Tools of the Trade: A Few Essentials for Starting Your Contracting Business

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Beginning in any business can be a surmounting task. But no matter what industry you’re in or what kind of work you do, everybody needs the right tools to get the job done properly. This is especially true when it comes to the world of contracting work. Because as a contractor, if you don’t show up to the job site with the right tools, chances are your client might end up looking elsewhere for somebody who can get the job done properly.

As a contractor, you’ve probably amassed a fair amount of tools. But you can’t just show up to complete a home remodel with a hammer and a chisel. Basically, you need to invest in the right tools and have them ready before you accept a job. In this post, we’ll go over some of the best tools that you should invest in when you start your own contracting business.

Transportation

Truth be told, you’re not going to work on any contract unless you have reliable transportation to get yourself and your tools to the job site. Most contractors begin using their own personal work truck when they begin landing jobs. And while this may suffice for a while, at least for the infancy phase of your business, sooner or later you’re going to need a bigger vehicle or an entire fleet for your employees.

If you have big jobs and you can’t transport tools and materials with your own truck, the good news is that you can rent a work truck until you can afford a better one. And you can even rent a flatbed truck for those big jobs to haul heavy equipment and materials. The best part of renting a truck is that you can rent it for specific jobs, without having to pay thousands of dollars on a brand new vehicle.

Digital Sensing Equipment

Sensing equipment is becoming a standard in many parts of the contracting world, especially for larger jobs where you have to employ a large personnel force. Sensing equipment ranges from sensors that can be placed on a work vest so you can keep an eye on safety compliance, to taking basic or complex measurements.

For example, most smartphones have digital sensing installed such as the measuring app on an iPhone. And these tools allow you to take numerous measurements without having to use chalk lines or to climb into hazardous positions just to take a simple measurement. While you might prefer your trusty tape measure or chalk line, digital sensing tools are much more precise which is why they should be a part of your toolbox.

Drones

Depending on the type of contracting work you do, a drone can be a huge game-changer because drones give you a literal bird’s-eye view of the entire job site. For example, if you’re clearing an area for a neighborhood subdivision to be built, a drone can give you perfect sight of the entire area which you can then convert into blueprints. Additionally, you can extract images from drone cameras to show your clients how a property line diverges or where elevation changes might be evident.

Another great thing about drones is that they offer you the ability to view anyone on your job site and keep up with progress and safety compliance as well. The latter, however, is typically used only for larger job sites where safety can be a major concern. Additionally, a drone can also help you to inspect roof damage, or to take images and measurements of structures.

It’s often said that every job has a perfect tool. But when it comes to the contracting business, it’s more appropriate to note that you’ll need several perfect tools to complete a job. But this is where knowing your trade comes into full swing. Because without in-depth knowledge of your industry, you might as well be lost in the tool aisle.

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