business plan for construction materials

Construction Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Construction Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your construction business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their construction companies.

Sample Construction Business Plan Outline

Below is a construction business plan example to help you create each section of your own construction business plan:

Executive Summary

Business overview.

VB Residential Construction Company is a startup construction company located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company is founded by two cousins, Victor Martinez and Ben Schmidt. Together they have over 20 years of experience in constructing homes from design concept, remodeling and renovating homes. They are highly skilled in all aspects of construction and have garnered a positive reputation in the local construction community for their ethical practices and competitive skill set. Now that Victor and Ben have an extensive network of clients and contacts, they have decided to begin their own residential construction company.

Product Offering

The following are the services that VB Residential Construction Company will provide:

• Custom home building/design build
• Home remodeling and renovation
• Project Management
• Kitchen and bath construction

Customer Focus

VB Residential Construction Company will target those individuals and industry professionals requiring home construction services in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Those individuals are landowners looking to develop homes on their lots, architects who have clients needing homes built, developers who have the vision but need a company to make it a reality, and households needing home remodeling services.

Management Team

VB Residential Construction Company will be led by Victor Martinez and Ben Schmidt. Together they have over twenty years of construction experience, primarily in residential builds, remodeling, and renovation. They both started at a young age working and learning from their fathers. When they graduated from high school, their fathers got them jobs at the construction company they were employed at. The four family members worked together for ten years at the construction company. The fathers recently decided they were going to retire from the industry which prompted Victor and Ben to branch out on their own and start their own residential construction company.

Success Factors

VB Residential Construction Company will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly and knowledgeable contractors who are able to take any project from concept to reality.
• Unbeatable pricing – Clients will receive the best pricing in town for services on any project while maintaining the best quality and customer satisfaction.

Financial Highlights

VB Residential Construction Company is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its construction business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing a small office space, purchasing two trucks, and purchasing all the construction equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards the advertising agency and three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, working capital, and monthly fees to the accounting and human resources firm. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Trucks: $40,000
• Construction equipment, supplies, and materials: $100,000
• Advertising agency in charge of promotions: $10,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (rent, payroll, HR and accounting firms): $40,000
• Working capital: $10,000

Company Overview

Who is vb residential construction company.

VB Residential Construction Company is a newly established contracting company located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by cousins, Victor Martinez and Ben Schmidt, they have over 20 years experience in the construction industry. VB specializes in residential remodeling, kitchen and bath construction, as well as custom home building. VB Residential Construction Company also offers residential design, construction, and project management services. VB prides itself in delivering a level of expert craftsmanship to fulfill the vision for the client while exceeding expectations at exceptional value.

Company History

VB comes from the initials of the owners, Victor Martinez and Ben Schmidt, two cousins who have been working in the construction industry most of their lives. Both of their fathers spent decades as contractors and raised their sons working and learning the construction trade. The four have been working for another residential contractor in Milwaukee and have built and remodeled numerous homes for multiple builders and clients. Now that both of their fathers are retiring from the construction industry, Victor and Ben have decided to start their own residential construction company and use their years of experience, expertise, and contacts to be an independent residential contractor.

Since incorporation, VB Residential Construction Company has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered VB Residential Construction Company, LLC to transact business in the state of Wisconsin.
• Located a small office space to have a physical address for the company as well as a receptionist.
• Reached out to their numerous contacts to include real estate agents, developers, architects, and landowners to advise them on their upcoming construction company in order to start getting construction contracts.
• Began pricing out costs for trucks and necessary construction equipment.
• Began recruiting a team of contractors that cover different areas of construction to include mechanical, plumbing, electricians, and roofing.

The following will be the services VB Residential Construction Company will provide:

Industry Analysis

Revenue for the Construction industry is expected to continue growing over the five years as demand for new housing expands. Revenues are expected to reach $107 billion.

Relatively low interest rates, coupled with rising per capita disposable income, is expected to support individual investment in new homes, providing an opportunity for industry revenue growth over the next five years.

Per capita disposable income is expected to rise steadily over the next five years, while concurrently, unemployment will drop, proving favorable conditions for industry growth.

Housing starts are expected to rise an annualized 2.9% and this growth is projected to stem partly from forward-looking consumers that choose to purchase homes while interest rates are low. Relatively low housing stock and relatively low interest rates are expected to lead demand for industry services to increase over the next five years.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for Milwaukee, Wisconsin are:

Customer Segmentation

VB Residential Construction Company will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Households in search of home remodeling services
• Landowners who would like to build homes on their lots
• Architects who have clients that need home building or remodeling services
• Developers who have already partnered with landowners and/or architects and are in search of a residential contractor

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

VB Residential Construction Company will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

JM Remodeling

JM Remodeling has been in business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin since 1990. They are a full-service design and build company. JM Remodeling specializes in residential and commercial restoration and renovation including custom carpentry, kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, siding, dormers, additions, home gyms, home offices, porches and decks, and mechanical services. JM Remodeling carries a staff of plumbers, electricians, journeymen carpenters, restoration specialists, roofers, siders, sheet metal workers, and expert estimators. JM Remodeling also has an apprenticeship program to train employees within the company. They are licensed, bonded and insured and also part of the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI). JM Remodeling also provides warranties on all their services. The work is guaranteed by labor warranties, factory warranties, and extended warranties.

Cream City Construction

Cream City Construction has more than 50 years experience in home design, remodeling and renovation in the Greater Milwaukee area and Southeastern Wisconsin. The home remodeling services they provide are additions, whole house remodeling, kitchens, bathrooms, lower levels, master suites and historic renovations. Cream City Construction is a design build company that works with the client to create the design plans, generate project costs, and build the project.

Cream City Construction is owned and managed by Todd Badovski and Jim Grote. Together they have decades of experience and have spent years refining the skills required to run a high end, quality driven remodeling company. The majority of their projects come from repeat business or referrals from clients delighted with their previous service. Cream City Construction is also a member of the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI) as well as the Historic Milwaukee Incorporated.

Sazama Design Build Remodel, LLC

Former restaurant owner Don Sazama established Sazama Design Build Remodel, LLC in 1987 after becoming a Master Carpenter. He wanted to merge his passions of business and design and expand his skills in carpentry and architecture. Don’s firm has completed over 700 homes and won 11 awards from the Milwaukee Home and Living magazine. Sazama Design Build Remodel builds homes that are modern and luxurious and have completed many large remodels of bathroom and kitchen renovations. Sazama likes to collaborate with firms such as Ivy Interiors and an award-winning landscape designer, Gingko Leaf Studio. Sazama Design Build Remodel can build and design all aspects of a home – from a home office, outdoor entertaining area, serene spas, and inviting kitchens. The team at Sazama is able to do a historic renovation, build or renovate into something modern and posh, or keep it traditional.

Competitive Advantage

VB Residential Construction Company will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

VB Residential Construction Company will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly trusted and professional contractors with over 20 years of experience remodeling, renovating, and building homes.
• Unbeatable pricing to its clients – VB Residential Construction Company does not mark up its services at a large percentage. They will offer the lowest prices in town.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for VB Residential Construction Company is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Victor and Ben have built up an extensive list of contacts over the years providing home construction services for numerous highly satisfied clients. Most of the clients are repeat customers and have also referred them to other associates for home projects. These referrals and repeat customers are very likely to use VB Residential Construction Company instead of the previous construction company Victor and Ben were employed at.

Professional Associations and Networking

VB Residential Construction Company will become a member of construction and professional associations such as the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI) and the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce. VB will also become a member in associations where other builders, developers, and architects are a part of. They will focus their networking efforts on expanding their client network.

Print Advertising/Billboard

VB Residential Construction Company will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events. They will also invest in two billboards to display in highly trafficked areas of town.

Website/SEO Marketing

VB Residential Construction Company will utilize the same advertising company that designed their print ads and billboards to also design their website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all their services that VB is able to provide. The website will also list their contact information and a gallery of pictures that show their previous projects. The advertising company will also manage VB’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Milwaukee residential contractor”, “contractor near me”, or “residential contractor near me”, VB Residential Construction Company will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of VB Residential Construction Company will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing their services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for VB Residential Construction Company.

Operation Functions:

• Victor Martinez and Ben Schmidt will be the owners and managers of the company. They will oversee all staff, contractors, and subcontractors. They will also act as project managers for every job they receive and handle all pricing and bids to the client.
• Victor and Ben will employ a team of contractors under them that will have an array of skill sets. The contractors will be trained and experienced either in plumbing, mechanical, electrical, roofing, or siding. Not all contractors need to be certified in all trades, but they need to be certified in at least one of the trades.
• Office manager/assistant to be located at the small office. This person will handle all incoming calls, assist with visiting clients, bookkeeping and maintain files.
• Victor and Ben will utilize a third-party human resources company to handle all hiring, onboarding, payroll, and benefits for the staff. The HR company will also handle all employee issues.
• Victor and Ben will also pay a third-party accounting firm to manage all the high level accounting and tax payments.

Milestones:

VB Residential Construction Company will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

3/1/202X – Finalize contract to lease small office space

3/15/202X – Execute advertising agency contract 4/1/202X – Begin networking and placing bids for construction jobs

5/1/202X – Begin recruiting and hiring team of contractors

5/15/202X – Purchase all necessary construction equipment, supplies, and trucks

6/1/202X – Start on first official job as VB Residential Construction Company

Victor and Ben are highly skilled at project management and residential construction. They are also both certified in plumbing, electrical, and mechanical. In the next few years, they will be certified as Master Carpenters.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for VB Residential Construction Company are the upcharge they will charge to the clients for their services. VB will purchase or subcontract a service at cost and will charge a 15% markup in order to obtain the markup fee. 15% is below the normal 25%-30% that other competing residential contractors charge.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to maintain a construction company. The expenses will be the costs to purchase and maintain construction equipment and trucks, payroll and overhead costs for the staff, and rent and utilities. Other expenses will be the cost for the advertising agency, accounting firm, human resources firm, and membership association fees.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

VB Residential Construction Company is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its construction business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing a small office space, purchasing two trucks, and purchasing all the construction equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards the advertising agency and three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and monthly fees to the accounting and human resources firm. The breakout of the funding is below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Initial Monthly Average Contract Amount: $20,000
• Growth in Average Monthly Contracts: 10%

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, construction business plan faqs, what is a construction business plan.

A construction business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your construction business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your construction business plan using our Construction Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Construction Companies?

Construction companies can be classified according to the type of constructions that they perform. Some are small renovation contractors, others are new home builders and others are commercial construction companies.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenues and Expenses for a Construction Company?

Construction companies get their primary source of revenue from individual contracts for new homes, remodeling projects or commercial projects.

