Finding new contractors

[bikeindy]

I am wondering what methods others have found successful in getting work from a new contractor. I have tried many ways and seems they have all had about equal success for me. Though cold calling is the most uncomfortable and uses more of my time.

 

[macmikeman]

You could try standing out in front of their offices and handing out $5 bills to every passerby. General Contractors love to see this sort of generosity displayed.

 

[tshea]

If you are trying for another GC, I wouldn't spend anymore than $0.39 on a stamp.

 

[goldstar]

Most GC's don't allow any of their subs to make money. The only ones that are allowed to make money are the GC's unless you can find one that's a true friend or a guardian angel

Try holding up a sign that says "I'll work for food" !!! That usually gets your foot in the door.

 

[JohnE]

Most of my GC's have contacted me. Usually from referral. They may not be typical, though, as they are not searching for the lowest price.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I agree with j_erickson.

I always got mine through referrals, but usually because they were shopping prices.

Always got a lot of that if you give me a good deal on this one and I like your work, I have a lot more coming up that you can have. My response became, I'll do this one for you and if your check clears we'll see about the other work.

 

[77401]

When starting out, I return calls from GC's & even worked with them.
Place Ads in the local papers, They'll find you.

But everytime a GC calls I wonder.... what happend to the last EC he had. Did they quit? Did they get paid? Is the GC new? AVOID!!
If the GC is shopping bids, I'm not interested in being low bid anymore.

Now I'm established I avoid most of them.

 

[goldstar]

But everytime a GC calls I wonder.... what happend to the last EC he had.

I ask the same exact question.

If the GC is shopping bids, I'm not interested in being low bid anymore

I'm with you on this 77401. Unless I know thw GC, I walk away. I'd like to have the work but I don't need it. I also like to get paid and I need that. So, I take jobs that I know will pay me on time and without hassle or having to beg for a payment.

Phil,
Gold Star Electric

 

[cowboyjwc]

Some guys like it and some guys don't, but I found that I made way more money doing service work than working for a GC.

If you can do 4 or 5 service calls a day that's not to bad. Most homeowners will pay you right then so there is no billing and you have 4 or 5 new customers who will refer you to their friends. A GC will never refer you because he's always afraid that you'll be busy when he needs you.

I used to do most of my work T & M with a minimum of course, but most people really liked the fact that I worked fast and if I got that ceiling fan installed in an hour I got paid for an hour and if it took me three because I ran into problems it took me three, but I didn't go in and charge for three hours and leave after one. It's not always about how much you can make. If you treat your customers right, the money will come. I've had customers that I've worked for for over 20 years, I might only hear from them every 3 or 4 years, but they always call me back.

Charge a fair price, do top quality work, show up when you say you're going to.

Good luck.

 

[77401]

Hey Cowboy are you my clone? You & are work the same!
Leave a for service call__________ sticker on the breaker panel & they always remember ya & the new owners will call ya too!

But ....Remember... Baskin Robins has 31 flavors, just cuz someone likes contractors & we like service, dont' make them bad people.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I just never found a GC I trusted and I learned a lot more about electrical doing service work than I did wiring houses.

I used to tell people, that if I got back all the favors owed me, I could build a house.

I once had a GC tell me that I needed to put another $1000 in my bid for him if I wanted the job. I wonder if he got his thou from the other guy.

: P phhhhttttttt

 

[77401]

I once had a GC tell me that I needed to put another $1000 in my bid for him if I wanted the job. I wonder if he got his thou from the other guy.

: P phhhhttttttt

I love those !!
I had a freind & we did that too. he would tell me the low bid amount & I would match it or beat it & drop an envelope of cash for him. He was just a foreman for the GC. We both won out on those jobs. Too bad he started his own company & I have to bid it like the others.

 

[memyselfandI]

Bid rigging, sounds like fun, sounds a little illegal too. But hey it's a dog eat dog world out there. Personally I only spend enough time to put a stamp on a envelope for a GC. All they are is bookies, win or lose they get their money. Plus 10% of yours. I don't advertise or have my name in the book, but I am busier than a cat trying to cover up doo doo. Most of my business is generated by word of mouth.

 

[bikeindy]

Thanks for all your input. I have been in business for 4 years I am doing pretty well. I have a ton of word of mouth work coming in. but that takes a lot of time to generate. I do work for 3 remodeling contractors and that keeps the bills paid. the rest is what I live on. At this time I would love to pick up a custom builder who is doing 5-7 homes a year. I can offer him great quality with a long warranty and get a price that is fair. I hope to land one soon. someone mentioned that they love the service aspect because of the troubleshooting. That is my favorite part of the job. I really like this line from a customer, " We have had three electricians out here and they couldn't find the problem I am glad Mary told us about you. Give me some of your cards." on one job we went to a guy who works for me asked, " what if you can't find the problem?" I replied,"If I can't find the problem I'll pay you double today." one hour later a woman who had lost power in 2 bedrooms and her bathroom and was without power there for 3 days had her power back. and I had a customer for life. her neighbor was an "electrician" spent 4 hours looking for that disconnected wire in a switch box.