# tips to increase remodeling project profits



## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Asking a pretty open ended question here .

Experienced contractors - whatever might be the trade , how did you increase your margins .

I am excluding the obvious ones as most of us would already be working in that direction for ex Charge your customer more .

I always try to reduce my costs and find better ways of doing things .

Somethings I did:

1. continuously try to find better sources of Materials - Building supplies auction houses , clearances , returns. I find good quality but better priced materials

2. Achieve high end look with alternative materials

3.reach out to experts in a trade - sometimes they suggest unique solutions which not only fix the problem but also in a affordable way

Please add your thoughts - hopefully others can also benefit


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

insighter242 said:


> Asking a pretty open ended question here .
> 
> Experienced contractors - whatever might be the trade , how did you increase your margins .
> 
> ...


comes down to more like how efficient is your operation?

proper bidding, cut down on trips to supply house etc....

as far as your #1, how do you have the time to shop like this?

bid it & buy the materials...

#2, dangerous ground, high end look with alternative materials....

going to bite you hard on the ass, checkbook & reputation....


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

insighter242 said:


> Asking a pretty open ended question here .
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I find even though I pay a little more (sometimes) the knowledge and personal attention my supply yard gives me, saves me a ton of headaches and in turn money. They are a huge part of my operation. 

I also found that specializing is when I really started making more money. You get tooled up for it, your guys get good at it and your sales show your expertise, which a client can smell right away. Allows you to be higher priced because of the confidence factor. Which is huge. 


Mike.
_______________


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

You achieve a high end look by giving them high end material with high quality work. There's no magic bullet that will allow you to fake this. 


Mike.
_______________


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Californiadecks said:


> You achieve a high end look by giving them high end material with high quality work. There's no magic bullet that will allow you to fake this.
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________



"high end look" "high end material" and "high quality " are all subjective. If you disagree , tell me an example of a high end car And we can discuss further

I look at the market , customer - their requirements , targets and will try to customize . 

Also you seem to be assuming that "alternative" material is equivalent to cheap pr "fake ". Any use of a material that is innovative and meets the function/intended use will be considered an alternative use .

Hope you provide some insightful ideas to the community with out prejudice .


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Californiadecks said:


> You achieve a high end look by giving them high end material with high quality work. There's no magic bullet that will allow you to fake this.
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________





griz said:


> comes down to more like how efficient is your operation?
> 
> proper bidding, cut down on trips to supply house etc....
> 
> ...


For 1: Its simple , its not a process which needs lots of intelligence , so I automate it via software and a virtual assistant who I pay whopping $5/hr . Ofcourse the expectation should be clear and we shouldn't expect the VA or software to be brainy. 

For 2 : can you elaborate on why it will bite my ass - so far , these were the projects with best customer satisfaction and referrals as it seems they were tired of hearing lazy and "not so bright" contractors who even didn't hear out what the customer wanted and propose functional solutions 

They were happy that I listened to them and researched/offered solutions with their intended budget and functionality . 

But ofcourse definitely getting my ass bitten is no fun...so want to be careful in future and most of all don't to be called "another stupid contractor " .

Also please add any other similar points to keep in mind . It helps


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## woodspike (Dec 2, 2018)

i kind of agree with the " specializing comment

or at least job selection.
its tough to turned down a job at times , but maybe sometimes we should.

truly interview your client as they are interviewing you.
if they are an extreme , anal person who you know will need extra time,or are overly detail oriented ,( which they have a right to be ) you have to implement more time on in your bid for a job like that.


plan your work , work your plan as dad used to say

maybe actually meet all the subs there at once , and talk with your foremen , and make a plan or " scope of work " with sa time line .
maybe you can shave off a few days that way


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Biggest thing for us is bringing more in house. Not everybody can do that, you have to have the management in place to handle it properly. 

At this point, All trim and cabinets and most paint, most decks, cornice and standard remodeling work is going to be done in house with our personnel. There is a profit on top of the loaded cost of those hands. Used to do almost all the framing, recently started subbing it out. 

