Cover -- Table Of Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: Getting Started - The Entrepreneur Mindset -- What You Will Do All Day -- Beginning a Business -- About Your Personality -- Initiative -- Drive -- Leadership -- Confidence -- Belief in the Product -- Communication Skills -- Willingness to Take Risk -- Detail-Oriented -- Stress Tolerance -- Leave Your Ego Somewhere Else -- Integrity -- A Strong Support System -- Desire for Knowledge -- Knowledge of the Industry -- Ability to Manage -- Self-Assessment Questionnaire -- Why Some Contractors Fail -- Chapter 2: The Basics of Starting a New Company -- Location -- The Portable Office -- Choosing a Business Name -- Your Business Structure -- The Sole Proprietorship -- General Partnership -- Limited Partnership -- Subpartnership -- S Corporations -- LLCs -- The Joint Venture -- Bank Account -- Licensing and Permits -- Licensing -- Building Codes -- Who Is Responsible? -- Bonding -- Using Computers for Your Business -- What Computer Equipment Might You Need? -- Being an Owner -- Duties for the Owner -- Duties for the Accounting Department -- Duties for the Procurement Department -- Duties for the Estimator -- Duties for the Engineering Department -- Duties for the Construction Manager -- Duties for the Yard Manager -- Owner or Manager? -- Chapter 3: Building Your Team -- Worksheet for a Successful Partnership -- Job Site Safety Checklist -- Repairs -- Training -- First Aid -- Key Employees -- Should You Partner With Your Spouse, Friend, or Cousin? -- Employees -- Hiring Practices -- Prequalification Form for Potential Key Employees -- Conducting the Interview -- About Checking References -- Subcontractors -- Company Policies and Procedures -- The Employee Handbook -- Payroll -- Company Policies -- How to Hire and Keep a Qualified Staff -- Outsourcing -- Training, Motivating, and Evaluating Employees.

Evaluations -- Letting Employees Go -- Chapter 4: Bidding -- A Few Don'ts -- The Difference Between an Estimate and a Bid -- Bidding Is a Logical, Step-wise Process -- Component #1: Gather Information -- Information -- To Do -- Questions -- Estimate -- Building Notes -- Designer Plans -- Contracts and Change Orders -- Subcontractor Bids and Contracts -- Component #2: Direct Costs -- Component #3: Overhead -- 1. As a uniform percentage of direct costs -- 2. Overhead costs as a gross profit margin -- 3. Different-size project markup -- Component #4: Profit -- Uniform Percentage -- Markup as a Proportion of Labor -- Marketing to Meet Markup -- Gross Profit Margin Method -- Adjusting Bids -- Creating a Project Plan -- The Schedule -- The Budget -- Logistics -- Quality Control -- Warranties -- Reverse Bidding -- Web Referral Services -- Chapter 5: Contracts -- The Structure of a Contract -- Before You Sign -- Contractual Terms to Watch Out For -- Hold-Harmless Clause -- Right of Rescission -- Arbitration -- Lien Rights -- General Conditions -- No Damage for Delay Clauses -- Time Is of the Essence -- Owner's Right to Stop Work (or Owner's Right to Carry out the Work) -- Terminate for Cause -- Common Grounds -- Types of Contracts -- Pay When Paid -- Lump Sum -- Unit Price Contract -- Cost-Plus-Fee Contracts -- Cost-Plus-Percentage-of-Cost Contracts -- Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Contracts -- Incentive Contracts -- Cost-Plus-Award -- Guaranteed Maximum Cost -- Delays, Extra Costs, Dispute Resolutions -- Special Costs -- Mediation -- Arbitration -- Responsibilities -- Responsibilities of the Project Owner to the GC -- Responsibilities of the Contractor to the Owner -- Responsibilities of the General Contractor to the Subs -- Contract for the Subcontractors -- Chapter 6: Legalities & Minimi zing Risks -- Attitudes -- Job Site Theft -- Resolving Conflict.

Company Structure -- Agreement Between Partners -- Use an Employee Handbook -- Contractual Language -- Notice to Proceed -- Hold-Harmless Clauses -- Contracts With Cost Errors -- Substantiating a Claim -- Safety Issues -- Asset Protection -- Bonding Requirements -- Mechanic's Liens, Lien Wavers -- Insurance -- Government Regulations -- Labor Law -- Labor Relations -- The IRS -- Environmental Issues -- Chapter 7: Building -- Registration and Licensing -- Environmental Studies -- Other Preconstruction Activities -- Team Structure -- Small Businesses -- Larger Volume Models -- Managing Overhead -- Checklist for Project Overhead Items -- Project Setup -- Scheduling the Project -- Creating the Flowchart -- Sub Special Orders -- Inspections -- Setting up the Site -- Summary of Steps to Production -- What Is in Your Shirt Pocket? -- How to Give Great Customer Service -- Bills and Budget -- A Guideline for Change Orders -- A Summary of Good Customer Service -- Closing out the Project -- The Warranty Period -- Chapter 8: Accounting & Records -- Accounting Terms -- Bookkeeping -- What Are Financial Statements? -- Accounting Methods -- Cash versus Accrual -- Percentage of Completion -- General and Administrative Expenses -- Reports That Are Part of Your Financial Statements -- The Income Statement -- The Balance Sheet -- Current Contract Status Report -- My Current Status Report -- Financial Ratios -- Other Ratios That Matter -- Gross Profit Margin -- Overhead -- Callbacks -- Taxes -- Tax Deduction for Construction Companies -- Cost Segregation Studies -- Hidden Tax Refunds -- State Sales Tax -- Company Assets -- Company Liabilities -- Finding Capital and Financing -- Chapter 9: Capital & Cost Control -- Applying for Financing -- When You Visit a Bank or Other Lender -- How to Apply -- Anatomy of a Bank Loan -- Leasing and Purchasing Equipment -- Lease-to-Own.

Buying Equipment -- Cost Controls -- Improving Cash Flow -- Billing -- Collections -- Financing -- Operations Reviews -- Tracking Smaller Costs -- Out-of-Town Expenses -- Chapter 10: Sales & Marketing -- Market Positioning -- Create Your Market Position -- Develop a Marketing Plan -- Stress the Benefits -- Keeping ahead of the Competition -- Must-Have Marketing Materials -- Publicity -- Tracking Results -- Using Press Releases -- Radio -- Be an Author -- Media Planning and Pricing -- High-Profile PR -- Attracting New Clients -- Community Service -- Marketing to Public Agencies -- Networking -- Free and Low-Cost Ways to Generate Business -- Advertising Online -- Getting Past the Initial Contact -- Meeting in Person -- Creating Repeat Business -- Telephone Interview Checklist -- Conclusion -- Learn to Flow With Market Trends -- Put the Money in Your Pocket -- Never Forget That People Are Key -- Appendix A -- Construction and Business News and Data -- Appendix B -- Industry Associations and Government Information -- Information for Minority- and Women-owned Businesses -- Places to List Your Business -- Bidding Opportunities -- Periodicals -- Construction Books -- Training and Educational Opportunities -- Other -- Industry-Specific Associations -- Appendix C -- Free Software for Business Owners -- Office Products -- Web Site and Domain Name -- E-Mail Hosting -- Appendix D -- Items that Might be Reimbursable -- Reimbursable Items -- Books -- Glossary -- Author Dedication & Biography -- Index.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2019. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.