Hiring Subcontractors: How Do You Screen and Vet to Avoid Costly Mistakes and Rework?
At our company located in Mansfield, Ohio, we provide the majority of interior and exterior services. We use all subcontractors, most who typically strictly work for our company. We have had many issues hiring subcontractors who have done bad work, which has caused us to spend more money/time sending other subcontractors back out to fix the mistakes. It is also pushing our schedule back completely. This issue has set back our company in the last year because of multiple different crews. We have a few good, reliable crews, but the workload is too much for them. What can we do/use to help us with the process of elimination when it comes to hiring? Are there any types of quizzes/tests that we should provide? Any specific questions that we should be asking? Are there any places we may not be thinking of to find reliable subcontractors?
How to Convert More Estimates into Signed Contracts?
Hello Community, I am new to the Home Service Industry and would appreciate some guidance on how to generate and convert more qualified leads into successful clients, customer, contract. While I am actively meeting with clients and gathering project information, I would like to improve my approach to identifying opportunities, building client confidence and increasing the percentage of leads that move forward. I am interested in learning, what the best practices for qualifying leads. What are some effective communication techniques with homeowners. What are some common factors that influence clients to approve projects. Strategies for following up with prospects, also ways to better present repair recommendations and project value. Lastly methods a company has found successful in converting estimates into signed contracts. I am committed to improving my performance and contribution to my company's growth. Any feedback, training advice, or mentorship opportunities would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and support. Sincerely, ArmandoRoll Call! Meet & introduce yourself to other Construction and Home Improvement pros
If you’ve ever thought, “How are other businesses like mine handling this?” you’re in the right place! This space is for Construction and Home Improvement pros to connect, compare notes, and talk shop with others who understand the day-to-day realities of running your type of business. 👋 Introduce Yourself Drop a comment and tell us: Your name Business name Industry Years in business Location (City/State/Province) Let us know if you’re joining us for LIVE networking on March 17 (more details below) The more context you share, the better connections you’ll make. 🙌 Pro tip: Search your city or state in the forum to easily find other pros in your area. 📅 Want to connect LIVE? We’re running a pilot to host virtual weekly LIVE Industry Networking starting on March 17, running until April 7. If you’d be interested in joining for the first or following sessions (don’t need to commit to all but you're welcome to join!), make sure to let us know in the comments. 🤝 Culture of this space Think of this forum board like a room full of peers who understand your world. Share what’s working. Ask real questions. Talk through challenges. The goal is to power your success and raise the standard of home service industries together. 💬 Looking for conversation starters? This space works best when conversations are industry-specific and experience-based. You might jump in with something like: “How are other [industry] pros pricing this service right now?” “Is anyone else seeing this shift in their market?” “What’s been working for you when it comes to ____?" 🤔 Why are industries grouped together? We’ve intentionally clustered similar industries to keep conversations active and relevant. These groupings reflect shared business models, operational challenges, and pricing conversations so you can learn from peers who “get it,” even if they’re not in your exact trade. If your question applies to all home service businesses, feel free to post in our broader forum boards. Pro tip: Check out the industry tags to get even more specific Looking forward to seeing this space come to life. 🚀How Fast Do You Pick Up a Phone Call or Call Someone Back After a Missed Call?
Curious how everyone here handles this, because a new Jobber survey of recent homebuyers turned up a stat that stuck with me: 15% had to follow up repeatedly just to get a response from a contractor 9% never heard back at all Losing potential business due to something that is not a pricing problem or a skill problem should be a wake up call. In a world where 75% of new homeowners hire a pro within their first two years of buying, being the one who calls back first might be the easiest job you win all week! So, what's your business standard? Do you answer within a certain time frame or let it go to voicemail and call back same day? Are there systems set up so nothing slips through the cracks? 👉 Recent Homebuyer Report: It's got homeowner quotes on what made them trust (or ditch) a contractor, plus a breakdown of how each generation actually finds a pro.How Do You Roll Back a Major Change?
Have you guys ever made a major organizational change then needed to go back? This last year I tried to help buy back some of my time and created a Project/ Operations manager position so I could focus on sales and marketing. It's been a bumpy road to say the least. I first tried to hire two guys from outside the organization, I really thought I did my due diligence but it didn't work out with either of those guys. One guy I learned after a week (lol) the other took me a month and a half. On our third guy, I promoted from within and it seemed like it was working but here we are almost two full quarters in and we have less capacity because I haven't been successful in finding a replacement for him in the field, and we are making less money on jobs because ... well it's a combination of things but he might not be a fit for the position. I'm thinking I need a more decentralized approach since essentially we are at the same revenue number as last year when we didn't have his big overhead position. So the question is - how do you roll that back? Is it possible to make a change like that without alienating the person I'm demoting? Would it be easier to demote if I'm citing financial and structural changes for the company? What's ya'll take on that.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?
Electrical flat rate VS assemblies VS t&m
I’ve been using AccuPrice Lists for my material pricing since it syncs right into Jobber and saves me from having to constantly update material prices manually. I saw they’re adding flat-rate pricing and assemblies, and I’m curious which direction you guys have found works best for electrical service work. Do you prefer a true flat-rate price book, assemblies that build out the labor and materials, or some combination of both? For those of you already pricing this way, what’s been the easiest for your guys to use in the field and the most profitable? Trying to figure out which direction makes the most sense before I change up my current setupI Got a New Truck - Now Everyone Wants a Raise
This happen to anyone in here? haha man I tell you what. I've been driving second hand cars for basically my whole life. I sold a couple work vehicles and finally splurged on a nice pick up so I have something to pull a dump trailer then all of a sudden everyone wants a raise. This post is more about me thinking out loud but let me think through what's occurring for that kind of cause and effect. I always thought I paid well but first thought was ... do I pay well enough? My gross profit is mostly around our goals as a company (50%) so maybe I need to raise prices to help my guys out more. Or maybe: 1) My relationship with my team has become transactional. Everyone is always there for the paycheck but I've been neglecting the relational aspect of the company. Less team get togethers as of late. Less checking in with everyone to see what's up with their lives. From their perspective, well if I have to be here, I should be making as much as possible. 2) I don't have incentives in place so they can earn more outside their hourly. I've been wanting to do this for a while but this is a sign I need to do this now. Maybe we've reached a breaking point with this. 3) I'm doing something to embolden them to ask for a raise immediately after a big transaction Funny thing about it is I'm leasing and the lease payment isn't that much but I was curious if this happened to anyone before and how they dealt with it.Are You Building a Business or Just Creating Yourself Another Job?
It’s easy as a small business owner to get caught up doing everything yourself. At what point do you start delegating, hiring, or putting systems in place so the business can operate without you being involved in every job? I’d love to hear how other owners are making that transition while still keeping quality and customer service high.
