Business Development

Build Your Construction Business Portal

Contains construction business development resources designed to push your new or existing enterprise over the top.

SCORE Senior Corp of Retired Executives

Would you like a mentor help you with the nuts and bolts of your construction business? Someone who has accumulated years of experience and success in the industry? Finally, would you like to receive this assistance at absolutely no cost?

If your answer is YES then you need to contact SCORE!

SCORE is the nation’s most extensive network of volunteer, expert business mentors, with more than 10,000 volunteers in 300 chapters. As a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE has helped more than 10 million entrepreneurs through mentoring, workshops and educational resources.

CONTRACT SOFTWARE

Craftsman Construction Contract Writer is a vital and low-cost tool for any construction company!

Protect both yourself and your clients by providing California specific iron-clad legal contracts. You need contracts which accurately take all state laws into account. In short, you need contracts that stand up in court in the event of payment or contract dispute.

One lousy client could easily cost your construction business tens of thousands in fines or lost revenue. You can download a free fully functional trial version of this software, minus the sharing, and print features.

The subscription version costs less than $140 for three years. It also includes an “ask a question” button linked directly to an attorney on the Craftsman Book Co staff. Use this feature for legal help when you have a question or get stumped properly setting up your company profile.  You can also use it when you have a contract question while using the software. This service is free, and you can expect a response within 24 hours. “If you have ever paid to consult an attorney, you know the added value this service provides.”

BUILDERS EXCHANGES

Join your local business exchange. Gain access to and submit bids for local, state, and federal government contracts. Network and build relationships with other area contractors. Gain access to discounted services and other benefits.

Also be sure to check out our blog for more useful information relating to the construction industry!


SCORE – Business Startup: Simple Steps to Starting your Construction Business.

Select a free online business course from the SCORE online courses below. These courses are designed to help lay the foundation for a thriving construction business. (or any company).

Workbook: (START HERE)

Workbook Online Exercises:

Startup Basics

Business Concept

Marketing Plan

Financial Projections

Funding Sources and Next Steps

SCORE – BUSINESS PLAN

Developing a Business Plan
This workshop provides step-by-step instructions on how to successfully develop your business plan.

Quick Start Business Plan
This workshop teaches you how to develop an effective business plan.

SCORE – BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Determining Your Company’s Legal Structure
This business workshop will provide an overview of different legal structures and help you decide which is best for your company.

Creating A Strategic Plan
This free online business workshop will help you create a strategic plan for your company.

Pricing Products and Services
This workshop will help you develop your pricing strategy for your product or service using a variety of tools and techniques.

Targeting Your Market
This workshop helps you determine your company’s target market by demographic, psychographic, behavioristic profiles, and other market segmentation techniques.

Analyzing Your Competition
This workshop will show you how to gather competitive intelligence, provide case studies, and help you set yourself apart from the competition.

Promoting Your Business
This workshop examines the key factors of successful marketing campaigns and provides sample plans and steps to start your own promotions.

SCORE – Growing Your Business (16 Courses)

Marketing Plan Guide – (Download Guide) 
Develop a 12-month marketing plan and integrate it into your company’s business plan

Maintaining an Agile Company: Tips to Respond to Changing Markets and Changing Customers
Determine if you are meeting customer’s needs, responding to market change and identify new opportunities.

Building Your Brand
This free online business workshop will help you define and strengthen your company’s brand.

Identifying Your Sales Strategy
Prepare a sales forecast, sales budget and contingency plan for your business.

Creating a Competitive Advantage
Set your company apart from others. Take this free business workshop to develop a competitive advantage.

Personalization Strategies to Attract and Retain Customers
Will discuss marketing tactics and personalization strategies to help your customers feel uniquely connected to your business.

Conducting a Market Analysis
Explains the importance of doing a market analysis and how to best conduct your research.

Advertising Your Business
Help you identify your target audience and explore different advertising options with key tips for success.

Assessing Your Company’s Financial Needs
Help you determine the financial needs of your small business.

Running a Profitable Company
Provide tips for getting and staying profitable.

Preparing a Cash Budget
Create cash budget worksheets and manage your day to day cash flow.

Managing Your Cash Flow
Explains methods of determining and keeping track of your cash flow.

Preparing a Balance Sheet
Provides a step-by-step guide on how to prepare a balance sheet.

Analyzing Your Financial Ratios
This course will help you understand how ratios determine the financial health of your business.

Creating a Profit and Loss Statement
Help you develop a profit and loss statement for your company.

Growing with Partners and Investors
Identify ways your company can grow and attract new partners and investors.

SCORE – OFFICE TECHNOLOGY

Using Technology to Improve Your Cash Flow
Explains how to use technology to amplify the three dimensions of cash flow: Timing, amount, and direction. 