Besides standard work and the cabinet shop, we also own our own dumpsters, do a lot of our own minor grading, underground ect... we also have in house design/selection personell and are charging top dollar for that. It does set a barrier of Entry to using our services as a company, many people are not willing to pay what we charge for the design and upfront work before we actually pull the trigger on setting forms Etc.

That's fine. Just have to be willing to play the game I know you will lose four five in a row sometimes before you get back into chips.

While you can get creative and not always go the highest end route, say instead of hanging solid Timber beams from a ceiling you can make box beams and distress them. Save thousands of dollars and looks really good to anybody but a carpenter. LOL. Doesn't look bad but doesn't look like the real thing to me. It is what it is when you have a set budget and are trying to achieve a certain look.

Parade of Homes house last year some awards like usual, the floor tile was $2.75. Found an excellent deal on it, very rare but worth the extra effort for 4000 ft. Normally we just buy it out of my buddy's showroom. My normal allowance on a 7 figure home is 10 bucks a fult... tats 30k PLUS my Mark up she saved. I also charged for the lady in the office dealing with finding that tile

Windows, doors, tile underlayment, waterproofing , Windows, appliances, cabinets ect... should all have certain standards you don't drop below no matter what. In my opinion 

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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

insighter242 said:


> "high end look" "high end material" and "high quality " are all subjective. If you disagree , tell me an example of a high end car And we can discuss further
> 
> 
> 
> ...




That's easy. Don't give your customer a cubic zerconia and tell them it's a diamond. That's not subjective, that's a lie. That's my point. 


Mike.
_______________


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Californiadecks said:


> That's easy. Don't give your customer a cubic zerconia and tell them it's a diamond. That's not subjective, that's a lie. That's my point.
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________


Yep. We'll also screw you over reputation wise for being a cheap ass.

Nothing wrong with offering alternative Solutions as long as they have a minimum standard, but need to be honest about the differences. If I spec Andersen 100 windows I do not try to sell them is E-Series or Marvin's xcetera

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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Californiadecks said:


> That's easy. Don't give your customer a cubic zerconia and tell them it's a diamond. That's not subjective, that's a lie. That's my point.
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________



How do you know what my customers were asking ? how do you know what I was giving ? how do you know for sure that it is inferior material ? how do you also know that I lie to them that the inferior material is something else ? also how do you know that customers won't even know the difference between white zirconium and diamond ?

Unless you have a permanent mental disability or a crappy life , why don't you try not assuming , or atleast staying away if you don't have anything to add .


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

insighter242 said:


> How do you know what my customers were asking ? how do you know what I was giving ? how do you know for sure that it is inferior material ? how do you also know that I lie to them that the inferior material is something else ? also how do you know that customers won't even know the difference between white zirconium and diamond ?
> 
> Unless you have a permanent mental disability or a crappy life , why don't you try not assuming , or atleast staying away if you don't have anything to add .


Lmao. You come here and post a question, a couple of the most veteran and successful members (griz and cali) throw some stuff out and you insult them? 

You seem like you read a lot of Dale Carnegie. 

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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Jaws said:


> Yep. We'll also screw you over reputation wise for being a cheap ass.
> 
> Nothing wrong with offering alternative Solutions as long as they have a minimum standard, but need to be honest about the differences. If I spec Andersen 100 windows I do not try to sell them is E-Series or Marvin's xcetera
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


Ofcourse if you lie to me , I will make sure to send you to jail along with a jumbo prep h pack ...ha ha


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

insighter242 said:


> Ofcourse if you lie to me , I will make sure to send you to jail along with a jumbo prep h pack ...ha ha


Good luck getting criminal charges for civil liability.... if that was the case a bunch of **** bag contractors would be in jail... never met one who went to jail except for taxs

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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Jaws said:


> Lmao. You come here and post a question, a couple of the most veteran and successful members (griz and cali) throw some stuff out and you insult them?
> 
> You seem like you read a lot of Dale Carnegie.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk



dale carnegie didn't say to suckh every ** , but if its working fr you , keep doing .

