Focusing on budgeting and estimating the least understood but most important factors of a contracting business this guide shows contractors how to price their services to recover expenses and still have money for capital expenses and profits. It goes into detail on accounting issues and provides checklists for required government accounts. Plus, it covers concerns such as dealing with problem employees and clients and establishing lines of communication within the company.
| Preface |
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| Chapter 1 The Contracting Industry |
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3 | (2) |
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5 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
| Chapter 2 Why Become a Contractor? |
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Contractors Are Important to Their Communities |
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Do You Have What It Takes?-Part I |
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Do You Have the Proper Background? |
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10 | (1) |
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11 | (1) |
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On-the-Job Training (OJT) |
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Discipline and Determination |
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Excellent Time Management Skills |
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Do You Have What It Takes?-Part II |
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| Chapter 3 The Business Plan |
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Small Business Association |
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| Chapter 4 Law and the G-Man |
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Bankers, Lawyers, Accountants, and Insurance Agents |
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Coping with the Government |
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Employees or Subcontractors |
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42 | (1) |
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Health Plans Can Offer Tremendous Benefits |
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Documentation and Receipts |
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43 | (2) |
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45 | (2) |
| Chapter 5 It's Moving Day |
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Open Your Office and Shop |
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48 | (1) |
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Office Specifications and Details |
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57 | (1) |
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57 | (3) |
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60 | (1) |
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60 | (3) |
| Chapter 6 Financial Techniques for Profitability |
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The Tools to Make a Budget |
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64 | (1) |
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65 | (1) |
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66 | (1) |
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66 | (14) |
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67 | (5) |
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72 | (3) |
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75 | (2) |
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77 | (3) |
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80 | (1) |
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83 | (3) |
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86 | (1) |
| Chapter 7 Contribution Margin and the Impact on Profits |
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How to Calculate Contribution Margin |
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88 | (3) |
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91 | (4) |
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95 | (2) |
| Chapter 8 Promoting Your Services |
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Get Your Website up Immediately |
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98 | (5) |
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100 | (1) |
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Establishing an Online Presence |
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102 | (1) |
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103 | (1) |
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103 | (2) |
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Too Much of a Good Thing? |
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106 | (1) |
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107 | (2) |
| Chapter 9 Get a Job |
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Applications and Hiring Forms |
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111 | (1) |
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111 | (1) |
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112 | (1) |
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112 | (3) |
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116 | (2) |
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118 | (1) |
| Chapter 10 Errors and Omissions |
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119 | (10) |
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120 | (1) |
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121 | (2) |
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123 | (1) |
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How to Handle Client Complaints |
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124 | (1) |
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125 | (1) |
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126 | (1) |
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127 | (1) |
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128 | (1) |
| Chapter 11 PANIC Is Proper |
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129 | (8) |
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130 | (1) |
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130 | (4) |
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130 | (1) |
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131 | (1) |
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131 | (2) |
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133 | (1) |
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133 | (1) |
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134 | (1) |
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134 | (1) |
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135 | (2) |
| Appendix Construction Contracting Resources |
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137 | (6) |
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138 | (1) |
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Construction, Remodeling, and General Contractor Magazine Websites |
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138 | (1) |
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LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) Group |
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139 | (1) |
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139 | (1) |
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General Business Websites |
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139 | (1) |
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139 | (1) |
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140 | (1) |
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Listings and Places to Post Your Services |
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140 | (1) |
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140 | (1) |
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140 | (1) |
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140 | (1) |
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141 | (1) |
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141 | (1) |
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141 | (1) |
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Construction Industry Associations |
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141 | (1) |
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142 | (1) |
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142 | (1) |
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142 | (1) |
| Glossary |
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143 | (4) |
| Index |
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For more than 30 years, Entrepreneur Media has been setting the course for small business success. From startup to retirement, millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners trust the Entrepreneur Media family -- Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur.com, Entrepreneur Press, and EntrepreneurEnEspanol.com -- to point them in the right direction. The Entrepreneur Media family is regarded as a beacon within the small to midsized business community, providing outstanding content, fresh opportunities, and innovative ways to push publishing, small business, and entrepreneurship forward. Rich Mintzer is an expert in making complicated topics reader-friendly, including business, technology and environmental concerns. He has written more than 45 nonfiction books on a wide range of topics. He has also spent 20 years as a magazine journalist and the past several years writing and producing web content. Mintzer lives in Mount Kisco, NY.