The key expenses for construction companies are office space rent, salaries and wages, and equipment costs. 

How Do You Get Funding for Your Construction Business Plan?

There are many options for financing a construction company like SBA loans, commercial loans, personal loans, or line of credit. There are also equipment funding opportunities that cover expenses associated with necessary tools, machinery and other equipment. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Construction Business?

Starting a construction business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Construction Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed construction business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your construction business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your construction business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Construction Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your construction business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your construction business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Construction Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your construction business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your construction business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful construction business:

• How to Start a Construction Business

Where Can I Get a Construction Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free construction business plan template PDF here . This is a sample construction business plan template you can use in PDF format.

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Business Plan Template for Construction Companies

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Starting a construction company is no easy feat. To succeed in this competitive industry, you need a solid business plan that outlines your goals, strategies, and financial projections. With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Construction Companies, you can create a comprehensive plan that will impress investors, secure funding, and guide your operations.

This template will help you:

• Outline your company's mission, vision, and values
• Define your target market and competitive advantage
• Develop a detailed marketing and sales strategy
• Create financial projections and budgets
• Plan your operational processes and project management

Don't let the complexities of starting a construction company hold you back. Use ClickUp's Business Plan Template and build a roadmap to success today!

Business Plan Template for Construction Companies Benefits

A business plan template specifically designed for construction companies can provide numerous benefits, including:

• Streamlined planning process, ensuring that all essential elements are included in the business plan
• Clear communication of business goals and strategies to potential investors, lenders, and stakeholders
• Thorough analysis of the construction market, competition, and target audience, leading to better decision-making
• Accurate financial projections, helping construction companies secure funding and manage cash flow effectively
• Comprehensive operational plans, guiding construction projects, resource allocation, and project management
• Increased credibility and professionalism, positioning construction companies as reliable and trustworthy in the industry

Main Elements of Construction Companies Business Plan Template

When it comes to creating a solid business plan for your construction company, ClickUp has you covered with our Construction Business Plan template!

Here are the main elements you'll find in this template:

• Custom Statuses: Keep track of the progress of each section with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do.
• Custom Fields: Capture important information such as Reference, Approved, and Section to ensure that all necessary details are included in your business plan.
• Custom Views: Explore five different views to gain a comprehensive understanding of your business plan. These include Topics, Status, Timeline, Business Plan, and Getting Started Guide.
• Document Collaboration: Collaborate seamlessly with your team by using ClickUp's Docs feature to easily edit and share your business plan.
• Goals and Milestones: Set goals and milestones to stay on track and ensure that your construction company is meeting its objectives.
• Task Management: Break down your business plan into actionable tasks, assign them to team members, and track progress with ClickUp's task management features.
• Gantt Chart: Visualize and manage the timeline of your business plan with ClickUp's Gantt chart.
• Integrations: Connect ClickUp with your favorite tools and apps to streamline your workflow and increase productivity.

With ClickUp's Construction Business Plan template, you'll have all the tools you need to create a comprehensive and effective business plan for your construction company.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Construction Companies

Creating a business plan for your construction company is crucial for success. Follow these steps to effectively use the Business Plan Template in ClickUp:

1. Define your company's mission and vision

Start by clearly defining your construction company's mission and vision. What is the purpose of your business? What do you hope to achieve in the long term? This step will set the foundation for your entire business plan.

Use a Docs feature in ClickUp to outline your mission and vision statement.

2. Identify your target market and competition

Understand your target market and competition in the construction industry. Who are your potential clients? What sets you apart from your competitors? Conduct market research to gain insights into your target audience and competition.

Create tasks in ClickUp to gather information about your target market and competition.

3. Outline your services and pricing

Clearly define the services your construction company will offer. Will you specialize in residential or commercial projects? What types of construction services will you provide? Determine your pricing structure and how you will remain competitive in the market.

Use custom fields in ClickUp to outline your services and pricing details.

4. Develop a marketing strategy

Create a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote your construction company. How will you reach your target audience? Which marketing channels will you use? Develop a plan for online and offline marketing, including website development, social media marketing, and networking events.

Use a Table view in ClickUp to outline your marketing strategy and track progress.

5. Establish financial projections and budget

Develop financial projections for your construction company, including revenue forecasts, expenses, and profit margins. Create a budget that outlines your expected costs, such as equipment, materials, and labor. This step is crucial for understanding the financial feasibility of your business.

Use Dashboards in ClickUp to track your financial projections and monitor your budget.

6. Set goals and milestones

Determine specific goals and milestones for your construction company. These could include targets for revenue growth, project completion timelines, or client acquisition. Break down your goals into actionable steps and set deadlines to keep you and your team accountable.

Create milestones in ClickUp to track your progress towards your goals.

By following these steps and utilizing the Business Plan Template in ClickUp, you can create a comprehensive and effective business plan for your construction company. Good luck!

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Construction Companies

Construction companies can use this Business Plan Template to streamline their planning process and ensure all aspects of their business are covered.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive business plan:

• Use the Topics View to organize and outline the different sections of your business plan, such as Executive Summary, Market Analysis, Financial Projections, and more
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section, with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do
• Utilize the Timeline View to set deadlines and milestones for each section, ensuring you stay on track
• The Business Plan View provides a holistic overview of your entire plan, allowing you to easily navigate between sections and make updates
• The Getting Started Guide View offers step-by-step instructions and tips on how to effectively use the template and create a successful business plan
• Customize the template by adding custom fields like Reference, Approved, and Section to provide additional context and organization
• Collaborate with team members to brainstorm ideas, gather data, and refine your business plan
• Regularly review and update your plan to reflect changes in the industry or your business goals
• Share your business plan with stakeholders, investors, and lenders to secure funding and support for your construction company.
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Sample Construction Business Plan

Writing a business plan is a crucial step in starting a construction company. Not only does it provide structure and guidance for the future, but it also helps to create funding opportunities and attract potential investors. For aspiring construction business owners, having access to a sample construction business plan can be especially helpful in providing direction and gaining insight into how to draft their own construction business plan.

Download our Ultimate Construction Business Plan Template

Having a thorough business plan in place is critical for any successful construction company venture. It will serve as the foundation for your operations, setting out the goals and objectives that will help guide your decisions and actions. A well-written business plan can give you clarity on realistic financial projections and help you secure financing from lenders or investors. A construction business plan example can be a great resource to draw upon when creating your own plan, making sure that all the key components are included in your document.

The construction business plan sample below will give you an idea of what one should look like. It is not as comprehensive and successful in raising capital for your construction company as Growthink’s Ultimate Construction Company Business Plan Template , but it can help you write an construction company business plan of your own.

Construction Business Plan Example – BlueprintBuilders Co.

Table of contents, executive summary, company overview, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.

BlueprintBuilders Co. is a forward-thinking construction company rooted in Indianapolis, IN, dedicated to transforming the industry by integrating sustainable practices and cutting-edge technology into our operations. We specialize in delivering high-quality construction services that not only meet the diverse needs of our customers but also contribute positively to the environment. Our commitment to eco-friendliness and innovation positions us as a leader in green construction solutions, offering energy-efficient designs, green materials, and eco-friendly construction techniques. Leveraging advancements in technology, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and virtual reality simulations, we streamline our operations, enhance project efficiency, and ensure superior outcomes for our clients, setting us apart in the thriving $1.4 trillion construction market.

Our success stems from our dedication to quality, innovation, and customer service. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and commitment to exceeding client expectations through the use of sustainable materials and the latest technologies. This approach not only enhances the durability and aesthetics of our constructions but also promotes environmental sustainability. Our competitive edge is bolstered by our exceptional customer service, ensuring clear and open communication throughout the construction process and fostering a reliable, trustworthy relationship with our clients. These factors, combined with our ability to adapt to industry trends, position us as the premier construction service provider in Indianapolis.

The construction industry in the United States, with a market size of approximately $1.4 trillion, is experiencing significant growth and is expected to continue expanding at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2021 to 2026. This growth is driven by increased government spending on infrastructure, rising demand for residential and commercial buildings, and advancements in technology that improve construction efficiency. BlueprintBuilders Co. is well-positioned to capitalize on these trends, especially the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly building practices. Our focus on green construction solutions and the integration of technology into our operations allow us to meet the evolving needs of the market and distinguish ourselves within this competitive and lucrative industry.

Direct competitors and specific competitive advantages were not detailed in the provided information. As such, I’m unable to generate a summary for the Competitive Analysis section without these critical details.

Details regarding the Products, Services & Pricing, and the Promotions Plan were not included in the provided information. Thus, it’s not possible to create a summary for the Marketing Plan section without this essential information.

Our operations plan outlines a series of strategic milestones essential for the successful launch and growth of BlueprintBuilders Co. These include securing all necessary licenses and permits to avoid legal hurdles, officially launching with a strong brand presence in Indianapolis, and building a qualified team to uphold our commitment to quality and safety. We also prioritize establishing strong supplier relationships for cost-effective materials, developing a robust online presence to attract customers, and implementing efficient project management systems to streamline our operations. Achieving initial contracts and reaching a revenue of $15,000/month within the first 12 to 24 months are critical financial milestones, alongside establishing a commendable safety record and continuously reviewing and adjusting our business strategies to ensure adaptability and competitiveness in the dynamic construction market.

Welcome to BlueprintBuilders Co., a fresh face in the construction industry, committed to serving our community in Indianapolis, IN. As a new local construction company, we pride ourselves on filling the void left by the absence of high-quality construction services in the area. Our mission is to elevate the standard of building and design, ensuring that our clients’ visions come to life with excellence and precision. Our offerings are comprehensive, designed to meet a wide array of construction needs. We specialize in General Contracting, providing a broad range of services from project inception to completion, ensuring quality and efficiency every step of the way. Our Design-Build Services streamline the construction process, integrating design and construction phases to deliver cost-effective and innovative solutions. Additionally, our Construction Management services are tailored to keep projects on schedule and within budget, all while achieving the highest standards of construction quality. By offering these services, we aim to be the go-to source for all construction needs in Indianapolis, IN. Our base in Indianapolis, IN, positions us perfectly to serve customers throughout the city. This strategic location enables us to respond quickly to our clients’ needs, providing tailored solutions that reflect the unique aspects of our community. We are committed to contributing to the growth and development of Indianapolis, ensuring that every project we undertake enhances the city’s landscape. The foundation of BlueprintBuilders Co. rests on solid ground, thanks to our founder’s extensive experience in running a successful construction company. This expertise, combined with our commitment to outperforming the competition, sets us apart as a company poised for success. Our approach to construction is not just about building structures, but about building trust, reliability, and excellence into everything we do. We are uniquely qualified to lead the way in the construction industry, thanks to these core strengths. Since our inception on January 4, 2024, BlueprintBuilders Co. has made significant strides as a S Corporation. Our journey began with the creation of a distinctive logo and the development of our company name, reflecting our identity and mission. We also secured an excellent location, laying the groundwork for our operations and future growth. These accomplishments mark the beginning of our journey, and we are excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead as we strive to redefine construction in Indianapolis, IN.  

