Best construction business to start?

[406MtnFire]

Looking for recommendations for a construction business to start. I'd like to keep lifestyle flexibility and not work 50 weeks per year. Have the business be scalable, and able to make $100-250k per year. I'm willing to spend up to $100k on equipment.

Would prefer to be relocatable if I move. Curious if anyone has any recommendations. Ideally from personal experience or knowing others closely, not "saw online". Thank you

[uniwelder]

What construction trades do you know? That’s where I would start.

[GilesMM]

A hot housing market in an area with a short summer building season could fit the bill.   Your work year would be short.  If you are a general contractor, then you just hire subs, build homes, and rake in the profits.  My neighbor has done this as a side gig for 30 years.  He offers architect/design experience as well.  He likes large custom homes on rural lots, say, 4000 sq ft.  He can charge $500/sq ft which is around $50-100/sq ft profit to him.  One per summer is plenty. He doesn't do speculative homes - no need to take the risk, own the land, etc.

[nereo]

OP - you have posted this same basic question on about a dozen different threads over the past several months. What are you hoping to learn?

[Bartlebooth]

OK, this is "saw online" but mixed with a little personal experience.  There are "slinger trucks" that are basically a dump truck with a conveyor belt on the back that launches gravel/rocks in a stream that can reach maybe 50 feet.  And the slinger is aimed using a remote control unit.  So essentially one truck driver can lay down gravel/rock right where it is needed on many construction sites.  Less need to push it around with a skid-steer.

I have never seen one of these trucks in my state.  So I wonder if they are still spreading in popularity?  Could be an opportunity to be the first in your area.

[ChpBstrd]

There seems to be a shortage of people who can do fine carpentry such as hardwood trim and details like that for a reasonable price. Most houses have cheap MDF trim painted white nowadays, but this is a niche for the craftsman working on high end jobs. Also the hardwood lumber itself is outrageously priced, so there may be a niche in making boards cheaply.

Another possibility is termite repair carpentry. When I learned my house was rotted out underneath I almost handed my checkbook to a contractor, but instead knocked out the job in a week with $500 in supplies. Probably a $30k job due to the intimidation factor.

Electricians often do well and need fewer or less bulky tools than plumbers or carpenters.

Plumbers have a shitty job. ;)  Seriously though, PEX and flexible gas lines have taken much of the craftsmanship out of the profession. That’s a good thing in the sense that jobs are much easier but a bad thing in that the value of the labor is falling.

[sonofsven]

A concrete pump truck. If you're in an area of new construction.

This is separate from the concrete delivery truck coming from the batch plant, your job is to move the material from the back of that truck to where it's needed on the jobsite using the strong pumps on your truck, and the lifting arms which act like a crane and position the flexible hose right where the operator wants it to fill the forms. In the old days it was lots of guys and wheelbarrows. You co-ordinate with the concrete contractor, who co-ordinates with the delivery driver. You show up and get ready, the delivery truck shows up, you pump everything they want pumped, you clean your equipment out at the jobsite with their water, and you're done.

The truck is going to cost quite a bit, but that's really all you need. That, and a place to park it.

In my area there is only one, and he's popular.

Some knowledge and experience with concrete would be beneficial, but the concrete guys will teach you, for better or worse, most of what you need to know, mainly by swearing at you.