Owning vs Leasing Commercial Vehicles. What's better and why?
I've heard the plusses and minuses of both these. From the higher level CEO's I've heard talk on the subject, they basically say never buy a vehicle in the company name. I've done both. My first two vehicles - one is a 2016 Tacoma and the other a 2020 ford transit connect. The Tacoma has been a work horse. No problems. The 2020 transit, I bought an extended warranty on. The transmission needed replacing while it was under warranty BUT the warranty company fought me tooth and nail on replacing. Fortunately I was able to convince them to but if not, I would have been on the hook for $10k AND still owed like $15k on it. No Bueno. THen I leased a bigger Ford Transit. This I did through a company called Jump Spark. They rolled the wrap, the upfit and the lease payment all in one then leased me the vehicle. I think technically they are the ones that own it. It was like $2k out of pocket and I pay $1300 per month for 60 months. So definitely a higher cost but I have the option to trade it in after a couple year. I feel like if you never have repairs, buying would be the way to go. How do you all feel about this?
Ego Line of electric tools
Has anyone invested in the Ego line of electric tools? Is it worth it? Batteries cost significantly more than the tool itself. But how long do they last on the job? And how long does it take to get a full charge? I realize this will also depends on the size of the battery, but has anyone compared Ego's battery life to more popular (and expensive) brands like dewalt/milwaukee?Best ways to track material costs?
Tracking material costs in the electrical contracting industry is critical because supply prices (wire, conduit, breakers, panels, etc.) fluctuate frequently due to market demand, copper prices, and supply chain changes. A strong system protects profit margins, improves estimating accuracy, and helps maintain consistent pricing for customers. How does your company keep track?Milwaukee vs DeWalt Tools, which one?
We’re Lock Nerds Locksmith, a Buffalo, NY-based company that’s always relied on Milwaukee tools. But we’re curious—what tools do other pros trust? We're looking for honest pros and cons between Milwaukee and DeWalt to see if it's time for us to reconsider our setup.$300+ for a battery powered caulking gun???
I went to look for a battery powered caulking gun and almost fell on the floor when I saw they are upwards of $300!! How can anyone justify purchasing that? I wonder what other expensive tools you all have purchased that you either really wanted or really needed that turned out to be a huge time saver? Body or hand saver? Money maker?Is anyone finding it hard to get a cap cover for their pickup?
I have been looking into getting a cover for the bed of my truck and a lot of places here in Toronto are saying their inventory is gone! And it will likely be a year before any new ones come in. Even used ones are being bought up for resale or even modified to fit the more popular trucks. Has anyone been looking for one and found the same supply issues?New, Used, or Lease? And WHEN?
As a small business owner it has been nothing short of challenging to build a business from nothing. I came from nothing and have built this thing from the ground up. I didn't have a lot of money. When I first started I couldn't afford company vehicles. I eventually bought used vehicles in the $20K-$30K range and financed them and that was fine until I unexpectedly slowed down and had to sell off my trucks just to survive. Once I rebuilt from the slow down I decided to buy used vans around $9K to $10K cash. Right now I have 6 vehicles. One of those vehicles needs major work done. And the others are all 100K miles or more and I feel like they are just ticking time bombs. I want the reliability of newer, or leased vehicles but the risk intimidates me after my struggles in 2022. Is there a formula for when you should go from paying cash for used, to financing newer/new, and to finally leasing? Is there a revenue metric, a number of vehicles in your fleet, or some other sign that going one route over the other is more advantageous or less risky? Thanks for taking the time to read this and share feedback!