May be its your words that command respect but not your "post count ".

I am not as well read as you are - you know who "dale carnegie" is , so you must definitely know about authority-misinfluence tendency . Look it up and let us know what u think . Hint : It's a classic strategy used in pilot training


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

insighter242 said:


> dale carnegie didn't say to suckh every ** , but if its working fr you , keep doing .
> 
> May be its your words that command respect but not your "post count ".
> 
> I am not as well read as you are - you know who "dale carnegie" is , so you must definitely know about authority-misinfluence tendency . Look it up and let us know what u think . Hint : It's a classic strategy used in pilot training


I know what it is. 

I didn't ask you for any tips. 

Class has nothing to do with post count either. 

Have a nice day

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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

Talk about first impressions.....


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Jaws said:


> Good luck getting criminal charges for civil liability.... if that was the case a bunch of **** bag contractors would be in jail... never met one who went to jail except for taxs
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


not common , because of the litigation costs involved , but contractors went to jail on many occasions . I am sure you could find many examples if you look up . These would happen if the project cost justifies taking legal action .

a sample : https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_r...cle_6e20f228-c8b7-11e8-a365-b3662b801a96.html


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

insighter242 said:


> not common , because of the litigation costs involved , but contractors went to jail on many occasions . I am sure you could find many examples if you look up . These would happen if the project cost justifies taking legal action .
> 
> a sample : https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_r...cle_6e20f228-c8b7-11e8-a365-b3662b801a96.html


Good to hear. Wish it happened more often

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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Jaws said:


> I know what it is.
> 
> I didn't ask you for any tips.
> 
> ...


Similarly I didn't ask to be accused , and I also didn't ask you to school me about "dale carnegie " .

Looks like you agree with me that "post count" doesn't matter . Happy to find a common ground . 

Thanks for answering the original post and adding valuable content .


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

woodspike said:


> i kind of agree with the " specializing comment
> 
> or at least job selection.
> its tough to turned down a job at times , but maybe sometimes we should.
> ...


good practical advice , I miss some of these things always.note to self : should work harder to build these as habits .


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

insighter242 said:


> Similarly I didn't ask to be accused , and I also didn't ask you to school me about "dale carnegie " .
> 
> Looks like you agree with me that "post count" doesn't matter . Happy to find a common ground .
> 
> Thanks for answering the original post and adding valuable content .


3 veteran contractors took you post the same way - that you wanted to use cheaper materials and make them look high-end.

If you meant something different all you had to say was we misread your post and intention. 

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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

_"..high end look with alternative materials.."_

I read that as "cheaper stuff that won't last."

I was on a swanky job where the trim guys had biscuited and butt-joined some hollow-core slabs to achieve a 5' closet bypass set-up. Looked "high end", I suppose.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Jaws said:


> 3 veteran contractors took you post the same way - that you wanted to use cheaper materials and make them look high-end.
> 
> If you meant something different all you had to say was we misread your post and intention.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk



So what is wrong with using cheaper materials and making them look high end . I use luxury viny tile which looks high end inplace of hard wood flooring , because it met all the functionality and met the customers budget .

Am I a great contractor , only if I use the most expensive material . I tried to tell that - "high quality" " high end" are subjective . to which your verteran responded by saying that I should not lie .

This doesn't seem like misreading , it seems like saying " every one expect myself are cheap , I am the only noble prize worthy contractor" 

ofcourse open for any constructive debate , you could say what is a "high end" flooring and I can explain why its subjective .


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

MarkJames said:


> _"..high end look with alternative materials.."_
> 
> I read that as "cheaper stuff that won't last."
> 
> I was on a swanky job where the trim guys had biscuited and butt-joined some hollow-core slabs to achieve a 5' closet bypass set-up. Looked "high end", I suppose.


