Thinking about starting a business...

Pages: 1 2

Index »
Community »
Debate and Serious Talk »
Thinking about starting a business...

2008-07-27 19:57:42

stryyker: bad touch; +1,682|7140|California

I was thinking this past week... what would be a good, useful way to bring in some extra income...

Then it hit me, start a business! But what to do...

I thought about my area. Orange County, Southern California..

1. Million + dollar homes
2. People love to live next to trees
3. Insurance is way too high
4. People value their posessions over their lives

The Answer=

Fireproof someones house.

Considering the cost of materials + labor / the cost it would take to rebuild

The profit margin is immense.

Considering large donations of start up money or beer.
Also comments or suggestions welcome. I'm doing this.

2008-07-27 19:58:56

Flaming_Maniac: prince of insufficient light; +2,490|7127|67.222.138.85

So how are you planning to do said fireproofing?

2008-07-27 20:00:39

stryyker: bad touch; +1,682|7140|California

Flaming_Maniac wrote:
So how are you planning to do said fireproofing?

Secret. You just want my idea tbh.

_{Nomex and Kevlar sheets + cooling sprinkler system}

2008-07-27 20:05:28

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6573|what

stryyker wrote:
Considering the cost of materials + labor / the cost it would take to rebuild

But you can't charge people how much it would cost to rebuild their home if all your doing is fireproofing.

Maybe you should consider putting your effort into this business come winter, when you can say that a really bad summer is on the way + global warming temps likely to be a really hot summer.

Play on peoples fear.

2008-07-27 20:08:32

Flaming_Maniac: prince of insufficient light; +2,490|7127|67.222.138.85

I would emphasize the insulation effect those materials would have on a home and the resulting energy savings, or possibly do additional insulation services while you're already in people's attics and such.

The aesthetics are important to the clientele you will be dealing with, and since you said a cooling sprinkler system, this stuff is going on the exterior. Make sure you have some way to make it look nice, and if you're using paint or something get someone with painting experience or just hire a contractor to make you look more legit.

duh, you're talking about internal sprinklers. Still, the rest stands, and if you're going to be working in people's homes you need them to trust you. Being knowledgeable helps, but at the end of the day I think you should carry letters of reference with you.

Obviously there will be skeptics, especially in the more cautious people you're going after. Some sort of demo would help immensely, possibly going so far as showing the effects on a small demonstration house. I don't know, maybe you have access to one of those setups through your firefighting where they do test burns on mock homes/rooms.

Obviously research the number on fires, when the last big ones were, acreage burned with easy scale comparison to something easily grasped, how quickly they can move, how wind effects things. Emotional appeal can't hurt.

Planning on going door to door? Calling people up? Obviously you want to target the people most likely effected, maybe take a vacation and make a road trip out of it looking for clients or at least to check for feasibility.

meh, all I got for now

2008-07-27 20:13:22

stryyker: bad touch; +1,682|7140|California

TheAussieReaper wrote:
stryyker wrote:
Considering the cost of materials + labor / the cost it would take to rebuild
But you can't charge people how much it would cost to rebuild their home if all your doing is fireproofing.

Maybe you should consider putting your effort into this business come winter, when you can say that a really bad summer is on the way + global warming temps likely to be a really hot summer.

Play on peoples fear.

$10,000 for piece of mind, and the increased possibility of saving your house, vs. $1,000,000 to rebuild, and have all of your posessions lost. And in the winter it all folds up nicely and stores in your garage.

2008-07-27 20:19:03

Flaming_Maniac: prince of insufficient light; +2,490|7127|67.222.138.85

stryyker wrote:
TheAussieReaper wrote:
stryyker wrote:
Considering the cost of materials + labor / the cost it would take to rebuild
But you can't charge people how much it would cost to rebuild their home if all your doing is fireproofing.

Maybe you should consider putting your effort into this business come winter, when you can say that a really bad summer is on the way + global warming temps likely to be a really hot summer.

Play on peoples fear.
$10,000 for piece of mind, and the increased possibility of saving your house, vs. $1,000,000 to rebuild, and have all of your posessions lost. And in the winter it all folds up nicely and stores in your garage.

I hope it's damn easy to put up.

Are you selling labor, or just kits? Because I don't think people will want to have to put up the kit every fire season.

2008-07-27 20:29:10

stryyker: bad touch; +1,682|7140|California

Flaming_Maniac wrote:
stryyker wrote:
TheAussieReaper wrote:

But you can't charge people how much it would cost to rebuild their home if all your doing is fireproofing.

Maybe you should consider putting your effort into this business come winter, when you can say that a really bad summer is on the way + global warming temps likely to be a really hot summer.