Boosting Your Business Using Technology
Clarify the realities of state-of-the-art technology to help you introduce new, exciting life into your business.

Building the Perfect Website for Your Small Business
Describes, in detail, how to bring a business to the web in a timely, cost-effective manner.

Creating a Technology Plan for Your Small Business
Explains how to use technology to create a clear roadmap for your company.

Using Technology to Jumpstart Your Sales
Introduces a variety of technology assets to small business development along with a marketing model to increase your sales and profits.


LOW-COST SOFTWARE WHICH CAN GREATLY ENHANCE YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.

Craftsman Construction Contract Writer, $99:

Contract Writing Software is a must-have tool that could potentially save your construction business.
Construction Contract Writer – Download

Answer the software’s simple questionnaire to draft residential or commercial prime or subcontracts, cost-plus (time & material) contracts, green LEED contracts, home improvement contracts, pool contracts, solar installation contracts or construction management (consulting) contracts.

Writing contracts that comply with the law in your state is not easy. Improperly written contracts can leave you with no way to collect.

You need contracts that:

  • Fit your jobs exactly,
  • Anticipate the most likely disputes,
  • Resolve critical issues in your favor.
  • Favor either the contractor or the owner. You choose.

Setup is simple, and no legal experience is required. You answer the program’s interview questions. Moreover, if you get stuck, click the “Get Help From an Attorney” button. Clicking this button provides FREE ACCESS TO AN ATTORNEY whenever you need specific contract advise. Answers are delivered within 24 hours, no charge, no limit. This feature alone makes the Craftsman Construction Contact Writer a must-have tool for building your construction business.

Create ironclad drafts, residential &  commercial prime, and subcontracts. Also create cost-plus (time & material) contracts and green LEED contracts (commercial, IT or gut-rehab). Craftsman Construction Writer can additionally be used to create home improvement contracts, pool contracts, solar installation contracts & construction management (consulting) contracts. Protect and grow your construction business with easy to create Ironclad contracts that are legally enforceable.

Craftsman CD Estimator 2018 CD-ROM, $139:

CD Estimator puts 85,000 construction costs for new construction at your fingertips. Quickly look up home improvement, remodeling, renovation & insurance repair. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, painting, concrete & masonry and earthwork and heavy equipment costs are also covered. CD Estimator Includes Craftsman’s National Estimator software for Windows-based devices.

The CD Estimator CD-ROM also Includes the Craftsman National Estimator program. This is a stand-alone application for Windows to help you create professional-looking estimates. The National Estimator also includes over 40 construction estimating and bidding forms.  A 70-minute interactive tutorial will instruct you on how to use the Craftsman Cost Estimator properly.

The CD Estimator includes:

  1. Job Cost Wizard turns estimates into invoices and exports both in QuickBooks
  2. Free Online Technical Support for the National Estimator Software
  3. Free Quarterly National Estimator Updates for the 2018 costbooks. Postal code modification factors and prices are updated quarterly throughout 2018.

Additionally, the Craftsman CD Estimator contains these complete electronic 2018 national cost databases:

  • Construction Estimator
  • Concrete & Masonry Estimator
  • Earthwork & Heavy Equipment Estimator
  • Electrical Estimator
  • Framing and Finish Carpentry Estimator
  • Home Improvement Estimator
  • Painting Cost Estimator
  • Plumbing & HVAC Estimator
  • Repair & Remodeling Estimator
  • Renovation and Insurance Repair Estimator

The National Estimator software is guaranteed to run correctly on your Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP computer. Furthermore, quarterly updates are free on the web for the remainder of 2018. Unlimited phone support is open from 8 AM to 5 PM (Pacific) M-F.

Craftsman Cost Books: 

Your ability to quickly write accurate bids increases your chance of winning more projects! Craftsman helps with some of the most respected and lowest priced cost books in the industry.

Craftsman offers 11 cost books, ranging in price, from $44 for a hard copy book. However, for the best deal, you can download all 11 cost books for only $120. This provides all costbooks in digital format.

Additionally, the downloads work seamlessly with the Craftsman Job Cost Wizard. The job cost wizard is a free software program that converts estimates into invoices and exports both into quick books.

For example, use the 2018 National Construction estimator 66th Annual Edition too,

  • Recieve current building costs for residential, commercial, and industrial construction.
  • Provides estimated prices for every conventional building material.
  • Calculates the labor cost to install the material and a total “installed” cost.

Use Craftsman costbooks to calculate costs those jobs where you cannot rely on your experience to estimate. You can always depend on the prices in this national standard of construction costs.  Get your bids safely in the ballpark!

Craftsman Cost Books provide working hours, recommended crew, and the labor cost for installation of every job. It also covers practically every type of material in construction. Additionally, they provide clear descriptions of everything included in the job estimate.