Everything You Need To Start a Drywall Finishing Business

Drywall installation is a good business. It’s the building trade’s subspeciality—however, it is not a skill one can master overnight. Though it may take time to perfect your techniques, your skills will improve with every project. If you have plenty of experience hanging and finishing drywall and want to start calling the shots, consider becoming your own boss. Here’s our list of everything you need to start a drywall finishing business.

Learn the Industry & Market

It’s dangerous to venture into a new business without knowing the industry and the market. Having a lot of experience in the application process doesn’t mean you truly know the business. There is a political side to it all that not too many address.

Studying the industry and doing a market survey will give you a better understanding of the conditions and potential dangers of the business. Learn who the big players are and more about supply and demand. Focus specifically on the financial returns from the business. You may need to prepare yourself for not turning over a decent-sized profit for at least a year.

The business doesn’t require much capital, and it’s highly profitable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your homework. Learn the trends so you know what risks to take. Find the demographics in your area that currently demand the service most.

Create a Business Plan

You need to decide if you plan to do jobs for residential, commercial, or industrial customers. Some businesses consider themselves to be a jack of all trades and supply services to all three.

This is a good business plan, but you need to ensure you have the resources, experience, and manpower to work under such high demand. Detail how you plan to finance your drywall business. If the start-up money needs to come from a loan, you need to supply a loan owner with a promising business plan.

Include cost projections and how long you plan to pay off the loan. Include marketing expenses, the costs for drywall supplies, and employee salaries if you plan to work with a team. You may start off small and grow bigger later. Leave room in the plan to account for those changes.

Register Your Business

Once you get things approved, it’s time to make things official. You’ll need to register your drywall finishing business name with the state’s secretary office. Fill out the applications for tax identification numbers. Decide if you plan to operate as an LLC or a corporation.

One or more individuals own an LLC, whereas shareholders own a corporation. Both entities offer big benefits to your business; however, you must decide which one works best with your business model. After establishing that, you need to obtain a local business license by filling out the application and paying the resulting fees.

It costs money to make money. So, you’ll need to have a well-padded business savings account for these fees. Research how much it will cost to get the license and then start saving money to get the ball rolling.

Gather a Team

Do you plan to do this alone or with a team? Working with one or two other people could be a smart choice if you currently have a small production and not too many big projects. However, taking on construction contracts and commercial projects could require a bigger team.

While constructing your business plan, decide which projects you plan to take. Doing so will help you determine how big your team needs to be. It might be better to start off small and build a strong clientele. Though building an effective team may take a while, your business will appear stable to potential investors, future employees, and industry partners.

Look at previous contractors you worked with on other projects. You know their skills and can trust their work ethic. After sourcing your known contacts, branch out further and hire employees with basic training in drywall installation and finishing. You want to hire workers with experience similar to yours.

Check for References

Starting a new business means networking. Contact contractors you worked with during training and ask if they have any referrals for you. A few well-placed ads will only get you so far. Word of mouth is a strong strategy.

Reach out to home painters and restoration companies. They could have work opportunities for you to investigate. If any trade shows or conventions are happening nearby, you need to attend them. Getting your name out there to as many people as possible is the best way to build your business and brand.

Start in your community because that’s where your home base will be. With every job you accept, be sure to operate with your company’s reputation in mind. People want to hire contractors they can trust.

Get the Tools

Now you need to get all the supplies. Drywall installers are only as good as their tools. You need the best of the best so every project comes out perfect. Look for tools that will improve your skills, efficiency, and precision. These tools should help minimize mistakes and make the job easier for you.

Keep track of all the new advancements in drywall tools. Think about the areas in the process that are most difficult to maneuver and work through. Find the tools that make those areas easier to navigate.

We’ve got some good sheetrock knife sets here at Timothy’s Toolbox that work well when it comes to finishing drywall. Of course, there will be other hand tools you’ll need to acquire. Keep up with the maintenance of these tools. Don’t let them rust or get too banged up, and don’t continue to use them if they don’t operate correctly.

It might take some time to get things started, but your drywall finishing business will succeed with determination and persistence. We have more tips and advice on our page if you hit any roadblocks and need further assistance. We’re experts just like you, and we want to ensure you have everything you need to run a thriving business. Visit our website for more information.