Should I Become a Contractor?

So, I am in construction sales, primarily insurance restoration projects (hail/wind/hurricane). I do subcontract PM and sales for a local GC in my area, before that a national exterior restoration company. Been in the business almost 11 years.
Due to a perfect alignment of circumstances, I will literally make a million dollars this year. People have been up my ass about going out on my own for a couple years now. What's held me back is this:
>I fucking hate actually doing the labor side
It's literally the last thing I would want to do. I know how it should be done. I know the required materials to get it done. I know if someone is fucking up during the doing. I just don't want to do it. And my lack of want to do the work has been my primary barrier to entry. My mantra is that as the contractor, I am ultimately responsible for all my installs. If there's no sub to do a repair or fix their mistakes (as happens fucking often), I'm the one that is ultimately responsible to go out and fix it. That's not me at all. My specialty is sales, coordination, claims negotiation, etc.. So, I never really considered playing contractor until now because the situation has changed.
>cont.

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One of our metal roof subs and I have been talking for a while now. He's a fucking amazing standing seam metal guy, literally one of the best I have ever seen. He runs most of his installs off contractor owned metal panel machines. Its way cheaper than buying prefab snaplock panels, but the logistics are way more complicated.

>GC orders trim coil for delivery to their office
>GC orders matching flatsheets to be delivered to metal fabrication for trim (wave/rake/headwall/sidewall/ridgecap)
>GC orders accessories sometimes from someone completely different (screws/rivets) for delivery to office
>Sub loads panel machine, let's say a 2 coil unit, at GC office
>GC either has to have a forklift or rent a 4k because coil rolls weigh 2000+ lbs.
>Sub or GC pulls panel machine to job
>Sub or GC has to pick-up trim from fabrication and bring to job
>Sub runs all the coil into standing seam panels
>Roof is over 60 SQ, so has to pull machine back, re-load coil at GC office, pull back to jobsite
>Fabricator fucks up the kick on the drip or doesn't fab enough whatever and it's 2 weeks before sub can finish
>Gutters had to come down to install drip edge, so now bitchy homeowner and potential problems because gutter sub has to wait until roof is done to run new gutters
>Can't just out old gutters back because invariably gets fucked up no matter how careful
You can see how this is a monster pain in the ass. The GC could have a guy to load and run the machine, but I have yet to see one that does. Sub rate for labor for this bullshit is usually 2.60 - 3.50.
I have a different way.

I go into business with my sub. He already has 10 installers. 2 out of those 10 can run the panel machine correctly and are able to supervise jobs. The split would be 70/30 to me. Reason for that is I would supply all the equipment and start-up capital. My vision goes like this:
>My company does the detail
>Coil trim is delivered directly to jobsite
>Flat sheets and accessories delivered to jobsite
>My company rents a 4k lift at the jobsite for a day
>Use that 4k to load my own panel machine
>Have own calibrated brake on site to field fabricate all metal trim components
>Jobs are done faster because no bullshit running around
>Contractor literally doesn't have to do shit but order the coil, but I could even do that and negotiate a better price
>Instead of waiting for a gutter sub to come after the roof is finished, I would use my machine and guys to run them and install as soon as the roof is done.
For this, I would charge 6.00-7.00 per SF. It's more than double the current going rate for metal in the area, but hidden costs of Iogistics often put the final cost above that. Plus, they don't do shit besides sell the job. Contractor profit margin would still be acceptable, as standing seam usually goes for 9-12 per SF retail. I could even offer insurance supplement services for an extra fee to boost their bottom line further.
>cont.

