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matt.mena

Well-Known Member
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Joined
Feb 12, 2021
Messages
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Location
Charlotte
Hello everyone

I wanted to share a great opportunity I was presented with. A commercial general contractor was so impressed with me when his friend asked him he knew someone who could manage and grow his residential plumbing company so he could step down in three years he highly recommended me. The company is an hour north of here, close to most of my family actually. It has three master plumbers and nine journeyman and helpers in the field. The shop manager is on his way out, hasn’t been performing good and says he’s moving to Ohio and the owner is pushing him out.

I have been in commercial trades construction for 15 years, 12 years plumbing starting as a plumbing estimators helper. I have a knack for plumbing. Love the trade. Work for a great company almost 8 years now and always exceed my customers expectations, which is why I was referred.

Talks with the owner have gone really good so far and I’m meeting him at his shop next week. Talks with my company’s owners have been encouraging. I’m just a little worried about transitioning into residential. I know I will put in more time, effort, work, and research than is expected. I want this residential company to grow to it’s full potential and if it‘s to be, invest in a commercial division. I’m just hoping for the best.

Plumbing is my job and my hobby. I don’t have a wife or kids so it can be my total focus.

If you have any advice going from Commercial to Residential, I’d love to hear whatever comes to your minds.
If your an owner of a residential plumbing company I’ll answer any questions to clarify for your advice and opinions.
 
Is this company residential service, remodel, new construction of track homes or custom homes?

I started out in residential plumbing a long time ago. It was a great place to gain knowledge.

I personally think new construction residential plumbing is more competitive and a much faster pace than commercial plumbing. Large custom homes will produce more money and a better profit than track homes as long as you stay on top of the owners/builders changing their minds on things and charging them for it.

With 3 masters and 9 journeyman and several helpers the company is producing a lot of sales. My guess would be around 5ml to 7ml a year.

If you like what you do and are willing to work at it hard don't let the transition to residential bother you. There's not a lot of difference in the basics of plumbing between the two. (Sanitary, Water, Heating, Trims).

Go for it! It could be a great opportunity.
 
I don't own a biz ,except side work after work and it's 99% residential service only .I came from a commercial background,now work for a large university in Boston we do renovations (smaller now) it's about 60% commercial, 40% residential, lots of very old fixtures, I really never had experience in residential, LOTS of drain cleaning you should think about that I do that on the side.... Very good money it does talk time to learn get a couple of machines and a camera, hook up with a co.that does pipe lining,some guy don't like it but we have had very good luck with it, anyway yes residential is different I knew very little at work I had the luxury of making mistakes on my own because the other guys I (worked) with hid their knowledge, if you already have a crew lean a little, no one knows everything each one of your crew is gonna help you they also want to succeed, we also had a couple of green foreman,we always helped him if he needed it
You gotta be a team......ok ow I rambled hope this helps
 
Go for it but always look out for yourself.

Don’t burn bridges.

Don’t give your work away, if you don’t need the money now, one day you'll
Need it when you get too old to work hard.

Don’t burn bridges( said that twice) with the company you work with now. You may want to go back after a while.

You’re a talented guy and you care about your work. You can do anything.........
I’d hire you immediately.
 
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!
Hopefully you won’t be asked to fix any leaks while visiting family this weekend 😁

The company mostly does residential service work, new custom homes here and there and a couple small commercial bathroom remodels under its belt. They have a great Facebook page with videos the owner has made.

Thanks you all for the encouragement. I’m more confident each day I’ll transition to residential well. I’ll learn and use their current pricing and estimation tables to earn more custom home contracts. I plan to meet custom home builders in the area and gain more traction in the custom home market.

I just found their Facebook page and I’m impressed with their reputation. They are voted top plumbing company in their county known for trustworthiness, honest pricing, quality work, built on family values centered on Christ. The same foundation that Precision Plumbing commercial plumbing company was built on.

I’m so happy this opportunity found me and really hope it all works out. Being 1 hour closer to most of my family is another reason I want this job.

Anything thoughts mentioned are appreciated.
Thank You.
 
I had a meeting with the owner and his wife. They recently bought a large seafood restaurant that was built on land bought from his family that went under and they reacquired. A lot of potential at this spot. I see a lot of potential for the company as a whole. Very well founded and grounded. And they like me! Said I was the best they interviewed by far and a few folks talked highly of me. They want time to get their money squared to make me an offer for a position as they’re business manager. It will be a pay cut but that’s because I’ve been averaging 63-70 hours a week here. It will be worth the cut if it will truly lead to part owner in three years as said before.

It’s time to slow down my roll a little anyway. I abused my body with a mind over matter mentality too long and would like to alleviate my aches some. I’ll still work as hard as I can, only way I’ll be happy. But full throttle city commercial plumbing is hard on one’s body.

I hope it works out. I would be an hour closer to most of my family as well!
 
Congrats and hope you get the job. From your posts, you sound like a hard worker and a conscientious one that would be an asset to any company. A relative left a high-paying job at a big tech company to join a startup over 10 years ago as one of the early employees. The company is going IPO next year. They don't know how much they payout will be yet but it will be substantial.

Part-owner in something you really believe in, even with a paycut, might be worth the risk. Good luck!
 
