Since early 2020, home spending has skyrocketed — and so have supply chain disruptions. Factors ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to the blockage of the Suez Canal have affected material availability, which in turn has increased prices and slowed down home projects. Ultimately, there’s no substitute for home services, and Angi’s Economy of Everything Home…
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When it comes to navigating home renovations, homeowner Julie Schlueter is an expert. Over the last three decades, she has experienced two home renovations and a house built from the ground up. All of that experience has taught her what she likes in a contractor. “Remodeling your home can be overwhelming,” says Schlueter, who lives…
By Paul F. P. Pogue Wise use of HomeAdvisor resources keeps CertaPro busy year-round in Huntington Beach. Pat Wade took over the Huntington Beach, Calif., franchise of CertaPro Painters after 20 years of working in another field that took him all around the country. He wanted to work closer to home, and since then since…
The saying “work smart, not hard” could easily be used to sum up the mentality of most young Americans who are trying to decide on a career path. High schools preach the mentality that the 4-year degree is the standard, and anything else below it is considered alternative. Guidance counselors use careers in the trades as “cautionary tales”, and now more than ever, the view on a career in the trades is considered “lower class”, not to mention we refer to the lower middle class as “working class”. The skilled labor shortage is an issue that I personally feel connected to because of my experiences.
Preparing bids, scheduling jobs, managing projects, hiring subs — running your own business is busy work. And sometimes it can leave little time for important tasks like tracking your company’s financials. Fortunately, managing your money doesn’t have to be an afterthought — or a time-consuming chore. Download this free checklist to keep your finances streamlined.
The housing crisis is all that’s talked about now. During every lunch break, every sports game, every phone call, people are talking about who has a house, how much someone’s house has risen in price, how someone managed to rent a house, or a buy a house, or sell a house. Nobody talks about how we got in this mess. Nobody wants to acknowledge that this crisis is of our own making. Well, there’s no use trying to change the past, but maybe there is still hope for the future.
The need for skilled laborers was never more apparent than after the storm. Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic damage to the city and the city had to recruit skilled laborers from neighboring cities and even states to assist with rebuilding the city. It was impressive to see how many workers were there to lift a helping hand to a city in need. This experience was a teachable moment to many Americans because it highlighted just how vital skilled laborers are to the country.
If you’re bidding on a job, it’s a safe bet that you’re not the only pro in the mix. So what’s the best way to cut through your competition and win the job? By giving your prospective customer more than just a price. Here are five extras to include in your bid that are sure…
Contracting can be a lucrative career opportunity, but failing to establish the proper business entities, systems, and structures could mean setting yourself up for failure. It’s important to establish a formal business entity that can grow with your business before taking on clients, so that you can focus your attention on providing excellent services instead…
Are you having trouble finding the employees you need to meet customer demand and effectively grow your business? If so, you’re not alone. America is experiencing an unprecedented skilled labor shortage — and it’s preventing a number of home improvement and repair businesses from reaching their full potential. Construction is expected to add jobs at…
New leads mean new business — and new business is always a good thing, right? Of course. But only if you’re working with the right clients. Failing to vet your leads properly can result in messy customer relations, job site mistakes and — if nothing else — wasted time. Here are four over-the-phone questions to…
