to do or not to do

[dragonfyre]

i have finished heat in school and getting ready to start ac and by no means consider myself a tech yet but i was thinking about getting some fliers made advertising clean and checks b4 heating season starts.you know dont get caught in the cold get your preseason check-up now and was wondering what the avg. price would be,and does this include price of filter or since some can be expensive should i state most furnaces in parentheses along with the price.on the bill if they do need service and refuse should i list any problems if found and customer doesnt want fixed do i have them sign off to release me of any liability.i live in small town and there is only 2 outfits doing work i was going to have my kids leave them door to door(the fliers).i need to make some cash to start buying tools i dont yet have but my first concern will be costomer not fast cash as this can lead to future service work and clientele.also manometers,digital, or incline and u-tube which should i purchase.or do i just forget the whole idea for now.p.s. i got A's in heat and did very well in labs

[top-notch-tek]

Originally posted by dragonfyre
i have finished heat in school and getting ready to start ac and by no means consider myself a tech yet but i was thinking about getting some fliers made advertising clean and checks b4 heating season starts.you know dont get caught in the cold get your preseason check-up now and was wondering what the avg. price would be,and does this include price of filter or since some can be expensive should i state most furnaces in parentheses along with the price.on the bill if they do need service and refuse should i list any problems if found and customer doesnt want fixed do i have them sign off to release me of any liability.i live in small town and there is only 2 outfits doing work i was going to have my kids leave them door to door(the fliers).i need to make some cash to start buying tools i dont yet have but my first concern will be costomer not fast cash as this can lead to future service work and clientele.also manometers,digital, or incline and u-tube which should i purchase.or do i just forget the whole idea for now.p.s. i got A's in heat and did very well in labs

This is a really bad idea.

When you do a clean and check, you are cleaning and checking...

The cleaning part you won't have a problem with, but ...

The checking part you will:

1. Do you have any reputable means of inspecting heat exchangers?

2. What if you find real problems or extensive ones, what then, "Well Mr. Customer, time to call a real heating contractor, sorry."

3. The advantage of having a clean and check done is that the company doing it is prepared to insure their work and to repair anything that they may find right then and usually at a discount.

4. I don't do clean and checks because you never know what you are going to get into.

All of the above is simply my opinion...

[otto]

I would not recommend your plan. You need to get a job with a company that will allow you to learn some of the vas variety of furnaces out there. You also need to have someone working with you, even if they're nor there but available on the radio, to help you along. Top notch has a good point too. You will not have insurance, you will not be bonded nor will you be licensed to do work in these potential customers' homes.

[nehps]

After the clean and checks, what do you tell the h.o. when they call you in heating season or cooling and there a/c is down? You not going to return there calls, are you going to tell them I dont know how to repair, you think they will ever call you again? Word gets around quick.

[top-notch-tek]

I had the same idea when I finished school.

Then I thought about it ... and realized what a bad idea it was.

[Shophound]

How's this for a time line...

1) Get your training completed as thoroughly as possible

2) Get your experience while working for a licensed contractor. Buy all the tools you can afford while working for the man. Gain a good reputation in your area as the go-to guy, both among your customers and peer technicians and supervisors

3) Get your confidence gained through experience as steady as possible

4) Form a sound business plan

5) Get a business license

6) Get some money

7) Get insurance

8) Get a truck or van. Letter it with a good business name, one that people remember. Try to get a catchy phone number from the phone company. Take out an ad

9) Get even more tools to back up the ones you'll lose through wear and tear or theft

10) Continually invest yourself in further training to keep current with the neverending onslaught of changes in this vast trade

11) Work your butt off and be married to your business for at least five years until it just begins to move up past the break-even point


OR...

Proceed as you are now doing and you'll be just another "hack" statistic.

[dragonfyre]

I will heed the advice of my peers.Its just i get so into this i want to start as soon as possible but no one wants to hire even with my good grades till i have a EPA cert.classroom is fine but i want to get the experiance and a little more variety than what school has to offer.anybody out there in the chicagoland area looking for a gung ho apprentice employee let me know

[top-notch-tek]

Originally posted by dragonfyre
I will heed the advice of my peers.Its just i get so into this i want to start as soon as possible but no one wants to hire even with my good grades till i have a EPA cert.classroom is fine but i want to get the experiance and a little more variety than what school has to offer.anybody out there in the chicagoland area looking for a gung ho apprentice employee let me know

That's the right attitude to have... It sounds like you have drive and motivation and good grades (the brains) to be a good technician...

I know how you feel, I was there at one point:

- Perfect your resume

- Write a personal cover letter to every employer stressing the positive influence you can have on the company and giving a little bit of info about your personality

- Come to interview in dress pants, white shirt, tie, polished shoes.

- If granted an interview, go home and immediately write a Thank You letter to the person who interviewed you, thanking them for their time, mail it within 24 hours.

- Get your hands on manufacturer specific information (like manuals from the internet), that will give you something to talk about to impress prospective employers with the brands they sell.

- Try to find and take additional certifications, such as the universal R-410a cert through the esco institute (escoinst.com)

- Deliver your resumes personally, follow up personally at one week, at one month, at six months...

- Study mechanical code, electrical code, nate related info (cue NormChris...)

- It may take a while to get that first job if the market is tight, but the more knowledgable and driven you appear to be, the more likely you will be to get it.



[Edited by top-notch-tek on 08-21-2004 at 11:02 AM]

[Diceman]

If someone dies then what?
Take it slow, you got lots to learn yet but you get an A for effort. Good luck.

[dragonfyre]

what happened to any input on manometers or should i post a new thread

[The Penguin]

I would get a u tube at your level they are cheap accurate reliable and should last awhile
they make a roll up one that should get the job done. When you have worked awhile you will be in a better position to really know exactly what to buy.