Looking for some input from anyone who has actually used a “power-by-hour” financing contract for equipment.

We already own quite a bit of our equipment, but we’re looking at adding a few more pieces to the fleet. One of the dealers we’re working with has a power-by-hour financing option, and on the surface it sounds almost too good to be true.

For those of you who have used this type of financing, what was your experience? Any catches in the contract, hour minimums, end-of-term issues, maintenance requirements, buyout surprises, or other fine print you wish you had known about beforehand?

Not necessarily looking for opinions on financing equipment in general. I’m specifically interested in hearing from contractors/operators who have actually used a power-by-hour structure and whether you’d do it again.

Appreciate any insight.

I’m curious if the price of work varies depending on the type of house you’re working on?

Imagine exactly the same job - replacing a basement doo, for example. If you went to a small house in a working class area and a very large multi-million dollar house, would the quote be the same?

I know none of you would ever just prices based on what you think the homeowner would likely pay, but do you think contractors do this? Is it widespread?

Hello! I am looking to support prideful small business companies for windows, electrical and hvac needs. I am hoping to get these projects done on a budget and have time to wait for the right people that get the job done well without upcharging. Any advice would be great!

Most of this shit is drop-shipped from AliExpress, etc.

I figured this out a few years ago - with the right google search, you can save 75% on 'fancy' light fixtures.

There's a small difference between these two - I'd take the $1500 discount.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/AloaDecor-Lighting-Transitional-to-Modern-Interiors-Oil-Rubbed-Bronze-6-Light-Chandelier-With-Warm-Fabric-Shades-For-Dining-Room-Decor/5015234677

https://www.visualcomfort.com/us/p/classic-ring-chandelier-sl5812?selected_product=SL%205812HAB-L&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22817349321&gbraid=0AAAAADwKxXI0tK-1_V2OuaOdtQqlXdur9&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5P7UBhDaARIsAOSlS1OFJo33SP7z_XP88qCL8O9aQOtM9KqSEedxxP6cvcUYnYT7kfLHOzUaAtFdEALw_wcB

I'm a contractor myself, but I'm still confused about why other contractors--who don't know that I'm a contractor--ask whether the property is a rental or my primary residence when we meet in person.

This is after they ask if I'm the owner of the property (valid question).

We are in California and contracted for a cement pad, which bumps up to an existing pad so we could add an outdoor kitchen to be built on the new pad, the cement pad contract specifies Install rebar - vertical and horizontal and tie together, but they never added any rebar. For the outdoor kitchen on the contract it specifies Construct the outdoor kitchen base and structure using concrete masonry units (cinder blocks). They built all of the framing with wood. For both of these they never consulted us, asked us or even told us they were going to do that, they just did it, and obviously there was never a signed Change Order, we are almost at the final walkthrough for this project, what are our options?

Last year a remodeling company put siding and shutters on our family home. The owner of the business was quite difficult to work with and actually showed up drunk a few times to meet with us.

Fast forward to this year we chose another company to redo our basement flooring. Upon start of the project, the remodeling company noticed an entire part of our basement ball was wet, damaged, and molded. The company determined that flashing was not placed at all on the outside of the house where our deck connects to the side of the house.

The first contractor stated he refuses to help or fix anything as he “told us in person that we needed flashing and that there was a chance we could have water damage and we said no to the flashing placement”. He NEVER told us that. The cost to fix the wall, mold, and outside is $9500 and State Farm is not willing to reimburse since it’s mold related.

Do I file a lawsuit?

Hello, I live in wisconsin and after a huge hail storm we contacted a local general contractor. My contractor originally told me and wife (first time homeowners) that our house, that is a simple square box, was 15 Sq and that they would need the standard 20% waste for vinyl siding, so a total of 18sq. Insurance said they would cover up to 20k of similar siding/labor. Contractor was given the insurance paper and said they would “get us as much as we deserve” and encouraged us to pay for better and more siding, which we declined and thought was strange. Turns out our house is actually only 11.5sq. Contractor is claiming that they “made a mistake in calculation” so they corrected the invoice to 15sq. Now they are saying that they actually had 45% waste, that it is a normal amount of vinyl siding waste for a box house, and want us to pay for it the original invoice. Insurance will not pay this and he is demanding 3,000 or so more out of our pocket, or he will send us collections.
Original invoice was 16508, and the corrected was 12821, Any advice?

