# What Changes Are You Planning For 2016?



## Admin (Dec 10, 2003)

> "If there’s one constant, it’s that everything changes, and the construction industry is no exception. If you’re going to make the most of your contracting business, you need to keep abreast of these changes and follow the trends where they lead. After all, doesn’t it make sense that you’ll get more business if you know where the industry trends are heading?" *Construction Trends To Follow in 2016*


What changes (if any) are you planning for your business in 2016? 

Why? Why not?


----------



## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

In 2016 I'm going to work smarter than harder. I am finding that I get paid more for what I know than what I actually do. I am going to transition my crew from being workers to supervising the work of the subs.

I've been looking at how other companies are structured and I see how I can get twice as much work done in the same 8-12 hour day. I hired a consultant to help me creating a system where we manage the labor instead of performing it.


----------



## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Change? How do ya do that?


----------



## cwatbay (Mar 16, 2010)

So, as of today, the plan is: 

1. Incorporate
2. Cut loose a company that I co-own that takes up too much time, effort and expense. Unfortunately for the majority shareholder, it means he is going to lose his license. There will be more on this in a thread later. 
3. Bring on more companies to sub-contract for
4. A big push in advertising
5. New website
6. Upgrade and expand our employee clothing selection with upgraded logos/embroidery/patches - more work shirts, T-shirts, vests, jackets and hats


----------



## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

Take time off during the nicest months, not the crummiest.


----------



## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

Good luck with that.


----------



## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

There's a course in the San Diego I've been wanting to play. Although temecula wine country has a nice one as well I'm going to try to hit both in 2016.


----------



## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> There's a course in the San Diego I've been wanting to play. Although temecula wine country has a nice one as well I'm going to try to hit both in 2016.


The wine or the golf?


----------



## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Let's see,

I've let go of all employees and sold off four trucks, two trailers and a lot of equipment.

I took a two month "vacation" and that opened my eyes to the many different ways business is done.

This year, I will be focusing heavily on repairs for myself to do and strictly subcontracting all larger projects.

Since I no longer have 10+ employees to keep busy, I'm also going to try to raise my margins to 45% and then judge if I land enough work to justify those prices or if I need to evaluate. Also because of no longer have 10+ guys, my fixed monthly business expenses have dwindled to under $1100 a month which is about 1/5 of just what my insurance was.

We will see how this goes.


----------



## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Let's see,
> 
> I've let go of all employees and sold off four trucks, two trailers and a lot of equipment.
> 
> ...


baby steps, huh?


----------



## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Let's see,
> 
> I've let go of all employees and sold off four trucks, two trailers and a lot of equipment.
> 
> ...


I think you will like it.


----------



## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Let's see,
> 
> I've let go of all employees and sold off four trucks, two trailers and a lot of equipment.
> 
> ...


What you might lose in $$ youll gain in sanity.


----------



## FrankSmith (Feb 21, 2013)

1-Increase the number of windows installed 25%

2-Eat or drink food other than what is packed in lunch no more than 5 times in 2016 (supports the goal of loosing 35 pounds as well as saves gas and increases time on job sight)

3-Purchase one rental property

4-Build small addition on shop to store ladders and planks and free up floor space.


----------



## Philament (Dec 9, 2014)

Build a shop.


----------



## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Adding a small used pick up as another estimate truck for my brother and i to share. 

Gonna work out a deal with my friend at the yard that also does gutters to split a helper. Im equipped with two machines and trucks but we work as one crew. Once in a while running a second truck will help me keep up if get too busy. Ill go out and do the easy jobs with a helper.

Lose my gut :whistling


----------



## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Hiring another employee or two.

Buying another van.

Buying a truck and trailer.

Introducing bathroom packages and launching our new website.

There is a ton we have in the works. Looking forward to the new year!

Oh, and finally buying the TS55 and Midi vac (that was for you Travis).


----------



## Donohue Const (Dec 31, 2011)

Try to not fill my schedule so tight
Make it so I have a small buffer between jobs 

Focus on better, larger projects 

I just am tired of getting one job done, only to need to start the next on right away to stay somewhat close to on schedule

Be nice to have a day or two to get the tool trailer orginized, get stuff moved to next job

My main goal is to be less stressed over losing a day or two on a job!!


----------



## lawndart (Dec 3, 2006)

Adding a 2016 Nissan GTR to go along with my 2014 Shelby Cobra in the garage :thumbsup:


----------



## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Lots of great comments so far. Frank - best of luck with the weight loss, I hope it is successful for you. 

For me:
The sub I have been using really no longer qualifies as a sub under new BWC guidelines. So he is going to come on full time for me. That will give me two full time guys and a PT guy. 

Advertising - I want to focus into a particular area and see how that goes. 

Website - get one up and running. 

Quit taking on jobs that are not profitable and just taking on anything and everything. Continue to get focused on the type of work I want to do and say no to what I dont want to do, I am getting better.


----------



## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

I plan on raising my prices so the D/Cs using the Illegals can pay their employees less money.


----------



## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Something i def need to do is sort this damn quick books out.


----------



## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> Something i def need to do is sort this damn quick books out.


