[bricknblock]

This thread is for those of you who have had experience working with reputable builders. I am new to my area, doing what advertising I can to pick up any jobs that I can in the meantime. Eventually, I would like to get in with a few builders in the area. There are some impressive homes being built in the area, and I want to know the best way to grab a builder's attention, to at least get them to take a look at me. Again, I'm new to the area, not a whole lot of work to show them, although I know my quality is top notch. Should I mail letters to them? E-mail? Call them? Hunt them down on the job site? What are they looking for, or what do I need to do to break in with them? Any info will be greatly appreciated.

[Lanelle]

Many new home builders are price driven and not terribly concerned about quality. We have talked about the pitfalls of working with builders on some other threads here. Slow-paying is one of the biggest problems, so your other cash flow has to be able to sustain you without the builders' payment or figure it to be 60-90 days.

[bricknblock]

good valid points to be taken into consideration, but with that aside, what is the best means for someone in my position (new to the area, with limited work to show) to connect with these custom builders?

[dan deutekom]

Mail a nice introductory letter, do a cold call shortly after (repeat these steps so that your name stays fresh in their minds but not so often that you become a pest) and start networking with suppliers, trades and builders. Keep at it and eventually you will get a chance with a smaller job to show your stuff.

[Dale Wiley]

experience working with reputable builders.

This is truly an oxymoron quote. Maybe in certain parts of the country there are reputable builders, but around here they are snakes.

Maybe a front yard or two here and there just to get the occupancy permit, but they have folded a couple of landscape (start up's )company's.

One of our former competitors has started working for a local builder, and one of his employees told one of mine in a tavern one night that was all the work they had.

I am sooo glad we changed our focus. I ran some to date numbers and almost 50% of our revenues have come from sports field work this year, since April.

If I was dependent on landscape construction in the residential market, I would have been out of business.

Watch it when you work for builders. they can ruin your business before you get it started well. And they will tell you ALL kinds of bull---- stories to get a cheap price form you.

[bricknblock]

if dealing with bad builders is that common, and even the good ones are not the ideal work to look for, then I have to respect your experience, thanks for the heads up....I think I'll concentrate more on the neighborhoods