I read this as 

"another insecure contractor who has no value to add, but trying to boost his ego by assuming a negative connotation " :blink:


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

insighter242 said:


> I read this as
> 
> "another insecure contractor who has no value to add, but trying to boost his ego by assuming a negative connotation " :blink:


That's one way to read it.

Do you have examples of the cheaper alternatives that meet the "high end" bar? Is it just about looks, or also about performance, quality, etc? 

Do you push your "alternatives" because you have them, or because the customer wants them? Does it save them any money to use your alternatives, or just put more money in your pocket (at their expense)?


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## Mordekyle (May 20, 2014)

Californiadecks said:


> That's easy. Don't give your customer a cubic zerconia and tell them it's a diamond. That's not subjective, that's a lie. That's my point.
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________




Sounds prescriptive, not accusatory.

I think you might be better served by searching and lurking rather than posting and accusing.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

MarkJames said:


> That's one way to read it.
> 
> Do you have examples of the cheaper alternatives that meet the "high end" bar? Is it just about looks, or also about performance, quality, etc?
> 
> Do you push your "alternatives" because you have them, or because the customer wants them? Does it save them any money to use your alternatives, or just put more money in your pocket (at their expense)?



Got it , This contributes to a better discourse

As I mentioned in one of the responses : Luxury vinyl tyle instead of hardwood , more variety , less lead time , good looks , easier to maintain . 

Marble look tile instead of marble - It gives a true high end look , especially when I used a hexagon style tile . 

I dont necessarily "have" alternatives for every material or every clients problem . Infact I dont conclude anything about a project . It all depends on what the customer wants and what they are trying to achieve . Most of the times these customers already spoke to someother contractors , who apparently said , they have to do it "their" way - which is nothing but a way to say " I only want to do it this way , because it makes it easy for me , irrespective of your budget , wants and desires "

Every project is different , some have higher margins some lesser Also its not a zero sum game , meaning one has to loose for th eother to win . I hate to assume , but I dont exactly understand what "pocketing more money at their expense" is - I try to meet my clients needs and make money . Simple.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Mordekyle said:


> Sounds prescriptive, not accusatory.
> 
> I think you might be better served by searching and lurking rather than posting and accusing.
> 
> ...


wow , Mordekyle said it , so it must be true .

May be you should use the free unsolicited advice you gave me , especially when you have zero value to add .

Unless you honestly believe that I am dying to get your opinion of that comment .


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

I would just price those alternatives differently. LVT vs. hardwood, or real marble vs. the look of marble. Sort it out with client, and go from there.

As for better margins, it comes down to being clear, efficient and expeditious (keep the job moving). 

Also, having a materials list before the next trip to the jobsite is invaluable. Folks otherwise waste time and add days.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

MarkJames said:


> I would just price those alternatives differently. LVT vs. hardwood, or real marble vs. the look of marble. Sort it out with client, and go from there.
> 
> As for better margins, it comes down to being clear, efficient and expeditious (keep the job moving).
> 
> Also, having a materials list before the next trip to the jobsite is invaluable. Folks otherwise waste time and add days.


Ofcourse pricing is just one step , I have many other things that I look for , ex being : do the clients really understand the benifits , do they need the functionality or is this more a decorative element . Do they plan to have it for few years or is this supposed to be a stop gap feature . Do they have more pressing needs than this specific option :having a functional bathroom would be more important than decorating a fire place . Most of the times they know these , but some times asking these questions help prioritize



Regarding the materials list - can you explain further , because I do spend time researching materials and any tips would save my time .


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## Fishindude (Aug 15, 2017)

* Estimate / bid the job right to start with.
* Have a clear scope of work and expectations with the client and make sure all project stakeholders understand their part in it.
* Sweat the details on material and subcontractor buy out.
* Planning, planning and more planning, always thinking ahead.
* Set an aggressive completion schedule and stick to it.
* Keep a neat and clean jobsite at all times.
* Start the punch list and close out work well before the end of the job so everything wraps up on the scheduled date.
* If changes come up, deal with them quickly, then realistically update the schedule.