The construction industry in the United States is a thriving sector that continues to show remarkable growth and potential. With a current market size of approximately $1.4 trillion, the construction industry plays a vital role in the nation’s economy, providing employment opportunities for millions of people and contributing significantly to the country’s GDP. Furthermore, the industry is expected to experience steady growth in the coming years, with an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% from 2021 to 2026. This projected growth is driven by factors such as increased government spending on infrastructure projects, rising demand for residential and commercial buildings, and advancements in technology that enhance construction efficiency.

Several trends within the construction industry are aligning favorably for BlueprintBuilders Co., a new construction company serving customers in Indianapolis, IN. One such trend is the growing emphasis on sustainable and eco-friendly building practices. As more customers prioritize environmentally conscious construction, BlueprintBuilders Co. can position itself as a leader in sustainable building solutions, offering energy-efficient designs, green materials, and eco-friendly construction techniques. This aligns well with the company’s mission to provide high-quality construction services that not only meet customers’ needs but also contribute to a greener future.

Another trend that bodes well for BlueprintBuilders Co. is the increasing adoption of technology in the construction industry. From Building Information Modeling (BIM) to virtual reality simulations, technology is revolutionizing the way construction projects are planned, executed, and managed. BlueprintBuilders Co. can leverage these technological advancements to streamline its operations, improve project efficiency, and deliver superior results to its clients. By staying at the forefront of technological innovation, the company can differentiate itself and attract customers who value cutting-edge construction practices.

Below is a description of our target customers and their core needs.

Target Customers

BlueprintBuilders Co. will target local residents in search of reliable and innovative construction solutions. These customers are often in the process of renovating their homes or embarking on new home construction projects. They value quality, efficiency, and personalized service, which BlueprintBuilders will tailor its offerings to meet.

The company will also serve customers looking for eco-friendly and sustainable building options. As awareness and demand for green construction practices increase, this segment will represent a significant portion of the market. BlueprintBuilders will specialize in providing these environmentally conscious solutions, appealing to a demographic that prioritizes sustainability in their construction projects.

Moreover, BlueprintBuilders Co. will target small business owners seeking to expand or renovate their commercial spaces. This customer segment requires a construction partner that understands the unique challenges and regulations of commercial construction. By offering specialized services that cater to the needs of small businesses, BlueprintBuilders will position itself as a valuable resource for this sector.

Customer Needs

BlueprintBuilders Co. understands the paramount importance of delivering high-quality construction services to residents who demand excellence in their building projects. Clients can expect meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of the construction process meets the highest standards of craftsmanship and durability. This commitment to quality not only satisfies the immediate needs of homeowners but also contributes to the long-term value and sustainability of their properties.

In addition to quality, BlueprintBuilders Co. recognizes the need for personalized and transparent communication throughout the construction process. Customers can rely on timely updates, clear explanations of the work being done, and responsive customer service that addresses their concerns and preferences. This approach fosters trust and ensures that the final product aligns perfectly with the client’s vision and expectations.

Furthermore, BlueprintBuilders Co. can adapt to the evolving needs and trends within the construction industry, incorporating the latest technologies and sustainable building practices. This not only appeals to environmentally conscious clients but also offers innovative solutions that can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure the longevity of their homes. By staying ahead of the curve, BlueprintBuilders Co. fulfills a crucial need for forward-thinking construction services that cater to the modern homeowner.

BlueprintBuilders Co.’s competitors include the following companies: Wilsoon Remodeling and Services, Right On Time, and Alexis Concrete Construction.

Wilsoon Remodeling and Services offers a wide range of services including kitchen and bathroom remodeling, home additions, and custom cabinetry. Their price points vary depending on the scope of the project, but they are known for offering competitive rates without compromising on quality. They serve primarily residential customers in the Indianapolis area and surrounding regions. Wilsoon Remodeling and Services generates revenue through their project-based services, focusing on renovations and custom projects. Their key strength lies in their extensive experience in remodeling and renovation, providing them a solid reputation in the market. However, their focus on remodeling limits their service offerings compared to competitors who may offer a broader range of construction services.

Right On Time specializes in timely, efficient construction and renovation services. They offer general contracting, project management, and a variety of renovation services. Their pricing is transparent and competitive, aimed at both residential and commercial clients in Indianapolis and its suburbs. The company prides itself on its punctuality and efficiency, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget, which serves as their primary revenue source. Right On Time’s strengths include their strict adherence to timelines and strong project management capabilities. A potential weakness is their reliance on subcontractors, which can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in the quality of work.

Alexis Concrete Construction is focused on providing concrete construction services, including driveways, walkways, patios, and commercial foundations. They cater to both residential and commercial clients, offering competitive pricing that reflects the quality of materials and craftsmanship. They operate mainly in Indianapolis and its immediate surroundings. Their revenue comes from both small-scale residential projects and large commercial contracts, making them a versatile player in the market. Alexis Concrete Construction’s key strength is their specialization in concrete, which allows them to deliver high-quality results with durability and aesthetic appeal. However, their narrow focus on concrete services might limit their appeal to customers looking for a more comprehensive range of construction services.

At BlueprintBuilders Co., we pride ourselves on offering superior construction services that set us apart from our competition. Our team has a keen eye for detail and an unwavering commitment to quality, ensuring that every project we undertake exceeds our clients’ expectations. We use the latest technologies and sustainable materials, which not only enhances the durability and aesthetics of our constructions but also promotes environmental sustainability. Our ability to innovate and adapt to the latest trends in the construction industry allows us to offer unique solutions that meet the specific needs and preferences of our clients, providing a competitive edge that is hard to match.

Moreover, our customer service is second to none. We understand that construction projects can be overwhelming for our clients, which is why we maintain clear and open communication throughout the entire process. From the initial consultation to the final walkthrough, our team is dedicated to ensuring a seamless and stress-free experience. Our commitment to transparency, integrity, and professionalism fosters a sense of trust and reliability among our clients, making us the go-to construction service provider in the area. By combining our superior construction services with exceptional customer care, we not only meet but often exceed the expectations of those we serve, further solidifying our competitive advantage in the market.

Our marketing plan, included below, details our products/services, pricing and promotions plan.

Products and Services

BlueprintBuilders Co. stands out in the construction industry by offering a comprehensive suite of services tailored to meet various project requirements and client needs. The company specializes in general contracting, design-build services, and construction management, positioning itself as a one-stop shop for construction projects in the residential and commercial sectors. With a focus on quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, BlueprintBuilders Co. ensures that each project is executed with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail.

The cornerstone of BlueprintBuilders Co.’s offerings is its general contracting service. This service encompasses the overall planning, coordination, and control of a project from inception to completion. It is designed to meet the project’s time, cost, and quality constraints. General contracting services are priced on a project-by-project basis, but clients can expect average costs to range significantly depending on the scope and scale of their projects. This variability ensures that services are tailored to fit the specific needs and budget of each client.

In addition to general contracting, BlueprintBuilders Co. offers design-build services. This approach streamlines project delivery through a single contract between the owner and the design-build team. This method fosters collaboration and teamwork, which can significantly reduce the project timeline and costs. Design-build services are particularly beneficial for clients seeking a comprehensive solution from the initial concept through to completion. Pricing for these services is also project-specific, but on average, clients can expect to invest a competitive amount for the convenience and efficiency that the design-build approach provides.

Lastly, construction management is a critical service provided by BlueprintBuilders Co., targeting clients who require expert oversight and management of their construction projects. This service includes project planning, cost management, time management, quality management, contract administration, and safety management. Clients can expect to pay an average fee based on the overall project cost, which is typically a percentage that aligns with industry standards. Construction management services ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

BlueprintBuilders Co. prides itself on its commitment to delivering exceptional value through its wide range of services. By offering flexible pricing models and tailoring its services to meet the unique needs of each project, BlueprintBuilders Co. has established itself as a trusted partner in the construction industry. Whether clients are looking for general contracting, design-build solutions, or construction management expertise, BlueprintBuilders Co. is equipped to deliver outstanding results that exceed expectations.

Promotions Plan

To attract customers, BlueprintBuilders Co. employs a strategic mix of promotional methods, ensuring a robust presence both online and offline. Online marketing stands at the forefront of their strategy, leveraging the power of digital platforms to reach a broad audience. Through targeted social media campaigns, BlueprintBuilders Co. will engage potential customers on platforms where they spend a significant amount of time. The company will create compelling content that highlights their projects, expertise, and customer testimonials, fostering trust and interest among the audience.

Additionally, BlueprintBuilders Co. will utilize search engine optimization (SEO) to increase their visibility in search results. By optimizing their website content with relevant keywords, they will attract individuals actively searching for construction services in Indianapolis, IN. Email marketing campaigns will complement these efforts, allowing BlueprintBuilders Co. to directly communicate with potential customers, offering them special deals, and keeping them informed about the company’s latest projects and services.

Beyond online marketing, BlueprintBuilders Co. will also engage in traditional promotional methods to ensure comprehensive market coverage. Networking events and local trade shows will serve as excellent opportunities for face-to-face interaction with potential clients, building personal relationships that can lead to business opportunities. The company will also invest in high-quality brochures and business cards to distribute during these events, providing tangible reminders of their services.

Community involvement will play a crucial role in BlueprintBuilders Co.’s promotional strategy. By participating in local community projects and sponsoring events, the company will demonstrate its commitment to the Indianapolis area, building goodwill and recognition among residents. This approach not only helps in establishing a positive brand image but also fosters a sense of trust and reliability among potential customers.

Lastly, customer referrals will be encouraged through a referral program, rewarding existing customers for bringing new business. This method capitalizes on the trust and satisfaction of current clients, turning them into advocates for the company. By combining these diverse promotional methods, BlueprintBuilders Co. will effectively attract customers, establishing a strong foothold in the Indianapolis construction market.

Our Operations Plan details:

• The key day-to-day processes that our business performs to serve our customers
• The key business milestones that our company expects to accomplish as we grow

Key Operational Processes

To ensure the success of BlueprintBuilders Co., there are several key day-to-day operational processes that we will perform.

