The remodeling industry is poised for a recovery, but challenges remain. Here's a look at the key hurdles to overcome and how some remodelers are tackling them head-on. More
In a challenging economy, fund control provides assurance for remodelers that their clients have a way to pay for their remodeling project. More
Some see specialization as the future of the industry, but plenty of remodelers beg to differ with the notion that a jack-of-all trades is a master of none. More
Adding a specialty business isn't for everyone, but it can be a real profit center. More
Like a lot of other remodelers, Strong Construction in Fremont, Calif., can't afford to waste time with clients who want to push $50,000 where $100,000 should go, or who get fixated on some magic number for a project's cost. But co-owners Steve and Sandy Strong also can't afford to turn away good business, so they bring up the big, bad B word ó budget ó as part of the typical first phone conversation. More
There's no mandatory size past which you must have a controller, but a good time to consider hiring one is when you hit about $1.5 million in sales, suggests Steve Ramaekers, of Mainstreet Restorations & Remodeling. More
Like most remodelers, Steve Ramaekers wears a lot of hats. The president of Mainstreet Restorations & Remodeling in Birmingham, Mich., not only runs the company and handles sales, he makes coffee and runs to the store when necessary. More
Most remodeling company owners will lose a key employee at some point in their tenure. Whether the employee is being fired, relocating, or starting their own company, owners can prepare for this eventuality. They can be ready for the steps they will need to take when that person leaves. And they can set up policies and procedures that prevent major disruptions. More
Imagine paying one fee for a list of local prospects, marketing materials to send to them, and an electronic lead and contact management system to track each lead from sales call to job completion and beyond. That's what's on offer if you're willing to drop $3,995 on MarketSharp (www.marketsharp.com), an all-in-one prospect database, lead tracker, and direct mail marketing coordinator. More
Larson used Excel to create an electronic message board on the company's 10 networked computers. Larson says the Task List helps reduce clutter, but more important, it improves staff communication. More