Assuming it's bid right, the biggest factor is setting an aggressive schedule and sticking to it. Schedule over-run kills profits, plus you lose the opportunity to be working on the next profitable job.


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

Infighter242 ... :laughing: seriously thought I saw that after while reading this thread. 

:whistling Nothing else constructive to ad.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Fishindude said:


> * Estimate / bid the job right to start with.
> * Have a clear scope of work and expectations with the client and make sure all project stakeholders understand their part in it.
> * Sweat the details on material and subcontractor buy out.
> * Planning, planning and more planning, always thinking ahead.
> ...


Some liquid gold here . Especially the "planning" piece resonates with me . It feels painful but helps a lot . Thanks much


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Legit advice there. Sticky worthy


Fishindude said:


> * Estimate / bid the job right to start with.
> * Have a clear scope of work and expectations with the client and make sure all project stakeholders understand their part in it.
> * Sweat the details on material and subcontractor buy out.
> * Planning, planning and more planning, always thinking ahead.
> ...


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Texas Wax said:


> Infighter242 ... :laughing: seriously thought I saw that after while reading this thread.
> 
> :whistling Nothing else constructive to ad.


Ha ha good one


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

We talking about running a business here, or just marketing schlock?


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

insighter242 said:


> So what is wrong with using cheaper materials and making them look high end . I use luxury viny tile which looks high end inplace of hard wood flooring , because it met all the functionality and met the customers budget .


I have a job client wants 3/4" x 5" distressed hickory flooring I'll just lay some LVP next to the hickory and tell them "It looks the same let's go with that for the same cost".


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## woodspike (Dec 2, 2018)

wow.... that back , and forth was riveting !

i laughed
i cried , 
it became a part of me


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I save a lot of time and money by not dealing with aholes. Low end, high end, doesn't matter.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

avenge said:


> A client wouldn't say that to me, they already know something about me and have already seen my work in person, if they did I'd say "Bye-bye". I think you're confused you stated you use LVP because it looks high end instead of hardwood. I said there's no comparison but you can't seem to comprehend that, or anything it seems.


Looks like you conveniently ignored to answer the questions I posed. Ok so now that we established LVP is not junk , what is Junk for you ?can you give example

And you also conveniently ignored the fact that I clearly said - I chose LVP because it also met the functionality and needs. Looks like you have a great knack of seeing what you want to see.

And also you mentioned it in red , so it might be something very important , ha ha. But try not to make blanket statements , like "that is junk" ,"I am great " , "You are stupid "... 

I am reiterating there IS Comparison ( may be I should highlight this is red ) between two materials used for flooring and I will leave it up to the readers to interpret my comprehension levels .


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Texas Wax said:


> Don't think the OP realizes the different types of remodeling contractors. He seems to be a gun-ho type that is a good salesman, going for volume from a broad net of marketing/lead sources. Which is fine.
> 
> It is not the word of mouth artisan-custom designbuild GC approach, that you and a number of others have. Efficiency being your end result is of a high quality and that stands as your product and sales pitch. Compromise on materials only waters down your brand. What your ideal and actual costumer base expects.
> 
> Successful Top end remodelers, LOL never started in the middle of the market and became successful in the high end demographic. If they did, they abandoned those middle level tactics for a much different set.



95% of my business is word of mouth , I will confess ( not that its bad ) that I did pay for some marketing , but i did not get the results I wanted . The marketing pro says that I have to continue for atleast 6 months to see benefits and he might be right . I just didn't have enough time to pursue /research that route .I will definitely come back and post here

I am always intrigued to learn more about different segments of customers , can you explain more about the ideal customer you mentioned. Especially when I try to extend my marketing campaign in future I want to target ideal customers , so it will help a lot .


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

insighter242 said:


> The marketing pro says
> 
> , can you explain more about the ideal customer you mentioned.


:whistling You do realize, Marketing pro and explain (an) "Ideal customer" in the same paragraph is a bit of an oxymoron. 