I accepted the position to work for the residential company. I’m excited to start at the first of the year. My two week resignation started Monday and will have the last week of the year to make the move.

I’m happy but I’m a little worried because I’m loosing a lot of benefits. The pay is hourly, $1 more, but I feel I should ask for a planned increase in writing according to the company’s growth. I tend to trust people easily and I’m sometimes too optimistic. I asked if part ownership is still in the future and he said he doesn’t want to make any promises. There’s nothing in writing and I’m just going on my gut feeling that if I put all my effort into this small company that it will grow and I’ll be taken good care of.

Although, I have shot myself in the foot before. I don’t think this is a bad decision…

Should I ask for a plan in writing?
Should I just trust I will be compensated fairly?
He seems very trustworthy…

Maybe I’m only feeling this way because of the position I was in at company I’m leaving. Because of the working hours difference I’ll be taking about a $24,000-$30,000 yr pay cut starting out.

I dunno…. I have the tendency to just go with the flow of whatever happens happens and I’ll reap what I sow.

As always, any advise is always appreciated 👍
 
I accepted the position to work for the residential company. I’m excited to start at the first of the year. My two week resignation started Monday and will have the last week of the year to make the move.

I’m happy but I’m a little worried because I’m loosing a lot of benefits. The pay is hourly, $1 more, but I feel I should ask for a planned increase in writing according to the company’s growth. I tend to trust people easily and I’m sometimes too optimistic. I asked if part ownership is still in the future and he said he doesn’t want to make any promises. There’s nothing in writing and I’m just going on my gut feeling that if I put all my effort into this small company that it will grow and I’ll be taken good care of.

Although, I have shot myself in the foot before. I don’t think this is a bad decision…

Should I ask for a plan in writing?
Should I just trust I will be compensated fairly?
He seems very trustworthy…

Maybe I’m only feeling this way because of the position I was in at company I’m leaving. Because of the working hours difference I’ll be taking about a $24,000-$30,000 yr pay cut starting out.

I dunno…. I have the tendency to just go with the flow of whatever happens happens and I’ll reap what I sow.

As always, any advise is always appreciated 👍
 
Thank you both for that.
I was having a possible regret feeling last night bu I’m over it.

I spoke with the owner a little bit ago and he agreed to meet with me tomorrow and we’ll make a three year plan in writing. He agreed, we should make an agreement in writing and wants to finalize it together. This has eased my mind greatly! I said it doesn’t have to be absolutely concrete, we should write something in like, “This is the true intended plan, if drastic circumstances interfere or serious problems arise it can be adjusted accordingly.”

He also agreed to help me at my step brothers house 30 minutes away from his shop. My brother just bought a great first home for him and his family. The only issue is there is a clog in the sewer main where it connects to the city. He paid a plumber he knows $340 but that guy couldn’t get it, said call the city. The city said it’s on his side, see ya. I asked the owner for help and he said he’ll help me get it unclogged as a house warming gift 😁👍

Thank you for your thoughts
 
Thank you both for that.
I was having a possible regret feeling last night bu I’m over it.

I spoke with the owner a little bit ago and he agreed to meet with me tomorrow and we’ll make a three year plan in writing. He agreed, we should make an agreement in writing and wants to finalize it together. This has eased my mind greatly! I said it doesn’t have to be absolutely concrete, we should write something in like, “This is the true intended plan, if drastic circumstances interfere or serious problems arise it can be adjusted accordingly.”

He also agreed to help me at my step brothers house 30 minutes away from his shop. My brother just bought a great first home for him and his family. The only issue is there is a clog in the sewer main where it connects to the city. He paid a plumber he knows $340 but that guy couldn’t get it, said call the city. The city said it’s on his side, see ya. I asked the owner for help and he said he’ll help me get it unclogged as a house warming gift 😁👍

Thank you for your thoughts
You know what Matt?; as good as you are with commercial, and as good as TWH is with residential, well, you take it from there!
 
How are you at managing people. And handling drama . I was there once.

I had one guy that worked for me and every time his kids would be sick he would have to stay home with them even though his wife didn’t work. They both had to stay home with the kids. He had about 5 kids.

I fired him.


Another guy would always have car troubles. Broke down, wife has car and isn’t back yet, out of gas, it was repossessed.

Fired Fired and FIRED

I could go on and on. High drama when you’re paying what they’re worth.
 
I had one guy that worked for me and every time his kids would be sick he would have to stay home with them even though his wife didn’t work. They both had to stay home with the kids. He had about 5 kids.

I fired him.


Another guy would always have car troubles. Broke down, wife has car and isn’t back yet, out of gas, it was repossessed.

Fired Fired and FIRED

I could go on and on. High drama when you’re paying what they’re worth.
IT is that part of the business that I did not like . I am always amazed at how many what i call low life's are in the plumbing business. The are a lot of druggies, alcoholics and gamblers . Some with all three .
 
To be honest your only in that business and those are the people you see. You ever been to a nice restaurant/bar near a large office park at lunch time. They don't call them 3 Martini lunches because of construction workers.

Some people just don't work out and you have to let them go. It happens all the time. I was laid off multiple times because I flew all over the country playing softball tournaments and missed work. At the time wife was payed well and we had no kids, didn't bother me. Once the kid came around I changed my lifestyle and work was my focus.
 

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