Going from your first day in construction to starting your own contracting business takes at least a few years. You’ll spend some time on the job learning skills, more time refining your knowledge and choosing the right field for you, and the last bit getting ready to launch your own business. Here are a few things to consider as you make a five-year plan.

Evaluate Future Job Growth
To start out, you’ll want to pick a field that has growth potential that can sustain you for the length of your career plans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps data on the anticipated job growth for most industries and specific jobs within the construction industry. This means that you can do a little research to see where the jobs that you’re interested in doing are likely to go within the next 5 to 10 years. You’ll need to have this information to determine what your competition will be like and how much demand there will be for your services.

Select Ideal Working Locations
As you’re starting to browse through the careers you could have within your chosen fields, you’ll want to select locations that will be the most likely to meet your needs. As a licensed contractor, you will be able to work within the state where you get your license. This means that if you’re planning on moving out-of-state, you may need to consider how getting a license in that state will affect your plans. If you’re planning to stay in California, the good news is that you’ve got a lot of options, from the most rural to extremely urban.

Research On-the-Job and Educational Opportunities
Many people get their start in construction by working under a licensed contractor. You don’t necessarily need to take an educational route, but that’s also an option. Some fields have lengthy apprenticeship programs that you might apply for. Selected candidates can receive an income while they get a thorough, high-quality education within the field. These types of experiences can qualify for at least some of the experience you need in order to take the contractor licensing exam. Research what’s available to you in the area, and don’t hesitate to aim high. You don’t know what you may be able to achieve until you try.

Explore Different Fields
If you’re brand-new to construction, the choices you would make might be quite different then they would be for someone who’s been working in construction for several years. In either case, it’s important to explore different fields and careers you can have within those fields. Research what you can expect from various jobs, including:

• Income
• Demand
• Work environment
• Clientele

This will help you to make a choice you’re more likely to be content with by the time you get your license.

Keep Learning as You Grow
For most people, becoming a licensed contractor is a step they take on a career path that will continue to change for decades. This means that once you get started, you’ll keep adding onto your knowledge and experience. That can make you a better business owner and someone who is more likely to be able to meet the changing needs of clients in the future. Taking an ambitious, positive attitude about career development is an excellent way to start.

If you’re just starting out on your construction career path, you’ve got a few years to ensure that you do it right. To find out the benefits of becoming a licensed contractor, visit CSLS today!

Year after year of record-breaking hot weather might make you wonder if you’ll ever be able to stay cool on the construction site. If you spend most of your time outdoors, particularly if you live in hotter parts of California, lowering the temperature can be a matter of life and death. Try these tips to help you chill out and avoid the risk of heat-related sickness or injury.

Set Up Shades
The difference between working out in the hot sun and working in the shade is noticeable. If you were to measure the temperature of shaded concrete and compare it to the temperature of concrete after hours of baking sun, you would have a better understanding of what that heat can do to you. The good news is that there are lots of ways to set up a canopy or shade to provide you with a break from the sun. Pay attention to the shading that each option provides, as some shades and umbrellas offer little more than a sheer curtain’s worth of protection. If you’re working for hours outside, you may need something that can more effectively block the sun versus merely filtering it.

Use a Portable Mister
A mister can be an effective way to make the airfield cooler even while it’s hot. It’s a simple principle of evaporative cooling. If you spray cool water across the surface, the surface itself will cool as it evaporates. It won’t work as well in an area with high humidity, but if it’s somewhat dry outside, you’ll notice a beneficial difference. You can attach a mister to a hose if you have one. Otherwise, there are a variety of products on the market that use battery operated fans and a short hose that connects to a bucket full of water. That way, you could take the mister practically anywhere. Just make sure it won’t make your walking surface or handles slippery.

Stay Hydrated
When you start to get hot from the day or the work you’re doing, you’ll probably start to sweat. Sweat is the body‘s way of decreasing the temperature of the skin surface. You’re going to need to replace the liquid that you lose. Think about it a little like going to the gym. When you go to the gym, most experts recommend that you drink at least 8 ounces of water per 15 to 20 minutes of high-intensity activity. You should be drinking a similar amount if you’re doing heavy or hard work. And don’t forget about electrolytes. If you’re losing a lot of water, you may need to balance out your liquid intake with something that has some carbs and salt.

