Compliments InterNACHI. The following chart details the predicted life expectancy of appliances, products, materials, systems and components. (For homes located in Florida and the surrounding coastal region, please refer to The Florida Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes.) Consumers and inspectors and other professionals advising their clients should note that these life expectancies have been…
by Nick Gromicko Here are some simple SEO tips that contractors should understand and use every day. “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” George Berkeley, philosopher (1685-1753) In order of their importance: Put your actual geographical location in your text, such…
by Nick Gromicko To a potential client, your website is a sample of what you and your work are going to be like. Your website is the flagship of your company. It makes little sense to drive traffic to a website that doesn’t represent you well. It’s a wise investment to have your website professionally…
by Nick Gromicko You only get one chance to make a good first impression. A key part of successful marketing is your brochure, and many consumers will decide whether or not to call you based on it. Your brochure—not you—defines your image. You might get only one shot, so make it a good one. We…
by Nick Gromicko Good design is about quick and clear communication. There’s a science behind how people judge beauty, which can be applied to how information is visually organized. This information can be used to your benefit or your detriment. Especially in professions such as construction, engineering and building design, you must stand out from…
by Nick Gromicko Your brand—which includes your business name, logo, and other identifying features—should be well-guarded. It’s unique. It’s an extension of your physical business and services. And it’s likely to be the first and perhaps only advertising about you that your prospective clients will see. The Internet presents almost overwhelming challenges to policing one’s…
by Nick Gromicko While contractors and other small business owners generally want to avoid incurring additional debt whenever possible, financing expensive purchases of essential items for your business—including for your office and at the jobsite—will help you maintain a positive cash flow. This is essential for any company’s survival, especially in the current economic climate…
by Nick Gromicko Owners of construction companies are stereotyped as being hands-on, dirt-covered, hardhat-wearing hardasses who bark orders at their crews and conduct business on top of a sheet of plywood set up on two sawhorses, or out of a dusty, cluttered trailer whose air conditioner either doesn’t work, or works so loudly that it…
by Nick Gromicko One of the first questions you’ll have to address as a contracting business owner is how the company should be structured. Your decision will have long-term implications, so consult with an accountant and an attorney who can help you select the form of business ownership that’s right for you. In making your…
by Nick Gromicko Every contracting company should have a mission statement. Mission statements are not just for big corporations or charitable organizations or political parties. Even your one-man contracting company should have one. A mission statement helps define what a company is and what it offers, and it clarifies the company’s goals to keep it…