Getting Work

I haven't posted as often as I would like lately. In addition to spending the days at the job sites I have been buried in bidding and misc paperwork after hours and where ever I can fit it in. Unfortunately that is part of the business. I really don't like office work. Every once in a while its nice to be in out of the weather but, for the most part, I'd rather be out working with the guys.

Bidding is a real important part of the business. If you don't estimate properly you might not get the job. Or worse than that, you get the job and then work weeks or even months just to find out you lost money. That's like going to work and, instead of getting a paycheck each week, your employer takes money out of your checking account. You still have to perform on the job, the money is just going the wrong way.

The only way to avoid this is to bid properly. That means you have to make the actual lumber list for the house and get the sub-contractor bids and calculate the amounts of concrete and labor and so on and so on. A turn key bid on a house (building a house from start to finish, all inclusive) may take upwards of 40 hours. Then if you don't get the job you take that thick file of paper that represents all the work and toss it in the garbage. This happens alot.

The only way to ensure you don't end up with a month or more with no work is to constantly be bidding. Right now, this time of year, is when most of my work is bid and locked up in contract for the year. These are usually the main jobs of the year. The rest of the year I am usually bidding smaller fill in jobs. So this is an important time. This is when all the homeowners of big jobs are gearing up for spring starts.

This all makes me think of how most things in life are similar to this. We can't only focus on what is in front of us. If we do we won't be planning for what to do when we finish what is in front of us. Even if you think you have plenty of clients and you'll stay busy, there's always a point where, if your not constantly proactive, you will regret it. In economic times like we are currently having, a habit of constantly building your business is important. It's harder to start from scratch and get the marketing wheel rolling than it is to keep an already established one going.

On the workout front: I didn't feel well earlier this week but decided to go in for my 5am workout anyway on Wednesday. I did pretty well on the workout but didn't feel as if I killed it. Then, at the end of the day, when all the times were up, mine was the lowest. I guess I'm getting faster even though I don't always feel it. Of coarse Brendan and Zak didn't post times or that would have been a different story.

Workout: Big Loop Run (about 800m), 70 Ab Mat sit-ups, 50 Overhead squats(45# bar), 30 Double unders (I suck at these), 10 knees to elbows, 2 rope climbs, 10 knees two elbows, 30 Dbl. unders, 50 OHS, 70 Ab mat sit-ups, 1000m row.............................19:11

Never stop moving.........at anything and everything