Take Cool Breaks
It would be nice if you could do all your work inside an air-conditioned space, or during the cooler hours of the day or night. Unfortunately, that’s not always a possibility. If you can, try to set up a space that has access to cooler temperatures. You might need to purchase a portable air conditioner, or plan to use your vehicle if necessary. The ability to take a snack or lunch break in a conditioned space might make the difference between a healthy workday and the risk of heat exhaustion.

Wear Protective Clothing
When you’re working outside in high heat, it’s tempting to try to thin out your clothing and protective gear to help keep you cooler. But if you take a tip from people who live in parts of the world that are consistently hot, you’ll notice that they often wear more clothing than most Californians do in summer. There’s a good reason for it. Wearing light-colored, lightweight fabrics can protect you from excessive sunburn, thereby lowering your risk of developing cancer. Choose a material that can wick moisture away, so you feel drier even though you’re wearing a hat, long-sleeved shirt, and pants. Invest in a few good pairs of socks that will do the same. You’ll feel better throughout the day that way.

The best way to stay cool on the construction site involves having a plan in advance. For more information about what you’ll need to run a contracting business, visit CSLS today!

When you’re working on the construction site, you might be burning a lot of energy that you’ll need to replace throughout the day. Eating the right snacks can mean the difference between having the momentum to finish the task, and needing to stop early. When you bring these five foods to the table, you’ll be better prepared to get through the day.

Nuts
In the past several years, nutrition experts have come around to the benefits of eating nuts as a snack. As a general rule, a serving of nuts may be higher in calories and fat than other types of snacks. However, when you’re working long hours and burning a lot of calories, you need to replenish your reserves without having to eat constantly. Nuts are nutrient dense and full of protein, which can help you keep up your energy throughout the day. If you find that you’re starting to feel sluggish a couple of hours after lunch, a handful of nuts might be just what you need to keep going.

Cheese
Like nuts, cheese has occasionally been maligned as a high-calorie, high-fat food. On the other hand, it’s rich in calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients. It’s also got a ton of protein and can help bulk up a snack that feels too light. Cheese is great to add to your breakfast, or in a midmorning snack. Some cheeses can stay good outside the fridge for periods of time, so you don’t have to worry about bringing a cooler. If you find that softer cheeses don’t always sit as well with you, which is common for a lot of adults, look for an aged cheese like Gouda or Parmesan.

Fruit and Vegetables
These days, it seems like everybody is looking for ways to cut out the carbs. But without access to some necessary sugars and starches, you might find that you don’t get the energy boost to help you keep up momentum. Fruit and vegetables can be an excellent way to work toward your vitamin requirements and add a little extra brightness and flavor to your snack. The good thing about fruit is that you can often bring a serving without having to prepare it. Apples, oranges, bananas or berries may only need a quick wash before you eat them. Just make sure that you don’t overload yourself with fiber all at once, or you’ll be feeling it later.

Whole Grains
When people talk about carbohydrates, they’re usually talking about simple carbs and how they can cause you to burn out too quickly. Whole grains are a completely different thing. Foods like oatmeal contain complex carbohydrates, which take longer to digest and can make you feel full longer. If you’re noticing that you’re ready for lunch only an hour or two into your day, you might try adding a bowl of oatmeal or a couple of slices of whole-grain toast to your breakfast. They can provide a longer stream of energy for you without making you feel empty shortly after.

Eggs
Eggs are a great addition to any meal. They pack a lot of fat and protein into a small package. You can eat several at once, or add one or two boiled eggs to a snack of nuts and some fruit. If you’re trying to find a way to fit more protein into your diet, eggs are great because they don’t make you feel too full for the rest of the meal. But their nutritional makeup means that they take longer to digest, so you’ll be more likely to feel satisfied longer. Boiled eggs are incredibly handy, but you’ll have to store them in a cooler and protect them from getting smashed.

Finding the right snacks to take to the construction site can help you have a better day as the owner of a contracting business. To learn more about what you need to do well in construction, visit CSLS today!

These days, California seems to be in a persistent state of drought. And whether or not you can feel it personally, you know that water is a finite resource. Although you’ll need to use it on occasion at the construction site, it’s important that you only use what you need. Here are a few tips to make sure you can minimize wasted water.

Contain Loose Debris
A significant portion of the water used on a construction site relates to containment of dust particles. In short, if your site has loose materials that are blowing all over the place, it’s pretty easy to use a hose and a brush to clean them up. Of course, it’s even easier to keep them from blowing everywhere in the first place. Purchase different types of covers, and learn how to tie them down in case of wind or rain. You’ll have less to clean up, and minimize your water use that way. It’s also a good practice for minimizing the environmental impact of construction.

