What’s your biggest green flag (or red flag) during a property walkthrough?
Hey everyone! Let’s talk about that initial interaction with a potential client. We’ve all walked onto a job site or a residential property and just known instantly how the experience was going to go—before we even handed over an estimate. Sometimes it's a subtle cue from the homeowner, and sometimes it's the state of the property itself. When you're quoting a job, what is one major "green flag" that tells you a customer will be amazing to work with, or a "red flag" that makes you consider raising your prices or walking away? Let’s swap some stories and see what common signs we all look out for! 👇What's one Jobber feature you wish you had started using sooner?
I've been exploring how different home service businesses use Jobber, and it's interesting that two companies can use the same software in completely different ways. What's one feature, workflow, or habit that made you think: "I wish I'd known about this six months ago." Whether it's scheduling, quoting, invoicing, client communication, reminders, or something else, I'd love to hear what's made the biggest difference for your business. Hopefully this thread helps newer members discover some hidden gems too.Building community partnerships
Has anyone here ever built a community partnership from the ground up? im not just curious about the end result. i want to know how it actually came together. What ìt was, and how did you approach people to get them on board, and keep it going? what were the mistakes, and what would you do different next time I’m trying to learn what makes a partnership actually work long term because just like my llc i want it to lastOne of the best insights I've picked up from this community this week...
I recently started a discussion asking: "What's one Jobber feature you wish you had started using sooner?" One response really stood out to me. The member mentioned that while many businesses use Jobber to manage jobs, schedules, quotes, and invoices, one feature that often gets overlooked is the Marketing Suite. The point they made was simple but powerful: Many of us do a great job serving customers, but we don't always stay connected with them after the work is done. Instead of only reaching out when it's time to sell something, sending regular educational emails and staying active on social media helps keep your business top of mind. When customers eventually need your services again, or know someone who does they're much more likely to remember you. They also shared that Jobber's upcoming Marketing Calendar will make planning emails and social posts much easier, especially for teams that collaborate on marketing. It got me thinking, How many of us already have a list of past customers but rarely communicate with them? A simple monthly email with seasonal tips, maintenance reminders, or homeowner advice could be enough to keep those relationships alive. I'm curious: How often do you market to your existing customers, and what's worked best for you? I'd love to hear what others are doing.Roll 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. 🚀
Before You Give Up on Your Dream, Read This.
There was a moment in my life when I was physically run over by a garbage truck. Most people would assume that was the hardest part of my story. It wasn’t. The hardest part was choosing not to let that moment define the rest of my life. Instead of giving up, I got back up. I went back to school—twice. I invested in myself when it would have been easier to make excuses. I kept learning, kept growing, and kept chasing a vision that only I could see. Every setback became another reason to work harder, not quit. If you’re an entrepreneur reading this, I want you to know something: The journey will test you. There will be days when the money isn’t there. Days when nobody believes in your vision. Days when you question yourself. Days when you wonder if you’re falling behind. But don’t confuse a delay with defeat. Some of the greatest victories are being built in seasons where no one is clapping for you. I like to think of life as a rose. Before anyone admires its beauty, it must first push through the darkness beneath the soil. It endures storms, strong winds, and little insects trying to destroy its roots before it ever blooms. Entrepreneurship is no different. Critics will come. Failures will come. Rejections will come. Doubt will come. But if your roots are grounded in faith, purpose, and perseverance, nothing can stop what God has planted within you. So if you’re feeling discouraged today… Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep sharpening your craft. Keep believing in the dream that was placed on your heart. One day, people will see the flower. They’ll celebrate the success. But only you—and God—will know everything it took to bloom. To every entrepreneur in this community: don’t give up on yourself. Your story isn’t over. Your purpose still matters. And what you’re building today may become the blessing someone else needs tomorrow. 🌹💙
$100K lesson - What contract language protects contractors when hidden conditions change the scope of a renovation job?
Hey all, first post. I'm Chad, founder of Great Raven Renovations Ltd. We're based on Salt Spring Island, BC, and run renovation, roofing, decks, and structural work across Salt Spring, the Cowichan Valley, and South Nanaimo. Started the company in January 2022 after walking away from a stable off-island job rather than compromise how I wanted to work. Almost four years in now. Has been a hard, useful run. The reason I'm here: most of what I've learned came the expensive way. Over those years I've put well over $140,000 into building this business — and lost more than $100,000 of it. Failed hires who couldn't hold a craftsmanship standard. Clients who exploited weak contract language to underpay or walk on finished work. Each one left a mark. What changed isn't that we got smarter on people — it's that we built a system around the kinds of losses that almost killed the company. A few of the pieces that came directly out of disputes: Hidden-conditions clause in the master contract. Written after a project where opening a wall doubled the real scope and the client refused to acknowledge it. Signed change orders with price and schedule impact before work happens. Written after a job where verbal "just add this" requests turned into three weeks of unpaid labour. Before/during/after photo record on every job, including substrate conditions. Written after a homeowner claimed two months post-completion that something was never done — when in fact it was, and we had nothing to prove it. Completion walkthrough before the final draw is invoiced. Written after a final-payment dispute that should have been a 10-minute conversation on site. One accountable point of contact (me) instead of a rotating dispatcher. Written after we tried it the other way and watched communication fail in real time. None of that came from a course. It came from losses. The process exists because of disputes, not in spite of them. Curious how others here handle this — specifically the hidden-conditions problem. On older island homes we open walls and find things nobody could have priced. What language are you using in your contracts to protect both you and the homeowner when the unknown shows up? Anyone landed on wording that actually holds when a client pushes back? Appreciate the community. Looking forward to learning from you. — Chad Great Raven Renovations Ltd. Salt Spring Island, BC
