In Your Opinion...

[G & G Electric]

Greetings to all,

Me and a buddy of mine recently started a small EC shop here in Central Texas, and would like to get a couple of opinions on something. To make a long story short, we haven't really advertised, don't have any contracts, or any leads for that matter. And my buddy and I are still working full time just trying to maintain our own family lives (bills, etc...). However, we have $25,000 to use as needed to get off the ground. That being said, I have a '93GMC half ton, mechanically sound, with a utility bed, ladder rack, and ready to roll. It will cost around $1200 to get a fresh coat of paint and company info painted on. My buddy wants to go drop $13,000 on a newer van instead. I believe that would be a foolish move as we have no income from our company as of yet. What do you guys/girls think? I appreciate and heed advice from ya'll. Thanks!

[steelersman]

Greetings to all,

Me and a buddy of mine recently started a small EC shop here in Central Texas, and would like to get a couple of opinions on something. To make a long story short, we haven't really advertised, don't have any contracts, or any leads for that matter. And my buddy and I are still working full time just trying to maintain our own family lives (bills, etc...). However, we have $25,000 to use as needed to get off the ground. That being said, I have a '93GMC half ton, mechanically sound, with a utility bed, ladder rack, and ready to roll. It will cost around $1200 to get a fresh coat of paint and company info painted on. My buddy wants to go drop $13,000 on a newer van instead. I believe that would be a foolish move as we have no income from our company as of yet. What do you guys/girls think? I appreciate and heed advice from ya'll. Thanks!
I like your idea better. Why spend the money when you don't need to?

[Fulthrotl]

Greetings to all,

Me and a buddy of mine recently started a small EC shop here in Central Texas, and would like to get a couple of opinions on something. To make a long story short, we haven't really advertised, don't have any contracts, or any leads for that matter. And my buddy and I are still working full time just trying to maintain our own family lives (bills, etc...). However, we have $25,000 to use as needed to get off the ground. That being said, I have a '93GMC half ton, mechanically sound, with a utility bed, ladder rack, and ready to roll. It will cost around $1200 to get a fresh coat of paint and company info painted on. My buddy wants to go drop $13,000 on a newer van instead. I believe that would be a foolish move as we have no income from our company as of yet. What do you guys/girls think? I appreciate and heed advice from ya'll. Thanks!

old truck, new tires, new paint.
no payment.

sounds good.

new truck.

no money.

doesn't sound so good.

[CopperTone]

can you get a loan for a new van? the payment on 13k can't be much - $250? a month?

[bbe]

When i started i had a 20 year old, 1 ton with service bed i didnt even paint it just went to work. To everyone here i looked like a trunk slammer probably but i had license, liability ins etc. Anyway i worked and saved up enough money to buy a used van and get it lettered. Thats currently where im at but its paid for and im still working and saving and when needed i'll buy something newer hopefully a cutaway with a kuv bed. Any way i say work with what you have until you got business coming in and money in the bank then buy something better. Heck with the cost of doing business all it takes is a few slow months and that nest egg will get smaller. Just my opinion. Good luck starting up. Hey why not put some of that maney youhave in advertising.

[G & G Electric]

When i started i had a 20 year old, 1 ton with service bed i didnt even paint it just went to work. To everyone here i looked like a trunk slammer probably but i had license, liability ins etc. Anyway i worked and saved up enough money to buy a used van and get it lettered. Thats currently where im at but its paid for and im still working and saving and when needed i'll buy something newer hopefully a cutaway with a kuv bed. Any way i say work with what you have until you got business coming in and money in the bank then buy something better. Heck with the cost of doing business all it takes is a few slow months and that nest egg will get smaller. Just my opinion. Good luck starting up. Hey why not put some of that maney youhave in advertising.

We've recently started advertising in the Yellow Pages, but it will be a couple of months until the new edition of the book comes out, damn the luck. There are a few local classified papers here in town, but honestly I don't know where to begin. I took on my partner for his business sense, but neither of us know the propers of what it takes or who to know to bid on jobs. For being in the trade 14 years and holding a masters license, it may seem as though I've been living under a rock for not knowing this stuff, but I've always been the guy to show up every day, give it hell till they tell me to leave, and don't ask many questions about the business unless my paycheck bounces. I guess that's coming back to haunt me. I get sage advice reading the replies, and I understand there is no secret formula to it, but where does one start? A few service calls now and again isn't really cutting it.

