Covering the ins and outs of starting and running a profitable contracting business in today's market, this bestseller shows you exactly what it takes to make big money in construction. Successful contractor, builder, developer, and real estate broker R Dodge Woodson show you how to increase your bottom line, save countless hours of valuable time, and get your own contracting business up and running smoothly. In this new third edition, Woodson updates you on getting financing, computer use, insurance, and energy requirements. Plus, you get helpful new quick-reference facts and figures throughout. Open this book for expert advice on everything you need to be a successful contractor, including how to:

• Avoid the 15 fatal financial flaws that sabotage builders
• Bid for jobs
• Get financing
• Price materials and services
• Open a construction office
• Deal with subcontractors and suppliers
• Advertise your business
• Handle taxes and legal obligations
• Manage employees
• Build on spec
• Manage financial worksheets

From the Introduction
Are you tired of pounding nails? Has your boss been giving you a rough time and very little money? Change it. Go into business for yourself as a builder. Make some serious money without climbing on the roof. Are you an organized person who can perform as a business owner? If so, you don't need carpentry experience to make a solid income as a general contractor.

The key to making money as a builder is organization. Other elements come into play, and they include the following:

• Field experience is very helpful.
• A good credit rating helps.
• Being able to take control of difficult situations is essential.
• Time management skills will add to your success.
• Having money in the bank never hurts.

What's in it for you? Most builders add approximately 20 percent to their cost for the construction of a house. You do the math for your area. In general, a $200,000 house relates to a potential builder profit of $40,000. This is not a bad return for 90-120 days of work if you have the right crews.

The job is not easy. If you are not willing to do a lot of phone work at night, you might want to consider other options. Being a builder is stressful, but at the same time it is very rewarding. You can ride around town and say, "I built that." Venturing into building can take two main directions. You can be the person who is making the house come together as a hands-on builder; or you can take the white-collar approach. Both work, and the money is not bad.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; Chapter 1: Welcome to the Construction Industry; Chapter 2: Getting Your Feet Wet; Chapter 3: What Do You Want to Accomplish in Your Building Career?; Chapter 4: Taking the Plunge; Chapter 5: Getting Organized and Ready to Work; Chapter 6: 15 Mistakes Builders Make that You Can Avoid; Chapter 7: The Pros and Cons of Building Model Homes; Chapter 8: Courting Bankers; Chapter 9: Selling without Having a House to Show; Chapter 10: Opening Your Own Office; Chapter 11: Finding the Best Building Lots; Chapter 12: Controlling Desirable Lots in Subdivisions Without Buying Them; Chapter 13: Developing Your Own Building Lots; Chapter 14: Building on Speculation; Chapter 15: Selling with Real Estate Brokers; Chapter 16: Managing Your Time and Your Money; Chapter 17: Adding a Computer to Your Toolbox; Chapter 18: Keeping Track of Your Cash; Chapter 19: Trucks, Tools, Equipment, and Inventory; Chapter 20: Subcontractors, Suppliers, and Building Officials; Chapter 21: Bidding Methods that Really Work; Chapter 22: Jobsite Safety Makes Good Sense and Cents; Chapter 23: Keeping Your Customers Happy; Chapter 24: Creating and Promoting an Attractive Business Image; Chapter 25: Hiring Employees; Chapter 26: Planning Your Future; Appendix: Manufacturer Directory (Appendix Provided by Mike Conroy); Index.