Hello old timers!
My names Haywood from Solon, Ohio. I’ve decided I’m going to start a new home construction business, maybe some remodeling too. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and decided to take the leap. I have some questions for you all..
1. After I get my website up how long do you think it will take for people to start calling and hiring me?
2. I don’t have any pics of jobs I’ve done because I’ve never worked construction before. Can I borrow some job pics from you guys? You know just to make the website look good, until I have some of my own to show.
3. As I said I’ve never done construction before so I am going to sub everything out. Do you know who the best and cheapest subs in my area are? Yoohoo anyone from Solon here?
4. What’s the typical size office staff for a new builder just starting out? I was thinking I should hire an Admin Asst., an Estimator, a Sales person, and a drafter and tehn grow from there. Is this about how your office is set up?
Well i gotta run, I’ve got a tee time I don’t want to miss. I’m sure I’ll have more questions. Thanks, H.
Replies
Sorry, you're 36 days late.
All you need is a pick up truck, and a cell phone to start out. I'd get a circular saw, a hammer, and nails too. You can hang a level on the gunrack if you want to project a professional appearance. Make sure to spray paint your phone number on the doors so clients will be able to easily get in touch with you to hire you to do their dream project. You can write the cell number on the door with liquid shoe polish if you feel this may not work out well, it's easily removed.
And Pete may be able to help you get started. He's on the boat that no one has seen yet.
Yeah, and another way to get some cheap advertising is to write your phone number on the walls in the men's rooms of any nearby parks. People who are looking for contractors always look there.
I don't like those kinds of clients, too unscrupulous for me.
You can get some real good work when you hang up a flier at the grocery store with the little tear offs you cut in with a scissors or sharp pocket knife.
Make sure to note that you have lots of experience in all trades, and are able to start immediately, with very low rates. A real job getter is a 10% off discount if you mention the name of the grocery store where they found your flier.
Remember, you don't have to really do any work if you can get a cash advance to start work.
No I'm not having any of that stuff because I'm subbing everything out. My subs will supply all of their own tools. I drive an escalade, so I think I will look professional, but I don't want it to get dirty.
tee times
are great... i make a lotta deals playing golf
You seem to know a lot about this business, you can be my mentor. want to exchange phone #'s so we can discuss issues that come up?
good idea.....
1 800 382 5 968
Hmm -
I called that number and Haywood's mom answered............
OK Solon boy.
Do you know how to get to the Chagrin River in the dark?.
What hours are Les's Open Kitchen doing business these days?.
a. does les ever stop in there anymore?.
b. what side is the counter on?
Another name for Aurora Rd (rt. number).?
Where was the race track (no longer) located?.
a. Harness or Thoroughbred?
Man, I've got a lot of them.
If you've got any years under your belt-
Carlos Pizza-what did Donna put under the peperoni? if she liked you.........
Solon Home Bakery-what was the best donut?
Solon High School graduate-1967. You want old timer................
I've got your old timer right here!
I've got your old timer right here!
Bwahahaha
High schools only went up to the 10th grade in '67 didn't they?
High schools only went up to the 10th grade in '67 didn't they?
Oh boy, my apologies or congratulations................however you take this.
Maybe in Kentucky
Either exprt is an imposter.............
and by the post-you'd be wondering.
or
He's checking wikpedia for the answers to those historical questions.
High schools only went up to the 10th grade in '67 didn't they?
Not so, but marijuana arrived about 1965 so the last 2 years are a little fuzzy.
Got a diploma though, and a report to induction center for physical about the same time.
1967 was a good year for old farts.
Joe H
Wow you sure know your Solon. I'm not from here originally. My wife is, class of 94. Moved back to be near her family and now I'm setting up shop here. Seems like a large population of Jewish folks, I need to learn more about their culture.
Do you still live in Solon? Let's grab coffee some time.
Nope, don't live there no mo.......
So, you married into the town huh. Best treat that woman good. Eventho I've been gone over 40 yrs, I still have people.
Seems like a large population of Jewish folks
Odd, when I grew up there, mostly americans in the town.
