The Rise of The Independent Building Contractor

There has been a huge increase in the number of independent contractors in all sorts of fields in the building sector across the UK. From project managers to electricians and plumbers, the list is endless. This article will present current advice for the independent contractor to allow them to do better business.

What’s caused the rise in independent contractors?

Understanding the sector is the first step. In general terms, there’s been a surge in the building sector and with this surge, a marked increase in the number of self-employed and independent contractors. The building and construction sector has been at the forefront of the changes that have been experienced across the labour market, such as the move towards self-employment, where company owners work on their own. If they do employ anyone else, it’s also on the basis of self-contracting or for short-term contracts to help on a specific job or aspect of a job.

Furthermore, with increased time spent at home, more people want to have the best home that they can afford. Hence the building sector has been at the forefront of these changes as sufficient work is available to sustain these self-employed owner-builders.

How to ensure that you get and keep securing high-value work

Quality is king

The work that you do will be the only reason that people come back to you for more. In any of the construction and building fields, if your work is not of the highest standards, you could also lose your registration or license. It is a field where others could additionally be affected by your shoddy works. Many independent contractors simply ensure that they make use of an NEC Supervisor to absolutely guarantee that their works meets the required standards and there is evidence to say that it does.

Only use the best materials and products that the owner can afford

Rather minimise your profit margin on a job and ensure that the owner is getting the best materials and products for the build that their money can buy. It’s better for your reputation and your brand and to secure further work if the jobs that you do are to the highest standards. It also helps with word of mouth when others can see how good your work is.

Pay attention to your online presence

Many of those in the building and construction sector may have a small website and perhaps some social media, but it is generally not the most important aspect of the business. However, it should be right up there in terms of importance, as your online presence is now the main means of being found and how clients and customers will be able to check you out. The trend is to look at reviews and comments of all contractors before they are hired. You need to know what your online presence says about your work and actively work towards improving it.

Hire in for jobs that you can’t do

Don’t become the jack of all trades and master of none; if there is a specific task or portion of a construction job where your skills aren’t of the highest standards, bring in someone more skilled to help. Don’t let pride or the need to make bigger profits hold you back; accept what it is that you can and can’t do, and have the professionals come in to provide any practical and technical support that you will need. You also need to know what the small builder regulations are that govern the work that you and your sub-contractors do to maintain overall quality.

The enterprise must be run as a business

The biggest mistake made by a large number of independent contractors is that they struggle to run their own concern as a business. You need to be doing everything that the big players do with regards to business principles, from marketing to fiscal management and the use of information technology to communicate with and secure customers.

There is a massive move towards hiring the smaller building contractors that have the requisite registrations, certifications and recommendations and reviews. It is thus a great business idea and one that many have tried their hand at in recent times.

The construction and building sectors have begun to change for good, and with the number of people leaving formal employment to start their own businesses, these sectors are expected to provide opportunities for many. This article has given an overview of the basic expected behaviours of a successful building contractor.