• Project Planning and Management: We will meticulously plan each construction project, including timeline, budget, materials, and workforce requirements, to ensure efficient and timely completion.
• Client Consultations: We will conduct daily consultations and meetings with clients to discuss their needs, expectations, and any changes to the project plans, ensuring client satisfaction and project feasibility.
• Supply Chain Management: We will manage and monitor the supply chain closely to ensure that all necessary materials are available when needed and at the best possible price, avoiding delays or cost overruns.
• Quality Control: We will perform regular quality checks on all ongoing projects to maintain high standards of construction and ensure compliance with all relevant building codes and regulations.
• Workforce Management: We will manage our workforce efficiently, ensuring that the right teams with the appropriate skills are assigned to each project and that all workers adhere to safety standards.
• Financial Management: We will monitor and manage the financial aspects of each project, including budgeting, billing, and invoicing, to maintain profitability and cash flow.
• Regulatory Compliance: We will ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations, obtaining necessary permits and inspections to prevent legal issues and delays.
• Customer Service: We will provide exceptional customer service, addressing any concerns or issues promptly to maintain positive relationships with our clients.
• Marketing and Business Development: We will engage in continuous marketing and business development efforts to attract new clients and projects, including digital marketing, networking, and participation in local and industry events.
• Continuous Improvement: We will regularly review and analyze our operations and projects to identify areas for improvement, implementing changes to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.

BlueprintBuilders Co. expects to complete the following milestones in the coming months in order to ensure its success:

• Secure Necessary Licenses and Permits: Before beginning operations, the company must ensure it has all required local and state construction licenses and permits. This mitigates the risk of legal issues that can delay projects and add unforeseen costs.
• Launch Our Construction Company: Officially launching the company involves setting up the legal structure, such as an LLC, and establishing a brand presence in the Indianapolis market through a combination of online and traditional marketing strategies.
• Build a Qualified Team: Hiring skilled laborers, project managers, and administrative staff is crucial. Training programs should also be implemented to ensure quality and safety standards are met, reducing the risk of costly mistakes and accidents on the job.
• Establish Supplier Relationships: Securing reliable suppliers for materials is essential. Negotiating favorable terms can help manage costs effectively, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Develop a Strong Online Presence: In today’s digital age, having a professional website and active social media profiles can attract customers. Showcasing completed projects and customer testimonials will build credibility and trust with potential clients.
• Implement Project Management Systems: Adopting efficient project management and customer relationship management (CRM) software will streamline operations, allowing for better communication with clients and within the team, as well as more accurate budgeting and scheduling.
• Secure Initial Contracts: Landing the first few construction contracts is crucial. This could involve bidding on both public and private projects. Achieving this milestone confirms the company’s ability to attract business and generate revenue.
• Get to $15,000/Month in Revenue: Reaching this financial milestone within the first 12 to 24 months will be a strong indicator of the company’s viability and potential for growth. It demonstrates market demand, operational efficiency, and effective financial management.
• Establish a Safety Record: Maintaining a record of safety, without significant accidents or violations, over the first 24 months can significantly enhance the company’s reputation, making it a preferred contractor for clients concerned about liability and project execution.
• Review and Adjust Business Strategies: After 18 to 24 months, conducting a comprehensive review of business operations, market position, and financial health to adjust strategies as necessary will be crucial for continued growth and success. This ensures the company remains adaptive and competitive in the dynamic construction market.

BlueprintBuilders Co. management team, which includes the following members, has the experience and expertise to successfully execute on our business plan:

Charlotte Moore, CEO

Charlotte Moore, CEO, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to BlueprintBuilders Co. Her background as the head of a successful construction company showcases her ability to navigate the complex challenges of the construction industry. Charlotte’s leadership skills, combined with her thorough understanding of both the operational and financial aspects of running a construction business, make her exceptionally well-qualified to guide BlueprintBuilders Co. towards achieving its strategic goals. Her experience in steering her previous company through various market conditions and her ability to foster strong relationships with stakeholders are critical assets for BlueprintBuilders Co.’s journey towards lasting success.

To achieve our growth objectives, BlueprintBuilders Co. requires $225,000 in funding. This capital will be allocated towards essential investments including location buildout, equipment, and operational expenses such as staff salaries and initial marketing efforts. These financial resources will lay the foundation for our operations, enabling us to implement our business plan effectively and position ourselves for success in the competitive Indianapolis construction market.

Financial Statements

Balance sheet.

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Income Statement

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Cash Flow Statement

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Construction Business Plan Example PDF

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Building Materials Supply Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » B2B Industry » General Supply & Contracting

Are you about starting a building materials supply company? If YES, here is a complete sample building materials supply business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

There are several money spinning business opportunities in the construction cum real estate industry and one of them is to start a building materials supply business.

Just like all other investment vehicles, there are potential down sides that you need to look out for if you want to start a building material supply business. One of the major risks in the building materials supply business is a sudden downturn in the economy.

Part of what you need to do to make headway in this line of business is to ensure that your store is strategically positioned and you have good business relationships with contractors, constructions companies and key players in the real estate industry.

A Sample Building Material Supply Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

This industry consists of stores and dealers (e.g. lumberyards) that retail building materials such as lumber, stones and bricks.

This industry also supplies cabinets, floor coverings, roofing materials, electrical and plumbing goods, doors and windows to the construction market. The industry does not include home improvement centers, paint and wallpaper specialty stores or hardware stores.

If you are a close watcher of the Lumber and Building Materials Stores industry, you will agree that over the past five years, the Lumber and Building Material Stores industry has struggled to rebuild itself, even as the overall economy strengthens. Industry goods are purchased by professional contractors and consumers engaged in remodeling and construction projects.

Rising consumer confidence and household income have helped ignite remodeling activity forestalled during the recession, providing additional demand for lumber and other building materials used in home improvement projects. Even so, rising competition from large home improvement stores has stifled revenue growth for lumber and building material stores.

The Lumber and Building Material Stores industry is indeed a large industry and pretty much active in most countries of the world. Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 45,069 registered and licensed building materials supply stores scattered all across the United States responsible for employing about 301,881 people and the industry rakes in a whopping sum of $107 billion annually.

The industry is projected to grow at 4.4 percent annual growth within 2012 and 2017. It is important to state that Builders FirstSource has the lion market share in this industry.

A recent report published by IBISWORLD shows that this industry sells a range of building materials such as lumber, fencing, glass, doors, plumbing fixtures and supplies, electrical supplies, prefabricated buildings and kits, kitchen, bath cabinets and countertops to be installed.

The industry’s major product categories are the following: Lumber and other structural building materials account for 37.8 percent of sales, lumber and they dominate the industry’s product mix.

The varying types of structural materials include dimensional lumber, non treated lumber, boards, engineered wood products, glue-lam and laminated veneer lumber, floor and roof trusses, connectors, joist hangers, tie-downs and framed wall panels.

The Lumber and Building Material Stores industry is highly regulated in the United States of America and anyone who aspires to start a building materials supply business must apply and obtain a license before they can legally operate in the industry.

Over and above, the lumber and building materials store industry is a profitable industry and it is open for any aspiring entrepreneur to come in and establish his or her business; you can chose to start on a small scale in a street corner or you can chose to start on a large scale with outlets in key cities through the United States of America and Canada.

2. Executive Summary

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is a registered building material supply store business that will be located in one of the busiest streets in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma.

We have been able to lease a facility that is big enough (a 15 thousand square foot facility) to fit into the design of the kind of standard building material supply store that we intend launching and the facility is located in a corner piece building in the biggest building material market in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma.

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. will retail a wide range of building materials such as lumber and other structural building materials, hardware, tools, plumbing and electrical supplies, doors and windows et al. We are set to services a wide range of clientele in and around Oklahoma City.

We are aware that there are several building material supply stores all around Oklahoma, which is why we spent time and resources to conduct a thorough feasibility studies and market survey so as to be well positioned to favorably compete with all our competitors.

We have an online service option for our customers, and our outlet is well secured with the various payment options. Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. will ensure that all our customers are given first class treatment whenever they visit our building material store.

We have a CRM software that will enable us manage a one on one relationship with our customers no matter how large they are. We will ensure that we get our customers involved in the selection of brands that will be on our store and also when making some business decisions.

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a firm, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our customers’ needs precisely and completely whenever they patronize our products. Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is a family business that is owned by Harrison Anthony and his immediate family members.

Harrison Anthony has a B.Sc. in Business Administration, with over 5 years’ experience in the lumber and building materials industry, working for some of the leading brand in the United States. Although the business is launching out with just one outlet in Oklahoma City, but there are plans to open other outlets all around major cities in the United States.

3. Our Products and Services

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is in the lumber and building materials industry to service a wide range of clients and of course to make profits, which is why we will ensure we go all the way to make available a wide range of building materials from top manufacturing brands in the United States and other countries of the world.

We will do all that is permitted by the law of the United States to achieve our aim and ambition of starting the business. Our product offerings are listed below;

• Retailing building materials
• Retailing doors and windows
• Retailing electrical supplies
• Retailing fencing
• Retailing floor coverings (wood or ceramic only)
• Retailing lighting fixtures
• Retailing plumbing supplies

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to become the leading brand in the building materials industry in Oklahoma and to establish a one stop building materials supply store in Oklahoma City and in other key cities in the United States of America.
• Our mission is to establish a world – class building materials business that will make available a wide range of building materials from top manufacturing brands at affordable prices to the residents of Oklahoma City and other key cities in the United States of America where we intend opening of chains of building materials supply stores.

Our Business Structure

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. do not intend to start a building material supply business on a small scale; our intention of starting a building materials business is to build a standard and one stop store in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma.

Although our store may not be as big as Builders FirstSource, but we will ensure that we put the right structures in place that will support the kind of growth that we have in mind while setting up the business. We will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, honest, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all our stakeholders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of ten years or more. In view of that, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Executive Officer (Owner)
• Store Manager
• Human Resources and Admin Manager

Merchandize Manager

Sales and Marketing Manager

Information Technologist

• Accountants/Cashiers
• Customer Services Executive

Truck and Van Drivers

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountability; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization

Admin and HR Manager

• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities

Store Manager:

• Responsible for managing the daily activities in the store
• Ensures that proper records of building materials are kept and warehouse does not run out of products
• Ensures that the store facility is in tip top shape and goods are properly arranged and easy to locate
• Interfaces with building material manufacturers
• Controls building material distribution and supply inventory
• Supervises the workforce in the building material sales floor
• Manages vendor relations, market visits, and the ongoing education and development of the organizations’ buying teams
• Helps to ensure quality building materials are purchased and retailed in good price that will ensure we make good profit
• Responsible for the purchase of building materials for the organizations
• Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
• Models demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer purchases
• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for increasing sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the company
• Manages the organization website
• Handles ecommerce aspect of the business
• Responsible for installing and maintenance of computer software and hardware for the organization
• Manages logistics and supply chain software, Web servers, e-commerce software and POS systems
• Manages the organization’s CCTV
• Handles any other technological and IT related duties

Accountant/Cashier:

• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analysis, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the organization
• Serves as internal auditor for the organization
• Assists in loading and unloading goods/building materials
• Maintains a logbook of their driving activities to ensure compliance with federal regulations governing the rest and work periods for operators
• Keeps a record of vehicle inspections and make sure the truck is equipped with safety equipment, such as hazardous material placards.
• Inspects vehicles for mechanical and safety issues and performs preventative maintenance
• Complies with truck driving rules and regulations (size, weight, route designations, parking, break periods etc.) as well as with company policies and procedures
• Collects and verifies delivery instructions
• Reports defects, accidents or violations

Client Service Executive

• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with customers on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to customers when they make inquiries

6. SWOT Analysis

Our intention of opening just one outlet of our building materials store in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma is to test run the business for a period of 2 to 5 years to know if we will invest more money, expand the business and then open other outlets all over major cities in Oklahoma and the United States.

