New licenses and growth

While I admire your courage, I can't help but reading between the lines that this whole effort is scattershot and disjointed. Why so many states all at once? The only advantage to such a large effort MIGHT be to share the same advertising, yet you claim most of your work is from repeats and referrals. Are you getting repeats and referrals from states you're not even in? You expect new operations OH to only cost 30% of sales, but if current sales are 0, setting up an office will be alot more than 30% of zero.

Do you research # of existing contractors per 100,000 in a market, differing climatic conditions from what you're used to, reputations and capabilities of potential competitors in the market...etc. Or do you just throw a dart at a US map and say, hey I've got a supplier account with a national chain there, I'm going in.

Or are you just establishing legal status in all the places you are hoping for storms to hit and sweep in for easy money. But you've already told us your view of storm chasers.

Don't get me wrong Rocky, I'm not ragging on you, I enjoy learning how other people plan things. I, for instance would cautiously pick a new market get a location and staff and steadily start to build it to positive cash flow before I WENT OUT AND GOT LICENSED IN 6 MORE STATES. But that's just me.

Tico.....I know, off the subject, but had to add....Spanish is a major, (if not THE), portion of our puiblic elementary school cirriculum here....It's absolutely obsurd....To heck with math, english, & Amer. history...Oh, but they know all about Mexican history...and some goofy "Mexican" way of math calculating, (a "lattice" sytem, or something?)...pardon my ignorance.

One day, my 4th grader came home & told me how little Hector had matter-of-factly informed the class, that he didn't have to participate in the pledge of allegience, because he was "Mexican"....

The U.S. is working more & more towards emulationg Mexico....The gap btwn the wealthy and worker is continually widening....They should be careful of what they wish for....

Rocky; I've found several "hero's" on this site; Those (IMHO), that have a good handle on the reality of situation and aren't afraid, as well as have the ability to articualte to the rest of us.....I can only "know you" from the informatiom you've put forth....Apologies for my brashness; To be brutally honest; My take is that your full of crap or a bit naive, or a bit of both.....

"...My comment could be for the site lurker that is guilty of the points raised...."

That's the deal. The guy who can't keep things shiny without black market funds juicing his wallet. Rocky's a good lightning rod because he's moving and there's a lot of pent-up electricity looking to ground, but that's the only reason.

I walk every job because I'm on every job and my sympathies are squarely in tico's circle of passion, but I have respect for organizations that want to grow beyond my own vision. Very guarded respect. Corporations are fictitious entities, by definition, and it takes a lot of work and a lot of heart to put flesh and soul into a fictitious entity.

My first comment was A generic statement to A simple fact. Their should be less scrutiny about contractors and more put on the actual roofer. I come from old school roofing. Back when the company owner walked every job, Bob Hilson, old man Packard, Sammy Hading, some of the icons of roofing in south Florida. They carried the liscense, yet too, they were the ones validating the quality of their roofers. Not sitting in some office, or training shoe salesman to sell roofs and screw ins. Companies out of supplements. You came directly at me with that lame ass excuse of A line, "this country". Don't get me started about what I think about this country. You wanna play that line? How bout we give it back to its original holder. Take our white smelliness up off their real estate. Humans were treated badly upon acquisition, we built entire infrastructures of economy and agriculture upon the backs of slaves. We continue to enslave, it happens on many roofs across this country. Many, not all. Some roofers still have scruples. Ya know what bothers me? When A company that isn't really A roofing "company" pretends they are. They hustle home owners, massage adjusters, hump ins. Companies and at the end of the day the salesman makes more money for less work than the actual guys doing the work on the job. Theirs A perverse sense of self importance and values wrapped up in that. Also, I clarified my poi ts in A way that either included or excluded you personally. I left the window open. If that window serves you, great, then consider this. My comment could be for the site lurker that is guilty of the points raised.

