# Hello..Inspiring Contractor here



## NInman311

SelfContract said:


> 2 young 2 succeed. :whistling


thats not true, there are plenty of people that succeed at a young age.



> The most successful people fail more often than anyone else...they just don't let it stop them. DON'T let failure make you think you can't, use that to drive you to do it better the next time.


yeah, i completely understand that..and have witnessed it through my dad, he owns just a single restaurant now. but has tried a handful and has failed for numerous of different reasons, some unfortunate like location would be great but just couldn't find a good enough service staff.

but yeah..average cost to start up a business like that? any idea


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## Forry

I started with a used worm drive and a mitsubishi sedan. Garage sale ski racks on top.


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## MALCO.New.York

NInman311 said:


> yeah..i know but oh well. I know the difference between the two words, and when i was writing this it sounded funny but i didn't really think it would of been criticized. i guess it is pretty bad haha


Not bad at all. It is a common mistake. As for criticism, it is how you learn and improve and grow and mature and become successful.

Hang on! It is a bumpy road!


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## NInman311

MALCO.New.York said:


> Not bad at all. It is a common mistake. As for criticism, it is how you learn and improve and grow and mature and become successful.
> 
> Hang on! It is a bumpy road!


yeah..i have been reading a lot and i enjoy reading about anything that will benefit me. 

thanks for the advice malco..

any of you guys know of any good books that will benefit me..i have looked on amazon and have found a few and read the customer reviews. just dunno if i want to spend the money and not be worth it.


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## BuiltByMAC

Very worth it. Pretty much anything by Taunton Press is worth it...

(psst, enough with the _what's it cost to start up a construction business?_ questions... the question is too vague for any meaningful answer)

Mac


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## gdalton4

If I had a choice to be supervised by a guy who had a degree in building management or someone with a degree from the school of hardknocks I'd pick the hardknocks grade every time. Not because one may know more than the other but because one was on the front lines while the other was in a class room.It's much like being a designer .I think that all designers should have to work as a carpenter for at least 3 years before they start designing just so they can see what actually goes into creating the masterpeices they design.Stay in school,during your break each year work for a contractor,and really get an idea and a feel for the biz.Your young yet,you still have plenty of time to make up your mind.And by the way ,when I was your age I wanted to be a mechanic I even went to school for it.Now I hate changing the oil in my van,GO FIGURE.(HAHA):thumbup:


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## NInman311

gdalton4 said:


> If I had a choice to be supervised by a guy who had a degree in building management or someone with a degree from the school of hardknocks I'd pick the hardknocks grade every time. Not because one may know more than the other but because one was on the front lines while the other was in a class room.It's much like being a designer .I think that all designers should have to work as a carpenter for at least 3 years before they start designing just so they can see what actually goes into creating the masterpeices they design.Stay in school,during your break each year work for a contractor,and really get an idea and a feel for the biz.Your young yet,you still have plenty of time to make up your mind.And by the way ,when I was your age I wanted to be a mechanic I even went to school for it.Now I hate changing the oil in my van,GO FIGURE.(HAHA):thumbup:


interesting, but i can understand.. yeah and i want some experience doing something. hopefully my uncle can hook it up with something while i'm on winter break and summer break, maybe even the weekends.

i'll look into that book..i have seen it before and they all sound about the same.


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## J F

Get your education....by the time you're finished this current debacle will be over (hopefully :wacko.

While in school you can work part time in the industry and get your feet wet. Just don't offer your "schooled" opinions right off the bat, that can get you whacked pretty quickly if you haven't become part of the team yet :no:.

I agree with the point that it will only get harder to go back to school as you get older. Get it over with now....4 years goes by FAST (you'll be among the few if you "get" it at your age)...I didn't:stupid:.
J


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## NInman311

yeah 4 years goes by extremely quick.. well anyone who gave me advice and had input thanks!! appreciated greatly


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## TimSim

Welcome to the forum. I'm sure you'll pick up the trade quick, it's good to start young


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## tool junkie

MALCO.New.York said:


> Not bad at all. It is a common mistake. As for criticism, it is how you learn and improve and grow and mature and become successful.
> 
> Hang on! It is a bumpy road!


LOL some of you guys hit him pretty hard on this thread and he took it like a champ, kept his cool, so I say he's a natural for the business... cause if you cant take the heat in this business then its going to be a rough way to go. :laughing: The lad is resiliant :thumbsup: Very important on a jobsite.