I'd like to reminisce, put your wife on the phone.
Good luck, you'll need it.
I actually knew a jewish woman form Solon. She and her husband, a catholic from Croatia owned the company I worked for. It was a strange marriage. Her husband had a number of girlfriends, but she didn't care unless he spent money on them. He actually had the secretary go out and buy a necklace for one of the girls, and when his wife found out how much he spent went ballistic. One thing I learned is Jewish people can cuss better than any people on earth. Some of the words I never heard before, but the meaning was pretty clear by the tone.
Also one of the other employees was Serbian. This was during the Croatian War of Independence. I don't think it made a real difference to either of them though.
Sounds like you got things figured out. You might want to hire a couple of your buddies as "project managers". I'm still not sure what that is, but I hear it a lot these days so it must be what all the bigtime G.C.s are doing.
Oh yeah. Don't forget to advertise yourself as a "Green Builder" (don't worry, no one else seems to know quite what that is either).
I figured I would be the project manager at first until things really take off, then I'll hire some. I'm not into hiring "buddies." Only the most qualified for the job. I want to do this right.
Hey, Haywood. Your last name's not Jablome is it?
Well as a matter of fact...
Can't blame the folks for being comediens I guess! But it's pronounced Ja-blo-m not ja-blo-meee.
I think this is an excellent time
to get into the business. Demand has been way down. The estabished outfits are discouraged if not already done for, they're on their knees begging for mercy. When demand comes roaring back in a few minutes here, they'll be so slow off the line it'll be pathetic, and the whole game will be yours, every bit of it.
Some of these guys are misleading you, though. You need more than a skilsaw and a 4-foot level. I would head for the truck dealership and get yourself ready. Probably need a one-ton crew-cab dually diesel with a 12" lift for yourself (don't get any toolboxes or racks, you don't need those), and three or four matching 3/4 ton rigs (one for each of your PMs), a couple of 16-foot cargo trailers completely packed with new tools, at least one telehandler and probably an excavator to go with it. I'd probably also get a nice office space leased and furnished for your customers to visit. They can bring their checks by there for you when it's time to pay. I'd probably get a second on your house for around $500,000, that should cover start-up costs.
Don't skimp on any of this stuff, you'll never be worth a damn rolling in some beat-up rat truck with a spare tire on the roof. Customers want something fresh, they want the aura of success. Think big, swing for the fences, you're sure to make a huge pile of dough.
Yeah, and I'm guessing Frenchy can make you a good deal on a telehandler.
Oh, you also need a big house. Don't worry about the size of the mortgage -- prices are bound to go up, so you can refinance in a few years and cut your payments in half.
David
This man is an imposter. He hasn't even bothered to answer some of the known historical questions that were asked.
It's all a sham.
and a shame too.
Oh.... NOW you tell me!
He emailed me a couple of hours ago, asking to borrow some money, and I went ahead and wired him $50K. I mean, he seems like he's really going to take the industry by storm, I didn't want to be left out.
oh great
First emails from Nigeria..........
then from my home town.
When will it end.
Calvin I told you I'm not from here. Only been living here a few weeks now. I'm going to have my wife take me to those places. You want me to post pics of me in front of them holding the current days paper? LOL
Well boy,
I need some proof of citizen-ship.
I would think by now you could have taken a drive around town, it may have grown and the population grew-but the damn city limits are still the same.
Thanks for the encouragement! As I said before though I drive an Escalade. That's a Cadillac SUV in case you didn't know. Along the lines of the Chevy Suburban but more deluxe. I don't want to look like one of the workers on the job, people will know I'm the boss.
I've been scouting existing subdivisions. I'm looking for one that I can go in and buy up 10- 20 of the choice lots for inventory. Then I'll put up a spec, probably somewhere in the $600- 750,000 range. And then sell customs off of that one.
I'm not sure what a telehandler is. If I'm subbing everything out should I insist that my subs have one? Would each trade have to have its own, or are they shared on a job?
Probably wanna
put a nice model house on the first lot. Frame it with 1x3 @ 36" O.C. and use 1/4" sheetrock, but make sure to install a Sub-Zero and a Wolf commercial oven. Hardi siding on the exterior with no tyvek, you don't need that, hell you don't even need siding on the sides or back, no one can see it.
The telehandler should have your company logo painted on the boom. You don't need to use it much, just pay one of the guys to tow it around behind the F-550.
About the telehandler, If I don't need it much then is it really a requirement for each sub? I'll let them decide I think. I'll just write it in the contract between myself and the sub, If anything needs telehandled they are responsible for supplying the telehandler to do so. Good idea?
LOL good one on the 1x3's! I do know a little bit, give me some credit. I've decided we are going to build everything with 2x6 and fill it with closed cell spray foam, because an insulator I talked to said that is the absolute best. But what about 2x8 is anyone using that for exterior walls? I was thinking of upgrading everything like bump up the 2x6 outside walls to 2x8 and then make the 2x4 inside walls 2x6. So I can tell people it is stronger and better.
I get the feeling most guys here are hands on worker types. I was hoping to get advice from people actually running a business. Is there a forum for that? I like to hear about your craftsmanship and all that but I think you care about that a little more than I do.
Busy day today
I signed the lease on a nice office suite on Bainbridge, about 2,000 sq.ft. Should be enough for now. I think I've narrowed down my search to two subdivisions I will be buying lots in.
Interviews set for tomorrow for personal assistant and for estimator.
On thursday I'm sitting down with the attorney I golfed with who wants me to bid his house and his architect. Is there a standard list of questions I should ask them or will the architect just tell me everything I need to know? It's go time now fellas I need all you to pitch in with help.
Thanks, H.
Haywood
At least you got one road there in Solon right.
If you are indeed serious-good luck.
You're first job for a lawyer?
oh man, I want to keep up on this story.
edit: Put your wife on the phone. Who know's I may have known her mother or father. C'mon man, get with it. This has got to be better than classmates.com
Please leave my wife out of this. She does not wish to speak with you, you are about a hundred years older than her. Her parents moved into Solon they are not originally from there either. Moved into town in 84.
Good for her, good for her parents and good for you.
I hope you stick around and add something once in a while. It'll be something watching you grow.
No sir
It's French
Well this biz is a little tougher than I thought. I only have two new house projects under contract so far. My spec house is going into it's third week since they dug the basement. They are going to pour the footers on Monday. You would think with the economy the way it is these subs would be lining up to work for whatever I want to pay them. Some of them need a real attitude adjustment.
So the two I have under contract are nice, both over 4,000 sq.ft. My goal is to do 10 homes this year. I'm going to have to hustle to get 7 more.
Dug the hole 3 wks ago and now are pouring the footers?
.
I know I'm pretty impressed with the progress myself, Calvin. We are using Superior Wall foundation so those will go in in about a day and a half. Then the framing begins. I haven't found a good framer that I want to use yet. I'm trying to get them to realize how big I am going to be and to give me the volume discount now. It will be much better for them if they get on with me on the ground floor and I'll take them to the top with me.
give me the volume discount now.....
No doubt they're waiting till you start using the next houses start draw to finish the last one.
end of the line for Xprt Bldrs
Well fellas I've decided to hang it up. The joke that is. Haywood's not real, duh.
I'm just a member (a hands on builder, too!) from the old forum and I got bored one day. Wanted to see how outlandish and stupid I could sound and what people had to say about. I think mostly I got ignored with the exception of Calvin. Hope somebody got some chuckles out of it.
I think we've all met our fair share of real Haywood's out there.
So Haywood, you still from Solon, or was that a myth too?
and congratulations, you played the part like a real natural.
it seems like everyone there is a stuffy millionaire
Well, that isn't the place I was brought up in. In the late 50's/60's it was a place where even us manufacturing children could attempt to de-bra the girls from Briar Hill (which was THE place to live then).
Last summer it might have been, we stopped in Les's Open Kitchen for breakfast. That hasn't changed.............cept Les jr has even retired.