Getting weld shop/portable welding started?

[loolagigi]

I started stick welding when i was 18 for a local pipefitters union here in fl. I obtained my 2g and was about to bend my 5g when i left the union for good. Thats a whole other story. Since then i have worked for structural steel companies, and local fab shops. Mostly mig and stick. I finally started tigging at 30 years old and love it! Ive welded, aluminum, stainless, and carbon with the tig at work. I also do most of my own fitting.
I know that welding runs through my blood. When you get home from welding and get home and weld for yourself, tired as all hell, you must love it. For me anyway.
Right now i am not in the position, but a few years from now i know i want to work my own jobs. I have done projects for friends or family, and a few craigslist side jobs, but that was with a little miller 140 mig i think. I recently purchased a older syncro 250, and feel that will be the start of my collecting tools.
How would i go about even PREPARING to start my own gig? Feel free to ask any questions if needed. Critisizm<---(spelling) and advice is very welcome. Thank you.

[fortyonethirty]

I have been doing, just what you plan to do, for the last 6 years. My advice: don't. I worked about 3000 hours last year and made about $5000. Look into taking over an existing shop or moving into a foreman level job at a bigger shop, try to learn the money side of the business. Welding is easy compared to bidding.

But, if you're dead set on having your own business. The first thing you'll need is a contractors license. But, the most important thing you need: CASH. Every job you get for a while will require some new tool or some new insurance or something. Having the capital available to make these things happen is essential. Or you'll be like me and work your a** off to finish a job so you can afford to buy the materials for the next job. Constantly saying, "well, if I could just get this one done on time, I'll have made it".

[SRO1911]

Before you throw out your open sign - you need to do some hard figuring. Decide how much it will cost you to maintain your current standard of living and add a bit for emergencies for the next year and a half to two years.
If you have that on hand THEN you can be comfortable starting a business. (I did not do this - sometimes we get chicken, sometimes we get feathers) Most businesses that I see fail are because folks don't keep personal expenses and bus. expenses separate. Those first couple big jobs come in and you suddenly have a nice little chunk in the bank and you are getting close to easy street - then you sit by the phone and wait and wait and wait.

[loolagigi]

i really need a contractors license?

[shovelon]

Originally Posted by loolagigi

i really need a contractors license?

No. You need to keep records though. And you may need to get a business permit and get bonded.

[fortyonethirty]

Originally Posted by loolagigi

i really need a contractors license?

If you ever plan to work on structural steel or anything architectural you will. If all you want to do is fix tractors and weld mufflers you'll be fine without. Florida seems a little more lenient than California, here you have to have a contractors license to take on any welding job worth more than $500. You will definitely need a business license either way. Getting a contractors license isn't much harder than getting a drivers license. I know that if I heard of a guy welding without a license, I'd turn him in.

[DSW]

Originally Posted by loolagigi

i really need a contractors license?

Depends on where you live. PA now requires any contractor who works on a residential job to have a state issued contractors license. In theory this did away with each individual municipality requiring individual licenses, but my guess is that the locals will simply change the name and want you to have a "business" license instead now since they are out of the cash they used to be able to rake in annually... If I do any job that requires permits I have to show proof of insurance, as well as workmans comp, to the municipality. Other jobs require more stuff depending on what you are doing. Add employees and you add a whole nother layer of requirements...

The hardest part of running your own business is usually the business end. I've seen guys who can't weld run a business with no issues, and seen guys who were great welders fail simply because they can't run the business end. Honestly that part is my biggest issue. I love to do the work, and hate to do all the office stuff that needs to get done.

Expect to work long hours for little pay. It's not uncommon for me to be running out for materials 1st thing in the morning before heading to a job, work all day, head off to an estimate in the evening followed by stopping to pick up more supplies on the way home. Toss in office time while eating dinner... When there's work, it 7 days a week if I can to cover those weeks when there's no "work" but lots of unpaid work like cleaning the truck, doing estimates, chasing down guys who are slow to pay and so on. The comment on saving up is especially true if you are in areas that are more seasonal. Come winter if work slows down, you'd better have enough squirled away to cover the basics and expenses that keep coming in even if the cash isn't.


There are days when I love to work for myself, and days when I really think I should simply go find a job working for some one else.

[kburd]

Figure out and know your expenses. I count on only 20 working days a month run a very tight budget and have a decent sized building on lease with very little equipment. I have a 65 year old helper who doesn't weld but cuts and stuff that I have workmanship comp and payroll for. I have a small loan payment and insurances. Insurance will eat you up. I have general liability Bailee's garage keepers and inland marine policy also your business auto and workmanship comp. I have about 10000 a year in just insurance about 15000 for my part time help. I have no health insurance cause my wife carries it for us. I have not brought home a paycheck in the last three years. I make a little cash money here and there to put in my pocket everything else goes to the business to try and get it started. My shop is very mediocre with the exception of the CNc plasma table. We have no sizable shear or brake we do everything with one wore out mig welder and an engine drive. Our equipment and tools are not nice or pretty but our work is. Sorry sort of rambling...

Plain and simple every working day of the month my business has to turn 389.50 to meet budget. Budget does not include a profit margine or a pay check for myself. If I want to make money i need to bill out 500 plus a day.
I thought I could start my business with just about no money I was wrong and put myself behind the eight ball we are out of the woods now but it takes a strict budget and lots of will power and work to make it happen. Oh yeah I used to love to weld too... You better like learning how to run a business properly or you will never make a dime I can promise you that.

[rhunt]

DSW, what you said says it all!! This info relates to most types of businesses too. Loolagigi, good luck with your start up in business. it can be very rewarding. Best Bob