General Remodelers – Starting a Remodeling Company – Vol. 2.3

General Remodelers

The majority of remodelers fall into this category.  General remodelers do just about anything in and around a house.  From pouring a new driveway to creating a beautiful kitchen to changing a light bulb for your loyal customers, you will do it all.  I started out doing this and was very successful at it because I provided exceptional customer service.  This unfortunately involved a lot of sacrifices, but led me to where I am today.  This classification requires a very broad knowledge of every type of remodeling skill.  Let me give you some examples of fields that you need to be at least moderately familiar with:  blueprint reading, layout, excavating, framing, roofing,  masonry, plumbing, HVAC, concrete work, cabinetry, tile setting, flooring installation, skylights, fireplaces, electronics, electrical installations, understanding structural capacities, and building codes, to name just a few.  In addition to those skills, you should become familiar with the construction styles and their construction methods, of homes that were built in certain periods of time, such as Victorian, Gothic, Greek Revival, Italianate, bungalows, Cape Cod, Arts & Crafts, Prairie Style, ranchers, split levels and today’s “McMansions”.  Knowledge of these styles and their construction methods will improve your estimating and job scheduling because you will know how the existing structure is built.  Over the years you will continue to accumulate more and more of this knowledge and skills.  Don’t expect to start out knowing everything before you set up shop.  You would never get started if that were the case.  Every day is a learning opportunity, and in this particular career you have to be a sponge for building knowledge.

You will need top notch carpenters, and choose only the best trades to work for you.  Keep in mind that your crew and your trades are the life blood of you business.  Give them consistent credit and praise, and always pay them on time.  You won’t believe how well your trades will cater to you when you get to know them on a personal level and pay them on time.  You automatically jump to the front of the line when you need them, which means — more profit.

• Learn more about Handyman services
• Learn more about Specialty Remodeling
• Learn more about Design-Then-Build Remodeling

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www.RemodelerBiz.com is published by Randall S Soules, a 37 year construction veteran. The intent of this web site is to help builders, remodelers and those in the trades, create a rewarding career and lifestyle.  At Remodeler Biz you’ll find helpful articles on niches, marketing, graphic standards and the design-then-build field.