[bradleyelectric]

[/U][/COLOR]I took on my partner for his business sense, but neither of us know the propers of what it takes or who to know to bid on jobs.

What business sense is it your buddy has?

[billdozier]

How close to houston are you guys. Can you get in on that nest eggs. I dont know much about contracting but I do know about hurricane work. I went from working from a large company to working for a small one after Ivan. Wed pull up on a steet and catch a ton of powerpack service jobs. Unfortunately you may be too late for that game but theres probaly tons of remodel work Id head that way and get to know some of the contractors in that area. Good luck guys

[ultramegabob]

I would go into buisness for myself, and hire your buddy as an employee...

[Minuteman]

What every you do, hang on to part of that $25K to cover you and your bills for slow paying jobs. No matter how good you are, there will be times when it takes longer than you thought to get your money from a job.

[ceb58]

Greetings to all,

don't have any contracts .

However, we have $25,000 to use as needed to get off the ground.

It will cost around $1200 to get a fresh coat of paint and company info painted on. My buddy wants to go drop $13,000 on a newer van instead.


You and your buddy will be better off dropping some money on an attorney and accountant.
Have a contract drawn up between both of you. Spell out who is responsible for what. How much should each draw as pay. Starting a bussness with some one can be a nightmare or if the ground rules are set down from the beginning it could be well worth it for both of you.
Then have contracts drawn up for your state and area. A good construction attorney can customize a contract for your situation and types of work. You may have a contract for new construction and a different one for remodel to service work.
I have a "standard" contract my attorney drew up after reading I went back and added some things such as "I will place trash from the elect. installation in one location but I am not responsible for removal from job site."

[charlietuna]

Don't even paint it--$1200.00 is wasting money on paint--your customers don't care what your van looks like!

[nafis]

A piece of advice …. getting your contract ready in place that’s more important then new Van . by the way I am in tx as well dallas

[bikeindy]

Your buddy is a moron who will cause you much pain. Keep him as a buddy and forget the partnership!

[hillbilly]

Your buddy is a moron who will cause you much pain. Keep him as a buddy and forget the partnership!


I don't know if I would go as far to say that.....I don't know him....but I will give you some advice.

50/50 partnerships don't work.

Somebody has got to be the boss.

Just my (learned) opinion:wink:.

steve

[electricmanscott]

If you can't even agree on a vehicle do you really think this is going to work out? I don't.

[Buck Parrish]

Your going to need running money for jobs. The more running money you have the bigger jobs you can take on.

IMO If you want to keep your buddy as a friend. You should start your own bussiness, with out him.
It sounds like you are the conservative one any how.
Get out while you can!! Esspecially if you are the sole license holder. In that case you have a lot to loose, he does not.

[wbalsam1]

I knew a guy who started a business and immediately bought a $3,000 computer and software to track any income he might receive. I told him until he started making lots of money he could of used an empty coffee can to keep the $$ in, but he insisted in starting out with these types of luxuries.....he didn't get too far and went belly up.

[mattsilkwood]

How close to houston are you guys. Can you get in on that nest eggs. I dont know much about contracting but I do know about hurricane work. I went from working from a large company to working for a small one after Ivan. Wed pull up on a steet and catch a ton of powerpack service jobs. Unfortunately you may be too late for that game but theres probaly tons of remodel work Id head that way and get to know some of the contractors in that area. Good luck guys


i was just down there and there was alot of hurricane work but i couldnt believe the amount of new construction going on, commercial and resi. id say if a guy cant find work in that area he isnt looking very hard.

it looked like there is going to be hurricane work in galveston for a long time to come.

[ITO]

Don't even paint it--$1200.00 is wasting money on paint--your customers don't care what your van looks like!

I was going to say that.

[prh1700]

I have to agree with most of the replies. Keep the nest egg, get rid of the partner. A lawyer and accountant can get you set up a lot cheaper and with no hassles and heartaches. Your buddy sounds like he wants to go straight to eating steak.

[Sparky555]

My first lawyer was a very friendly & likable guy. In our first meeting he got very serious & said "If you ever want to get a partner, I'll draw up the agreement. Partnerships are like marriages & the divorce papers have to be drawn up in the beginning".

[Minuteman]

G & G, as most of us have said, spend your money wisely and be careful with partnerships. It maybe that you are the owner and he is a hired hand that you hold in high regard. That's okay. Calling somebody "partner" in Texas ain't the same as calling them "partner" in business. If that's not the case, than you ought to get a lawyer to look at your business plan and to help you set up yourself for success, not failure.