We are quite aware that there are several building material supply stores all over Oklahoma City and even in the same location where we intend locating ours, which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be well equipped to confront our threats.

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in supply chain business to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives.

This is the summary of the SWOT analysis that was conducted for Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc.;

Our business is located in a city with heavy construction and real estate activities and also, we can boast of having good business relationship with top manufacturers in the building materials manufacturing industry.

A major weakness that may count against us is the fact that we don’t have our own building material production plant, we are a new building material supply store and we don’t have the financial capacity to compete with multi – billion dollars building materials supply stores when it comes to supplying building materials at a rock bottom prices.

• Opportunities:

The fact that we are going to be operating our building material supply store in one of the busiest building material markets in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma provides us with unlimited opportunities to sell our materials to a large number of individuals.

We have been able to conduct thorough feasibility studies and market survey and we know what our potential clients will be looking for when they order building materials from us; we are well positioned to take on the opportunities that will come our way.

Just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing / spending power especially construction materials. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new building material store in the same location where ours is located. So also, unfavorable government policies may also pose a threat for businesses such as ours.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

If you are conversant with the Lumber and Building Materials Industry, you will quite agree that the changes in disposable income, consumer sentiment, ever changing trends and of course the rate of home ownership are major growth drivers for this industry.

No doubt, a massive rise in consumer confidence has also contributed in helping the industry experience remarkable growth, but uneven performance in these drivers has led to slightly constrained revenue growth.

So also, the rising demand for both building renovations, as a result of increasing disposable income and consumer sentiment will result in revenue growth, but profit margins will stagnate as building material supply stores keep prices low to attract more sales amid growing competition.

A close watch on industry activities reveals that, the retail market for building materials was hit hard by the economic downturn experienced in recent time. As part of marketing strategies, building material supply stores partner with key players in the construction and real estate industry. They are in the best position to offer you building material supply contract.

8. Our Target Market

We have positioned our building material supply store to service the residents of Oklahoma City – Oklahoma and every other location where outlets of our building material supply stores will be located all over key cities in the United States of America.

We have conducted our market research and feasibility studies and we have ideas of what our target market would be expecting from us. We are in business to supply a wide range of building materials to the following;

• Construction Companies
• Home Remodeling Companies
• Small Building Material Retail Stores

Our Competitive Advantage

A close study of the lumber and building material stores industry reveals that the market has become much more intensely competitive over the last decade. As a matter of fact, you have to be highly creative, customer centric and proactive if you must survive in this industry.

We are aware of the stiff competition and we are well prepared to compete with other leading building material supply stores in Oklahoma City and throughout the United States.

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is launching a standard building material supply store that will indeed become the preferred choice for key players in the construction cum real estate industry. Our building material supply store is located in a corner piece property in the largest building material market in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma.

One thing is certain, we will ensure that we have a wide range of building materials available in our stores at all times. It will be difficult for customers to visit our store and not see the type of building materials that they are looking for.

One of our business goal is to make Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. a one stop building material shop for customers at all levels. Our excellent customer service culture, online store, various payment options and highly secured facility will serve as a competitive advantage for us.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.

We will also give good working conditions and commissions to freelance sales agents that we will recruit from time to time.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is in business to retail a wide range of building material to the businesses and residents of Oklahoma City – Oklahoma.

We are in the lumber and building materials stores industry to maximize profits and we are going to go all the way out to ensure that we achieve or business goals and objectives. Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. will generate income by;

• Retailing plumbing supplies.

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain when it comes to building material stores, if your store is well stocked with various types of building materials and centrally positioned, you will always attract customers cum sales and that will sure translate to increase in revenue generation for the business.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income from the first six months of operation and grow the business and our clientele base.

We have been able to critically examine the lumber and building material stores industry and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to startups in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

• First Fiscal Year: $450,000
• Second Fiscal Year: $950,000
• Third Fiscal Year: $1. 9 million

N.B : This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor retailing same building materials within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing and Sales Strategy

Before choosing a location for Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc., we conducted a thorough market survey and feasibility studies in order for us to be able to penetrate the available market and become the preferred choice for key players in the construction and real estate industry of Oklahoma City – Oklahoma.

We have detailed information and data that we were able to utilize to structure our business to attract the number of customers we want to attract per time.

We hired experts who have good understanding of the lumber and building material supply stores industry to help us develop marketing strategies that will help us achieve our business goal of winning a larger percentage of the available market in Oklahoma City.

In summary, Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. will adopt the following sales and marketing approach to win customers over;

• Open our building material supply store in a grand style with a party for all
• Introduce our building material supply store by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to construction companies, plumbers, home remodeling companies and other key stake holders in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma
• Ensure that we have a wide range of building materials from different manufacturing brand at all times
• Make use of attractive handbills to create awareness and also to give direction to our building materials supply store
• Position our signage/flex banners at strategic places around Oklahoma City – Oklahoma
• Create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our regular customers
• List our business and products on yellow pages ads (local directories)
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage in direct marketing and sales
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Despite the fact that our building material supply store is well located, we will still go ahead to intensify publicity for the business. We are going to explore all available means to promote our building material supply store.

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. has a long – term plan of opening outlets in various locations all around Oklahoma and key cities in the United States which is why we will deliberately build our brand to be well accepted in Oklahoma City before venturing out.

As a matter of fact, our publicity and advertising strategy is not solely for winning customers over but to effectively communicate our brand. Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc.;

• Place adverts on community based newspapers, radio and TV stations
• Encourage the use of word of mouth publicity from our loyal customers
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms to promote our business
• Ensure that our we position our banners and billboards in strategic positions all around Oklahoma City – Oklahoma
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas in and around our neighborhood
• Advertise our building material supply store business in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site
• Brand all our official cars and trucks and ensure that all our staff members and management staff wear our branded shirt or cap at regular intervals

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Aside from quality, pricing is one of the key factors that gives leverage to building materials stores, it is normal for consumers to go to places where they can get building materials at cheaper price which is why big player in the lumber and building material supply stores industry will attract loads of clients.

We know we don’t have the capacity to compete with multi – million dollar building material stores but we will ensure that the prices and quality of all the building material that are available in our store are competitive with what is obtainable amongst building material supply stores within our level.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via credit cards
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via mobile money transfer
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for supply of our building materials without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

In setting up any business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by renting / leasing a big facility, then you would need a good amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of, and that your facility is conducive enough for workers to be creative and productive.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. The materials and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked.

As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a building material supply store business; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. These are the key areas where we will spend our start up capital;

• The Total Fee for Registering the Business in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma – $750
• Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits as well as the accounting services (software, P.O.S machines and other software) – $3,300
• Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of $3,580
• The cost for hiring Business Consultant – $2,500
• Insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $2,400
• The cost for payment of rent for 12 months at $1.76 per square feet in the total amount of $105,600
• The cost for shop remodeling (construction of racks and shelves) – $20,000
• Other start-up expenses including stationery ( $500 ) and phone and utility deposits ( $2,500 )
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $60,000
• The cost for Start-up inventory (stocking with a wide range of building materials) – $250,000
• The cost for counter area equipment – $9,500
• The cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $13,750
• The cost of purchase and installation of CCTVs – $10,000
• The cost for the purchase of office furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, tables and chairs et al) – $4,000.
• The cost of launching a Website – $600
• The cost for our opening party – $7,000
• Miscellaneous – $10,000

We would need an estimate of $750,000 to successfully set up our building material supply store in Oklahoma City – Oklahoma.

Generating Startup Capital for Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc..

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is a private business that is solely owned and financed by Harrison Anthony and his immediate family members. They do not intend to welcome any external business partners which is why he has decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital to 3 major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our startup capital;

• Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
• Source for soft loans from family members and friends
• Apply for loan from the Bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about $250,000 ( Personal savings $200,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $500,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited with the amount.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to retail our wide range of quality building materials a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Harrison Anthony™ Building Materials Store, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Registration: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Securing Point of Sales Machines: Completed
• Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of facility and remodeling the shop: In Progress
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating capital from family members: Completed
• Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphics Design and Printing of Promotional Materials: In Progress
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed furniture, racks, shelves, computers, electronic appliances, office appliances and CCTV: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
• Opening party planning: In Progress
• Compilation of our list of products that will be available in our store: Completed
• Establishing business relationship with vendors – manufacturers of building materials: In Progress

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How To Write a Business Plan for Building Materials Store in 9 Steps: Checklist

By alex ryzhkov, resources on building materials store.

• Financial Model
• Business Plan
• Value Proposition
• One-Page Business Plan
• SWOT Analysis
• Business Model

Welcome to our newest blog post on how to write a business plan for a building materials store. According to a recent report, the global building materials market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2020 to 2027.

The building materials industry is experiencing an upward trend due to the rise in construction activities and the increasing demand for sustainable and energy-efficient building materials. With the growing need for quality building materials, there is an opportunity to start an online building materials store.

In this article, we will provide you with a checklist of 9 Steps to help you in writing a detailed business plan for your building materials store. These steps will ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of the market, customers, competition, capital requirements, regulations, suppliers, and staffing needs.

Let's dive in and explore each of these steps in detail to ensure your building materials store's success.

Conduct Market Research

The first step in developing a business plan for a building materials store is to conduct market research . This step involves gathering and analyzing information about the market and the industry to make informed decisions. Market research helps to identify the target market, assess customer needs and preferences, analyze competition, and determine the viability of the business.