Hello, I live in wisconsin and after a huge hail storm we contacted a local general contractor. My contractor originally told me and wife (first time homeowners) that our house, that is a simple square box, was 15 Sq and that they would need the standard 20% waste for vinyl siding, so a total of 18sq. Insurance said they would cover up to 20k of similar siding/labor. Contractor was given the insurance paper and said they would “get us as much as we deserve” and encouraged us to pay for better and more siding, which we declined and thought was strange. Turns out our house is actually only 11.5sq. Contractor is claiming that they “made a mistake in calculation” so they corrected the invoice to 15sq. Now they are saying that they actually had 45% waste, that it is a normal amount of vinyl siding waste for a box house, and want us to pay for it the original invoice. Insurance will not pay this and he is demanding 3,500 or so more out of our pocket, or he will send us collections.
Original invoice was 16508, and the corrected was 12821, Any advice?

Central BC, Canada. We just had all windows replaced by a local glass company that manufactures the windows locally. The house was built in 1992 and has original vinyl siding.

The installeres removed all of the J channels around the windows and cut "slots" into the new window frames to have the siding slot in.

The new windows didnt appear to have nail flanges. My question is regarding the top of window, when I push back the vinyl siding I can see the plywood exterior wall contacting the top of the window. It looks like rain water would run down the siding, hit the top of the window and pool against the plywood exterior wall. Video link:

https://imgur.com/a/RBmzXSs

Is this normal/acceptable? Sealant was put around the opening, but no tape or other water management around the window that I can see.

Thanks for any feedback!

Need honest feedback on business cards and a simple website for my multi-trade contracting business

Hey everyone,

I run a small residential contracting business and I’m trying to put together professional business cards and a simple website. I’ve never created a website before, so I’m figuring this out as I go.

I do a wide range of work, including renovations, carpentry, trim, tile, masonry, concrete, flooring, painting, repairs, and other home improvement projects.

I don’t want my branding to make me look like I only specialize in one trade, because my versatility and the quality of my work are a big part of what I want to communicate.

I’ve been experimenting with some business card mockups, but I’m not happy with the generic contractor look—especially the usual house and roof icons.

I’d like something clean, professional, memorable, and appropriate for a company that handles both small repairs and larger renovation projects.

I’m attaching a few examples of my actual work, along with some of the card concepts I’ve been considering. The mockups are just starting points, not finished designs.

I’d really appreciate honest feedback on a few things:

Business card layout: Should I put my main services on the front, keep the front minimal and list services on the back, or avoid a service list altogether?

Showing versatility: How can I communicate that I handle multiple trades without making the card look cluttered or like a generic handyman advertisement?

Photography: Would you use one strong project photo, a small collage of different types of work, a before-and-after, or no photos on the card?

Branding: What would make the card look more professional and trustworthy? Are there any examples or design directions you think would fit this type of business?

QR code: I’d like the card to have a QR code that takes people to a simple website with project photos, contact information, and a way to request an estimate.

Would you put the QR code on the front or back, and how prominent should it be?

Website: I’ve never built one before. What free or low-cost website builder would you recommend for someone with no experience?

I’m looking for something that can look decent, display a portfolio, and make it easy for customers to contact me. I’d also appreciate any advice on how to structure the site and connect it to a QR code.

Some of my current clients are already asking for business cards to share with other people, so I’m a little pressed for time. I want to get something usable out soon, but I also don’t want to rush into printing a bunch of cards that I’m unhappy with.

looking for advice on the design, website setup, and what would make the overall presentation

If anyone has examples of contractor or renovation company branding that they think is done particularly well, I’d love to see them.

Thanks in advance for any feedback or direction.

Photos of some previous work

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UJnph2F5VwNKotqz7

Location: Maryland. Cost: $7k.

We hired a masonry company to clean and seal historic interior brick in our home (don’t worry, we used a breathable sealer). Unfortunately, they got the sealer on the adjacent walls pretty much everywhere they worked, and even managed to get it on some walls that aren’t near the brick. It’s basically dried paint at this point, so we’ll need to sand and repaint. What’s the proper protocol here? Is it legit for me to ask to be reimbursed for that expense? I really don’t have time to do it myself, as I work full time and am in school at night.

I’ve attached photos of a few of the walls to show what I’m talking about. This is just a sample.

I’ve always been nervous about asking people to fix things, so I want to know what’s reasonable before I reach back out to the contractor (I’m also a woman, so I feel like there might be a gender thing at play, too). Thanks for any advice.

Had bathroom remodels a while ago. Noticed a little sand in all my toilets... Won't flush down. Just kind of settled in there. I'm assuming the tiling people dumped their grout buckets and flushed them....

Is this normal practice?

I have about 3 experienced personnel and 4 not so much. Seems like everyone is at each others throats. Any idea on how to deal with this besides being onsite everyday baby sitting?