Clean as You Go
Are your construction tasks generating a lot of debris on the construction site? Don’t wait until they start to pile up to take care of them. A dusty, dirty workspace increases the likelihood of injury. If you get in the habit of sweeping up after each task is done, you’ll be less likely to want to hose it all down at the end of the day. To make it easier, ensure that the proper cleaning equipment is within reasonable reach of the workstation. And be sure to build in extra time for cleanup of each task, so that you don’t feel like you have to rush.

Pay Attention to Plumbing
On the construction site, you’re not just worried about the water that you use. You should also be concerned about the water you might lose by accident. On a jobsite with existing construction, you run the risk of hitting a plumbing line that can cause significant leaks. Failing to identify or contain those leaks can lead to thousands of gallons of water lost every day until it is fixed. Before you start work, be sure to get a layout of underground lines for water, gas and other utilities. You can avoid a lot of hassle having to arrange for emergency repairs with a little advance preparation.

Invest in Efficient Hoses
At times, there is no replacement for water. In that case, you should try to be as efficient as you can. For example, there are hoses and attachments that make it easy to adjust the quantity of the spray. That way, you can get the precise amount of power from the water without wasting extra gallons. Every month or two, be sure to inspect your hoses and faucets for signs of leaks, kinks or damage. Replacing the hose might save you hassle as much as it saves you water.

Collect and Reuse
If you wash your car by hand at home, you probably pass off the water you use as beneficial to your lawn. On the construction site, excess water seeping into the ground isn’t necessarily a good thing. If you have the option, it may make sense to collect the water you use for certain jobs and reuse it for other tasks. Sometimes you need clean, fresh water for a job. Other times, any water that isn’t toxic will do. And if you’re using harsh chemicals, it’s often better to collect the water you use on the construction site than to let it flow downward into the gutter.

Controlling your water consumption is an important part of running a contracting business in California. To learn more about how you can get started, visit CSLS today!

When you run a contracting business, you’ll quickly learn that cash is king. Without the money to keep the lights on and the bills paid, you wouldn’t have much of a business. But it can be tricky to get your income and expenses into a balance you can manage every month. Here are a few ways you can tell that your cash flow strategy needs an overhaul.

Mismatched Income and Expenses
It’s not uncommon for contractors to pay for the majority of the expenses for a project before they receive payment from a client. At times, this may be the only way that you can keep projects going. On the other hand, if you are regularly waiting much longer for payment than you have to pay your bills, you may have a cash flow problem. For example, if your suppliers bill within 30 days and you have to wait 60 days for payment, you may have as much as a month waiting to refill your account. For contractors who work on shorter projects, this can create a significant backlog. Extra money in savings can help, but it is not always enough.

Using Credit for Cash Flow
Credit can be an excellent tool to use to help cover minor shortfalls on occasion. However, when contractors begin to rely on credit as a way to fund every project, they may start to run out of options. After all, you can only use credit so much until you run out of money. On top of that, the more debt you have, the more you have to pay in interest and regular payments. As a general rule, experts recommend the contractors try to minimize the amount that they spend on credit for projects, particularly if they are waiting for a payment at an undetermined point in the future.

Trouble Getting New Credit
When you’re using credit for cash flow, the cycle of debt can begin to create other problems for you. For example, you might use a line of credit as a way to get supplies for your projects. Once that line of credit runs out, you may think that you can request an extension or get more credit elsewhere. Of course, this depends on a variety of factors, and you may not have an attractive borrowing record yet. If you find that you’re constantly running up against your credit limits and looking for options to add more debt to buy you more time, you may need to rethink your cash flow.

Regularly Declined Purchases
If your cash flow situation becomes serious enough, you may find it difficult to get the supplies that you need or equipment rentals. It’s not uncommon to negotiate an arrangement with your supplier where you buy materials on credit and then pay them back once you have received payment on your invoices. But if your clients aren’t getting back to you on time, your suppliers may decide that it’s too big of a risk. If you have a flexible line of credit, but you’re finding that you can’t use it, you may need to think differently about the way that you are utilizing credit in general to assist with your cash flow.

Paying Yourself Later
When you have more bills than you have income to pay them, one of the first places that you may look to trim back is your own paycheck. If you have employees, you’re required to pay them. But it’s tempting, in the midst of a cash flow problem, to think that you’ll pay yourself at the end of the next project and catch up. The problem is that over time, you can build a backlog of income that you’re not taking. And eventually, you won’t be able to keep doing work if you’re not getting paid for it. It’s better to think about ways that you can re-order your expenses to work with your projects, or incentivize clients to pay more promptly.