Tips for Conducting Market Research:

• Start by defining the scope of the research. Determine the specific information that is needed and the methods for collecting and analyzing it.
• Use both primary and secondary research methods. Primary research involves collecting data through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, while secondary research involves analyzing existing data and reports.
• Identify the target market and gather demographic information such as age, gender, income, and location.
• Assess the industry trends and growth potential. Look for opportunities and threats that may affect the business.
• Analyze the competition and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Determine how to differentiate the business from competitors.

Market research should be comprehensive and ongoing. It should provide insights into the customer's needs, preferences, and purchasing behaviors. This information can be used to develop a marketing strategy that targets the right audience with the right message.

Once the research has been conducted and analyzed, it is important to use this information to make informed decisions about the business. The research should guide the development of the business plan and help to determine the feasibility of the business.

Identify Target Market

What demographic will you be targeting? Who are your potential customers? Answering these questions is crucial in identifying your target market.

Your target market should be specific and narrowly defined . This allows you to create a more tailored marketing strategy, which will generate better results. For instance, instead of targeting homeowners in general, decide on a specific income bracket or location.

• Age and Gender: Determine the age range and gender of your potential customers.
• Location: Identify the geographical areas where your customers are located. This can be at the state, city, or neighborhood level.
• Income: Determine the income bracket of your potential customers. This will help you understand their spending habits and decide on pricing.
• Education: Identify the education level of your target market.
• Conduct surveys or research to understand your potential customers and their needs.
• Study your competitors' target market to help you determine your own target customers.
• Avoid targeting everyone. Your marketing budget will be better spent by targeting specific customers.

By identifying your target market, you will be able to craft a marketing strategy that focuses on the right audience. This will help you save money, time, and resources, and increase the success of your building materials store.

Analyze Competition

Analyzing competition is crucial to developing a successful business plan for a building materials store. Your competitors are businesses that offer similar products or services, target the same market, and operate in the same geographical area. Understanding their strengths and weaknesses can help you differentiate your business and gain a competitive advantage.

Start by identifying the major competitors in the market. Use online directories, search engines, and social media platforms to research their products, prices, marketing strategies, and customer reviews. Visit their websites and physical stores to get a sense of their operations, customer service, and ambiance.

• Take note of their inventory mix, pricing strategy, promotions, and value-added services.
• Look for gaps in their product offerings, underserved customer segments, or unaddressed customer needs.
• Observe their branding, packaging, and advertising messages to identify their unique selling proposition (USP).
• Engage with their customers through social media, forums, or surveys to understand their satisfaction levels, feedback, and expectations.

Compare your findings with your own business idea and identify the areas where you can differentiate yourself. It could be in terms of product quality, variety, availability, price, convenience, customer support, or expertise. Determine how you can communicate your USP through your marketing and sales efforts.

Also, assess the potential impact of new entrants, substitutes, or changes in the regulatory environment on your business and your competitors. It is important to have contingency plans and flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions.

Overall, analyzing competition is a crucial step in developing a solid business plan for a building materials store. It helps you understand the market dynamics, identify opportunities for differentiation, and prepare for challenges ahead.

Assess Customer Needs And Preferences

In order to create a successful business plan for a Building Materials Store, it is essential to assess customer needs and preferences . Knowing what customers want and need will help in creating a business that not only generates profits but also provides customer satisfaction.

One of the first steps in assessing customer needs and preferences is identifying the demographics of your target audience. This will help in determining what types of building materials will be in high demand and how to market the store effectively. Factors such as age, income level, location, and lifestyle can all influence customer preferences.

• Use surveys and questionnaires to gather information from potential customers.
• Research market trends and industry reports to gain insight into customer preferences.
• Take note of customer feedback and reviews on similar building materials stores to find areas for improvement.

Next, it is important to understand why customers choose to buy building materials. Are they looking to make repairs or improvements to their property? Are they builders or contractors in need of materials for a project? Understanding your customers' needs will help in determining what products to offer and how to market them.

Customers also value quality and value for money . Offering high-quality building materials at competitive prices will help in attracting and retaining customers. Additionally, providing convenient shopping options, such as online ordering and delivery, will appeal to busy customers who value their time.

• Consider offering loyalty rewards or discounts for repeat customers.
• Make sure your prices are competitive compared to similar building materials stores.
• Offer educational resources and expert advice on building materials to help customers make informed decisions.

Lastly, it is important to stay up-to-date on customer feedback and adjust your offerings accordingly. This can include adding new products, improving customer service, and optimizing the online shopping experience.

By taking the time to assess customer needs and preferences, a Building Materials Store can create a business plan that is tailored to the target audience and sets the foundation for long-term success.

Determine Location And Facilities Required

Choosing the right location for your building materials store is crucial to your success. The location should be easily accessible to your target market, with sufficient parking and loading facilities. It should also be large enough to accommodate your inventory, as well as your administrative and operational needs. Here are some important factors to consider when determining your location and facilities requirements .

• Demographics: Analyze the demographic profile of your target market, such as age, income, and lifestyle. Choose a location that is easily accessible to your target market.
• Competition: Research the competition in the area you are considering, and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Choose a location that is not already saturated with building materials stores.
• Accessibility: Consider the accessibility and visibility of your location. The store should be easy to find and access for customers, with adequate parking and loading facilities.
• Size: Determine the size of the store required to accommodate your inventory, administrative, and operational needs. The store should be large enough to accommodate future growth.
• Layout: Plan the layout of the store to optimize the flow of customers and inventory. Consider the placement of displays, checkout areas, and restrooms.
• Consider leasing versus purchasing a property, based on your financial resources and long-term goals.
• Work with an architect and construction contractor to design and build the store to match your needs and budget.
• Plan for the future by selecting a location that can accommodate future expansion or relocation, if necessary.

Ultimately, choosing the right location and facilities for your building materials store involves weighing multiple factors, each of which is necessary to achieve success. Take the time to carefully evaluate and plan for these requirements, and you will be well on your way to establishing a thriving store.

Determine Initial Capital Requirements

One of the essential steps in starting any business is determining the initial capital requirements. This process includes calculating the amount of money necessary to start and operate the business until it becomes self-sustainable. It helps the business owner to anticipate and plan for the costs associated with starting the business, including purchasing inventory, equipment, marketing, and onboarding expenses. Here are some steps to help you assess the initial capital requirements for your building materials store:

• Start with a solid business plan: A detailed business plan helps you evaluate the initial costs you will incur, and establish estimated revenue for the first months or year of operations.
• Look for mentorship or seek the services of a financial advisor:
• Go for reasonable startup cots: Try to stay reasonable as you estimate the initial capital requirements. Avoid overspending in the early stages of the business.

1. Calculate Initial Startup Costs: Start by estimating the initial startup costs based on your business plan. The startup costs will depend on your business size, location, and inventory costs. You should project expenses like rent, utilities, and legal fees. You will also need to consider expenses like marketing and branding costs, accounting and bookkeeping, website design, and maintenance costs.

2. Project Future Expenses: Project future expenses after operations begin to determine the amount of working capital that you will be required to keep on hand in order to accommodate expected cash flow. This should include projected cost of goods sold, which can be calculated based on past sales, anticipated trends, and market conditions.

3. Secure Funding: Once you have a clear idea of the startup expenses and working capital requirements, you can start seeking out funding options. This may include approaching angel investors, taking out business loans, crowdfunding, or seeking government grants for small businesses.

4. Review and Recalculate: After securing the initial funding, re-evaluate and recalculate your figures to ensure that you have enough capital to cover expenses for the first few months or years. This exercise helps you to identify potential limitations, financial constraints, and areas that may need changes.

Determining the initial capital required to start a building materials store is a crucial step for every aspiring entrepreneur. Proper planning and research can help you avoid financial constraints and cash-flow pressures in the early stages of the business.

Identify Suppliers And Establish Relationships

Once you have identified your target market and assessed their needs and preferences, it’s time to identify potential suppliers for your building materials store. The suppliers you choose will directly impact the quality and price of the products you offer. Therefore, it’s important to establish relationships with reliable suppliers who can provide you with top-quality materials and competitive pricing.

To begin identifying potential suppliers, research industry associations, suppliers directories, and online marketplaces. These resources can provide you with valuable information about your options, including contact information and pricing. Make a list of several potential suppliers and compare their product quality and pricing . Remember to consider not only the initial cost, but also any additional fees such as shipping or handling.

In addition to price and quality, consider the supplier’s reliability and reputation . Look for suppliers with a track record of delivering goods on time and in excellent condition. You may also want to consider partnering with a supplier who offers additional support, such as marketing or technical assistance, to help you succeed in your business.

Once you have identified a list of potential suppliers, the next step is to establish relationships . Start by reaching out to each supplier via phone or email. Introduce yourself and explain your business concept and needs. Ask any questions you have about their products and the ordering process. Be sure to ask about any minimum order requirements and the lead time for delivery.

• Consider starting with a small order to test the supplier’s quality and reliability before committing to a larger order.
• Consider negotiating a lower price for larger orders or for products you plan to sell frequently.
• Be open to establishing long-term partnerships with suppliers who meet your needs and expectations.

Once you have chosen your suppliers, be sure to keep the lines of communication open . Stay in touch regularly to ensure that you are up-to-date on new products and that your orders are processed and delivered in a timely manner. Building strong relationships with your suppliers can help you ensure the success of your building materials store for years to come.

Assess Regulatory Requirements And Obtain Necessary Licenses And Permits

Building materials stores are regulated by federal, state, and local laws, and it's crucial to meet all the regulatory requirements before opening for business. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in hefty fines or even the closure of your business.

The first step in this process is to hire an experienced attorney who can advise you on the relevant regulatory requirements and guide you through the process of obtaining necessary licenses and permits.

Here are a few tips to help you navigate this process smoothly:

• Identify the specific permits and licenses required for your building materials store at the federal, state, and local level.
• Prepare and submit all necessary paperwork on time to avoid delays in approval.
• Attend all required inspections, and ensure that your business complies with all regulations before opening for business.
• Stay updated on any changes in regulations that may affect your business, and adjust your operations accordingly.

Some of the common permits and licenses required for building materials stores include:

• Business license: This license verifies that your business is legal and registered with the government to operate in your area. Contact your local licensing office for information on how to apply.
• Sales tax permit: If your state collects sales tax on goods and services, you need to register for a sales tax permit. This permit allows you to collect and remit sales tax to the state.
• Building permit: A building permit is required if you plan to construct or alter your building's structure. Contact your local building department for more information on how to obtain a building permit.
• Zoning permit: A zoning permit verifies that your business is located in a designated commercial or industrial zone. Contact your local zoning office for information on how to obtain a zoning permit.
• Environmental permit: An environmental permit is required for businesses that produce or sell goods that may have environmental impacts, such as chemicals or hazardous materials. Contact your state environment department for information on how to obtain an environmental permit.