Why this seems like a good idea:
>I have to spend this money on something or give it to Uncle Sam
>There are very few actual skilled metal installers, and I know the very best
>There is a big demand for metal from hailstorms and new construction in my area. Hailstorm alone is another 2 years worth of work from right from last year's hail
>I can sell our services to a whole shitload of contractors because of the demand
>My guy already works for some of the biggest in the state
>There are 6 panel machines owned by 3 different contractors in a 60 mile radius of me. Mine would be the only one owned by a sub
>Every contractor goes through the same logistics nightmare because they are too busy to be running just one panel machine
I also want to do gutters too. Apparently, you can make 50% profit as a sub. For some reason, every gutter company within a 100 mile radius is either total shit, flaky as fuck, or a mix of both. Our gutter sub worked for 3 of the largest contractors in the area besides us, and managed to stay employed despite being fucking terrible. Just doing a mediocre job here would make you the best in the area. Plus, it's a good fit for the roofing side and less coordination on the contractors part. I would want two 5/6" combo machines and maybe even a 7" seamless box machine (I would have one of 3 in the whole state).

I figure for 2 box trucks, a few brakes, tools, ladders, a top model panel machine with all 11 dies, 2 combo k-style machines, and a 7' box machine would run around 170k all in. I have a ability to get my own license, and would plan on only running sub business until I get my own thing going. My metal guy was the missing piece: the dude to do the work. He talked about salary, but I wanted him to have 30% (even though I would funding everything). His knowledge and crew bring value in my opinion, and I want him to have actual skin in the game.
>So, know that you've read my blog, is this a fucking brilliant or terrible idea?

I think you know a lot more about this business than any of the dumbfucks here you are asking to spot check your plan.

Dude trades lmao

This.

this, and remarkably enough, finding methheads who can keep their shit together enough to work a contract through, then go back off the rails is the easy part. Harder is someone who actually knows their shit, but is happy taking a stepback and is competent to supervise methheads. Fuck giving anyone 30% of anything, put him on a GOOD bonus, and good fucking is. If he occasionally makes more than you, so fuck, your skin at risk, you'll still own that shit. And thats the way it stays. You already convinced yourself the rest, so, why you wasting further time on here ? G'Luck

I do know a lot about it. That's become sort of the point of this whole endeavor. I am literally in the top 1% of my industry. It's hard to find someone in my job that can last more than 3 weeks. Partly because it's 100% commission and partly because there's a lot to be good at. I'm 1099, and I can basically do what I want during the day. I know what I have to do, and I get it done; the owners sort of leave me on autopilot. I just want to work completely for myself. I never dreamed I could be a legit millionaire, but this year has opened my eyes that it's very attainable if I'm willing to take the risk.

Well, id say you re definitely confident enough, and rightly so, and aware of the risks, so Id say go for it. If it helps, in engineering in college, they taught me that you should write down your complete scope of work before doing anything. Plan everything out on paper. Calculate costs, project your profit, consider your competition, research your demand, basically write everything related to your idea down.

The struggle is real. This business draws felons and dope fiends more than any other. The labor end ones tend to keep their shit more together than drug addicts on my end. Labor guys need the paycheck to buy dope, so they show up for work more often. Sales guys go steady for a month, then get an enormous check and are never seen again. Their benders are worse by orders of magnitude because you can literally make 40-80k in a month doing this, and drug addicts are usually good salesmen.

>and drug addicts are usually good salesmen.
Amen to that
tinest fucking promise merchants on Gods Sweet Earth, no question

I have a safety net, which helps. I have a decent savings, and after this year I'll be 600k liquid after buying all the shit and paying my taxes. If it fails, can always sell the equipment and go back to what I'm doing now. My average take-home ranges from 120k-250k, and I generally only work 5-7 months a year.

its drug addicts because you fucks refuse to pay good salaries and do background checks. Its all about who can pull out most profit for themselves. Worked as a project manager and the upper management were second to criminals. Ive worked with the lowest of the low, I dont even know what could make these guys motivated if its not drugs

I've become a fucking expert at profiling retards and dope fiends. I don't necessarily have control over who we hire, but definitely control which employees/subs work my jobs. I have certain automatic disqualifiers:
>Neck tattoo
>Ask if they have a bunch of equipment and they look at me like in retarded
>From Texas, especially Dallas
>Head-shaped like a light bulb
>They know how to do EVERYTHING

All our guys are subcontract. They all are compensated commiserate with their abilities and what THEY negotiate as their price. We aren't a giant GC like your referring to. Those fuckers are scum of the earth because it's always lowest bid wins and YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. We pay our regular crews more for that very reason, because cheap labor saves money on the front end but costs more on the back end because of fixing the fuck ups.