Learning how to analyze and manage your cash flow is one of the most important things you will do as a contracting business owner. To learn more about becoming a licensed contractor, visit CSLS today!

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. For many potential clients, the way they see you at first may determine whether you get their business. While you can’t guarantee how they will interpret your effort, there are a few things you can do to shape it. Follow these five tips to ensure that your first impression is a good one.

Respond Quickly and Fully
For many projects, your first opportunity to interact with the client may come in the form of a phone message or an email. People want to know what your availability may look like, and ask for more details about a possible proposal. One of the best things that you can do for them is to respond to their communication in a timely manner and make sure that you answer fully. No one wants to wait forever for an answer, and many clients will look for multiple possible contractors at the same time. The one who treats the lead as an opportunity to shine will be more likely to get the job.

Show Up on Time
In a busy world, everyone seems to be running on a tight schedule. You might be booked up for months, with consultations, meetings, and project work all in the same day. But it’s worth keeping in mind that your clients may have the same obligations and limitations. If you agree to meet with them at a particular time, you should do your best to arrive promptly. Clients watch everything that you do, and things like late arrivals can make them wonder what you will be like if they hire you. A track record of timeliness puts them at ease.

Put Your Best Foot Forward
In the first meetings, you’re getting judged on everything, including your appearance. You don’t have to look like an A-list actor to get a job, but you should put your best foot forward. Keep a clean set of clothing that you can change into, especially on days when you are interacting with potential clients in person. If you have to go straight to meeting with a client after doing dirty work, do your best to clean up in the interim. Wearing slightly-messy work clothes might not be as intimidating if you can offer clients a clean and tidy office in which to meet.

Be Prepared
Of course, your initial presentation to the client can be helped or hurt by the degree of preparedness that you can demonstrate. If you think that the client may be signing a contract at the appointment, you should have the contract ready for their review. Invest some time to try to anticipate the questions that they may have so that you can answer them as fully as possible. Err on the side of being overprepared rather than underprepared. Clients will be less bothered by seeing documentation that they don’t need than they will if they ask for documentation that you don’t have.

Make Expectations Clear
When clients hire a contractor, they are expecting you to have the most expertise in the room. That puts you in a position of power, but you should exercise it with care. Clients may have no idea what to expect from the process, hoping you will be able to inform and guide them. The way that you act shows them what they can anticipate from you. Make your expectations clear, especially any limits you have with the project. Outline everything that you need, as well as the best ways that the client can meet them. Give clients time to review this information, and make sure that they understand. You’ll avoid a lot of problems that way.

Impressing clients takes a lot more than you might expect, especially in the first couple of meetings. For more advice about how to start your own contracting business, contact CSLS today!

Sometimes, you bid on a project and you don’t win. It happens from time to time, and it’s hard to know why. The good news is that you may have a second chance to make a first impression. In some cases, you only missed out because the client was looking for something you didn’t offer, or even that they made a choice they would later regret. Here are a few ways that you can help turn it around.

Keep Them on the Mailing List
If you’re working primarily with clients who aren’t businesses, you don’t necessarily have to trash their contact information once you learn that you didn’t land the project. Clients go with different contractors for a variety of services. Just because you weren’t the right fit for the first one, it doesn’t mean you’re out of the running forever. If they signed up for any kind of mailings that you offer, printed or electronic, continue to send it to them. This is one way that you can stay on their radar for future projects.

Request Feedback
If you have the ability, it’s always worth asking them why they chose someone else other than your business. In this case, you have to be prepared to hear some constructive criticism, and possibly some less-than-constructive criticism as well. Nobody wants to hear about the mistakes that they made, but you won’t be able to improve unless you’re aware of them. Sometimes, it’s simply a case of who arrived first and landed the job. In other cases, a few simple decisions on your part could have made the difference between coming in first and coming in last.

Identify Obvious Problems
Based on that feedback, identify obvious problems with your workflow as it relates to your bid for that particular project. For example, many contractors take too long to return client phone calls or emails. Clients might still be interested in getting a consultation for comparison, but there’s not much you can do if you show up after they have mostly made the decision. Similarly, clients may expect that most of the transactions will happen in a digital format. If you’re still working off paper and pencil mostly, it might be time to upgrade.