My first comment was A generic statement to A simple fact. Their should be less scrutiny about contractors and more put on the actual roofer. I come from old school roofing. Back when the company owner walked every job, Bob Hilson, old man Packard, Sammy Hading, some of the icons of roofing in south Florida. They carried the liscense, yet too, they were the ones validating the quality of their roofers. Not sitting in some office, or training shoe salesman to sell roofs and screw ins. Companies out of supplements. You came directly at me with that lame ass excuse of A line, "this country". Don't get me started about what I think about this country. You wanna play that line? How bout we give it back to its original holder. Take our white smelliness up off their real estate. Humans were treated badly upon acquisition, we built entire infrastructures of economy and agriculture upon the backs of slaves. We continue to enslave, it happens on many roofs across this country. Many, not all. Some roofers still have scruples. Ya know what bothers me? When A company that isn't really A roofing "company" pretends they are. They hustle home owners, massage adjusters, hump ins. Companies and at the end of the day the salesman makes more money for less work than the actual guys doing the work on the job. Theirs A perverse sense of self importance and values wrapped up in that. Also, I clarified my poi ts in A way that either included or excluded you personally. I left the window open. If that window serves you, great, then consider this. My comment could be for the site lurker that is guilty of the points raised.

Tico, I am honestly glad you seen the light and cleared your head enough to help other s that are in in a similar situation. They need help, too. Hopefully we all give in one form or another. You in your way is no better than my way, nor is mine better than yours and why you would want to turn it into my having an ulterior motive, I don't understand. and where the heck do you and Tomb get off ripping for hiring illegals, when from the beginning, I've been on this forum for about 8 months, I have done nothing but preach about not hiring them or unlicensed subs and storm chasers. Are my feelings hurt, hell no. I'm irriatated that both of you are running your ideas and impressions upon the rest of us and you don't know a damn thing about who you talking about. Get to know me first. TomB Im glad you found a hero.

Tico; You are certainly not the "typical" Hispanic! A lot of thought and a lot of observation went into that post. That is certainly another persepctive. No answers, but a lot of expounding ont the source of the problems. FYI, I have a Brother in law from Mexico City and a sister in law from Puerta Vallarta that are both Naturalized American citizens, so I have been able to talk to them for years about the problems too.

Off all of the "enemies" we are fighting against, the largest is the "Guberment" (sp) and right behind are the large corporations that are running it for their benefit. We are all pawns, and they are pitting us against each other in a large blame game so cover their tracks. Ask yourselves, 'who is the winner" in all of this? It certainly isn't the workers, and it certainly isn't the old American middle class. We are being ground up and spit out until the only thing that will be left is a bunch of equally poor lower class peons working for the very rich "ruling" class that think only of themselves. Some of them will be Idealistic and try and help the poor, but most will just piss on our graves as they pass. I wish I knew the answer.

I love the fact that I am part of my community. I feel personally responsible for the outcome of every roof. I've had up to 15 employees, but have settled back down to 7. I know nearly every customer's name, even seeing them a year later. We serve a populous of about 50,000 or less(combining local towns), and have pulled in up to 2 mil a year. We are getting better every day. I'm very happy to be getting better, not bigger. Everyone has different goals and ideas, and national companies coming into our region has made a difference. I change my mind about 92 times a day at age 29, but I'm fairly sure I like operating a Small business with a large impact.

Wow...There are people that truly "get it" out there! Keep on educating them Tico.