Its nice to hear your perspective and experience. Do you ever work with engineers? Do you have any advice for an entry level EE that doesnt want to slave away a 9-5 for 60k forever?

And fuck your background checks. All of our best people wouldn't work for us because they are felons. It's one of the only options for a decent living for someone with a criminal record.
What the fuck else would you have them do? They can't get a real job. Everyonee deserves a second chance and a shot at a real life. This is motherfucking America, son.

Im not talking about "all" felons. OBVIOUSLY your guys are good and you care about them. Another thing is to give them their fucking weekends, theyre not animals and the work is demanding as is.
Otherwise go for it, start small and go from there.. You seem like you know a lot, If you want to know more technical stuff go to /diy, Its full of engineers, contractors and professionals . Stay away from small timers and amateurs, they will only waste your time.

>hiring felons
Enjoy having all your stuff stolen and sold for dope money

He already asked on /diy. /biz is just /crypto now

I do actually. When an insurance company really doesn't want to pay, they send out engineering firms/consultants to back up their bullshit. I sort of specialize in these sorts of escalated denials. I shit on these retards on a regular basis. They lean on a handful of engineering studies commissioned by insurance companies and performed by organizations like Underwriter's Laboratory and Koontz engineering. I have all that stuff myself, and know it inside and out. I had one idiot this year with Donan try to cement a denial with some borderline fraudulent report that the hail was less than an 1" and that everything was fine. So, I did my own site investigation and engineer report. Also added every USAA claim I had in the area (one was his neighbor) and the national news reports of hail killing animals at the zoo like 150 yards from his house. I disturbed enough shit to get to an upper, upper, upper management guy with USAA and reversed the engineer denial. It honestly doesn't matter anyways, as all of it's bullshit that really serves no purpose than to intimidate the policyholder.
Engineer
>Muh no appreciable loss of perpendicular tensile strength
>Muh no significant reduction in wind uplift resistance
Me
>Tell me, where does it say that in the policy?
>Oh, right, it doesn't.
>You owe for Direct Accidental Physical Loss, riiiiigggght?
>That has nothing to do with your tensile strength bullshit, so take your engineer report and stick it up your ass

I did. No one answered me there. Figured the Link Marines on Jow Forums needed some PT

I feel bad for those guys. They've spent years in school and shitloads of money to make 60k a year and get totally shit on savvy PM like me. Plus, their basically slaves to the carrier. I have only once had an engineer side with me. They are always there to fuck the insured. Usually, that's enough. 99% of people that do my job give up because they have no idea what to do. Homeowner thinks they are retarded too because an engineer said they were. Some firms were literally started by fucking insurance companies. I personally love these claims. My favorite part of the job is fucking the insurance company. If I can actually help someone they are attempting to fuck AND make shitloads of money, even better

They can have whatever day they want. They are almost all subcontract. The ones that you want are the ones that WANT to work weekends. This hailstorm created a once-in-a-lifetime situation for those that want to take full advantage.
>Fuck off on the weekend and party
>Work the weekend and make a couple grand

That's what insurance is for. Would never hire someone like that anyways. 10 years in the business has honed my dope-fiend detector Razer sharp. If they do slip by on, they'll be found out in a week. They will be the ones bitching about being broke Wednesday, despite getting a 3k check the previous Friday.

If I have picked up one thing from you, you got no chill. Sound like a cocaine fiend. This is how all upper management sound like in construction. The money makes these dudes super energized, just fuck off to your meth factory. I dont get it, I never feel so passionate ? Is that the right word. Like dude, just fucking live life and chill for a second, you dont sound human. I fucking hate having meetings with these dudes, WHEN THIS WHEN THAT, CUT THIS, CUT THAT, WORK MORE, SLEEP LESS, SLAVE SLAVE SLAVE MONEEEEEY.