Play on peoples fear.
$10,000 for piece of mind, and the increased possibility of saving your house, vs. $1,000,000 to rebuild, and have all of your posessions lost. And in the winter it all folds up nicely and stores in your garage.
I hope it's damn easy to put up.

Are you selling labor, or just kits? Because I don't think people will want to have to put up the kit every fire season.

Labor for sure. Selling the initial product, and small labor charges to install every season, to be deployed by the owner

2008-07-27 23:15:32

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|7095|Canberra, AUS

Gutterguards? Could make a fortune if Cali is anything like here.

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2008-07-27 23:40:02

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7021|132 and Bush

stryyker wrote:
Flaming_Maniac wrote:
So how are you planning to do said fireproofing?
Secret. You just want my idea tbh.

Hope he doesn't tell the customers that...

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2008-07-27 23:44:17

mtb0minime: minimember; +2,418|7075

Don't forget to hire illegal immigrants and pay them under-the-table You'll get tons of work done in no time and only have to pay them $5 an hour!

2008-07-28 01:35:30

Home: Section.80; +447|7268|Seattle, Washington, USA

That actually seems like a pretty good idea. Your area is perfect for it. If you do the pitching/advertising right, you've got plenty of points to back you up. A state that is threatened by large fires every summer, expensive homes with owners who can probably afford it...

I would probably offer several options though. The seasonal installation one you're talking about, maybe a permanent one, and a cheaper check up. I.E. You will just take a tour of their home, tell them about the fire hazards they have in their house, rake the dead leaves away from the house and off the roof, etc. Would be a pretty quick and easy job, fairly cheap for them and high margin of profit since there are no materials, just labor.

2008-07-28 01:44:06

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6831|'Murka

Just how are you going to get enough materials to fireproof a $1M+ home for only $10k? Not to mention labor costs.

If I were an investor, I'd want to see a hell of a lot more detail in your business model.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2008-07-28 01:53:34

LividBovine: The Year of the Cow!; +175|6800|MN

I don't think you understand how finicky these people can be. They are not going to want some nut job coming in and messing up their stuff. You will need pictures, before and after, at a minimum. The actual application of this seems very ugly. The siding these people put on their house is probably around $15K already. Anything you do to cover that up better look damn good. Some drawings of what you have in mind would awesome for me to pick apart your plan some more.

The whole sprinkling thing is kind of funny. The amount of water needed for a house to survive a good fire is pretty large. Their water system may not be able to handle it, in fact I would be surprised if it even came close. You will either need an additional scource and or a large supply tank on site. Plumbing for the sprinkler system also has to be hidden. These upper end homes have more than just 2 levels to deal with, they are usualy some sort of multi-split level design, or at least a 2-story with basement. At some point you are kncking into walls and ceilings. Getting very expensive now. I would say counting exterior and interior work all combined you are approaching $50K or more. That buys a lot of insurance.

I would keep going, but I have paperwork to finish so I can go home.

Edit: Sorry for the negetivity, just being realistic for ya. Learned it from my wife.

Last edited by LividBovine (2008-07-28 01:58:48)

"The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation" - Barack Obama (a freshman senator from Illinios)

2008-07-28 07:11:46

ATG: Banned; +5,233|6949|Global Command

Spark wrote:
Gutterguards? Could make a fortune if Cali is anything like here.

lol @ gutterguards in so cal.

And, up yours that's my terrain buddy.

2008-07-28 08:37:14

topal63: . . .; +533|7138

Note (now that I think about it): some firemen here in Florida invented a foam that is biodegradable. They drive up and spray it on a house. It lasts for 36 hours. The service fee is/was about $500.

Last edited by topal63 (2008-07-28 11:41:58)

2008-07-28 08:52:50

lowing: Banned; +1,662|7071|USA

stryyker wrote:
I was thinking this past week... what would be a good, useful way to bring in some extra income...

Then it hit me, start a business! But what to do...

I thought about my area. Orange County, Southern California..

1. Million + dollar homes
2. People love to live next to trees
3. Insurance is way too high
4. People value their posessions over their lives

The Answer=

Fireproof someones house.

Considering the cost of materials + labor / the cost it would take to rebuild

The profit margin is immense.

Considering large donations of start up money or beer.
Also comments or suggestions welcome. I'm doing this.

Good luck with it. I tried starting a business and learned very quickly I am no business man. I failed miserably and it almost cost me everything.

the best advice Ican give, (and adivice I learned the hard way) DO NOT go into debt to start a business. Have captial built up that can carry you through the first few years of start up woes. Anyway, good luck with your venture I wish you success.

2008-07-28 12:33:57

KEN-JENNINGS: I am all that is MOD!; +2,991|7052|949

Would people want ugly kevlar and nomex sheets on thier houses? People here are incredibly finicky about anything that could be perceived as a degradation of home value (even neighbors that don't have it).

