Well, it's hard to believe that 10 years ago my wife and I started Rainy Day. When we first began, we offered gutters, home repairs, and home inspection services. Within a year or so we started replacing roofs. As we grew and received more feedback from customers it became clear to me that we were not diversified enough. I felt that most of my customers didn't want to have to make multiple phone calls to unknown companies every time they wanted to start a new project around their home or office. I saw an opportunity to better serve our customers. So I decided to hire capable crews in a variety of specialties.
We now have a very nice portfolio of projects we can complete for our customers. Roofing, gutters, painting, fences, drywall, concrete, remodeling, brick & stone, patio covers, arbors, windows, doors, build-out; the list gets bigger every year. It's important to note, though, that although we have expanded our offerings, we still focus on the core business of providing quality service and keeping our customers happy. We must do a good job at this because we grow consistently every year from referrals as well as repeat business. Last year alone we completed close to 900 projects. We also became an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and have earned an A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau.
I read a study recently that said according to the Small Business Administration about 96% of contractors go out of business within the 1st 2 years of starting. The other part said that 80% of the customers who filed complaints regarding home improvement companies had gone with the CHEAPEST BID. These are scary statistics! I wonder if there is a correlation????
Imagine how many people have been laid off recently who are considering starting a home improvement company. All they really need is a truck and hammer right? Sure, they can do the work cheap because they have no overhead (like insurance). They may not be in a position to pay their suppliers and crews on a timely basis (which could result in liens being filed against your property). They can underbid everyone in town because they are working for their survival - not to provide a lasting solution to your problems. They may be thinking that as long as they can bring in some money until they get a "real job" they're fine.
Now, some of these people will have a high quality of skill, no doubt about it. And some will be the nicest folks you'd ever meet.
But here's the critical question: Why make someone's survival your problem?
Do you really want to allow someone into your home (or business) who is still going through the learning curve? A major reason businesses fail within the 1st 2 years is because of the huge "learning curve" that they go through. Issues like forgetting to include materials or labor charges in estimates, under-estimating taxes, not knowing what to do if an unforeseen circumstance arises, figuring out how to do a particular type of project, etc. Sometimes it takes time to work out the kinks. Do you really want your home (or business) to be the guinea pig?
And even if everything goes smoothly, what happens when the owner of the company finds a "real job" and you begin to have questions or problems. It may take a while to get someone out to your property because they can only come after they get off work. Or worse yet, consider the possibility that you can't get in touch with them. Now you're stuck.
We've all read stories about homeowners who paid money to have work done that either didn't get done or was done incorrectly, and we've all said at one time or another, "I'd never let that happen to me." As 2009 progresses and you are inundated with enticements from "part-time contractors" I hope you will remember that price alone should not be your only consideration. There is great value in working with companies that take care of their businesses, their employees, and most importantly their customers.
I hope you have a great 2009 and I look forward to helping you solve your problems.
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