Dad's Building Company

[SEO Team Limited]

Hi everyone,

Just a little advice!

Basically, my dad has been a builder for nearly 30 years. He's always had work, but now I have persuaded him to try and up his game.

I have advised him to try and become more of a contractor, doing work for the local council, care homes etc. I handle all of the business/website side of things for him, so I need to approach them with something. However, I can't for the life of me think how.

Letter, email, phone, in person....

And what do I offer them?


Anyone who has any experience with this please advise me!


Many Thanks


Jacob

 

[TotallySport]

if you dad hasn't got his own contacts after 30 years, I wouldn't be suggesting what you are.

 

[SEO Team Limited]

But you have your commercial builders, and private builders.

He is more of a private builder, with projects like extensions, alterations, roofs etc. So you don't need to question what he is now.

 

[Billmccallum]

Hi everyone,

Just a little advice!

Basically, my dad has been a builder for nearly 30 years. He's always had work, but now I have persuaded him to try and up his game.

I have advised him to try and become more of a contractor, doing work for the local council, care homes etc. I handle all of the business/website side of things for him, so I need to approach them with something. However, I can't for the life of me think how.

Letter, email, phone, in person....

And what do I offer them?


Anyone who has any experience with this please advise me!


Many Thanks


Jacob

Getting work with councils is not easy, you need to get on a "select list of tenderers".

Most contracts have to be advertised, see http://www.tendersdirect.co.uk/Search/Category_Browse.aspx?id=15

 

[Talay]

FSB are always sending me invitations to meet with Surrey Councils (and further afield) to introduce myself to the decision influencers and get to grips with the sort of shenanigans these council types need.

I don't do councils but I could meet one every month if I wanted. Perhaps joining the FSB is the way to go ?

 

[avalanche]

Small domestic builder to commercial contractor is worlds apart, if he has no experience they will skin him alive.
Experience is built over many years so unfortunately he is probably too late in his career to get any benefit from the change.
Maybe a better direction might be to build for himself rather than building for others

 

[simon field]

Small domestic builder to commercial contractor is worlds apart, if he has no experience they will skin him alive......

^^^ This ^^^

Does your Dad enjoy actual building?

Or does he enjoy living in a chaotic world running round like a headless chicken - permanently stressed out with half the world and his brother making all sorts of demands on you whilst the other half lets you down on a regular basis and amongst all this you wait up to 120 days for your money?

Not saying it can't be done, but it will be very difficult. IMHO

 

[rosewood]

try getting him on things like checkatrade, we have had loads of work from there. Its not normally big stuff, but everything helps, and we got a contract for over 300 solar panel installations from there

 

[MIKE-1]

I think your Dad needs to buy into the change in his career or it won't work.

 

[MorrisChesterfield]

Is your dad busy enough with the domestic side of his business?

 

[Darrenchase]

I do the flooring for a building company who deal with social housing and let's just say I wouldn't want to do the work day in day out. The builder is constantly stressed always grumpy and it will bring the standards of your dads work down big time.

 

[Johnny.S]

I have to agree with what avalanche said - domestic to commercial building is a bigger leap than it might seem. Maybe it would be better to look to expand on what your father is already doing?

There is probably a lot you can do just on the website side of things.

Most small domestic builder websites aren't particularly well optimized for conversions and the online marketing is usually pretty lack luster as well.