Upskilling

kingbhome

Ive been working in construction for 25 years in all different methods. The last 8 years I've been working for a builder and been doing all sorts eith him from building houses, garages and renovations with a very hands on approach. He has an excellent reputation and has taught me alot on top of the experience I already have.

He'll be retiring next year and moving abroad to the US with his wife.

We've made a deal for me buying all his tools when he leaves. I'll be going out on my own and will be looking to upskill to learn more about new houses, air tightness and pricing the bigger jobs renovations, new builds, extensions etc.. I have some savings for my new business but as far as pricing the larger jobs. I'm stuck on information.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated on where to learn these to get me started..

Gumbo

Saint Gobain Technical Academy

BryanF

Passive house trades course

Calahonda52

Good luck with this VERY exciting project!

There are an number of ways of doing the following but what you need to do is :

1. decide on what market sector you can/want to service: you can't be all things to all people
2. break down a typical project in your chosen sector into the constituent parts
3. do a skills requirements analysis of what skills you have vs what skills are needed.: you need to be brutally honest with your self here
4. Decide when you identify the gaps how you will fill them: will you unskilled or you buy in the service

Good luck

kingbhome

kceire wrote: »

Saint Gobain Technical Academy

BryanF wrote: »

Passive house trades course

Will look into these. Thanks

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Good luck with this VERY exciting project!

There are an number of ways of doing the following but what you need to do is :

1. decide on what market sector you can/want to service: you can't be all things to all people
   
   
   
2. break down a typical project in your chosen sector into the constituent parts
3. do a skills requirements analysis of what skills you have vs what skills are needed.: you need to be brutally honest with your self here
4. Decide when you identify the gaps how you will fill them: will you unskilled or you buy in the service

Good luck

Basically ill be looking to be a hands on small builder. I have an excellent reputation for my quality of work and im able to run a team of tradesmen efficiently without any problems however to be brutally honest, if i was to price a new build house, large extension this is where i could land myself in a mine field. I have a strong work ethic and dont mind getting stuck in when it matters. Its been on my mind these last few years to start up a ltd company and now with my boss retiring, this will be a good opportunity for me.

Would there be any software for this or is it a case of just learning along the way. The smaller projects as in garden walls, small garages, bathroom refits to small renovations im very capable of pricing however its the larger jobs that ill be wanting to do at a later date. I know theres a per sq mtr price but this can change and could land me in trouble if priced it wrong.

Bonzo Delaney

Software isnt worth a fiddlers to what you want to get in to.
Small builds, extensions and the like.
To be honest the only way a hands on builder is going to get it right. Is literally hands on
Your the sales person the QS the foreman Accounts manager Bag man for revenue the point of contact for the client and clients subs the negotiator and you also might get to do a bit of manual work.
The only way to price these jobs accurately I find is to invest a couple of evenings for pricing break it right down to Day 1 we do xy and z and that costs xy and z. Day 2. Day 3...... right up to finish Day x. Every 4 days allow an extra Day Labour for time lost running around and meetings. It might seem tedious at the time but youll know exactly when you start to run off course and correct it before its too late.Thats what works for me regards pricing.
With regards to getting the work done the more you can do yourself with a good labourer between sub contractors to keep things moving is key . Takes a few jobs to settle on a good crew of subbies that'll work together and leave everything right for the next guy while not running down the previous fellow.

Great fun if your cut out for it