Welcome to the forum and stick around. There is a great bunch of people here, and a plethora of knowledge at your fingertips. :smile:

[growler]

we have no income from our company as of yet. What do you guys/girls think?

Figure out where you are going to make money before you do anything. A business plan. What type of work is going strong in your area?

You really need to know what type of work that you are going after before you come up with a plan to go after it. If you are going after construction work then the yellow pages are not going to do much good. If you are going after service work then this may get the phone to ring.

What types of jobs do you have a lot of experience in? If you have lots of experience with certain types of work this will give a better idea of labor cost. If you get out of your field of experience it can get difficult, then you not only have to learn the business side but the hands on as well.

[slect]

If your going after new construction and remodeling the you better start shaking hands and kissing babies... network and network some more. If you after service, which is where the real money is, model some of the big boys that know how to do it right. Ace electric in FL ... Mister Sparky in Atlanta.. to name a couple.... New construction and service are 2 completely different business models. Different pricing, marketing, look, everything..
Sounds like your not ready to quit your day job. I mean that respectfully. I have seen some of the best plumbers, master electricians, painters etc.. the best you would ever want to work in your own home, fail miserably when going on their own. Be carefull.

[MarkyMarkNC]

My first lawyer was a very friendly & likable guy. In our first meeting he got very serious & said "If you ever want to get a partner, I'll draw up the agreement. Partnerships are like marriages & the divorce papers have to be drawn up in the beginning".

This is the very same advice I neglected the first time I went into business with TWO other partners. They were both really good guys, and friends of mine (still), but it was a mistake a will never repeat again.

I would take the money for the paint job and spend it on some other marketing while you are waiting on the yellow pages - website, direct mail, postcards, craigslist etc.

[220/221]

50/50 partnerships don't work.

50/50 partnerships don't usually work.

I'm going to go against the grain here. In service work, your truck is your most important tool. Customers DO look at your vehicle. You need to have proper stock to do jobs properly and efficiently. You need to look professional.

That said, I wouldn't spent the cash to buy the truck, I'd finance it. If your partner knows about finance, taxes, depreciation and is capable of doing this end of the buisness, he may not be the moron some people think.

If he wants to take half of your working capital/cash and spend it on a truck, I think he lacks common business sense.


I have one of those rare 50% partnerships that works and my partner makes all the financial and administrative decisions. Our second truck (first bucket truck) was used, but after that everthing was new, financed and payed off well ahead of schedule.


The answer to your question lies within the details.

[Curtis4President]

I agree with most of the posts. We have been a company for almost two years, its very difficult. I too thought of myself as a go getter non stop elctrician. In the Bis side its very different. I have a partner, but like above poster said somebody has to be the boss. Financial decisions, marketing, hell even type of work. Dont be afraid to start small, you have to. But stay motivated, dont rush into anything, and trust nobody. Always, always, always
get it in writing and collect your deposits.


TC:D:confused::D

[satcom]

Don't even paint it--$1200.00 is wasting money on paint--your customers don't care what your van looks like!

If a truck needs painting, it may be ready for the bone yard, the customers with the money, do care what your truck looks like, how you truck is kept, gives some insite to the customer, is the truck clean and everything inside neat and orderly, or is it dirty and rusted, and the inside looks like a junk pile stored, that usually indicates a a person with no order, or pride. not someone you would want working in or on your home. You would be supprised how many customers comment on some trade comming to their home, and was a mess, or had a truck that was a mess, they don't want them in their home.

[lbwireman]

I would go into buisness for myself, and hire your buddy as an employee...

Amen to that!! Unless, of course, he's the source of the $25K...:rolleyes:. Which would certainly qualify as "business sense".:grin:

[G & G Electric]

Amen to that!! Unless, of course, he's the source of the $25K...:rolleyes:. Which would certainly qualify as "business sense".:grin:

Well, yes, he is the source of the cash, and that's one reason why I brought him on. He is quite good with money, and has a mind for business, but I have to agree with the majority of the replies. I am the license holder in the shop, and I was on my own for awhile doing HVAC controls, but I wasn't in a position to nurture the business like I wanted to. I still do small contract jobs for Siemens and a couple of other energy mangement shops. It used to be the shops that specialized in controls bid on controls, but now there's more competition willing to do it for next to nothing (thanks Lowball Electric!). And I refuse to contract out for less than I feel as though I'm worth. Always better to not win the bid for being too high than to loose your ass for being too low, IMO. For you guys here in Texas, how do I remove my Masters license and myself from the EC license? Not to say I'm ready and willing right now to back out, but if in the future I want to get out, is it going to be an ordeal or is there a set of steps to follow? As always, the responses I get from ya'll are gold, and appreciated.

