Aside from getting a couple properties of our own to renovate, I have found that staying busy takes some sales skills instead of just waiting for leads. Usually I try to come up with two or three project ideas to pitch to homeowners through email and direct mail campaigns. Using those and maybe a booth at a mid-winter home expo we can pick up some extra jobs to stay busy. The beauty of this type of approach is that it is usually purely extra business, and by highlighting this type of project there is not a lot of competition in the bidding – if any.
One of the projects we emphasized last year and did well on we will do again this year. Every homeowner wants more space and more room. Putting on additions is not in the budget for most, but converting unused space often can be made affordable to the homeowner while providing us with some indoor work and good margins.
The ever popular finished basement is of course one route to do this, but it is pretty common and many homes do not have a basement that is adequate to do this in. For those we pitch anything from partially finished storage areas in the rafters over the garages to finishing attics as either rooms or partially finished for storage. Those two area get minimal attention but are well received. A 2-3 person crew can do a decent job in 2-3 days usually, and overall costs stay well within the budget of many checking accounts. If there is at least 4 feet of room in a peaked garage, or 6 feet in an attic then there is room to put something together.
Simply putting in plywood floors and then walls can be done with any number of things – drywall if it is to be used as finished space or OSB for the side walls of garage attics is cheap and fast to put in. The reason there is not already storage in these places is typically because of lack of room for a staircase where that loses as much room on the lower level as is gained in storage on the upper. The simple fix for that is to install either permanent or retractable loft ladders for access. We can do a garage or attic for simple storage for $2500 or so making a good fast profit. In addition, at least 20% of the time in the case of garages it turns into an upsell to “finish” the garage as a workshop with walls and shelving.
Another idea for this year is going to be pushing making an exercise or “spa” room. With smaller families and still lots of big older houses in our area combined with the fitness craze of recent years that fits well in our area this is a simple sell to convert unused bedrooms. Offering to convert a room from a bedroom with a treadmill and rowing machine to a fitness room appeals to many of the people in our area.
Unique flooring (that can withstand extra weight), some acoustic barrier walls, built in shelving are all simple things that appeal and are easy to do with a small crew. Wall mirrors and changing out the windows to one way glass give an upscale look that homeowners can brag about and if the homeowner can brag about it then it will sell and get referral business. A mini dressing room with the spa style space saver swinging doors is both useful and adds authenticity to the fitness room look.
You can market this project by saying the cost per month is about the same as a good gym membership but a lot more convenient. It is really important to have some good photos to show potential clients to help them visualize it.
Still looking fanother new idea for this year. I like to have 3 offers on each mailing and for this type of mailing I am looking for low cost things rather than projects that are going to make the owner need financing or home equity lines to do. Keeping the offers all under $5000, and preferably under $3000 makes it easy for them to say yes to and gives the impression that you are a budget friendly company for future work projects.
Source: contractortalk.com