Keep Lines of Communication Open
When you’re interacting with colleagues and larger business clients, keeping the lines of communication open is key. In a world of construction labor shortages, coming in second as a subcontractor on a contractor’s list isn’t necessarily a disaster. It just means that the next time they need to hire a subcontractor, you may still have a chance. Assuming that you know why you weren’t chosen, it’s worth following up with the contractor to thank them for the opportunity. Treat it as a long-term professional relationship, and they’ll be more likely to do the same.

Stay Positive
It’s OK to admit that losing out on a project is really frustrating. However, letting it take over your mood and make it difficult for you to interact with others can create problems long-term. Keep in mind that many business owners hear the word “no” many times before they start to consistently hear the word “yes.” It takes practice to learn how to create a fair bid that clients are likely to accept. If you can take your early experiences in a positive light, you’ll be more likely to learn from them and improve over time.

Learning how to fail and bounce back even stronger is a big part of running a contracting business. You’ll get better with practice, especially if you get the right foundation. To discover more about starting your construction career, contact CSLS today!

Your contracting business might just be you at first, but you should plan to change that over time. After all, if it’s just you, then you have no one else to help you shoulder the load of running all aspects of the business. You don’t need to hire a huge staff, but a few specific hires could be a big help. Here are five roles that you may want to consider hiring for your contracting business.

Project Manager/Team Lead
Working in construction often involves wearing multiple hats for different roles, and this is how a lot of businesses can end up in trouble. If you are trying to work on multiple projects at the same time, there’s a chance that you may accidentally overbook yourself or your equipment. A project manager can oversee all the people working on the project, as well as equipment that you need to buy or rent and supplies for the job. If you don’t have the ability to have a dedicated project manager, even designating an employee as a team lead with appropriate responsibilities can help to ensure that the project finishes with fewer problems.

Office Manager
There are tons of administrative tasks that you need to do in order to run your business. Without them, you may not be getting paid, paying your bills, ordering supplies or responding to clients. An office manager has the ability to ensure that all of these administrative tasks get done, even if you are outsourcing certain services like marketing or accounting. They can also serve as a point of contact for these services so that if there are questions or concerns, you are not interrupted in the middle of your project.

Accountant/Bookkeeper
Making sure that you are up-to-date on your expenses and taxes is crucial. Without it, your business may come crashing to a halt. There are a variety of different services that you may need in this area, including:

• Invoicing
• Accounts payable
• Payroll
• Year-end reconciliation
• Tax preparation and filing

There’s a lot of software out there that you can take advantage of to help you keep your cash flow under control. For some of these tasks, you’re going to need someone who is trained and has the appropriate expertise. The good news is that by making an investment here, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and stress trying to figure it out on your own.

Marketing Manager
In order for you to get clients on a regular basis, customers have to know that you exist. And while word-of-mouth is a practical tool in many construction industries, it may not be sufficient. Marketing is the way that you promote your services and ensure that you have a steady stream of possible leads. Sales provides qualified people who can answer questions for potential customers and explain how your company beats the competition. This is another field that requires expertise, so it’s worth hiring someone to make sure that you can get it right and keep up with the latest trends.

Labor Support
Once you have at least a small team of employees, you need someone who can support them. Otherwise, you’re on the hook to answer phone calls or respond to text messages when people have to call in sick or have questions about their paychecks. Being responsible for all of your employees can take away from the time that you need to work on projects. Hiring a human resources manager or even someone who is dedicated to labor support can save time and ensure that your employees get the answers and assistance that they need.

Running a business sure involves a lot of roles. If you feel the most important ones, you’ll have more time to focus on a great finish for each project. To start on the path of becoming a licensed contractor, contact CSLS today!

Getting your contractor license is a major step toward being able to run a contracting business. But did you know that the way that you work toward your goal can also affect the way you run a business? Here are five ways that improving your approach to studying can help increase your business prospects.

Investing Time
At some point in time, even the people who did very well as young students will have to learn how to study. In fact, investing time into learning the craft and all the details that go into it can set you up very well to run a business. Although you may discover that some things about a business feel relatively effortless, lots of them will be a hard slog with a lot of time involved. There will be moments when you feel like you aren’t going to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but you keep going. The ability to make the investment and see it through will give you more opportunities to succeed.

