Expanding Your Business This Winter Season

The winter season can be a change of pace for contractors who see their jobs slow down or stop. If you find yourself in this situation, a slowdown can be a great opportunity to research expanding your business. You could look into ways to increase revenue during slow times or taking on other types of work throughout the year.

Expanding services can be a way to stay busy during the winter and approaching your existing clients may be a good place to start. After spending time with them on previous jobs and knowing their businesses, are there any projects they may want completed through the winter months? Do their offices need to be remodeled? Would they like a new kitchen? Does flooring need to be replaced? Are they interested in upgrading their lighting for better energy efficiency? Does their storage room need additional or improved shelving? Letting existing clients know what services you can provide could create opportunities.

There are many areas in which you could expand your services, and the slow season can be a good time to venture out. Installation of holiday lighting and decorations, cleaning services, snow plowing, and carpet cleaning can be sought-after services for companies during the holiday season. There are plenty of opportunities in residential work as well. Kitchen and bathroom remodeling, painting, door and window replacement, basement remodeling, flooring installation, custom woodwork, and general handyman work are all great services to provide. Winter can also be a great time to insulate attics and crawl spaces.

With more people working from home these days, you may want to advertise how you can make their environment more comfortable. A home addition, moving a wall, or remodeling a basement can create well-needed office space in a home. Cold storage buildings can also be transformed into an office with a feeling of work/home separation. We recently had our HVAC duct work cleaned, upgraded our furnace, and installed a high-performance air filter system to help ensure great quality air. In addition, I rewired my home with CAD 7 cable and ethernet wall plates to hard wire my laptops and computers for improved internet connection.

Having a shop can also create opportunities for additional revenue. Custom woodwork, such as cabinets, entertainment centers, doors, and wall panels, can be a good fit for a craftsman. Repairing snowmobiles, small engines, tools, and equipment may keep a mechanic busy.

Offering an incentive with your services may help you land more jobs and earn additional income. Being able to make the most of the off-season can improve a company’s success. 

When you make changes to your company, always check with your insurance agent to make sure you have the proper coverage in place. Working with an insurance carrier who fully understands your construction business can help ensure your risk is properly evaluated and protected.