How long did it take you to really get the business up and running?

[emahler]

obviouslly someone that had less of a clue than me. I thought passing the test was the hard part

now that was funny.....passing the test is the easiest part of being a contractor

 

[Minuteman]

Tony....you can either hire sub-contractors that are licensed as EC's or hire employees.
You cannot simply sub electrical work to a warm body.

What led you believe this (1099'ing warm bodies) was ok?

This is the usual cases in places that have skilled labour licensing. It is done so to prevent someone from circumventing the process.

Here, I can hire laborers to do demo (non electrical) or clean up. But if I hire a laborer and give him a shovel to dig a trench for electrical, he must be an employee and have an apprentice card or be an Excavation Contractor.

 

[satnad]

Ive just gone out on my own and the hardest thing for me is working alone. But I am not confident enough yet to hire anyone for fear that the work wont always be there. I have to start a 4000 sq foot home in two weeks with about 60 cans and all my friends in the trade want too much money. They think because we are friends Ill pay them 35 hour cash, when some of them only make 17- 25 now. When i tell them that i have to hire them as subs and give them a 1099 for taxes they give me that look like "Is he serious?"
When I give someone a price and they think its too much I dont sweat it too much. I now know what it cost me to do work and make money so why do I want to start working for nothing? I would rather stay home and work on my own house than work for no profit. Luckily it hasnt come to that yet but if a plumber can get 1200 for a toilet I dont feel bad about my prices.

I work alone too. I tried to hire journeyman years ago but coult not find people who do work as I like it or they were not careful enough and drilled through floors, beams, made serious damages etc..
I don`t bother with service calls or very small jobs. I wait and it pays off. The secrete is: jobs I don`t want I will give a reference of a very expensive co. or (some of my competetors who work super cheap) This way it keeps them busy for peanuts and stay out of my way. When refering to expensive bigger co. it is to get the customers to know (the market) that electrical work is expensive. It works for me!