Simple, also call it as you will. I got no beef with that. All the charity stuff, that's great. I do charity work also. Though on A different level and style. I move junkies into my home that are trying to get clean and instead of your typical treatment plan, stick them in A room and let them argue and share getting high and copping tactics I put them through the paces of A rigorous work life. 24hrs. A day, side by side with me for 2-3 mos. I teach them through example what life is, not what it should look like. I used to donate, until one day I heard this thing, A guy used to make pb&j sandwiches and feed the homeless. He did it for years. He was interviewed and it came out that he had spent 25 grand over A few years. Well, one day he gets A check in the mail from A do-gooder for 25 grand, and A note, let me help. The guy sends the check back and tells him,,, go make your own sandwiches. Momma used to say,, do don't front. I was sincere when I said good luck,, from nail pounder to the bigs, kudos. Whatni won't do is feel some iota of shame because I stand on American feet and will physically fight any man that uses illegals and justifies it. What they represent isn't someone looking for the American dream. Would you like to know what I know? The man, the guy that speaks English and Spanish, that is subbed to, he's no better that the gringo landscaper, concreter, large corporate road builders, or paint contractor. The ones that drove your landscaping price down over the last several years from A decent job to barely paying the bills and buying gas. The jefe for your roofing crews, they pay them guys 40 bucks A day, for 12 hrs. or more, house them 15 deep in single family homes or 6 to A hotel room, give them pittance for sustenance and they roll large in their new duallies and hummers flossing their gold like gangsters. What I or anyone else red blooded is saying, anyone, not you, ANYONE that hires and pays A sub, and terminates their responsibility at that relationship, that's just political man really really political. I could think of o word to better describe the criminality of it. I also use political, because it puts it into perspective. The easiest way to justify bad behavior is to model, exemplify, or emulate the most powerful institution in this country, actually 3 that go hand in hand. Corporate, financial institutions, and the third, the one they pay homage to, and they placate true Americanism, our own govt. I get it. When you get so large, in order to stay there, you either take A pocket hit and keep it pro USA, or you join the wolves and justify away. Again, this is my rhetoric, and actually, I walk it. When I'm in the lumber house, and I'm ordering materials and I hear someone speak Spanish, I ask, are they here on visa? We all know, when they hesitate, the lie follows. I nicely say, when they deport them, they should deport you. That's how I feel. I would support such A bill. If your A person, and someone without A work visa works for you, as A employee, or on the crew performing work, you know when you see certain workers, why your price is so low, and you let it go, they should pile that persons ass right up on the bus next to the greatest defict driving our economy. Do some research, like the others identified, Tom, and OS, our govt. does this for A reason. The US had its greatest year in 2010 from unclaimed taxes. Who can claim A tax return when theirs A dozen people using A single SSN? States that have state income tax also wish people would hush their mouth. They yield and gross as well as the Feds. It is important to me. I've been subject to its cause and affect. Guess who else takes A hit when we support through govt. funding of illegal, and undocumented bodies? Schools, municipalities, and the dumb ass that got his ass shot off for our freedom, then can't get proper aide because we have to #1. Educate their kids, schools and American kids suffer. Did you know, they are putting translators into classrooms for them? That is done because since they come from communities where the magnate program is gang life, they don't want to alienate them because it may perpetuate that same mentality. So, my friends kids, here in sunny south Florida don't have A full day of ciriculum education because they have to delay the lessons to translate. The upside, the gringo kids will learn Spanish, and they damn well better. Otherwise they won't be able to order at McDonald's. #2.The welfare system, did yo know, theirs more undocumented women in several municipalities having welfare babies than citizens? I watch them march, like wildebeest to the health dept here. Pregnant, one in A stroller, one toddling along. I'm A dick, I always for the heck of it, when I see them, or the pack on bicycles at the red light, roll down the window and ask for directions. When they say, no se, I then ask, done esta tu tarjeta verde o tu papeles con immigracion correcto? They scatter. Think about this, when tax money is spent on non documented people, does it affect our soldiers? Hell yeah. Please tell me who is it we should be supporting? #3. Municipalities, when A water system is put in, they audit the community as to multi family, single home and commercial impact upon. Take for instance here, Stuart fl. Theirs A community, Golden Gate. Mostly duplexes built in an area that has about 40 single family homes. Theirs around 120 2-3 bedroom, 1-2 bath duplexes. You can asses, A single family averages 4. I promise you, hand you my head before my body hits the ground, the great majority of the units rented are housing average 7 and I'm being conservative. That's 580 just in housing daily that use utilities. Water, power, trash etc. Now, on the moral level. Driving without ins. Driving drunk, jail crowding, drug dealers moving into the homes of the workers as A cover and front for their deeds. Hospitals that patch them up whenever. Often because the employer only pays W/C to get the certificate then cancels, they pay them 1/2 salary to recuperate and not out them. Now again,,, for those that really think this is rhetoric, shame on you. What that tells me is your pocket and pretty face is more important than this nation as A whole. It can all be documented should someone do some legwork besides me. I'm writing A book so I have all the documentation. I can't divulge it because it goes against my contract.