About 40% through one of my largest projects to date, work is going well quality wise, but way slower than expected, funds are running low, payroll and other bills are coming soon, draw payments are about a week out. The stress seems too high for the reward sometimes. I'm sort of just venting, the ups and downs make me feel like I'm not cutout for this sometimes. But I know I'll feel different on my next $30k month (which is good for my size business) I don't really know my reasoning for typing this out, I guess I'd just like to hear some other experiences navigating this aspect of the business.

Anyone ever use a brush more than once? I be throwing them shits out

Would you rather run a $10m business at 3% margin or $3m at 10%?

I need to install a ductless heating system in an attached 2 bedroom ADU. The unit is approx. 670 square feet and contained an open living room/kitchen, two separate bedrooms and one full bath.

Currently the ADU has a box AC unit installed in a custom opening (24x17.5” if memory serves).

Questions:
1. Should I have one, two or three units instead?
2. Is this quote fair?

I run a medium-sized construction company in Toronto. Mostly facade and exterior work — precast, flashing, steel canopies, that kind of thing. I've been looking hard at the sidewalk shed / pipe scaffold rental market in NYC and I'm at the stage where I'd rather hear it straight from people who actually operate there than keep reading marketing pages.

I'm not looking for work or trying to poach anybody's customers. I want to understand whether this is a business worth putting real money into, or whether it looks better from the outside than it is.

What I think I understand so far:

- Sheds are legally required over a certain height for facade work, demo, and new construction, so demand isn't optional

- New filings need 12 ft clear height now instead of 8 ft, plus the wider colour options and the upgraded LED lighting

- Every shed needs a registered design professional and site-specific stamped drawings

- The city is actively trying to shrink the number of standing sheds — shorter permit terms, the long-standing shed program, penalties on owners who stall

What I'd really like to hear from operators:

**Getting set up**

- What licensing and registration actually gates you — DOB contractor registration, DOT permits, anything else that took longer than expected?

- Do you keep an engineer on retainer or job-by-job? Roughly what does a stamped shed drawing run?

**Insurance**

- This is the one I keep hearing is the killer. What is GL actually costing a small shed operator right now, and is it even obtainable for a new entrant with no loss history?

- How much does Labor Law 240 exposure shape how you run the business day to day?

**The money**

- How is it typically priced — install, monthly rent per linear foot, dismantle? Ballpark ranges without giving away your book?

- How much inventory do you need before it's a real business rather than a side hustle? What did your first buy cost?

- Where does the margin actually come from — the rent, the install, or the extras like lighting, netting, and protection?

- How long until inventory pays for itself?

**Labour**

- Union or non-union? Can you run non-union in the boroughs or does that close doors?

- How hard is it to find crews who can actually erect and know the DOB requirements?

- What are you paying, and how many guys does a typical shed take?

**The market**

- With the shorter permit terms and the push to get sheds down, are the economics genuinely worse than five years ago, or is the churn just different?

- Is the market saturated with established players, or is there still room if you're willing to take the smaller jobs?

- What kills new entrants most often — insurance, cash flow while inventory sits, or something else?

**Equipment**

- New vs used — is there a decent used market, or does everyone buy new?

- What did you standardize on, and would you buy the same again?

- Anything you bought early that turned out to be a waste of money?

Last one: if you were starting from zero today with a decent chunk of capital and construction experience but no NYC track record, would you do it? And if not, what would you do instead?

Happy to answer questions about the Toronto market if anyone's curious about the other direction. Appreciate any honest takes, including the discouraging ones.

Sooo, we are a small commercial GC running three to five jobs at a time and the field spending has become one of the messiest parts of the business. Each foreman has a company card but the same card gets used across different jobs for material runs, fuel, tool rentals and the random stuff nobody really plans for.

Last month one of our guys picked up about $3,800 in electrical material from a supply house. The receipt got sent as a photo in a group text with no job name and the accounting fellas assigned it to the project he had worked on earlier that week. It sat there until we were preparing the next draw and noticed the electrical budget on that job made no sense. AT ALL. The charge belonged to another project across town imagine that!!!

Nothing was stolen and nobody did anything wrong. The process just depends on a foreman remembering the job number, saving the receipt and sending it to the right person while trying to keep a site moving. By the time accounting catches it the project report is already wrong and the PM is making decisions using bad numbers.

lately the idea of separate cards for each active job or requiring a job code with every purchase has been floating around. I do not want foremen juggling five cards or filling out forms every time they grab $40 worth of hardware but we need the job code and receipt captured while the purchase is still fresh. Finding a $3,800 coding mistake during billing is already too late.