Accidents happen on the job, and luckily most are relatively minor — cuts, bruises, maybe stitches — but they can be more serious. Then everyone tightens up and pays attention, but that attention tends to fade. Getting jobs done once again becomes the focus, with maybe a few thoughts toward what could have happened. But
Hiring and retention are big issues everywhere. As much as we talk about salary and bonuses, the way to get workers to stick around isn’t always about money. It’s more about the culture of your business, and the way you treat your employees from day one. You need to give people a vision for what
The term “trade partners” is beginning to replace subcontractor, and it’s a growing concept in the remodeling industry. It redefines the relationship, too, putting it on an even playing field. But it’s more than just a term, and Cory Fields says they’re separate roles. A trade partnership is like a marriage, based on trust and
One of the biggest factors in creating success as a remodeling company is keeping clients happy, and a big part of that is how you manage your jobs. Keeping a pulse on the emotional well-being of your clients with weekly meetings keeps the client on your team, while you manage the job. Pete Carey drops
If you’ve been in remodeling for any length of time, you’ve probably wished you could fire a nightmare client on a bad job. But you don’t, because you’ll lose money, risk your good reputation, and you’ve got a contract. Jackie Stezik has done it four times — always for the good of her employees. In
There are so many people involved in remodeling projects, with different skillsets and specialities and personalities. On the construction team, there’s often misunderstanding or frustration with designers and architects. Great designers have innate talents and abilities, great craftsman do too. Everyone brings a significant piece to a successful project. The key, as it is so
There’s a traditional divide between Sales and Production. It’s always a challenge — they have different goals, processes, and personalities. Typically, Production is left out of the conversation when it comes to scope creep, leading to delays and change orders during construction — and disgruntled clients. Will Giesey and his team are changing that situation
It’s a constant conundrum — how to motivate your people. Bonuses and incentives can work, but you have to structure them in a way that speaks to something more meaningful than just extra cash in pocket. Many business owners have tried, many have failed, and some have just given up. If you fall into the
Finding, hiring, and training great employees is critical to your success. But it’s hard, and getting harder. I hear it all the time when I’m working with remodeling companies. I’m supposed to have some of the answers to those problems. But it’s been a while since I’ve hired and trained anyone myself, so I wanted some real-world data from a
It’s a challenge to hire the right people for the right jobs. Finding a Production Manager is especially difficult — so many remodeling business owners think about moving a Lead Carpenter into that role. It often doesn’t work out, though, because the management skills needed for each job are vastly different. Ray Hornsby drops by
