Can anyone give a small business some pointers on hooking up with a builder for new c

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JohnDS

Senior Member
Location
Suffolk, Long Island
Occupation
Electrician
This is a little embarrassing, but does anyone care to share any ideas how to hookup with builders for new residential construction. I think i might have emailed every builder in suffolk county, long island lol. I am a small business but looking to expand and do more residential and preferrably new construction. How can I get invited to bid on new private homes or new complexes? I have been battling this for a while. I'm sure once i get a hook, i will do well, I just dont know any builders. I see a lot of electricians working for builders doing steady work. Can anyone give me some pointers? Thank you.

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You are in the same boat every new business is in. Getting customers is expensive and difficult.

Personally, I think email campaigns for new businesses are probably counterproductive. It makes you look like a spammer sending out random emails hoping to snare some business, maybe because that is what you are doing.
 
Maybe start in remodeling? I have been doing renovation/addition wiring for 3 years. Yea it's dirty but if you know what your doing you can almost name your price because not many want to do it or can do it. You would be suprised how many cant fish an interior wall without making it look like Swiss cheese or know what to do with knob and tube.
 
keith gigabyte said:
Maybe start in remodeling? I have been doing renovation/addition wiring for 3 years. Yea it's dirty but if you know what your doing you can almost name your price because not many want to do it or can do it. You would be suprised how many cant fish an interior wall without making it look like Swiss cheese or know what to do with knob and tube.
Click to expand...

I agree, but do not low ball these projects. They are time consuming.
 
All good advice so far. I don't mean to discourage you in any way but I want to point out a few areas that you should be aware of.
  1. You're not going to become a millionaire working for a GC. They make all the $$, you work for peanuts.
  2. You'll probably wait a long time for your $$ after you bill.
  3. Don't hook up with a track builder. Your prices for all the units are the same except for specific extras. They'll always keep you 5 or 6 houses behind in payment and then go out of business when they complete the last house. End result is you don't get paid and probably won't get more than 10 cents on a dollar after they declare bankruptcy.
  4. Get signed contracts for all the work you do. Don't do anything on a verbal agreement.
  5. Unless a builder is just starting out in your area they most likely have their own EC that the use for their projects. They may make you spin your wheels and give price quotes just to keep the other guy honest but the chances of getting a job are usually quite slim. If you do end up getting a job from them I would proceed with caution.
    A) Your price might be so low that he can't refuse you.
    B) There may have been a dispute with the other EC or they may owe him a lot of $$.
    C) Bear in mind that many important things are left off house plans (i.e AC unit(s), CATV circuits, well & sump pumps, etc.)

My advice, join your local Chamber of Commerce and do a lot of networking. Hook up with a realtor if you can. They'll can throw a lot of business your way.
 
+1 - Chamber of Commerce

The cost is minimal to join, have to network if that is truly the direction to go. As a small business, will be hard to make $$ in new construction. I would also add to investigate your local Home Builders Association and go to their monthly luncheons. Lastly, I have networked with 2-3 local realtors...GREAT money making opportunities there. I would avoid emails and Mail marketing, door hangers. Personally, I see those and it turns me off as a consumer. My business is ALL referrals.

Good Luck!...we've all been there.
 
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 1. Absolutely Do Not seek connections at your church, or other churches.
2. Reputable insurance companies \ representatives seem to have a
good grasp on "who needs what & where".
3. Absolutely stay away from ALL track builders, ...forever ! :rant:
4. Do you have a Business Plan written down on paper ?
5. Start small, ...work long hours, ...always Do the Right Thing,
even when it costs you ! Let your GOOD reputation do your marketing
for you.
6. Pray, ...pray, ..pray !



@ : @ : @
 
Stay away from pricing per square foot. There are too many pricing variations for lighting. Plus, everybody who's pricing by the sq ft is looking to take off a nickel to beat the next guy.

the builders who are looking for that footage rate will chase that nickel, and you'll be left out - without notice
 
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