Managing and Estimating

  • Hiring a sales manager

    Steven St. Onge returned from a year-long sailing sabbatical with his family to find that the sales department of his business was not on an even keel.

     
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    Web-Based Project Management Tool

    Earlier this year, CompuTool announced that its business management software would become entirely Web-based, enhancing not only its project management capabilities but its usability as well.

     
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    Hiring a Sales Manager

    Remodelers discover that casting off their sales manager hat can be a way to grow their business.

     
  • Adjusting a Training Plan to Improve Sales Communication

    What began as a way to improve communication between employees at Mitchell Construction evolved into sales training to improve communication with clients.

     
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    Training a salesperson to take your place

    One of the most difficult parts of moving a remodeling business forward is stepping back from being its primary salesperson. From a desire to grow the business to the wish to put a succession plan in motion, any number of reasons can compel remodeling business owners to train others to step into...

     
  • Labor Pains

    Tracking direct costs looks easy, but labor presents some sticking points. What, for instance, is to be done with labor costs for a production manager who spends part of each day on more than one jobsite?

     
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    UDA ConstructionSuite 2007

    Before implementing UDA ConstructionSuite 2007 late last year, Jayson Miller, of TN Miller Remodeling, in Grapeview, Wash., was using separate pieces of software for estimating, scheduling, and accounting.

     
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    Update Job Descriptions to Adjust to Shifting Market

    Bob Weickgenannt's goal for Starcom Design Build is to grow 20% each year. To achieve this for his Columbia, Md., company, he reviews positions and changes job descriptions as needed.

     
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    Profile: Kelvin and Susan Pierce

    Three years ago, Kelvin and Susan Pierce (Big50 1993), owners of Commonwealth Home Remodelers, in Vienna, Va., decided to hire a full-time estimator for the company.

     
  • Room Addition Job Checklist Makes Site Visits More Efficient

    It seemed that after every jobsite visit, some piece of information crucial to accurate, timely estimating was, inevitably, forgotten.