I read some more of your post Rocky....It speaks for itself....I'm w/Tico

There is nothing wrong with subbing out work. Most of us are subs. We have all of the insurances though and our employees are paid along with all of their insurances and taxes. To let someone work as a sub and then just 1099 them is the problem. Like Tom says, Keep it simple and pay them as employees. Level the playing field.

Rocky....Don't play dumb....The "subs" we're refering to are not actual subcontractors...They're employees. They, in turn call their employees "subs" and it goes right on down the line. You'll find that's the way it goes in Colorado and most states, w/o licensing.

As for "combating" the illegals...There is no combating by the gov't...Quite the contary....We, the employers must battle our own gov't to keep the illegals out.....

It should work like this; ABC hires xyz emoloyee....When uncle Sam receives the bogus SS #, ABC employer is notified to terminate xyz, (illrgal),,,If not, jail &/or fines apply....Real flip'n simple....But, NOOOOOOO, Uncle Sam sends ABC a letter on how to avoid terminating xyz employee, & so it goes.....

Your response came across as the typical kool-aide drink'n version of throwing more money and legislation at a problem, intead of simply taking care of business, (KISS)....

Tico, I take exception to your comment on justifying my profit margin. There wasn't a single word on justifying. I only stated that I keep my margins stay the same. There is nothing hollow about that, and how you read messages and expound on then with your rhetoric reeks no less of crap and is "more than welcome on this block" and post. Im willing to listen to you. So what of my boast? which wasn't my intent. I feel I earned my chance to beat my chest like a beast in the jungle, or Roar as loud as the king of the jungle. I feel I am doing something to help the economy and my fellow American as well as documented workers. Yes, I don't deny making a good living but it sure sounds better to me than everybody bitchin and moaning about every roadblock, mexican, legislation, no rain, or any other problem thay can blame their hardship or lack of business on. You got the same opportunity as everyone else, take advantage of it. If you read in earlier posts, I take very good care of my employees, I spelled it out on what I pay them and their benefits. I treat others as I would like them to treat me, and as long as I'm at this helm I will continue that tradition. Let me throw a coupl other good deeds I have done in the past couple years. 4,000 lbs of turkeys just before Thanksgiving Day to St. Mary's Food Bank, a $120,000.00 roof for The Salvation Army for free. The Sojouner center for Battered Women and Children $300,000.00 worth of roofing, 90,000.00 of Air conditioning,paint, wood replacement all at no charge to the facility. 120 kids to the Shriner circus. 3 free roof giveaways to needy families. Recognize by the ESGR National Guard program for employing vets and rehiring them when they return. End of that rant. Overhead must mean something else to others. Office secretaries, phones, managers, excutives(me)ha, office supplies. Almost everything else is job related, material, labor, burden, supervision, equipment. I don't need more office space or scretaries or management to go from 2-1/5million to 5 million. Well maybe a little. So the 30% or $750k does not expoentially grow. Most of my growth to date has been locally. I understand when I go to thes other states that I will have to set up office, but those costs will not exceed 30% of the sale price and should come in somewhat lees than that number. TomB, if the subs have their own comp and liabilty, why do away with them. I don't use them, but I have no agrument with them. What police force are you or can the govenment put together to combat the illlegals any better than they have, that won't cost me and you, another arm and leg in taxes. Come forth with a gameplan and take it the government or the people, pay for it and implement it and I'll give you that extra arm and leg. Twill, you're right, the variable is job costed the fixed OH is relatively fixed unless you open additional offices and some of that cost doesn't have to be duplicated. When I say I, I really mean WE, because without them there would be no I, We are a team.