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## MALCO.New.York

tool junkie said:


> LOL some of you guys hit him pretty hard on this thread and he took it like a champ, kept his cool, so I say he's a natural for the business... cause if you cant take the heat in this business then its going to be a rough way to go. :laughing: The lad is resiliant :thumbsup: Very important on a jobsite.


I do concur!!!!


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## SethHoldren

The construction industry needs more people like this young man. 

We need people who get into the business because they want to, rather than because it's their only option.

My advice would be to get a business or a marketing degree. Maybe take some construction management classes. And also, perhaps most importantly, find a successful, intelligent contractor willing to hire you part time as a beginning framer or even as a laborer doing demo or clean-up.

This will make a great, high paying summer job you can do full time, and will teach you the invaluable "construction mindset" you will need to pull your weight as a manager or business owner someday.

If you frame for 4 years, and get a business degree, you will most certainly be able to find a management job in residential construction or remodeling right after graduation. Maybe even before graduation.

Go out there and find a job. Do well in school. Learn business strategy and entrepreneurship.

Good luck. And go get 'em!


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## NInman311

SethHoldren said:


> The construction industry needs more people like this young man.
> 
> We need people who get into the business because they want to, rather than because it's their only option.
> 
> My advice would be to get a business or a marketing degree. Maybe take some construction management classes. And also, perhaps most importantly, find a successful, intelligent contractor willing to hire you part time as a beginning framer or even as a laborer doing demo or clean-up.
> 
> This will make a great, high paying summer job you can do full time, and will teach you the invaluable "construction mindset" you will need to pull your weight as a manager or business owner someday.
> 
> If you frame for 4 years, and get a business degree, you will most certainly be able to find a management job in residential construction or remodeling right after graduation. Maybe even before graduation.
> 
> Go out there and find a job. Do well in school. Learn business strategy and entrepreneurship.
> 
> Good luck. And go get 'em!


Yeah, thanks for the compliments haha.

I am kind of confused on what degree to get..but it seems like if i want to own a company..than a business degree is where it's at with some construction management classes, as you said.

Like I said earlier in this thread, my Uncle is a building contractor so hopefully he can get me something. And I even told him, as a clean up crew or whatever, I just want to get a taste of the atmosphere.

I would like to learn something that I can master rather than clean up, but it's whatever I guess.

We will see how it goes.


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## AJX4

Just remember that there's contractors like me, with beaty eyes like joe biden who make a living working for those of you who like to play the nutshell game with my earnings, even though my work ethic, response time, consideration for others in the lineup of subs to provide exactly what I promised from the handshake, even if that has any value anymore. 

Remember that there are those of me that when not paid on time like what was agreed in the beginning, with the nod of a head or an okay from your mouth, I'm counting on that money because I feed my family with that money you owe me. If you think I'm a pushover for the casual pay type of guy, I'm the guy who camps out in trees, hangs out under cars or in back of vans watching you eat pork chops that my money in delay is paying for, while you think earning interest on my paycheck of .2 percent is more important than me staying current on my bills, forcing me to higher interest rates because you said I was getting paid, but given your posse of interested parties, you follow the timeline of bank draws that are never a problem for anyone but the guy earning his pay like he has to. People like me that can't spend 60 minutes in a comfortable chair at anger management because there's an unchained melody clicking in my head of where's my money, how angry I'm getting. When I get angry I do bad things.

Now, realize this when you climb that ladder and get put in the position of authority and you know you're putting the hurt on someone that doesn't deserve the delay, know that the glazed stare from their eyes to yours might mean you are vulnerable when you set the wheels a turning in not paying on time. Enjoy your porkchops and your evening...


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## SethHoldren

> I would like to learn something that I can master rather than clean up, but it's whatever I guess.


It's better to take a clean-up gig for the right guy than to take a better sounding "carpenter" job with the wrong guy.

Look for a guy who will recognize hard work and hustle. Do whatever he will pay you to do. Ask questions like crazy. Learn the process. Ask for more responsibility often.

If you have any competence level at all you could be a pretty darn good beginning framer within six months to a year. Making good money to pay for school.

But not if the guy who makes the decisions never gets to see your work ethic and smarts.

Find a guy who seems to like your attitude, who is on the jobsite a lot.


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## SethHoldren

> I'm the guy who camps out in trees, hangs out under cars or in back of vans watching you eat pork chops that my money in delay is paying for, while you think earning interest on my paycheck of .2 percent is more important than me staying current on my bills, forcing me to higher interest rates because you said I was getting paid, but given your posse of interested parties, you follow the timeline of bank draws that are never a problem for anyone but the guy earning his pay like he has to. - AJX4


Dude, you crack me up. Are you trying to teach him a preemptive lesson?

I had to read it a few times. Very persuasive.


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## NInman311

AJX4 said:


> Just remember that there's contractors like me, with beaty eyes like joe biden who make a living working for those of you who like to play the nutshell game with my earnings, even though my work ethic, response time, consideration for others in the lineup of subs to provide exactly what I promised from the handshake, even if that has any value anymore.
> 
> Remember that there are those of me that when not paid on time like what was agreed in the beginning, with the nod of a head or an okay from your mouth, I'm counting on that money because I feed my family with that money you owe me. If you think I'm a pushover for the casual pay type of guy, I'm the guy who camps out in trees, hangs out under cars or in back of vans watching you eat pork chops that my money in delay is paying for, while you think earning interest on my paycheck of .2 percent is more important than me staying current on my bills, forcing me to higher interest rates because you said I was getting paid, but given your posse of interested parties, you follow the timeline of bank draws that are never a problem for anyone but the guy earning his pay like he has to. People like me that can't spend 60 minutes in a comfortable chair at anger management because there's an unchained melody clicking in my head of where's my money, how angry I'm getting. When I get angry I do bad things.
> 
> Now, realize this when you climb that ladder and get put in the position of authority and you know you're putting the hurt on someone that doesn't deserve the delay, know that the glazed stare from their eyes to yours might mean you are vulnerable when you set the wheels a turning in not paying on time. Enjoy your porkchops and your evening...


hey man..i know where you are coming from. my mom unfortunately was put in that situation. not knowing when she was going to get paid etc..it's horrible and very unfair.

so i haven't personally felt that anxiety but i felt the pain, it sucks.



hopefully i can get something.. thats another thing i have going for me is my work ethic. i won't give up on anyone and will go 100% until the job is done. and it does pay off to have an attitude like that.


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## AltonAyer

I was thirty-seven before I headed out on my own with little or no experience. Just a desire to work with my hands. There is nothing like it. I do general homerepair and custom woodwork. From the school stand point--take some real business, accounting and computer classes not the general intro stuff. If you want to be in the big world of contracting, there some great advanced programs in some great universities and we as a country our in need of young people getting in the trade. Alton


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## antnepi

I am only 25, but I have seen a lot in the way of business. Some of the older members here will disagree, but I have seen a lot but not all. I went to a University and got my Bachelors and every minute was totally worth it. Education is never a bad thing. Don't be afraid to fail. If it does, start over and do it again with what you learned from failing. Everything is a learning experience and I mean everything. College is a great experience. Work hard play hard. Go to school and learn a trade on your time off. I had a lot of fun in college and now I am settled down and ready to work. I know guys that tried to play it too serious after high school and I feel they missed out.


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## Bud Cline

> Basically, I want to be the boss, but I want that as soon as I can.


Of course you do - don't we all! Most of my past workers have also aspired to that goal. So far none have done it. You need to know it before you control it.:thumbup:


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## Snow Man

NInman311 said:


> Hello everyone--
> 
> My name is Nick, I'm 18 and live in Orlando, Florida. I just discovered this site, (and glad i did!! haha) but my love for this industry has been upon me for quite some time now.
> 
> My goal is to have my own business in this industry, either as a Building Contractor or General. Although, I am a novice and have a lack of direction, I am very ambitious and self-motivated to accomplish all I want to accomplish.
> 
> I start my first day of college tomorrow at a local community college as an undecided major. I know many people who have made a great business through this industry without college.
> 
> Not only am I introducing myself to the site, but I would love any type of feedback and advice.
> 
> So a few questions I have are:
> Is college the best route for me?
> Is there a specific trade that I should get started in?
> Should I try and start as something small and work my way up? (Skipping college).
> 
> Don't feel bad to criticize or anything, I am all ears and want to learn as much as I can.
> 
> Thanks everyone!!


 
*Congats and best wishes , welcome , and dont be frayed by the weekend worriors here , some just drink beer and press enter , but most are very helpful.*
*Dinoarty:*


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## univac

Good day, Do all your studies, understand concepts and innovate my friend.


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## NInman311

Yeah, well I started college and it sucks..but it's just the basic classes so it's whatever for now.

I ordered a book-- Building a Successful Construction Company by Patricia W. Atallah. It's not bad and really informative.


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