Make sure to obtain all necessary permits and licenses before opening your building materials store to avoid legal trouble. Once you're in compliance, you'll be able to focus on growing your business and providing excellent customer service.

Evaluate Staffing Needs And Plan Recruitment Process

As you plan to launch your online Building Materials Store, the human resource aspect is essential to ensuring a successful venture. Therefore, evaluating your staffing needs and planning the recruitment process is crucial to operationalizing your business plan. You want to find the right people who have the experience, skills, and work ethic to help you realize your business's goals. Here are some factors to consider:

• Identify required roles and responsibilities: You need to first identify the roles and responsibilities required to run your business. Initially, you may need personnel in customer service, sales, a web developer, digital marketer, and a logistics specialist for shipping and delivery.
• Determine job descriptions and qualifications: Having identified the roles, the next step is determining job descriptions for each based on their qualifications, experience, and responsibilities. Be clear about each position's scope, responsibilities, qualifications, and experience required.
• Plan your recruitment process: Once you have a clear understanding of the job description and the requirements, you can start planning your recruitment process, from advertising and sourcing candidates to the hiring and onboarding processes. Create a recruitment plan that includes job postings, recruitment channels, interviewing methods, and reference checks.
• Create a competitive salary and benefits package: To attract the best people, you need to offer a competitive salary and benefits package. Research industry pay scales, create a salary budget, and offer benefits that are attractive to potential employees, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.
• Consider hiring freelancers or contractors for some roles as needed.
• Utilize social media and industry job boards to advertise job openings and source potential employees.
• Conduct thorough background and reference checks before hiring employees.
• Develop an onboarding plan that includes training employees on your business's operations, policies, and procedures.

By taking the time to evaluate your staffing needs and plan your recruitment process, you can ensure that you find the right people to help you realize your business's goals. It's a critical aspect of launching a successful online Building Materials Store, and investing the right amount of time, effort, and resources in it will pay off in the long run.

Starting a building materials store, whether online or brick and mortar, requires careful planning and research. By following the 9 steps listed above, you can create a business plan that will help you navigate the challenges of the building materials industry. Remember to focus on your target market, assess your competitors and customer needs, and establish strong relationships with suppliers and regulatory authorities.

• Conduct market research
• Identify target market
• Analyze competition
• Assess customer needs and preferences
• Determine location and facilities required
• Determine initial capital requirements
• Identify suppliers and establish relationships
• Assess regulatory requirements and obtain necessary licenses and permits
• Evaluate staffing needs and plan recruitment process

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Construction Business Plan

Whatever construction work you do whether it be commercial construction, landscaping , maintenance or building construction, your services alone won’t be enough to attract investors and clients. With a business plan , companies will be able to attract potential investors to help get their company from the ground up. Construction companies in particular sometimes need investors to get their project up and running. How will they be able to do that? By presenting a construction business plan to them.

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What is a Construction Business Plan?

A construction business plan is a blueprint for how a construction company runs their operations. It contains information about the company itself and the construction services it provides. This business plan also contains the goals of the construction company as well as the business strategies used to achieve them. Content of a construction business plan also include safety plans and business procedures. Like all business plans it serves as a guide for the construction company on how to navigate in the world of business.

How to Create a Construction Business Plan?

According to a recent graph by Statista, the total spending of the United States has been going upwards from 2011 onwards. This means a lot of money can go in your company’s way especially once you get a hold of investors through an impressive construction business plan.

1. Create an Introduction to your Business

Everything that is important has to have a proper introduction. To get started with your business plan you need to write an introduction about your construction business first. Similar to a proposal you need to make a formal and a good impression with your readers when presenting the plan to them. Write a summary of your company; how it started, what it does, and where they currently operate. Write about the services your business provides but don’t go into the details just yet. Make it intriguing enough to make your readers want to read on.

2. State The Truth

When you are writing your construction business plan always remember to be truthful. False claims on your business plan may impress your readers at first. But when the truth is uncovered it can result in your business having a bad reputation and that can spell doom for your company . So make sure all your words are facts that can be backed up.

3. Fact Check and Include Documentation

Keeping in line with the previous step, take the time to fact check all your statements . When you are stating things about your company especially when it involves money and confidential information, make sure they are backed up by concrete evidence. Provide documentation as well as further proof when you write about your projects in your business plan so that means including photos and construction blueprints.

4. Include Your Strategies

This step is especially important when you are a startup company. When making your construction business plan write about the strategies that you have in order to reach the goals of your company. You can write about your marketing and financial strategies for a start. Write about the assets you have that enable you to achieve your plans such as the general contractors you have under your employ for example. Making this part allows you readers to know how you plan on bringing your company up and whether you have the means to achieve it.

How long does it take to write a construction business plan?

Creating a well thought out business plan for your construction company can take months depending on the knowledge you have and the detail you dedicate into making it.

How long should a construction business plan be?

A well written construction plan should take about 15 minutes to skim. In that time you should be able to convey everything important about your construction company. If it takes longer to read try to rework your plan by making it less wordy.

Who is the one who creates the construction business plan?

People who have a key position in the construction company are the ones who should be involved in creating the business plan . Somewhat such as the founder or CEO should be the one who usually prepares it but they can also be assisted by consultants with relevant knowledge.

Your construction business plan serves as a written blueprint on how to run your company. Give it a lot of thought when you are writing it down especially when you are going to use it to attract investors . With a well made plan you will be able to get even the most hesitant investors to work with your company. And with their help the clients will also be drawn to the company leading to more business and profit.

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How to Start a Sustainable Construction Materials Business

A sustainable construction materials business specializes in offering alternatives to traditional building materials. Whether recycled or reclaimed, such as steel or hardwoods, or harvested biomass, such as bamboo, straw or hemp, sustainable building materials companies are creating eco-safe options for our changing world.

Learn how to start your own Sustainable Construction Materials Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start a sustainable construction materials business by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Sustainable Construction Materials Business
• Form your Sustainable Construction Materials Business into a Legal Entity
• Register your Sustainable Construction Materials Business for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Sustainable Construction Materials Business
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Sustainable Construction Materials Business
• Get Sustainable Construction Materials Business Insurance
• Define your Sustainable Construction Materials Business Brand
• Create your Sustainable Construction Materials Business Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your sustainable construction materials business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your sustainable construction materials business?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening a sustainable construction materials business.

Although you will house some materials, you can start out as more of a distributor for sustainable materials. You’ll need a warehouse to stage orders and store some materials. You’ll also need some delivery trucks and flatbed semi or two, if you deliver large items, such as fully-built trusses or steel beams. You will also need to set up an office for logistics involving deliveries and receipts. As you grow in size, you may need more warehouse space and an expanded fleet of delivery vehicles.

What are the ongoing expenses for a sustainable construction materials business?

Most ongoing expenses are maintaining delivery vehicles and rent/mortgage on warehouses. Employee salaries and licensing and insurance will also regularly factor into annual expenses. 

Who is the target market?

Your target market will be building and construction managers who are looking for new and improved methods for construction. Sustainable options are comparable in price, sometimes better. Look for construction companies which mirror your own eco-friendly ideals. 

How does a sustainable construction materials business make money?

Sustainable construction materials businesses sell to contractors and clients in and associated with the building and construction industry. 

Material prices will fluctuate between type and market value. Most sustainable materials are very comparably priced to traditional materials. 

How much profit can a sustainable construction materials business make?

Sustainable construction materials companies can make a decent earning, once established. A successful company selling to residential and commercial crews can earn six figures annually.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Some sustainable building supply houses get in the business of reclaiming items from buildings set for demolition. Pulling seasoned lumber, stone and metal materials out for resale can offer another form of revenue and continues to close the waste circuit.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your sustainable construction materials business is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a Sustainable Construction Materials Business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting  SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a sustainable construction materials business

Sustainable building materials are often featured in traditional trade magazines and online forums. Your business should seek out similar avenues for advertising. Construction industries, both commercial and residential, still pay attention to magazines and papers about their business, so print ads can be effective, if you have the budget.

Online forums like websites and social media are also helpful, although not as likely to reach your target audience. Just the same, flood your pages with pictures and testimonials, regarding the products you offer.

The real advertising will occur between the builders in your area. Your products and your reputation will not go unknown and it’s important to manage that reputation, both of business and owner, carefully.

How to keep customers coming back

Your customers will come back because the products are good and you treat them right. Sell your integrity along with your products.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Owning and operating a sustainable building materials business is, in many ways, no different than a traditional building materials business. You have to know about building methods and materials, must be dedicated to servicing your clients, and should also understand and closely follow the ever-changing landscape of building materials. Ideally, a person who has owned or operated building supply houses, run a construction company, has experience starting up and running a business, or any combination would be well-suited for this business. 

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a sustainable construction materials business?

Most days will involve receiving, processing, and shipping orders for customers. The logistics department of your business will be critical. Additionally, you may be servicing some customers who visit your brick and mortar, if you operate a storefront. Finally, there will be a constant conversation with your vendors and suppliers to make sure products are in stock and available for shipping.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful sustainable construction materials business?

Building materials are always evolving and becoming better in quality and price. But, many current standards took a while to gain traction. Having strong communicative abilities will be necessary to promote your materials to new and existing customers. Part of that ability will lie in your knowledge of existing building materials. It is necessary to have extensive background knowledge of building materials and techniques to most effectively explain comparisons and critiques of sustainable building materials.

What is the growth potential for a sustainable construction materials business?

Currently, quite a few industries are experiencing a shift towards Green and renewable resources or practices. Awareness of natural resources is heightened and many future economists and prognosticators understand that traditional building methods aren’t nearly sustainable or energy efficient enough to continue past the near future.

The issue becomes selling new products to traditional-minded consumers. Lumber, cement, and brick have been building standards for so long, that the thought of using straw or hay seems unrealistic. This is where your growth potential exists, as the public has to be educated to the new possibilities, strengths, and applications of sustainable building materials.

With this in mind, growth predictions are positive, as long as the industry can sell itself.

Not sure if a sustainable construction materials business is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a sustainable construction materials business?

Conduct solid market research before launching this business! Although building materials are needed everywhere, some regions are going to be more resistant to these materials. Make sure you size your business, accordingly. If demand is specialized, offer half sustainable and half traditional.

• Find what is missing in your market and target those areas.
• Some cities have areas of town which specialize in renovations and historic preservations. You may want to consider more reclaimed wood options to meet the demands.
• Become an expert in the building materials you offer. 
• Create a website and social media presence to show off all of the things these new products can do, how similar they are to traditional, and how much superior they are to traditional materials.

