 by Michael C. Stone
Table of Contents
1. Looking at Markup in the Construction Business,
5
So You Want to Be a Successful Contractor,
6
And If You're Already a Contractor? 11
And the Formula Is, 18
2. Understanding Markup, 19
Symptoms of
Impending Failure, 19
Three Major Causes of Business
Failure, 23
The Terminology of the Industry,
26
Determining Your Financial Requirements, 27
3. Establishing the Correct Markup for Your Company,
53
The Basic Formula for Markup,
53
Let’s Do Some Sample Problems, 54
Sliding Scale Markup, 67
A Review of Volume, Overhead and
Markup, 69
Problems to Watch Out For, 81
Job Supervision and Markup, 85
4. Sell Your Services – at a Profit, 89
The
Basics of Attracting Sales, 89
Your Telephone Is Ringing,
Now What? 96
The Basic Steps of the Sale,
100
Some Final Notes About Sales, 115
5. Writing Contracts, 121
The
Importance of a Detailed Contract, 122
Writing Your
Contract Documents, 126
Good Contracts Have Well-Defined
Pay Schedules, 137
6. Change Work Orders, Other Forms and Your Markup,
149
Using Change Order Forms, 149
Other Forms, 160
7. The Mathematics of Your Business,
169
Setting and Keeping a Budget,
169
Margins vs. Markup, 178
Break Even,
180
Math, Formulas and Ratios for Your Company,
183
Computers, 189
8. Bean Counters and Your Business,
197
Dealing with the Bean-Counter Mentality,
197
Financing with Two Bankers and One Broker,
199
Working for Bankers, 202
Insurance
Companies, Their Pay Schedule and Your Markup, 203
9. Justify Your Markup, 207
Communication,
207
Classes, Seminars and Conventions, 211
10. Employees and Your Markup, 213
Training,
213
Productivity, 214
Schooling on Markup,
217
11. Listening to the Experts, 219
Recognizing
the Export, 219
Increasing Your Expertise in Your Field,
221
Hiring Consultants, 223
Some Good
Advice, 224
In Conclusion, May I Say Thank You,
228
12. Problems to Solve, 229
Problem 1: Getting
Started, 230
Problem 2: A Fourth-Year Business,
232
Problem 3: Correcting a Disaster, 236
 Problem 4: All That Glitters Is Not Gold!!! 242
Problem 5:
Evaluating a Quarterly Review, 247
Problem 6 Boom &
Bang Construction, 251
Congratulations! 263
Appendix
Bank Forms, 265
Educational and Construction Resources, 305
Index, 312
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