Yes you do! Such a powerful program...if it is setup correct.


----------



## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

overanalyze said:


> Yes you do! Such a powerful program...if it is setup correct.


Found a woman who's doing it all for me so hopefully she knows what she's doing. Shes comes highly recommended. Will know soon enough.


----------



## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

I'm going to spend the money to purchase this program roofsnap.com

Accurate measurements, Materials entered right away and ordered, exact job costs, seems well worth it.


----------



## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> Found a woman who's doing it all for me so hopefully she knows what she's doing. Shes comes highly recommended. Will know soon enough.


I was lucky and my father ran a construction company for years and was super detail oriented on QB. He showed me how to set it up. Combine that with our accountant guiding us on the accounts we setup and we can pull just about any type of report we want.


----------



## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

overanalyze said:


> I was lucky and my father ran a construction company for years and was super detail oriented on QB. He showed me how to set it up. Combine that with our accountant guiding us on the accounts we setup and we can pull just about any type of report we want.


I really need to do it. I need to step up my game if i want to take this company any further. I got the work i just ain't got the business savy on the paper work side of things and the money side of things. I'm better than most in this area not not where i want to be.


----------



## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> I really need to do it. I need to step up my game if i want to take this company any further. I got the work i just ain't got the business savy on the paper work side of things and the money side of things. I'm better than most in this area not not where i want to be.


I have been in business for almost 15 years and it has just really been in the last 5 or so that I really have a good grasp on the business side of things...and I am still learning and adapting every day. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Had to revive this thread and see how we all came out on our goals for this year. It was a good year. I'm looking forward to 2017.



Spencer said:


> -$150k gross profit for the year.
> 
> Its going to be right there, maybe a little shy but very close.
> 
> ...


----------



## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

NYgutterguy said:


> Adding a small used pick up as another estimate truck for my brother and i to share.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Picked up the second estimate truck. Never got that other worker to split. Did more in sales than last year by a few K. Still have my gut.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Spencer said:


> Had to revive this thread and see how we all came out on our goals for this year. It was a good year. I'm looking forward to 2017.


Been awesome to see your progression. Proud for you, hoss. 

I'll update mine when I can. We should do this every year, that post really hits you in the face :laughing:


----------



## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

I had a crazy year. I tried to be smaller and focus more on what makes me money. That works. I did double the gross sales of last year with 1/3 of the employees as I had last year.

Question is, what's the plan for 2017 and the way to expand on it?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Congrats Spencer! I have a ton of respect for you and how you seem to run your business!


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

I never posted a goal here last year, but I had openly joked last year about raising prices 10% every year until I price myself into retirement. While I didn't do that intentionally, I still made more money in the first 9 months than I ever had in any year. All 3 employees also received raises, and will probably get another one very soon.


----------



## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Warren said:


> I never posted a goal here last year, but I had openly joked last year about raising prices 10% every year until I price myself into retirement. While I didn't do that intentionally, I still made more money in the first 9 months than I ever had in any year. All 3 employees also received raises, and will probably get another one very soon.


Are you primarily still a new construction framing sub?


----------



## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

It wasn't a goal for a specific year, but I have always wanted to get to the point where the company could buy us trucks for work and personal use. We did that this year. They were slightly used but we were still able to pay cash for them. Next year I want to replace our van with a new Transit/Promaster. 

Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Spencer said:


> Are you primarily still a new construction framing sub?


Not really. We had exactly 2 new construction frame starts this year. Both were 1600 foot simple ranches. We did finish up a large one in April, but it started in 2015. 

Our best jobs tend to be as a sub on very large remodel/addition types. Typically, these will be 400 to 500k jobs, and will keep us busy for several months with demo, framing, siding, exterior trim. One of these along with a few new frames, and a couple of insurance jobs seems to be working out nicely.


----------



## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Hiring another employee or two. Done
> 
> Buying another van. Not needed yet, but maybe 2017
> 
> ...


Not too bad for this past year. We did end up exceeding last years revenue by $150,000.


----------



## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Warren said:


> Not really. We had exactly 2 new construction frame starts this year. Both were 1600 foot simple ranches. We did finish up a large one in April, but it started in 2015.
> 
> Our best jobs tend to be as a sub on very large remodel/addition types. Typically, these will be 400 to 500k jobs, and will keep us busy for several months with demo, framing, siding, exterior trim. One of these along with a few new frames, and a couple of insurance jobs seems to be working out nicely.


200-500k remodels are my main wheel house, some new construction and boat docks mixed in. I do well on them and it Knocks the real paper boys out of the process because they don't know what they are doing. High end , large scale remodeling is a niche not many are suited for. Builders or subs.


----------



## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Jaws said:


> 200-500k remodels are my main wheel house, some new construction and boat docks mixed in. I do well on them and it Knocks the real paper boys out of the process because they don't know what they are doing. High end , large scale remodeling is a niche not many are suited for. Builders or subs.


Very true. Paper boys shouldn't remodel. I have a paper boy I trim for that does some remodels. Every time I walk into one to trim it I shake my head.


----------



## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Warren, did your two main builders switch to major remodels as a business plan, not getting calls for new stuff or not being awarded new stuff?


----------

