Bathroom remodeling is almost always in demand, as it’s one of the two major rooms in the house that people want to expand, redesign, or upgrade (the other being the kitchen). Many homeowners start with remodeling a bathroom because it’s less expensive than redoing a kitchen, so getting into the bathroom remodeling industry can be a lucrative move. The experts at Easy Renovation have provided some tips on starting a bathroom remodeling business.
Gain Experience
If you’ve never remodeled a bathroom before, starting your own business specializing in bathroom remodeling isn’t a good idea. It takes skills and experience to ensure your work will be professional and of high quality. You don’t want your clients to regret hiring you because you’re practicing on their bathroom. This is not a field you can just jump into without knowing your stuff.
The best way to gain experience in the bathroom remodeling industry is to work for a general contractor who specializes in renovating bathrooms. Most of the time, that’s how new companies start anyway: a worker learns the trade, then branches off into their own company. You’ll need to have at least a high school diploma, but specialty education in the construction trade is valuable as well.
Get Legal
To be a legitimate bathroom remodeling business, you’ll need to get your contractor license. In most Canadian provinces, a license is required if you do plumbing or electrical work, which is often necessary for bathroom remodels. If you don’t have a license for those jobs, you’ll need to subcontract the plumbing and electrical work to a contractor who does have the necessary licenses or certifications. In the United States, general contractor license requirements are determined at the state level, so be sure to check with your state before opening your business.
Whether your business is in Canada or the United States, you’ll have to register your business before you can start your first job. Typically, you’ll have to determine the type of company you have (sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), limited partnership) and obtain a number to identify your company when you pay taxes. It is often beneficial to hire a business consultant to help you set up your company and get it registered.
Start Advertising
Landing your first job is usually challenging because you don’t have reviews or a long history to make potential customers feel comfortable with you. Have a portfolio of work you’ve done with other companies and provide before and after pictures of the bathrooms you’ve remodeled. Start advertising on cheap or free sites like Facebook, Nextdoor, and other social media platforms. If it’s in your budget, take out an ad on the radio, which still reaches a large audience.
Once you get your first job, it will be easier to start landing more projects because if you do a good job, word of mouth advertising will bring you more work. Be sure to ask your customers to leave reviews on your website so you can build your customer base.
Conclusion
Starting a bathroom remodeling business takes some work, especially when it comes to gaining the experience necessary to be a professional. But, once you’re bringing in the customers, it can be a very lucrative career.