[ITO]

You need to pay special attention to the contracts we have to sign here especially the indemnity clauses, they mean something different here than in other states and you could find yourself in trouble...

[electricmanscott]

Don't even paint it--$1200.00 is wasting money on paint--your customers don't care what your van looks like!

Those are the customers you don't want. The ones you are looking for do care.

You roll up in a peice of crap, you look like a piece of crap. You can't take back a first impression.


It's hard enough to overcome the stigma of being blue collar workers, why give people even more of a reason to think of us as lowlifes.

[peter d]

It's hard enough to overcome the stigma of being blue collar workers, why give people even more of a reason to think of us as lowlifes.


Some of those stigmas associated with being a tradesman are well deserved in my opinion. You are absolutely correct with regard to appearance of your vehicle.

[electricmanscott]

Some of those stigmas associated with being a tradesman are well deserved in my opinion..

You are correct sir. All you need is five minutes in any electrical supply house at 7 am. Looks like a prison lineup!

[charlietuna]

Consider you/and or you and your partner need to hire your fist employee and just how much money your company will invest in this employee before the first dollar this employee earns is returned to your business's bank account. This is a EYE OPENER !

[charlietuna]

In my particular business - i really don't think my customers knew what my service truck looked like until it pulled up to their houses to do some PR work and at that point they were hoping it was a junker!

[ohm]

I knew a guy who started a business and immediately bought a $3,000 computer and software to track any income he might receive. I told him until he started making lots of money he could of used an empty coffee can to keep the $$ in, but he insisted in starting out with these types of luxuries.....he didn't get too far and went belly up.

Good advice! Also, if your not sure how to set up files..keep all your paperwork for awhile..it will become painfully evident what needs to be done.

Remember cash is king for a new company.

[ITO]

Those are the customers you don't want. The ones you are looking for do care.

You roll up in a peice of crap, you look like a piece of crap. You can't take back a first impression.


It's hard enough to overcome the stigma of being blue collar workers, why give people even more of a reason to think of us as lowlifes.

Well I guess that makes me a customer you would not want. It's too bad really, I pay well, on time, am greatfull for good service and tell all my friends when I find a good service.

There is a whole phone book full of guys in shinny new trucks that don't perform, that is why most people go by word of mouth.

[electricmanscott]

Well I guess that makes me a customer you would not want. It's too bad really, I pay well, on time, am greatfull for good service and tell all my friends when I find a good service.

There is a whole phone book full of guys in shinny new trucks that don't perform, that is why most people go by word of mouth.

Argue all you want but it is a fact that people judge people based on appearance.

If you don't care enough to show up looking halfway presentable there is no way I am going to trust you with my house. No way. Nor do I want your crap box leaving an oil puddle in my driveway.

That said I wouldn't use a shiny truck as a sole reason for letting you work in my house. I have a shiny truck. :wink:

[ITO]

Argue all you want but it is a fact that people judge people based on appearance.


Spin it all you want but we were not talking about how he was dressed or presented himself, we WERE talking about a shiny new truck.

Granted people are first judged on appearance but a work uniform or presentable work clothes come cheap and a good attitude is free.

Ultimately we in the service industry are judged on performance and price, not on flash.

[stevenj76]

Ultimately we in the service industry are judged on performance and price, not on flash.

When I see those shiny new vans with wrap-around-graphics or scan the phone book and see a half-page ad, all I can think is YIKES! that overhead has to come from somewhere!!

My wife has an unrelated business to electrical contracting, but she does not advertise and is skeptical of anyone who does not come from 'inside' referral. Granted she is very charming and can make anyone feel like the most important person in the world, that aside, once her reputation got out a local country club, business has been good, and its all people who don't think about the cost.

[electricmanscott]

Spin it all you want but we were not talking about how he was dressed or presented himself, we WERE talking about a shiny new truck.

Granted people are first judged on appearance but a work uniform or presentable work clothes come cheap and a good attitude is free.

