Starting a Woodworking Business #10: A Good Start This Week

Great to hear….keep it up….I can’t think of anything better then enjoying what you are doing….sounds like you are finding a nice niche to fill…

-- Woodworking.....My small slice of heaven!

Sound like work is flying your way . Glad to hear it. I don’t know about your area but in mine if you caught buy and inspector doing remodeling work without a licence you can get fined up to $ 5.000. Becarefu out there.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Might I suggest you making a sign that you can put in the yard of where you are working? I made one like an A frame that had my contact info on it and then fold it up when I am done for the day. You would be surprised at how many calls you will get.
Ken

-- Ken, Florida, www.theroutermaniac.com

Sounds great!

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

hey sam..i agree with jim..make sure your alright on the remodle jobs..it might be that your safe up to a certain dollar amount..but each state varies..im just happy for you that you have work and are getting more…..that is great…...good luck with your plan and enjoy every trip you make to the bank to make a deposit…

-- The Grizzone

400 board feet of cherry? Sounds like a wood gloat (to me!!!). It’s great to hear tell of people really liking what they are doing.

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

reggiek
Thanks! I still want to focus on custom cabinetry and the production items I want to sell, but getting out and doing this work is really boosting my confidence that I really can learn to run a business.

Good point Jim.
I checked with the state of Ohio to see what licensing is required for remodeling. I learned that in the state of Ohio, Ohio only licenses five specific trades: electrical, heating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, plumbing and hydronics. All other requirements that may exist are handled by the specific municipaility rather than by the state. The specific area where I would be doing this work does not require licensing for remodeling. In the largest municipality (city) next to where I live (I live in a rural area of the county) there is a very specific requirement for the trades mentioned above. For example, even though I am an electrical engineer, I am not a licensed electrician so I can’t perform electrical work within the city. Since Ohio does license electricians, I can’t legally perform electrical services as a business. I can do wiring on my own at my home but not as a business. I checked with the Ohio Board of Building Standards, and the county in which I live is not designated as having a ‘Certified Building Department’. I am going to call them tomorrow to learn how what I read in their literature applies to me. Thanks Jim. Very good point.

Routermaniac
Very good suggestion!! I really like the idea of an A-frame. very good idea…

-- Sam

Thanks Grizzman! I’m going to find out tomorrow for sure before I quote the job (or any remodeling job for that matter). I know contractors don’t have to have a license but they have to beregistered with the state of Ohio.

-- Sam

Sam,

Your business plan is to work up to sub-ing the contractor work, to someone, and picking the work that you want to do. Be careful here- you don’t want to water down your brand. You can be a respected manager, and draw the pay for it. What you really want to do is manage the finish product-clients love that!

-- Clamps are like dollars in the bank, you NEVER can have too many!

Hey Sam
Sounds like you did your home work. One thing I’ve done but not very often is do minor electrical but state in my contract that there’s not charge for the Electrical work I just throw it in to get the job done. But never major electrical work. This is the way around having to Wait for an electrician that didn’t what to do a job that small any way. It makes it so I’m not getting paid for electrical work that I’m not allowed to get paid for. Just for the record I have wired a half dozen of my own homes and shops.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

That great news Sam. Nice to hear a success story.

-- Alan, Prince George

sam, great to hear more about your new adventure, even tho we are thinking of building cabinets,furntures,aand judt any type of woodworking itiems, and we opened up a shop, most people i’m finding out think of remodles for us to do, i’ve got my sign [little man] on the front yard, magnetic signs on the truck, stateing what i do, yet someone calls or walks up and ask about small remodels, these remodles help pay the bills as well as what we intented our shops to be, go for it all!!!!

-- tool time tim aka "cobra5"

FFURNITURE
Very good point… not watering down what I am doing or want to do is a very good suggestion.. THANKS

a1Jim
Thanks… I am going to calling the local building departments in the various towns that I live near and see what I can/can’t do… I’d llike to find out if my main business is custom cabinets, what I will need in the way of licensing/certification so that I can install what I build. Thanks again Jim

Alan,
Thanks!

Beginningwoodworker
THANKS

cobra5
Sounds like I’m going in the same direction as you. I wish you the best of luck. I’m working on the marketing ideas… thanks for your suggestions. When the woman asked me yesterday about remodeling I didn’t have a business card – first sign to me that I’m still not there yet… Thanks again

Well, off to work

Still distilling and loving it

-- Sam

Well, I called the county engineer’s office today and they told me that there is no license requirement in our county for residential remodeling (neither from the county nor the state of Ohio), so that was great news…

-- Sam

Sam: I’m very happy for the business coming your way. Best of luck in getting it all completed.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †