Jul 19, 2021 09:32 AM EDT By Patrick Jones, UniversityHerald Reporter

Starting a new general contracting company can be intimidating, especially during an uncertain situation like the recent global COVID19 crisis. From getting your business listed with local authorities, getting insured to establishing competitive services pricing, and securing more contracts, a to-do list for contractors will be wide-ranging.

To help general contractors get started effectively, here we'd break down the most important steps on how to start a successful contracting business. The guide will help you make sure you are about to kick start with a strong foundation and fundamentals.

Choose Your Services Wisely

A perfect way to start a general contracting business is to determine carefully which services you'd like to offer at the start. You can do this by listing down all your skills and expertise ranging from beginner and proficient to expert. Focusing on the type of construction services you are best at; helps you get better outcomes at the beginning. It helps you focus on core skills and expertise so you can provide your clients with excellent services possible.

Register Your Contracting Business

Paperwork is one of the most tedious tasks when it comes to start a new business. Contracting companies are no exception. You should start with brainstorming some appropriate and unique business names and then check the selected one with local authorities if it is good to register. Consulting with experts is a great idea to determine the right type of entity for your general contracting business. An expert will guide you on the possibilities of all business types like a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation. Once chosen wisely, do the necessary paperwork to get your business registered with authorities.

Understand Construction Industry Regulations & Establish Pricing

Construction is a high demanding industry worldwide with several federal, state, and regional regulations and laws a contracting business must follow to run its operations smoothly. You should understand industry's ins and outs, changing demands and trends. It helps you stay on top of things so you can operate efficiently. A general contractor may also be required to earn a particular license or permit to offer services in a specific state. After that, you should research the market to check the demand of services and establish competitive pricing. Try your best to offer competitive contracting pricing to secure more new contracts while providing quality services at the same time. Along with offering affordable prices, you should also consider your overheads and general revenues to make a living.

Get Insured

Just like getting a required services license or permit, you should also invest in the right general contractor insurance policy to get your contracting company insured. In some countries and states, having contractor insurance is optional. But getting insured as a general contractor is a wise decision as it offers enough coverage in times of uncertainties and unpleasant events like workplace injuries, property damage, and general liability cover. Investing in the right insurance policy also makes your contracting company look more credible and trustworthy. As a result, you are better able to secure more contracts over your competitors who are not insured.

Promote your General Contracting Business Online

Word of mouth marketing is the best way to attract new clients, but you may need to do something out of the box to stand out from competitors. Have some time to put together an online marketing strategy for your general contracting company to generate more leads. Creating a mobile-friendly website, social media marketing, email marketing, paid ads, and content marketing are some of the best ways to promote your contracting business to attract online clients. You should also establish a client database to keep client details and information in an organized manner. Client data then can be used to create personalized marketing campaigns to present them with exactly what they need or require.

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