Ultimately we in the service industry are judged on performance and price, not on flash.

So then you agree.

[peter d]

When I see those shiny new vans with wrap-around-graphics or scan the phone book and see a half-page ad, all I can think is YIKES! that overhead has to come from somewhere!!

Yeah, you're right. Advertising is such a waste of money. :roll:

When you shop at WalFart or your local supermarket chain, you're paying for their advertising too. I guess you readjust your standards for contractors, huh? ;)

[ITO]

So then you agree.


I do not agree that a shiny new truck means anything, read the rest of the sentence.

[growler]

There is a whole phone book full of guys in shinny new trucks that don't perform, that is why most people go by word of mouth.

I wouldn't say that most people go by word of mouth. Some people do use word of mouth advertising and that's great once a company is established but to get a new company kick started and start to build a customer base in a residential market then advertising is important.

At least 50% of the customers will use some form of advertising to select a service company and that's the one's you have to go after because the rest are commited to someone. They already have a contractor and are not so quick to change. It's much like a politician looking for swing voters.

[ITO]

When a customer (or anyone really) is looking for a service, the very first thought process is a mental catalog of "who do I know?". Business is about PEOPLE. Yes advertising has its place, and helps people fill those gaps for when we don't know anyone, and presentation fills a gap for when somebody you don't know is getting their first impression.

However ultimately you will be judged on your price, quality of work and people skills more than anything else.

[ITO]

Before anyone takes issue with my opinions let me say this:

Sales is s funny animal and some people have it while others don’t, there are many levels in between too and many levels of right answers. If you think a new truck is part of your sales formula then wax on. There is more than one right way to do it.

For me and my business philosophy, I focus on people and results. I can sell that, but I am not so good at marketing myself with what I am driving. Maybe you can market that, but IMHO as a start up and all the hard lessons ahead, save the money and skip the paint job, both of yall are going to need every penny and probably more in just the first year. It takes money to make money and you are going to need that liquid cash.

Oh and one more thing, when you are really ready to buy a new truck, don't buy that diesel dually, 4x4, LWB, crew cab, HD; it will mark you as a new contractor and we will be laughing at you behind your back. When you are ready be smart and frugal, you will need your cash then too.

[bradleyelectric]

However ultimately you will be judged on your price, quality of work and people skills more than anything else.

In a business doing service work as opposed to a service business doing construction work it is much more about people skills than quality of work or price. An average person wouldn't know a quality job if they tripped over it. They will know if you cleaned up after yourself and if they tracked dirt on the carpet, but they don't know anything about electric work other than it works or it doesn't.

I had a customer tell me that when you turned the light off it tripped the breaker. Truth was some clown had tore down a wall and rewired a switch with both hots to 1 side of the switch and both grounded conductors to the other side of the switch. The light was on, but the switch was off. When you turned the switch on, not off it tripped the breaker.

People skills will sell the service change for over $2k without the customer getting a competitive bid, while other people will present a proposal for $1200 and expect the customer to get bids. It is in the presentation. The average customer doesn't know about generator interlocks and surge suppressors. They don't have a clue about different manufacturers of service equipment.

Marketing will cause the phone to ring for a service company. A construction company needs to ring other peoples phones till they develope a relationship and the marketing strategy is totally different. If you are a purple elephant people will remember you though. You may think it is ridiculous, but they will remember you. Hey, I know them, let me give them a call. You did say they will call who they knew first didn't you.

[growler]

In a business doing service work as opposed to a service business doing construction work it is much more about people skills than quality of work or price. An average person wouldn't know a quality job if they tripped over it. They will know if you cleaned up after yourself and if they tracked dirt on the carpet, but they don't know anything about electric work other than it works or it doesn't.


Yes and they do notice the type of vehicle that's being used for service. It doesn't have to be shiny and new but it does have to be presentable.
I have had customers complain because the carpenters were driving old rust buckets to the job. I explained that they used to have better trucks but things haven't been going so well for them the last few years with all the imported competition.

As you say people don't know much about electrical work so they can only judge by what they see. Clean professional equipment makes them at least think that you know what you are doing. Even keeping the job site clean will get you a lot of points with a homeowner. And treat all of their possessions as if the were made of gold. Make them think that their house is very important to you and that you will use the utmost care when doing repairs.

On the other hand many GCs love to see someone pull up in an 85 model rusted out pick-up. He's been screwed before so he can be screwed again. The GC may be driving a new truck but he doesn't care what the subs use, the cheaper the better. :grin::grin: I'm not really joking, that's how many see it.

