You are now ready to start your own construction company after years of working for someone else and honing your skills. But where do you put your first footing in the long journey of starting a construction business?
You need to know that even though the construction industry registers the highest number of startups, it also accounts for the highest failure rates with over 64% of businesses in this sector closing within the first five years. There are a range of technical, social, and entrepreneurial issues to consider beyond the passion for your craft any time you want to start, grow and sustain a construction business that will yield fruits in this competitive, yet lucrative industry. Here are the long-term responsibilities to consider when you want to start a construction business.
Have a Set of Best Business Practices
It is a great idea to embrace a sort of system that you’ve always believed that will work just fine in your operations. However, you must be aware that the construction industry greatly depends on a set of best practices aimed at fostering quality, efficiency, and standards. Ensure that your venture adheres to key basics like bookkeeping, task management, scheduling, planning, and invoicing if you want to avoid long-term losses and fines. You may even have to hire traffic control at times. It all depends on who you are working with and the type of projects you are taking on.
Assessment Is Key
Be keen to conduct a regular assessment of your construction business to evaluate its viability in the long-run. These questions must run through your mind as you conduct the assessment:
- How financially stable is the construction business?
- How many repeat sales and customer referrals did I get?
- What’s my employee turnover rate?
- How’s my customer service?
These are the questions that’ll help you know what people are saying about the construction business, push you to review your books, and enhance your customer service operation.
Have a Mentor
Have someone you look up to in the construction industry. Your mentor will hold your hand when you want solutions to your business problems or teach you on a few technical and operational issues in the industry.
Be Unique and Focus on Why You Are Doing It
Uniqueness is the major selling point in the construction industry. Be keen to have a specialization and capitalize on what makes your construction business outshine the others in the region.
It could be your chance to present extraordinary results for office spaces in comparison with the other contractors in your area who are dedicated to residential properties. However, you need to be keen to strike a balance of the products and services you offer.