There is a high demand for carpentry work. Carpentry can be a lucrative business. Carpentry can be something you can try if you love working with your hands and love building things. Starting a carpentry business, however, requires a lot of hard work and patience. You need also need to have a definite plan on what your carpentry business will be about. You also need some experience in woodworking. You can get this knowledge through studying, watching videos, reading books, and doing home projects.
When you start a carpentry business, you will build, renovate and maintain residential and commercial buildings. In this article, you will get five tips that will help you in starting your carpentry business.
Plan your business
You need to have a business plan for your Carpentry business. Any business should have a business plan. A business plan is a written document that will describe your business’s activities, objectives, how it plans to achieve its goals. A good business plan should contain:
- Your business description: you should have a brief explanation about your carpentry business. It should have your company’s mission statement. A mission statement should explain the purpose of your business. In your case, it is to offer carpentry services. This mission statement should be a short paragraph. Your mission statement should define your business’s culture, values, ethics, goals, and agenda.
- Products and Services offered: you should have an outline of the products you will offer, their prices, and the benefits to the consumer.
- Marketing strategy: you should have a positioning statement for your carpentry business. This statement defines how your products and services will benefit your customers and how they are different from the rest. Your marketing and sales strategy should explain how you would get and retain your intended consumers.
- Financial Data: your carpentry business plan should have financial books. Your business plan should have a balance sheet, which tells you your current financial position. It should also have your current profit and loss statement. In your financial data, you should state your income sources and costs.
Have a business structure
Your carpentry business should have a structure. There are different types of business structures that you can have for your carpentry business.
Before starting your carpentry business, do your research and know which business structure you want to get into. If you have partners, make sure you choose the right partners and assign responsibilities to each partner. It is important to separate the business from your assets. All the structures available have their advantages and disadvantages.
When it comes to choosing a business structure, you should know how much ownership control of the carpentry business you want. You should also know how you would like to organize your business taxes. It will help you make the right decision on which business structure to choose. You should also know how you want to manage your liabilities and risks. How much time and money do you want to invest in your business structure? Consider the future. How long do you want your carpentry business to last?
Picking the right structure will determine if your business will grow and last or not. Pick a business structure wisely.
Get your licenses and insurance
Once you have the idea of starting a carpentry business, you should get the needed licenses and permits. Do your due diligence and know which licenses and permits are needed in your area code. You should consult your city’s business license department to know how you will go about obtaining a license and which ones are needed.
Once you know the license required, you should file a license application. The license department will check and make sure your area is zoned for your carpentry business. Some of the permits that you might need in your business include:
- Sales tax license: a license given to any home-based businesses that sell taxable goods and services. Sales taxes are different in cities. Know your city’s rules and oblige to them
- State licenses: this is a license given to people in some occupations like auto mechanics, electricians, plumbers, building contractors, etc. Visit your local government offices to find out if you will be required to get a state license.
- County permit: this is a permit that business owners get if they are operating within a given county or state.
- Air and water pollution control permit: you should check with your environmental protection agency in your state concerning any regulations that might apply to your business.
- Fire department permits: this is a permit gotten from the fire department if your business uses any flammable materials.
It is important to protect your business against any risks. Insurance will help you do this. Carpentry can be dangerous and accidents might happen while you are at work. You should get your carpentry business insured. You should also insure yourself and any employee that you might have. You can reach out to any insurance company. They will provide you with the necessary carpenter insurance policies. If you are a sole proprietor, you can settle for a less expensive insurance policy to cover your business. As time goes by and your carpentry company grows, you can choose a better insurance policy.
Have the right tools and training
As a carpenter, you will need tools to carry out your work. For you to have quality work, you will need high-quality tools. You probably have some tools with you that you can start with. Invest in good tools. You need a variety of tools for you to work effectively. There are many tools you will need while working. From the small hand tools to larger equipment depending on the services, you are offering. Some of the tools include:
- Hand tools: Pencils, Claw hummer, Knife, Hand plane, Chisels, Hand saws
- Measuring tools: Tape measure, ruler, level, layout square
- Bench tools: Table saw, bench grinder, band saw
- Safety equipment: Mask, face shield, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection
You do not have to buy brand-new tools and equipment. You can get your tools from newspaper ads, auctions, or commercial sites like Gumtree. You can always find quality equipment at a cheaper price.
You should also take good care of the equipment you are using. Regularly have the tools serviced and in good condition. Once you have started your carpentry business, you can go a step further and purchase a vehicle, which will help you transport your tools from one place to another.
Once you have acquired the tools, you can enroll for training and know-how they work. Some of the carpentry tools need expertise. Take that lesson, watch that video, or read that book. This will help you to be better acquainted with the tools you are using and hence offer better services and goods.
If you decide to opt to do the joinery business, make sure all the raw material, wood, needed is of good quality. If you outsource your wood, ensure your supplier supplies them on time to avoid delays.
Advertise your business
Advertising and marketing are some of the ways you will get your business out there. You need to make sure people know about your business. How will you do this?
- Family and friends: you can mention to your family and friends that you are starting up a carpentry business. You can also offer some of the services you have to them. They will be your first referrals. Through word of mouth, you will get your carpentry business known to many.
- Choose a good brand name: your carpentry business name will attract or repel your customers. Choose a name that is linked to what you do. The name of your business should also be easy to pronounce and remember. Have a unique business name. When you get the name, register it and make it your brand.
- Social media: it is one of the biggest platforms you can advertise and market your services. You can have business pages on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Pinterest. Here, you can post good-quality pictures of your work and explain to people what your business does. Once people know about your business and see your work, they will acknowledge your presence and you will get many customers.
- Create a website: this should be at the top of your list. A website will help you have a strong online presence. If you cannot make a website, you should not be worried. There are many templates you can get online and make a simple website. Your website should contain
- The services you offer: this should be the first place your customers should visit when they want your services. Make sure the services are up-to-date. Include high-quality pictures of your services there. Do not forget to include the prices you charge
- Customer testimonials: these are very important. Most of your potential customers rely on previous testimonials. Positive comments and reports will attract more customers to your carpentry business. Positive testimonials will also help your customers to trust you and your products.
- Contact details: you should put all your contact details on your website. Create a business email address. You should also have a business phone number, which your customers can call and inquire, about your services. If you have a physical location, include the address of your store on your website.
- Branded merchandise: have branded merchandise. You can have branded uniforms that you can wear at work. This will help your potential customers to know about your carpentry company. You can also brand your carpentry van. Have a brief description of what you do, pictures, and contact details on the van. You can also have customized stickers, which you can hand out to your customers.
- You can also use your local media to advertise and market your carpentry business. Announcements can be made on the radio and television. You can also put ads in your local newspapers. You can make fliers and brochures with descriptions of the carpentry services you offer.
- Have business cards: business cards should have your contact details and a brief description of the carpentry services you offer. Do not hesitate to hand them out to people you meet. The number of customers you might get by doing this will surprise you.
Before you start the business, understand the advantages and disadvantages related to owning such a business. Starting a carpentry business will come with its challenges. Do not give up if things do not go as planned. Be an enterprising person. For your carpentry company to thrive, it needs a lot of hard work. You will face competition. Take the opportunity to learn more from your competitors. Make sure you manage your carpentry business well. Take the feedback you get from your customers positively and better your services. Always remember your goals for your business and work towards achieving them. I hope the five tips will help you as you start your carpentry company. All the best as you start your business!