Plumber: Opening Your Own Business
There is no better time for a plumber to go out on his own and start a business. As long as there are people living in homes there will be clogged drains, soft water installations, and even garbage disposals that just won't work. If you have the skills necessary to help people with these situations you may want to consider going out on your own and becoming your own boss.
Preparation
You don't want to walk away from your current job tomorrow with nothing to fall back on. Keep working as you go through the steps to prepare to become a plumber for your own small business. One of the biggest endeavors that you will take on is research. Different parts of the country have different regulations and guidelines when it comes to starting something new. Check to see what you need to have in order to get started. Is there a license that you need to apply for? Is there a test that you need to take? What type of insurance do you need to have?
Figure out how much each of these things will cost. You need to have some idea of how much start of money you are going to need to get started. Also,
consider how much time you are going to need to complete these tasks. If you need to apply for a license, take into consideration how long it will take to file the paperwork and have it accepted.
Finding the Money
Figure out where you are going to get the money that you need to get started. You can always make an office within your home temporarily, but you still need to figure on things like a phone service, bookkeeping materials, and even customer contact forms. Can you come up with your own company name and logo or will you be looking to hire someone else? How are you going to advertise?
Before you take the plunge into being your own plumber, you need to figure out where your income is going to come from. If you already know that you are going to have enough business to give yourself a salary you are ahead of the game. Plan for the months that it may take to get things off the ground.
Get the Word Out
Your services are going to be needed by the people around you. Let everyone know that you have decided to make a change. Provide them with cards and contact information. The next time they need a plumber you want them to think about you instead of the company that they usually call. Over time work will spread and people will begin to come to you with their plumbing problems.
Once you begin to go out on calls you will establish a reputation. Remember that in the beginning it may be a little difficult. It might mean lots of long hours and not always being paid for all the time that you are investing in your business. Hang in there and know that once things become more established and consistent you will be so glad that you made this decision.