[bradleyelectric]

I had better qualify that we only do the highest quality work when working in someones home. We present ourselves that way and charge for it. The homeowner wouldn't know, but when presented with what we do, how we did it, why we did it that way, we want them to know why they need to call us the next time someone needs electric work done.

[electricmanscott]

Oh and one more thing, when you are really ready to buy a new truck, don't buy that diesel dually, 4x4, LWB, crew cab, HD; it will mark you as a new contractor and we will be laughing at you behind your back.

Another absurd statement. :rolleyes:

You mean you are going to judge this person by the appearance of their truck??? :rolleyes:

[electricmanscott]

.

However ultimately you will be judged on your price, quality of work and people skills more than anything else.

Sure this is true. But you have to get to this point first.

Like it or not driving up in a rust bucket will have an effect on getting the work or not in many cases. Unless of course you are diving up to a trailer park.

[ITO]

Another absurd statement. :rolleyes:

You mean you are going to judge this person by the appearance of their truck??? :rolleyes:

Absolutely! Every time I see a new contractor driving a brand new truck bigger than Texas, I just shake my head and wonder how long they will last before I get called in to clean up their low ball messes. It is something I have seen over and over.

What's absurd is thinking you need a new truck to do electric work. You are starting to sound like my oldest boy who thinks he has to have a car before he can get a job...

What is that old saying? Oh yeah don't put your cart before the your horse.

Just for clarity where in this statement does the OP say "rust bucket"?

...That being said, I have a '93GMC half ton, mechanically sound, with a utility bed, ladder rack, and ready to roll. It will cost around $1200 to get a fresh coat of paint and company info painted on....

[peter d]

What's absurd is thinking you need a new truck to do electric work.


Yeah, you're right. If you wire WalMarts and Home Depots all the time, then a '92 Chevy p/u with 200,000K miles to haul the material around at the job site is just fine.

For those that do service work in people's homes every day, a clean, well kept and fairly new work vehicle is an absolute must and an essential part of the presentation.

[Rewire]

Your vans dont have to be new.The two vans we are standing by in my avatar were 3500.00 and 2700.00 0ne is a 2000 and one is a 98 it cost 800.00 to have them both lettered.

[ITO]

...For those that do service work in people's homes every day, a clean, well kept and fairly new work vehicle is an absolute must and an essential part of the presentation...

If you say so, but if I only had $25K in the bank and was trying to start a new contracting or service business (especially in our current market) I think I would just wash the truck, stencil on the my TCL number and name and get busy put'n some more cash in the bank.

I do appreciate your opinions and if I got anything out of this exchange it is I will have my service trucks washed a little more frequently. (even though my service business is 99% commercial)

[wawireguy]

I quit reading at page 5.. Here's the deal. What kinda business are you going after? If you are going after new commercial construction I wouldn't paint your van or worry much about it's appearance. No one cares. It's about dollars and performance. If you are targetting the service industry then yes it does matter much more if you're van is old. If this thing is going to haul materials to a job site once a week then it's probably fine. If it's going to be going to 3-4 jobsites a day as a service vehicle then you need to consider a better van if for nothing else reliability and comfort : )

[stevenj76]

Like it or not driving up in a rust bucket will have an effect on getting the work or not in many cases. Unless of course you are diving up to a trailer park.

When are you going to buy the greenhorn apprentice a new car so he can quit driving up to the job in his 88 Civic hatchback with the running rust and 300k miles on it??

Surely your apprentice is costing you jobs driving that turd out to the job!

[G & G Electric]

Just for clarity where in this statement does the OP say "rust bucket"?

I should clarify the appearance of my truck. It's not a "rust bucket" by any means, but it's not customized, either. Image a burgundy extended cab GMC half-ton, utility tool box bed (several lockable compartments on both sides), tinted windows, no dent or dings whatsoever, but the paint is faded - typical of GMC's of that era. Oh, and tip-top mechanical condition. I was thinking a white paint job with logos and a phone number on the sides and on the tailgate. Bad first impressions are hard to overcome, and often those first impressions are made from a distance. I just feel as though getting a new paint job on the truck, and not some Earl Sheib $199 special, would be a better choice than dropping $13,000 of capital that we may need in the beginning. Would a new van have a better appearance then a 1993 GMC? I've never been complimented on any service truck I've ever driven, and I've driven some nice trucks. But I know a lot of ya'll have been in the trade for longer than I have, and would like to know if it is a poor decision to drop the money, or if it would be good to have the new vehicle.

