I’ll try to keep this shorter as it could end up being a multi coffee talk if I go through all the details. Essentially I started my company as a commercial construction and renovation contractor. I was blinded by the tears I worked on the consultant side for an architect that residential didn’t pay as well as commercial and that it was easier to get burned. With a terrible construction market here in Alberta over the last while, I’ve really had to refocus my efforts. I no longer have any employees as I can’t justify the overhead and instead have to hire subcontract labour for job to job. Most of my construction tenders now are actually to other larger general contractors who have the financial backing and bonding capabilities to go after large work. I bid specific trade scopes which I had to do myself on other jobs as there isn’t many in Southern Alberta who do them. Still I get undercut by someone willing to do them for cost of materials and bare bones labour without calculating risks and overhead.
This brings me to where I am at now. Just this spring I’ve started offering maintenance services to both commercial and residential. It started as simply landscaping maintenance, mowing lawns, simple pruning etc. From my previous experience I know how door and window hardware for both commercial and residential operate and how to service them. Based on a few suggestions and Luke’s videos I’m offering gutter cleaning. I’ve just figured out how I can load my truck up with all window cleaning supplies in the back seat, with the ladder, a lawn mower, grass trimmer, hedge clipper attachment, and have enough space for a few bags of clippings to haul away for a full service visit.
Right now I’ve just started to market it as such. Really hoping I can be a jack of all trades, and also master a few at the same time. With where I’m at in life I’ve really come to the realization I don’t need to get rich off my company, I just need to be comfortable. I’m really hoping that the maintenance side of things provides that.