Fairly making money by sub-contracting - New Business Startup

[puffy]

So far job-hunting sucks but I'm always trying. My background is really web development/programming and business but I love electrical installation with a passion but never seem to landed that job so I've decided to give the business side of me another go.

This post is no way advertising but rather to get your deep opinion on the subject.

I am building a website, an interactive one. It will no way, shape or form be similar to ratedpeople. I've used it, never liked it. So let us not discuss that business here. About the website/ mobile app:

1. User logs in
2. User selects house type etc
3. User tells us what needs to be doing etc
4. Maybe pictures / video of the areas etc - this is important to the business

This business will solely sub-contract the job out and we would take 10% - 15% off the profit (when all expenses removed) would that be reasonable? The difficulty I face is that most jobs require an onsite quote. Since I know technology very will, I can use a beautiful app for tradesman. It has killer features where the sub-contractor would do the site visit and finalise the quote based on the customer price range. The customer will select their budget so we know for sure that he/she would give the go ahead once we stick to the price range or give them some wow factor if we go above their budget.


The trust relationship

Sub-contractors will know the actual cost of the project that's why we say the business will take 10% - 15% as we will process all transaction online and with handy technologies which you will use and those techs cost money. Is the percentage range fair?

About the business

We advertise heavily. We give you t-shirts and mobile app. You invoice us after the job is completed. You get paid by BACs. We would minus CIS or you pay your own. Legal way of doing things will be reviewed. We have our own guys to sign off work. We make you happy, you make us happy. Win, win.

 

[puffy]

Really? I doubt that VERY much

They're few things I wont put on the internet, as of yet, as this is the sort of key information big companies are looking for. I think this is what stopping the big boys from creating such a website.

But this is what holding me back a bit. I dont smoke but I may need few boxes of smokes for this part:

If you go for the first option you would have no idea of the actual materials used and stand to get ripped off left right and centre. The only way to verify materials used would be to make regular site visits which would insult the contractor, or install it yourself.
If you go for the second option you are not bypassing the awkwardness of a job, you are becoming the awkwardness in a job.

It's a non starting business model. I'm sorry it's not what you want to hear, but at the end of the day it's just another middleman service, and probably the most poorly thought out idea for one at that.

 

[Octopus]

They're few things I wont put on the internet, as of yet, as this is the sort of key information big companies are looking for. I think this is what stopping the big boys from creating such a website.

But this is what holding me back a bit. I dont smoke but I may need few boxes of smokes for this part:

I doubt that very much. A few years ago Check-a-trade had a decent reputation but now ..........

I am of the opinion that all these "sites" do is attract customers who want to get the cheapest quote and are not interested in the finish/outcome - this does not fit with my business model and hence why I will never sign up with one!

 

[Diddy]

As mad a thread as this is I like the idea of a Bad client Blacklist. I wonder if legally such a site could operate. Technically a site and even phone app would be super easy. I wonder if you could create wording that would make such a site fall within our laws. Hmmm Shall I start a new thread ? £5 per month sign up lol.....This time next year Im going to be a millionaire.

 

[Octopus]

As mad a thread as this is I like the idea of a Bad client Blacklist. I wonder if legally such a site could operate. Technically a site and even phone app would be super easy. I wonder if you could create wording that would make such a site fall within our laws. Hmmm Shall I start a new thread ? £5 per month sign up lol.....This time next year Im going to be a millionaire.

I suspect having a "black list" website could be difficult to create and keep legal.

Maybe just the ability to mark on a road!

 

[Diddy]

Well "they" started it lol.

 

[puffy]

As mad a thread as this is I like the idea of a Bad client Blacklist.

Tell me more about this please? Is having a Bad Client Blacklist a killer good idea? Forget about "wondering if this is legal" for now.

If it's a good idea, what would you get from it? How would it benefit you as a tradesman?

I doubt that very much. A few years ago Check-a-trade had a decent reputation but now ..........

I am of the opinion that all these "sites" do is attract customers who want to get the cheapest quote and are not interested in the finish/outcome - this does not fit with my business model and hence why I will never sign up with one!

So check-a-trade is doing something wrong. What's that? How can you tell they attract cheap customers?

 

[Welchyboy1]

I am of the opinion that all these "sites" do is attract customers who want to get the cheapest quote and are not interested in the finish/outcome - this does not fit with my business model and hence why I will never sign up with one!