[G & G Electric]

Starting out, we're going after the service market. I would prefer to go after contracts, not sure how, but that's another thread. Money is tight for everyone now, and am thinking the money could be better spent, or saved. But if a new van would pay for itself with advertising and appearance, then it could turn out to be a worthwhile, albeit painful, investment.

[steelersman]

Starting out, we're going after the service market. I would prefer to go after contracts, not sure how, but that's another thread. Money is tight for everyone now, and am thinking the money could be better spent, or saved. But if a new van would pay for itself with advertising and appearance, then it could turn out to be a worthwhile, albeit painful, investment.
I think you should be fine with what you have now. Leave it burgundy. Nothing wrong with that, although I prefer Black & Gold. :)

[Rewire]

I would say no to dropping your working capital on a vehicle as long as what you have is clean dry and servicable just spend a few dollars and have your company name put on the side of what you have.

[electricmanscott]

What's absurd is thinking you need a new truck to do electric work

Finally we agree on something.

[electricmanscott]

Starting out, we're going after the service market. I would prefer to go after contracts, not sure how, but that's another thread. Money is tight for everyone now, and am thinking the money could be better spent, or saved. But if a new van would pay for itself with advertising and appearance, then it could turn out to be a worthwhile, albeit painful, investment.

Appearance aside losing a truck to the repair shop can be very costly. Lost wages, ticked off customers etc. You are only making money if you are actually at the job.

Some disagree :grin: but I put a very high value on having a vehicle in top condition. I'd rank it's importance just under a license and insurance.

[electricmanscott]

When are you going to buy the greenhorn apprentice a new car so he can quit driving up to the job in his 88 Civic hatchback with the running rust and 300k miles on it??

Surely your apprentice is costing you jobs driving that turd out to the job!

Since you directed this at me I have a question for you. What the hell are you talking about? :confused:

[bradleyelectric]

After all we have said, I would use the truck you have as is. Figure out how to make the phone ring.

[John Davoltra]

ABSOLUTELY just drive your truck as is, with the addition of professional TECL nomenclature.($120.00 or less)

In short time your performance will precede you. If you truly please your clients, you will have no time and a lot of work stacked up. Then you buy the newer truck.

Remember that your income will be divided by 2. Don't make things more difficult in these unstable economic times by buying a truck now.. As long as oil prices don't drop further, Texas will be ok.

Don't work cheap. Either charge nothing or charge all. Hand out business cards EVERYWHERE. Meet people. Help people. Lady on side of road with flat tire, you stop and change it for her. This is what has gotten me by for over a decade on my own. With no partner.

Also heed the advice of others here. Partnerships usually don't work.

The age of your truck means NOTHING! Most people understand when a sound financial decision is being made. As long as your truck gets you to the job safely and is reliable- who cares?

Good luck from NE Texas.

[ohm]

ABSOLUTELY just drive your truck as is, with the addition of professional TECL nomenclature.($120.00 or less)

In short time your performance will precede you. If you truly please your clients, you will have no time and a lot of work stacked up. Then you buy the newer truck.

Remember that your income will be divided by 2. Don't make things more difficult in these unstable economic times by buying a truck now.. As long as oil prices don't drop further, Texas will be ok.

Don't work cheap. Either charge nothing or charge all. Hand out business cards EVERYWHERE. Meet people. Help people. Lady on side of road with flat tire, you stop and change it for her. This is what has gotten me by for over a decade on my own. With no partner.

Also heed the advice of others here. Partnerships usually don't work.

The age of your truck means NOTHING! Most people understand when a sound financial decision is being made. As long as your truck gets you to the job safely and is reliable- who cares?

Good luck from NE Texas.

Great advice...pinch the pennies, promote the business! I for one would support the guy with the old truck, trying to get started. Maurice

[dfair2009]

I found that referral work is best. Contact local hardware, building supply centers, and Spa stores. These places get alot of customers with questions and often new circuit needs and panel upgrades. Check out some chamber of commerce meetings for networking ideas. An evening or early morning might net you some good contacts and at least the chance to pass out cards for the price of a meal. Alot less expensive then paper advertising. Partnerships are dangerous, hire your friend so he will stay your friend.:)