Oh right missed the part where you have 6 months off unlike any other human in construction because they do earn shit

Makes sense honestly, I expected nothing less from an insurance company. I hope my line of work doesnt get as stagnate as those engineers

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Apparently is hard to have actual business discussions on Jow Forums. I ironically have an almost meme job.
>Work 5-7 months a year, except this one where I worked like a slave all year
>Ability to make 6 figures during that time.
>There is literally no ceiling to the amount your able to earn
>Make my own schedule. Paperwork and phone call days I work from home
>Take any days I want off (this is rare now because work load)
>Income is always inflation adjusted because I get paid a percentage of profit and losses are estimated by asshole software program that every carrier uses that adjusts for inflation and local market forces on a monthly basis
>Not stuck in an office. Have a wonderful tan.
>Varied and challenging. Everyday is different.
>Through a combination of luck and hard-work, I am going to make an actual million dollars this year

I mean, not really. This thing called "winter" sort of fucks with roofing and other exterior trades. For sure, I make way fucking more than the people that do the work. I also have way more shit to do and deal with then them. They do a job, get paid, and they're done. I sell the job, order the job, coordinate the work for multiple trades, negotiate the settlement with the insurance company, file and send mortgage affidavits to get them to release the insurance checks, meet the code enforcement people, QA the work after completion, field the shitty phone calls when someone inevitably fucks up and solve the problem, etc. I even have to testify in court for a customer suing Liberty Mutual. Labor jobs are relatively easy and generally low-skilled. But even low-skilled labor can be better than decent pay. They make a minimum of 25-30 bucks an hour as a sub, it's just structured as a bid. Some make 100's per hour equivalent. I am an outlier in my job as far as income goes. The standard pay to expect for my end is 10-13% of the contract price. An average guy generally sells around 450-500k in business a year. I am a professional at fucking them with their asshole software program, however. I make around 20-23% of the contract price because of it. My sales this year will end up around 4.1 million.

Your right about no chill. This opportunity won't happen again, so I'll get as much as I can while it's there to get. You've totally wrong. I'm not the "super energized" coked out stock broker. This isn't fucking Boiler Room. I roll a couple fatties before I leave in the morning because my day can be incredibly stressful. You also missed the part where I am a subcontractor and do what I want. I am a business inside a business. I have a lot to do, so I work. I often work 60-70, even 80 hours a week. I love my job. I for one, enjoy being successful. It's a fulfilling endeavor. Plus, it's pretty fucking retarded shit on an opportunity to make a life-changing amount of money because you want days off

Consultancy for the construction and insurance side on my end. Most engineers lack any ability to apply construction-related knowledge in real-world scenarios. Knowledge of building processes and understanding practical applications of building materials helps tremendously. It's the primary reason I'm able to shit on them so effectively. Engineers as customers are the worst,.because they think they know better. Reality is, they don't know shit.

Fuck you and pay yor taxes

They Gonna break ur shit real.soon theyre on their way

Sometimes felons are exactly who you want. There are smart, capable people who just happen to be felons because of a mistake in the past. They are constantly shit on and basically barred from advancing their station life in any meaningful way. Then they get a job working for someone that doesn't shit on them. Someone that recognizes that people fuck up and deserve another shot. Now, they can learn a skill or apply one they already had and make way more than they ever had before. Enough to change their lives, maybe. What kind of a loyalty and dedication do you think someone in that situation would show to an employer that treats them with respect ?

lmao grow up faggot

Fucks like this are why America sucks now.
>Muh slave to money
>Muh chill time is more important
>Muh successful people trying to motivate useless fucks to be more successful are irritating
People have forgotten what it's like to actually work hard for what they want in life. No one makes me work. I do it because it's necessary. Whiny clock-punching, wage slave faggots will never know what it is to work for themselves or gamble a big chunk of their own money to try and build a successful business.