Have you checked our book, Digging for Profit: Secrets to Success in the Construction Industry? It is available in paperback and Kindle format at Amazon.com.
Here is the table of contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1 – How to Get Started in the Construction Industry
Chapter 2 – How to Get Your First Customer
Chapter 3 – How to Bid Your First Job
Chapter 4 – What to Charge for People and Equipment
Chapter 5 – Contract Negotiations
Chapter 6 – Contract Review
Chapter 7 – So You Won Your First Bid – Now What?
Chapter 8 – Job Management
Chapter 9 – Job Costing
Chapter 10 – Managing Materials
Chapter 11 – Equipment & Labor
Chapter 12 – Rental Equipment
Chapter 13 – Subcontractors
Chapter 14 – Bidding Strategies
Chapter 15 – Size of Projects You Should Pursue
Chapter 16 – Job Bonding
Chapter 17 – When to Hire an Estimator
Chapter 18 – Managing Your Finances
Chapter 19 – Dangers to Avoid
Learning From My Mistakes
About the Authors
Introduction
Construction is a tough business. It can make you rich. And it can drive you into the ground. I should know. I’ve been in the construction industry for nearly a quarter century. I’ve been the guy sitting in the office bidding jobs. I’ve been the guy operating the backhoe. Hell, I’ve even been the guy shoveling gravel. I’ve made a lot of money. And I’ve gone bankrupt.
But I dug my way back out. I wouldn’t trade any of that experience because it has made me who I am today (well, maybe I would trade the bankrupt part). Today, I am a professional construction estimator and co-founder of ProfitDig LLC – an online application for easy construction estimating and job costing.
This book is the culmination of my nearly twenty-five years’ worth of knowledge in the construction industry.
You can be successful in your own construction business, if you do things the right way.
First off, you need to be really good at whatever it is you do. Forget about starting your own business until you have mastered your craft.
Second, you need to be organized. You need to have a system for creating job bids that accurately reflect what it will cost you to complete the work (with some profit on top). And you must have a way to track all of your costs against the items in your bid.
Third, you need to be professional. If you want to grow your business, people need to respect you and like you. You need to deliver high quality results on time and on budget. And if on time, on budget isn’t going to happen, you need to know how to deal with it.
These are the things we will talk about in this book. So let’s get to work!
Order the book at Amazon.com, or get a free downloadable coy by joining our mailing list.