I know, you know, he knows, she knows, we know, they know: The market is tough! The remodeling industry has been flying high for quite a few years, but according to most economic forecasters, the current “dip” could last for a couple more years. More
Over the years Iíve asked clients and colleagues how they estimate labor costs. The answer is usually the same: They define one number that represents hourly labor costs, including burden, and apply it throughout their estimates, no matter who does the work or what the tasks are. More
My favorite definition for “net” comes from Dictionary.com. More
Variety can be a good thing, but remodeling companies that want to measure their performance against standards need to be on the same page. More
Remodelers around the country are finding the current economic climate difficult at best; most are scrambling to find ways to maintain what they had previously thought was secure ó their net profit. More
The three remodeling business owners profiled here still wear a lot of hats, and still exist -- despite the number of years they have individually given their businesses -- in what remodeling consultant Judith Miller would call "early growth" stages, those businesses with very involved owners. They have spent years honing their craft and learning about business like many remodeling company owners -- the hard way, through trial and error. But they are all in the process of making changes that will lead to growth and profitability. Each has experienced small victories along the way to reaching these larger goals. More
Chances for success increase when company owners focus on what they like to do and what they do best. More
Most small business owners can't find enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. They know they should assign their tasks to employees, but which ones? To help in those decisions, take a look at the Skill/Value/Time (SVT) matrix. More
Building a client base is a process that involves your entire marketing and sales system. After marketing delivers your message to the target prospects, the sales steps are like workstations on a conveyor belt; each one adds time, money, and energy to the initial marketing effort. More
It's inherent in the concept of total compensation that the cost of employee benefits will limit employee wages. Health insurance, in particular, is so expensive that the hourly cost to most remodelers is equal to as much as $4 per hour. So what do you do if an employee declines coverage and then asks for the money to be applied to wages? More