Are there government regulations (city, state, federal) related to the installation and/or look of the protection?

Are there industry standards that need to be met for the materials themselves - figure out if insurance companies will give discounts to homeowners for said protection.

Does installing said protection leave you liable in case of failure?

Once those above questions have been answered, figure out what it would take (how much $, how much time) to do one house and approximate the amount of money you want to make.

Figure out if people actually want what you offer - perhaps a flier or questionnaire you could pass out or fill out door to door.

2008-07-28 13:23:04

Marinejuana: local; +415|7005|Seattle

First and foremost, anybody that can afford a service like this at a price like $10k (or realistically, a lot more) can easily afford fire insurance, and if the house is insured, why spend even more out of pocket to physically insure a house that is by the owner's reckoning already "insured?" Insurance is like the welfare of security, it reinforces and legitimizes nonconstructive/passive behavior, for better or for worse. Not to mention that these methods of fire resistance can probably only save the home in a small percentage of cases. In a giant fire, the treated siding will probably only slow the ignition. The siding itself doesn't have to be on fire to hit temperatures that could ignite surrounding materials, and even a waterlogged house can be steamed out and burnt by a forest fire. I'm sure these measures provide some level of added security, but its difficult to sell because its expensive and its not absolute security.

However, the same millionaire that wouldn't put another dime towards fire prevention in the unwitting months or years before a big fire would probably give you anything you want if you can save their house when the fire actually arrives. I forget exactly how the story goes, but leveraging huge fees for fire response is a very old scam going back I'm not sure how long.

So scrap the long term (probably intelligent, yet unprofitable) fire proofing business plan and trade it for a premium firefighting service that specializes in saving expensive homes for a large fee.

Step one, work for 40 years in a shoe factory to cover start up costs. Step 2, buy Chinook helicopter and massive prototype foam dispensing assembly. 3, Spray giant foam cocoon onto imminently burnt home, save home. 4, revel in media fanfare, wear batman costume. Repeat.

Last edited by Marinejuana (2008-07-28 13:30:06)

2008-07-28 13:26:34

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,072|7192|PNW

I'd advise working for somebody in contracting for awhile to learn the ins and outs of the field, or just go work for an insurance company.

2008-07-28 13:26:40

Flaming_Maniac: prince of insufficient light; +2,490|7127|67.222.138.85

Marinejuana wrote:
Step one, work for 40 years in a shoe factory to cover start up costs. Step 2, buy Chinook helicopter and massive prototype foam dispensing assembly. 3, Spray giant foam cocoon onto imminently burnt home, save home. 4, revel in media fanfare, wear batman costume. Repeat .

Genius.

Appeal to the sentimental value of the home as an argument against fire insurance.

2008-07-28 13:28:39

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,072|7192|PNW

Flaming_Maniac wrote:
Appeal to the sentimental value of the home as an argument against fire insurance.

I personally plan to get a huge firesafe/shelving system for my movie/game/book collection because frankly, even if insurance can cover the loss, it would take forever to rebuild.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2008-07-28 13:29:29)

2008-07-29 04:06:17

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,822|6526|eXtreme to the maX

Maybe I'll start a pornsafe business.
Or better, offer to smack people around the head with a bat so they forget what went up in smoke and can live on happy - if a bit dazed.
A bit like 'The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' only I get to hit people.

Last edited by Dilbert_X (2008-07-29 04:08:19)

Fuck Israel

2008-08-10 21:22:25

Marinejuana: local; +415|7005|Seattle

Dilbert_X wrote:
Maybe I'll start a pornsafe business.
Or better, offer to smack people around the head with a bat so they forget what went up in smoke and can live on happy - if a bit dazed.
A bit like 'The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' only I get to hit people.

or you could streamline your business plan and sell pot.

2008-08-13 02:09:19

aerodynamic: FOCKING HELL; +241|6173|Roma

If you want to start a business I would recommend one of my favorite books on marketing, its called "Guerrilla Marketing" and it helping me so much with my business.

https://bf3s.com/sigs/8ea27f2d75b353b0a18b096ed75ec5e142da7cc2.png

Pages: 1 2

Index »
Community »
Debate and Serious Talk »
Thinking about starting a business...

Board footer

Jump to

BF2S Forums Thinking about starting a business...

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

stryyker wrote:

TheAussieReaper wrote:

stryyker wrote:

stryyker wrote:

TheAussieReaper wrote:

stryyker wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

stryyker wrote:

TheAussieReaper wrote:

stryyker wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

Spark wrote:

stryyker wrote:

Marinejuana wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

Dilbert_X wrote:

Board footer