Assuming you meant Ideal in terms of high end. It's no secret but a very illusive demographic for most contractors to break into and more importantly continue to serve. **Wealthy people who'll throw money at you hand over fist** is the general working class definition. Who they are, what they want and how they want it delivered? That's all very local (often down to small areas and neighborhoods) and specific to your companies capabilities. You have to research and explore your local market to find out. No golden nugget covered brass ring exists.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

insighter242 said:


> And also you mentioned it in red , so it might be something very important , ha ha.


Just to clear that up, some folks around here will intersperse their comments inside the quote of your post so they can be easily seen--rather than go through breaking up that single quote into multiples and replying separately to each fragment. IOW, the red wasn't for emphasis.

This thread has gotten bogged down with the whole "alternative materials" argument. If you can make your client happy by using less expensive materials--and passing those savings along to him, it's a win win situation. He got a better price, and you got a better reputation for saving him money.

While that doesn't directly garner more profit, it does contribute to increased business and possibly repeat engagements with the same client.

Having said that, if the client insists on a total crap product, many here (myself included) have a line they won't cross in that respect. You just can't get a reputation for doing high-quality work if the materials won't allow for it. And no one wants to warrant a job they know won't hold up well because of that.

You have requested and received input from some pretty experienced guys here, and then become combative about that advice. Take it or leave it. Your choice.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Texas Wax said:


> :whistling You do realize, Marketing pro and explain (an) "Ideal customer" in the same paragraph is a bit of an oxymoron.
> 
> Assuming you meant Ideal in terms of high end. It's no secret but a very illusive demographic for most contractors to break into and more importantly continue to serve. **Wealthy people who'll throw money at you hand over fist** is the general working class definition. Who they are, what they want and how they want it delivered? That's all very local (often down to small areas and neighborhoods) and specific to your companies capabilities. You have to research and explore your local market to find out. No golden nugget covered brass ring exists.





insighter242 said:


> 95% of my business is word of mouth , I will confess ( not that its bad ) that I did pay for some marketing , but i did not get the results I wanted . The marketing pro says that I have to continue for atleast 6 months to see benefits and he might be right . I just didn't have enough time to pursue /research that route .I will definitely come back and post here
> 
> I am always intrigued to learn more about different segments of customers , can you explain more about the ideal customer you mentioned. Especially when I try to extend my marketing campaign in future I want to target ideal customers , so it will help a lot .


Ok I didn't mean anything when I asked about the ideal customer. I was just trying to understand what your version of "ideal customer" is. Because it can mean million things to million people

But Thanks for explaining and yeah no offense meant - but I am not interested in that guy who throws money at everything and the idea of pursuing that customer doesn't even excite me . ofcourse if a lead comes and he happens to fall in to that bracket , then yah , It will help because , there is no real budget constraint.


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## insighter242 (May 22, 2018)

Tinstaafl said:


> Just to clear that up, some folks around here will intersperse their comments inside the quote of your post so they can be easily seen--rather than go through breaking up that single quote into multiples and replying separately to each fragment. IOW, the red wasn't for emphasis.
> 
> This thread has gotten bogged down with the whole "alternative materials" argument. If you can make your client happy by using less expensive materials--and passing those savings along to him, it's a win win situation. He got a better price, and you got a better reputation for saving him money.
> 
> ...


Yep , you summed it up pretty nicely . But its not a surprise to see the 80% crap. Every forum has people who think -" Do I have anything useful to add or answer the qn , ohh I have nothing , by the way , let me find something in the post which I can interpret in the way I want , ohh , by the way it doesn't answer the qn or add value , who cares , let the word diarrhea start "

Also your summary of my thinking was fairly accurate with just one slight modification . It is profitable. Like I explained in one of the posts , if I solve a problem , and if the customer feels that I genuinely care , they don't penny pinch . Which means more margins.

About crap products : There are extremes in every approach . If I say that - drinking water is good , someone can come and say - drinking extreme amounts of water can kill you , which is true. Similarly trying to meet customers needs , based on the market does not equal to saying yes to everything . If you see the previous posts , you can clearly see that , some guys don't want to answer my questions , when I asked what they think is a quality product . Because they know that , what can be a quality product for you , can be a unacceptable product for some one else. 

