of the Remodeling Industry
• National Association of Home Builders
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Construction
• Wikipedia on Home Improvement

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