Couldnt of said it better myself!, the fact is decent tradesmen have a small turnover of good customers, as they tend to look after them, and likewise with good customers, they will keep the same tradesmen for life when they find a good one

usually found by recommendation

whats left is a pool of mostly undesirables who ultimatley use sites like these to find work/workers as they cant rely solely on their own merits(talking both customers and tradesmen here)

 

[ipf]

So far job-hunting sucks but I'm always trying. My background is really web development/programming and business but I love electrical installation with a passion but never seem to landed that job so I've decided to give the business side of me another go.

This post is no way advertising but rather to get your deep opinion on the subject.

I am building a website, an interactive one. It will no way, shape or form be similar to ratedpeople. I've used it, never liked it. So let us not discuss that business here. About the website/ mobile app:

1. User logs in
2. User selects house type etc
3. User tells us what needs to be doing etc
4. Maybe pictures / video of the areas etc - this is important to the business

This business will solely sub-contract the job out and we would take 10% - 15% off the profit (when all expenses removed) would that be reasonable? The difficulty I face is that most jobs require an onsite quote. Since I know technology very will, I can use a beautiful app for tradesman. It has killer features where the sub-contractor would do the site visit and finalise the quote based on the customer price range. The customer will select their budget so we know for sure that he/she would give the go ahead once we stick to the price range or give them some wow factor if we go above their budget.


The trust relationship

Sub-contractors will know the actual cost of the project that's why we say the business will take 10% - 15% as we will process all transaction online and with handy technologies which you will use and those techs cost money. Is the percentage range fair?

About the business

We advertise heavily. We give you t-shirts and mobile app. You invoice us after the job is completed. You get paid by BACs. We would minus CIS or you pay your own. Legal way of doing things will be reviewed. We have our own guys to sign off work. We make you happy, you make us happy. Win, win.

Besides everything else, I really like this one...:cowboy:
As if I'd let some joker sign off my work.

Some people do live in cloud cuckoo land.

 

[puffy]

...As if I'd let some joker sign off my work...

Why people in the trades industry slag each others off? So, ipf, what if your buddy, "Jim", is a certified electrical supervisor and he signs off a work you had done, I'd guess you'd call him, too, a joker. Right?

 

[Darkwood]

Can we all be a bit more civil here please, if you wish to make a comment even if its to make a negative point then do so without resorting to trolling comments and give reasoning behind your thinking in a constructive manner - your opinions are been asked for here so lets avoid any responses that can only send the thread south.

If it continues then the thread will be closed and we will deal with anyone who has led to its closure with a possible break from the forum. This is the only warning on this matter, you all know the rules and it is clearly written above the box when you're actively writing a post in.

 

[ipf]

Why people in the trades industry slag each others off? So, ipf, what if your buddy, "Jim", is a certified electrical supervisor and he signs off a work you had done, I'd guess you'd call him, too, a joker. Right?

Dead right.

Nobody signs off my work except me. If someone insisted on signing off my work I'd tell them they were joking. I came across this last year, involving a separate company and ended up putting someone in their place.

This is a serious point and needs addressing.

So you would have different, self employed people, carrying out jobs all over the country and then have your own 'guy' travelling around inspecting their work, regularly, before signing it off, would you?
More like someone sat in an office miles away, I suspect.

A bit more thought required all round regarding this attempt to cash in on the trade.

 

[puffy]

Dead right.

Nobody signs off my work except me. If someone insisted on signing off my work I'd tell them they were joking. I came across this last year, involving a separate company and ended up putting someone in their place.

This is a serious point and needs addressing.

So you would have different, self employed people, carrying out jobs all over the country and then have your own 'guy' travelling around inspecting their work, regularly, before signing it off, would you?

A bit more thought required all round regarding this attempt to cash in on the trade.

It was just a thought but the idea is no more.

 

[sjhall]

This Idea is dead in the water, most people who need an Electrician ( once in a blue moon for most ) will not go to the trouble of downloading an app, putting in all there details etc etc, what they will do is either, ask friends if they know someone reliable, pick up the local paper, or pick up their laptop/mobile and search for a local spark on google.... Customers want to speak to contractor face to face or via phone to ask an array of questions and generally get a feel for who they are dealing with.

If you think you have the ability to get your phone ringing off the hook with work, setting up a sparking company with a good spark leading the way would have a lot better chance of success.

 

[newtothis]

OP (Puffy) Keep persevering mate, I like your thinking. An important part of the formal business creative process relies on having ideas. putting them forward. Then testing/ adpating them.

Few analytical models I would use are S.W.O.T and P.E.S.T not taking the mick, google those terms under business analysis. If your're not already familiar - Good luck

 

[sean_ork]

I make it 47 weaknesses so far ......