Local Mom & Pop Vendors

[thinger2]

Squeaky wheel gets the grease. This applies a lot. I found this out myself trying to get contractors to my home for bids. They’re so booked right now around here that, if you don’t stay on them, you’ll be forgotten in the shuffle. But as you said, be polite, or they’ll surely toss you aside.

That is somewhat true.
But you need to have a very clear plan of what you are trying to get done and a realistic idea of what it will cost.
Even in the commercial end of things we are constantly bombarded with requests for quotes from people who have no idea what it is that they want.
We cant possibly send someone over to quote some unknown vague idea.
And you should really beware of a contractor who does have the time to send someone over to quote immediatly.
We are busy. We cant find enough people to do the job.
We cant just drop on by on a whim.
If you have done your homework, and have a defined and rational idea of what it is you are trying to accomplish.
And If you have at least tried to figure out the financing and a possible construction loan.
I will come over and take a look and give you a number.
But if you were sitting around drinking some friggen White Zinfedel one night and thought you call up and get somebody to jump through a hoop and drop everything.
Aint gonna happen.
Dont get all offended.
That isnt my intent.
Construction is a serious business and the only way you get any help is by being serious about it.
We aint the ******* lawn guy

 

[BPR Speed]

I find myself becoming that go-to local mechanic to many that know me. Many of my customers say I should do engine rebuilding and repairs full time but I don't know if I should jump in a little deeper into the field or not. I primarily stick to engine building, minor jobs and performance upgrades out of my garage but I have concerns. First one is career. I'm currently 12 and half years into my active duty naval career as a biomedical equipment technician. The Naval service has been good to me but I find myself being burnt out and the Navy is looking to down size my rating (Hospital Corpsman) with 4 years left to make rank I'm looking at a fast approaching career change. any Sailors speak on the "good paying" jobs my skill set brings outside the military. The actual BMET technicians in the civilian sector say it's decent with jobs usually landing the $50-$80K range for Virginia but traveling out of state should be expected. It's not my dream job but I like fixing anything I can get my hands on so it's an option. The second concern is start-up costs on a shop and growing my business further by investing in more professional equipment, time in the shop and my biggest fear, hiring employees. If I intend to hire employees I'd demand myself to pay them well enough to keep them around, their family fed and happily invested in a good job. I wish to own a shop where working on vehicles makes the work worth while when the employees and myself love what we do, but the burdens and risks of owning a small shop seem daunting. What do you guys think I should do? Everything at the moment that I do are just side gigs that help pay for tools, restoring my 96' K1500 and help build my automotive restoration portfolio as I go. If I jump in feet first I'd need stability to pay for mortgage and support the Wife and our two daughters. I currently average about $67K a year in the Navy. Has anyone else had these goals but fear to take that leap?

 

[618 Syndicate]

Not me personally, but my guy who just passed away was on his way to doing what you're considering. He ran an automotive repair shop and tow service in our small town and was supposed to be given the option to buy within a few years. Never could get the owners to get their paperwork lined up for a bank to look at in order to get a loan, (much shadiness going on, letters from the IRS etc.) so he took a job as a shop supervisor with a local mass transit outfit. Worked on crew stuff and customer stuff (most folks knew he was the reason his former employer was successful and brought him their work) after hours and on weekends. Saved up enough for a down payment on the former premises of the bus place he worked at (perfect location, buildings and property needed some work but we started on that immediately) and was able to put a deal together. Plan was to buy a tow truck and continue the side hustle until he built up the customer base to jump in full time.
Unfortunately he died before he even made the first payment.
We'll never know how big it would have been, he was the driving force behind it and the dream died with him, but I'm not alone in believing it would have been awesome, and so much fun.
If you have the skillsets (mechanical, business, customer service) then find you a place and make it happen. If you're patient and don't jump in too deep financially, if you decide it's not for you, you can walk away without getting hurt.

 

[1ton-o-fun]

I'm certainly not in ANY position to give financial advice, but I am old enough to remember loyalty. Someone who enjoys what they do and happens to be good at it as well, makes for large followings!
Hell, I'm inclined to try a business/service out simply based on "Veteran Owned and Operated".
Good luck with all of your endeavors and thank you for your service!

 

[Erik the Awful]

Uncle Tony's Garage had a YouTube episode where they went to Bennett's Hot Rod Garage, and they chatted about what it took to run your own shop, and it's mostly a matter of hustling every day and consistent self-motivation. I've found that I'm far happier being a hobbyist mechanic than working on what other people want me to.

 

[Carlaisle]

@BPR Speed Before you take the leap you're contemplating, first consider some of the stories earlier in this thread. The person who spray painted the little old lady's transmission with silver paint to make it look new didn't do that because it made him feel good. He did it because he needed the money bad enough that his conscience lost the argument. Anyone can say they would never do something like that, but when your mortgage payment is late, the car payment is due, Lil' Johnny needs money for football, etc., some compromises are inevitably made. Make sure your fixed expenses are covered first. Not just the business expenses - your personal expenses, too. It's only when your own needs are met that you can trust yourself to do right by others.

You're 7-1/2 years from your twenty. You need to decide if it's worth it to you to stick it out. If it was me, I'd keep up the side jobs and let them pay for the equipment and buy the shop. When you've had enough of working for someone else, you'll then have everything you need to start working for yourself. I know a guy who did exactly what I just described, although it was his retirement plan. He built a 4 bay shop in his backyard. Fully equipped and tooled, heat and AC, pits and lifts, etc. Before he retired from his full time job, it was fully paid for by the part time work he had done nights and weekends the previous however many years. When he retired from his career, he announced to all of the people he'd done part time work for that he was now open full time. When he goes to work in the morning, he walks the 100 or so feet from his back porch to the shop's front door. He has a nice hot lunch in his own kitchen when he decides it's time to eat and his evening commute is never prolonged by any traffic other than the dog. He averages about $120,000/year working as many days/week as he feels like out of that shop and takes multiple vacations every year. He has no employees, so no worker's comp issues, no OSHA headaches, no labor disputes, no work scheduled but employees not showing up, no one breaking things and then lying about it, no one stealing or misplacing his tools, etc. He has all the work he wants (a waiting list, actually) and turns away the jobs and customers he doesn't want to deal with. It looks like a pretty good bit of planning and execution from my perspective.