The bathroom remodeling business

Running a bathroom remodeling business IS NOT getting easier. National ‘bath in a day’ competitors (with big pocket investors funding them) are popping up faster than you can say ‘one Scaramucci (for you politics buffs out there)!’

And, as you know, these big national companies are selling the ‘same old-same old’ plastic products and focusing on ‘wet area’ projects. Their goal is getting in and out QUICK…

Is it becoming harder than ever to make a buck in your remodeling business?

Is finding talented (or even semi-talented) labor (or a warm body for that matter) harder than finding a needle in a haystack?

Are your prospects getting more value-conscious (and yes, that’s the P.C. term for cheap)? Are they saying your custom tile jobs are too expensive, yet your profit margins aren’t making you jump for joy either?

And now that people have escaped…

Let’s face it – no matter where you live there’s A LOT of bath remodeling contractors to choose from. And some are good – but others will make you regret the day you met them (and I’ll tell you as a guy who leads a nationwide bathroom products wholesale business, I’ve seen the good, the bad and the UGLY in remodeling contractors over my years in the biz).   

So, if you’re a homeowner what can you learn from a successful bathroom remodeler to…

Are customer selections slowing down your bathroom remodeling sales and dropping your closing percentages? Instead of getting a check after presentations are you waiting weeks and weeks for your prospect to visit the cabinet shop, your flooring supplier and to see the tub and shower surround panels you’re recommending?

And even after they do visit these businesses, are they even MORE confused how the patterns will look in a complete room (or if…

OK – I don’t really mean to be ‘Danny Downer’ (and I really do consider myself to be a ‘glass-half-full’ guy), but the statistics about construction businesses failing is not good.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 25% of construction companies don’t survive their first year of business. OUCH! And after five years only 36% are still operating.

Now that sucks! Basically for 2/3 of remodeling businesses started 5 years ago you can…

There were signs things were ‘off’ from the beginning. As you look back now, the clues you had a P.I.A. customer were apparent as early as your initial phone call and design appointment. Sure – these people are difficult (you said to yourself), but it’ll get better once I’m on the job.

And now in hindsight, you know you COULDN’T have been more wrong! And while you’re sucking it up and trying to get through this job without losing your shirt…