Learning to Focus
There’s a difference between performing a repetitive task and learning a large amount of information. For the former, you can develop an understanding of how to do the work and let it help you complete the task without necessarily requiring a lot of focus. If you want to do well in your studies, focus is a major priority. It’s easy to check out and think that you are picking up details, but the exam will be the final arbiter of your success. The more focus you have, the faster you will learn and the quicker you will achieve your goals. And when you go to start a business, you’ll be able to take that focus to the next level.

Attention to Detail
When you run a business, you are the one who was ultimately responsible for every detail. Studying for an exam is similar. You can’t have someone else take it for you, and you’ll be on your own on the day of the test. Your ability to refine your attention to detail is what will help you earn a passing grade. Once you start to establish a business, you will quickly learn that there are a lot of details that you simply can’t miss. Mastering the finer points of your studies translates into evaluating contracts and ensuring the quality of your finished work.

Solving Problems
Of course, studying for the exam and running a business often involve dealing with problems. At points during your exam preparation, you may notice that there are certain faults in your study habits. If you can’t overcome them, you will struggle to do well on the exam. Similarly, you’ll encounter plenty of problems in your business that require you to look inside yourself and change the way that you do things. Your ability to be flexible and make changes to improve yourself will show you and your clients what kind of business you can run.

Accomplishment
Becoming a licensed contractor is more than something that you need so you can perform certain kinds of work in California. It’s also an accomplishment and one that not everyone is able to achieve. When clients are looking for a reliable contractor, they want to know that the person that they hire is committed to the success of the project. Knowing that you have seen your goals through to completion will give them a greater assurance that you will do the work that you propose. In time, you’ll find that history of success makes it easier to create more success.

Getting ready for the contractor licensing exam may feel like a temporary process. In fact, it’s getting you ready for your contracting business. To learn more about expert exam preparation, contact CSLS today!

If you’re like a lot of contractors, you’ll have a vehicle that you often use for business. Having everything you need makes life easier. Here are five things to put inside the vehicle, to keep your workflow running smoothly and safely.

Tools and Materials
If you do most of your work at client sites, you will need to bring a variety of tools and materials with you. Big equipment and supplies may be shipped directly to the location, but the things that you bring from your workspace will probably go with you. Install a storage system that allows you to keep the most common tools and materials in your vehicle. A checklist will make it easy to confirm that you have everything before you leave. Make sure to create an inventory of materials, and update it as you use them. That way, you don’t have to worry about arriving to the client site and realizing that you don’t have what you need.

Extra Documentation
If you’re not doing virtually everything electronically these days, you’ll need extra forms. You can’t always anticipate when you will need to write out an estimate by hand, or create a contract for a client to sign. Even if you plan to take most of your work back to your business for preparing and sending out, it’s a good idea to have a way to take notes on the site. Being able to explain what you’re talking about might require you to draw it out, and it will be a lot easier that way.

Record-Keeping System
Having a way to keep track of your records is important, particularly if you go to multiple client sites every day. It’s easy to lose a copy of an estimate, particularly if you do it in writing. Choose a filing system that you can grab and go, that won’t take up too much space in your vehicle. Better yet, consider upgrading to an electronic filing system that you can access from a laptop or other device. If you do plan to work with an electronic system for estimates, payments and other records, make sure that you have Internet access wherever you go. A mobile hotspot is usually sufficient, but it’s not always enough.

Vehicle Maintenance
One of the best places to keep the maintenance tools for your vehicle is in your vehicle. Make sure that you have all the items you need for regular upkeep, such as:

• Tire pressure gauge
• Spare tire and jack
• Road hazard cones
• Jumper cables
• Cleaning supplies

Many contracting business owners practically live out of their vehicles during the day, which means that they can get pretty dirty by the end. Of course, the last thing that you want is to show up to a client site with a huge mess. Keep a small quantity of cleaning supplies, especially single-use cleaning wipes and garbage bags. That gives you an easy way to tidy up in a hurry, without leaving a lot of used supplies behind.

Safety Equipment and Supplies
It’s hard to tell when you’re going to get caught in some kind of weather-related disaster. As a general rule, you should always plan to keep a handful of safety supplies in case of an emergency. These include:

• First aid kit
• Blankets
• Water bottles
• Shelf-stable food
• Battery-operated radio with spare batteries
• Spare phone charger

Remember that if you ever get stuck in your vehicle and you’re unable to leave it during very hot or very cold weather, your best bet is to stay put and call for help. The vehicle provides protection that you won’t have if you get lost trying to get to safety.

Working out of your construction vehicle can be a great idea, as long as you have everything you need. For more tips on starting a contracting business, contact CSLS today!