A business in the construction industry is one of the ideas most underrated by college students. Most young entrepreneurs gravitate towards product-based businesses, or more seemingly glamorous pursuits. However, if you have any sort of practical skills, it is a career path well worth working towards. Construction is always required in some form or another; people need houses extended, pieces repaired, patios replaced. In affluent areas, home-owners will pay large amounts to have their property looked after by capable hands. The potential for growing your business is also good, expanding to cover a greater area and number of projects, and hiring specialists to increase your value. However, just like any business, a building company requires a certain amount of upkeep and investment. Your dorm room might be messy and disorganized, but your business plans shouldn’t echo that! Here are a few ways to keep your business growing, just like your pile of unwashed laundry.
Study!
It might seem like the last thing you’ll need for such a hands-on line of work, but building work can be complex, and you can’t just pick up a hammer and start knocking away at walls. Your construction could be over people’s heads, remember, and you need to make sure it won’t fall in on them. Make sure to do some reading and watch as many resources as you can. If you can pick up a part-time job or apprenticeship that would be your best option, as there’s nothing better than learning on the job, from an expert.
Equipment
You can’t have a building business with just your hands. Construction requires lots of different equipment for different tasks. Of course, you don’t want to have to buy hundreds of different expensive tools all at once, then end up not using some of them for years. Identify which specific areas you want to focus on at first, and purchase the necessary tools for those particular jobs. Invest in your equipment – you want to use good quality machinery and hand tools, as they’ll be safer and make your work look better. You can build them up gradually until you have everything you need.
Repairs
As a student, it can be easy to put tasks off until the last minute; we’ve all done that essay all-nighter at least once or twice. However, if any of your equipment breaks, this isn’t a problem you can ignore. Some things you might be able to fix yourself, but for more complex machinery like air compressors (used to power drills and other tools), you’ll need to look for compressor repair specialists immediately. You can’t work without these tools, so it’s no use waiting until the night before a job starts to get them fixed. An air compressor is an essential piece of equipment that you need to keep maintained or replaced when needed.
Storage
If there’s one business you don’t want taking over your dorm room, it’s a building business. Your tools will quickly become dusty and covered with the grime and oil of your trade. Stacking them all up in the corner of your dorm room will quickly get out of hand, plus it won’t help your professional mindset or the line between your social and business life. If you have a van, keep it in a safe place and leave your equipment there. If not, and your business is more sporadic, look at self-storage units as a way to keep your business separate and organized.
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