There was even one genius , who said that , the customer has to use what he dictates and he will refuse to install what the customer wants and what he thinks as inferior product . I could have literally died laughing at this . You go to buy a Toyota car and the guy at the dealer ship says - I won't sell the Toyota camry , you should buy the Range rover over there , Toyota camry is low quality and I refuse to sell you low quality stuff. so does a range rover has more quality , hell yes. But does the customer in qn need it , hell no. He can not afford , he doesn't want the additional features ( like rain activated wipers..lol) that range rover offers (and hey by the way , the wipers speed increases with rain intensity ) . Apparently this superstar contractor won't work for him as the customer did not use the product he chose.

Another guy says that I am a salesman type, who does volume, good at marketing and that I am not the word of mouth artisan custom build guy ... And the basis for these conclusions - nothing , its just his assumption after reading 4 posts of mine in a forum. 

Coming to your last topic , of getting combative : You are free to define it in any way that you see fit , but I just responded appropriately - If some body is making assumptions and telling that I do subpar work and that I cut corners , I gave them the much deserved finger. Alternatively if you have read through the whole series , I have also thanked who genuinely tried to contribute . I don't have to agree with everything that they said , but they did not make assumptions or disrespect me , they tried their best to contribute . 

By the way , do you have any tips/recommendations ?


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

insighter242 said:


> By the way , do you have any tips/recommendations ?


Apparently you didn't entirely absorb what I wrote. Nope, nothing to add. :thumbsup:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

The #1 way to increase profits is increase prices.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

hdavis said:


> The #1 way to increase profits is increase prices.


Now that's a plan I can get on board with.:thumbsup:


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## alldivision (Feb 11, 2020)

That sounds good. We can also increase the remodeling projects profit with some other ways like reusing old materials and reducing the structural alterations if any.


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## NJ Contractor (Nov 12, 2016)

hdavis said:


> The #1 way to increase profits is increase prices.


:thumbsup:

The #2 way is to lower your overhead and expenses without affecting the outcome and quality of your projects.


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## Aaron Berk2 (Sep 28, 2019)

In regrades to the original post.

Increase profits?

Wear a tie. :whistling

Now I don't necessarily mean literally, but if you present yourself in a professional manor displaying confidence in your field and looking like you know what your talking about, that goes a long way for cost credibility.

Beards are cool, tattoos are cool, work boots are cool.

But if have a scraggly look about you all the time, you can't charge $150 per hr. customer won't buy it. 

Business name on the truck, Business name on my shirts, no holes in my clothes (at least not at start of day).

I show up to estimates looking clean shaven and wearing decent clothes, but I like to wear my good pair of work boots. I don't want to look like an office snob, but I refuse to look like a worn out handyman.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Aaron Berk2 said:


> In regrades to the original post.
> 
> Increase profits?
> 
> ...



Yup, I've always said that customers can smell confidence. Real confidence comes from knowing your trade inside and out. Most all my customers are educated business leaders. They are looking for professionalism. 


Mike.
_______________


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

Missed this trainwreck. :blink:

Douchebag sounds like another one of those guys who spends all his time obsessing over "marketing and sales", reading about why Sears went bankrupt, and trying to find some get-rich-quick scheme that applies to construction. 

Instead of putting in the time and effort to get good at your trade, become an excellent craftsman, and provide good service for the customer. 

Seen about 50 of them on here.

They usually disappear when they realize that there is no Lazy button for construction. :laughing:


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## Aaron Berk2 (Sep 28, 2019)

Perfect explanation to go along with your statement.

Work smarter not harder.... nope. Work HARDER








Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:


> Missed this trainwreck. :blink:
> 
> Douchebag sounds like another one of those guys who spends all his time obsessing over "marketing and sales", reading about why Sears went bankrupt, and trying to find some get-rich-quick scheme that applies to construction.
> 
> ...


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