How and when to build a team

Initially, you may be able to operate with a small staff, especially if you’re going to perform some of the deliveries and manage the office. Let your business exist successfully for three months before revisiting the idea of hiring more crew.

Useful Links

Real world examples.

• Eco Building Materials Revolutionizing Home Construction

Further Reading

• Sustainable Building Materials for a Greener Future
• Reasons You Should Use Sustainable Building Materials
• Green Building Materials

Additional Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Green Construction

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

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FACT SHEET: President   Biden Takes Action to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade   Practices

President Biden’s economic plan is supporting investments and creating good jobs in key sectors that are vital for America’s economic future and national security. China’s unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are threatening American businesses and workers. China is also flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports. In response to China’s unfair trade practices and to counteract the resulting harms, today, President Biden is directing his Trade Representative to increase tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on $18 billion of imports from China to protect American workers and businesses.   The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda has already catalyzed more than $860 billion in business investments through smart, public incentives in industries of the future like electric vehicles (EVs), clean energy, and semiconductors. With support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act, these investments are creating new American jobs in manufacturing and clean energy and helping communities that have been left behind make a comeback.   As President Biden says, American workers and businesses can outcompete anyone—as long as they have fair competition. But for too long, China’s government has used unfair, non-market practices. China’s forced technology transfers and intellectual property theft have contributed to its control of 70, 80, and even 90 percent of global production for the critical inputs necessary for our technologies, infrastructure, energy, and health care—creating unacceptable risks to America’s supply chains and economic security. Furthermore, these same non-market policies and practices contribute to China’s growing overcapacity and export surges that threaten to significantly harm American workers, businesses, and communities.   Today’s actions to counter China’s unfair trade practices are carefully targeted at strategic sectors—the same sectors where the United States is making historic investments under President Biden to create and sustain good-paying jobs—unlike recent proposals by Congressional Republicans that would threaten jobs and raise costs across the board. The previous administration’s trade deal with China  failed  to increase American exports or boost American manufacturing as it had promised. Under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs have been created and new factory construction has doubled after both fell under the previous administration, and the trade deficit with China is the lowest in a decade—lower than any year under the last administration.   We will continue to work with our partners around the world to strengthen cooperation to address shared concerns about China’s unfair practices—rather than undermining our alliances or applying indiscriminate 10 percent tariffs that raise prices on all imports from all countries, regardless whether they are engaged in unfair trade. The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes the benefits for our workers and businesses from strong alliances and a rules-based international trade system based on fair competition.   Following an in-depth review by the United States Trade Representative, President Biden is taking action to protect American workers and American companies from China’s unfair trade practices. To encourage China to eliminate its unfair trade practices regarding technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation, the President is directing increases in tariffs across strategic sectors such as steel and aluminum, semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, critical minerals, solar cells, ship-to-shore cranes, and medical products.   Steel and Aluminum   The tariff rate on certain steel and aluminum products under Section 301 will increase from 0–7.5% to 25% in 2024.   Steel is a vital sector for the American economy, and American companies are leading the future of clean steel. Recently, the Biden-Harris Administration announced $6 billion for 33 clean manufacturing projects including for steel and aluminum, including the first new primary aluminum smelter in four decades, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These investments will make the United States one of the first nations in the world to convert clean hydrogen into clean steel, bolstering the U.S. steel industry’s competitiveness as the world’s cleanest major steel producer.   American workers continue to face unfair competition from China’s non-market overcapacity in steel and aluminum, which are among the world’s most carbon intensive. China’s policies and subsidies for their domestic steel and aluminum industries mean high-quality, low-emissions U.S. products are undercut by artificially low-priced Chinese alternatives produced with higher emissions. Today’s actions will shield the U.S. steel and aluminum industries from China’s unfair trade practices.   Semiconductors   The tariff rate on semiconductors will increase from 25% to 50% by 2025.   China’s policies in the legacy semiconductor sector have led to growing market share and rapid capacity expansion that risks driving out investment by market-driven firms. Over the next three to five years, China is expected to account for almost half of all new capacity coming online to manufacture certain legacy semiconductor wafers. During the pandemic, disruptions to the supply chain, including legacy chips, led to price spikes in a wide variety of products, including automobiles, consumer appliances, and medical devices, underscoring the risks of overreliance on a few markets.   Through the CHIPS and Science Act, President Biden is making a nearly $53 billion investment in American semiconductor manufacturing capacity, research, innovation, and workforce. This will help counteract decades of disinvestment and offshoring that has reduced the United States’ capacity to manufacture semiconductors domestically. The CHIPS and Science Act includes $39 billion in direct incentives to build, modernize, and expand semiconductor manufacturing fabrication facilities as well as a 25% investment tax credit for semiconductor companies. Raising the tariff rate on semiconductors is an important initial step to promote the sustainability of these investments.   Electric Vehicles (EVs)   The tariff rate on electric vehicles under Section 301 will increase from 25% to 100% in 2024.   With extensive subsidies and non-market practices leading to substantial risks of overcapacity, China’s exports of EVs grew by 70% from 2022 to 2023—jeopardizing productive investments elsewhere. A 100% tariff rate on EVs will protect American manufacturers from China’s unfair trade practices.   This action advances President Biden’s vision of ensuring the future of the auto industry will be made in America by American workers. As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Administration is incentivizing the development of a robust EV market through business tax credits for manufacturing of batteries and production of critical minerals, consumer tax credits for EV adoption, smart standards, federal investments in EV charging infrastructure, and grants to supply EV and battery manufacturing. The increase in the tariff rate on electric vehicles will protect these investments and jobs from unfairly priced Chinese imports.   Batteries, Battery Components and Parts, and Critical Minerals   The tariff rate on lithium-ion EV batteries will increase from 7.5%% to 25% in 2024, while the tariff rate on lithium-ion non-EV batteries will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2026. The tariff rate on battery parts will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2024.   The tariff rate on natural graphite and permanent magnets will increase from zero to 25% in 2026. The tariff rate for certain other critical minerals will increase from zero to 25% in 2024.   Despite rapid and recent progress in U.S. onshoring, China currently controls over 80 percent of certain segments of the EV battery supply chain, particularly upstream nodes such as critical minerals mining, processing, and refining. Concentration of critical minerals mining and refining capacity in China leaves our supply chains vulnerable and our national security and clean energy goals at risk. In order to improve U.S. and global resiliency in these supply chains, President Biden has invested across the U.S. battery supply chain to build a sufficient domestic industrial base. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Defense Production Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris Administration has invested nearly $20 billion in grants and loans to expand domestic production capacity of advanced batteries and battery materials. The Inflation Reduction Act also contains manufacturing tax credits to incentivize investment in battery and battery material production in the United States. The President has also established the American Battery Materials Initiative, which will mobilize an all-of-government approach to secure a dependable, robust supply chain for batteries and their inputs.   Solar Cells   The tariff rate on solar cells (whether or not assembled into modules) will increase from 25% to 50% in 2024.   The tariff increase will protect against China’s policy-driven overcapacity that depresses prices and inhibits the development of solar capacity outside of China. China has used unfair practices to dominate upwards of 80 to 90% of certain parts of the global solar supply chain, and is trying to maintain that status quo. Chinese policies and nonmarket practices are flooding global markets with artificially cheap solar modules and panels, undermining investment in solar manufacturing outside of China.   The Biden-Harris Administration has made historic investments in the U.S. solar supply chain, building on early U.S. government-enabled research and development that helped create solar cell technologies. The Inflation Reduction Act provides supply-side tax incentives for solar components, including polysilicon, wafers, cells, modules, and backsheet material, as well as tax credits and grant and loan programs supporting deployment of utility-scale and residential solar energy projects. As a result of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, solar manufacturers have already announced nearly $17 billion in planned investment under his Administration—an 8-fold increase in U.S. manufacturing capacity, enough to supply panels for millions of homes each year by 2030.   Ship-to-Shore Cranes   The tariff rate on ship-to-shore cranes will increase from 0% to 25% in 2024.   The Administration continues to deliver for the American people by rebuilding the United States’ industrial capacity to produce port cranes with trusted partners. A 25% tariff rate on ship-to-shore cranes will help protect U.S. manufacturers from China’s unfair trade practices that have led to excessive concentration in the market. Port cranes are essential pieces of infrastructure that enable the continuous movement and flow of critical goods to, from, and within the United States, and the Administration is taking action to mitigate risks that could disrupt American supply chains. This action also builds off of ongoing work to invest in U.S. port infrastructure through the President’s Investing in America Agenda. This port security initiative includes bringing port crane manufacturing capabilities back to the United States to support U.S. supply chain security and encourages ports across the country and around the world to use trusted vendors when sourcing cranes or other heavy equipment.   Medical Products   The tariff rates on syringes and needles will increase from 0% to 50% in 2024. For certain personal protective equipment (PPE), including certain respirators and face masks, the tariff rates will increase from 0–7.5% to 25% in 2024. Tariffs on rubber medical and surgical gloves will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2026.   These tariff rate increases will help support and sustain a strong domestic industrial base for medical supplies that were essential to the COVID-19 pandemic response, and continue to be used daily in every hospital across the country to deliver essential care. The federal government and the private sector have made substantial investments to build domestic manufacturing for these and other medical products to ensure American health care workers and patients have access to critical medical products when they need them. American businesses are now struggling to compete with underpriced Chinese-made supplies dumped on the market, sometimes of such poor quality that they may raise safety concerns for health care workers and patients.   Today’s announcement reflects President Biden’s commitment to always have the back of American workers. When faced with anticompetitive, unfair practices from abroad, the President will deploy any and all tools necessary to protect American workers and industry.  

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Commercial Contractor Business Plan

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Twin Brothers Construction

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

Twin Brothers Construction (TBC) plans to become a leading provider of construction and renovation services in the local area. The company’s overall strategy will be based on a continuing improvement process of setting objectives, measuring results, and providing feedback to facilitate further growth and progress.

TBC is a company, with principal offices located in the local area. The company’s management is highly experienced and qualified: the brothers who will lead the management team have each accumulated over twenty five years of experience in the construction industry.

Products/Services Through their years of experience, TBC’s owners have developed sophisticated bidding, scheduling and materials solutions for some of the most complex construction projects being done today. The company will use versatile and completely adaptable methods for a variety of building configurations.

Owners, developers, construction managers, general contractors, and sub-contractors are expected to realize substantial savings in labor and material costs by using the company’s construction methods and systems. Applications include commercial and residential structures.

The Market The housing industry has been growing at a fast pace for several years. An all-time record was set in 1998, when 886,000 new-site single family homes were sold. That represented a 10% gain from the robust total of 804,000 homes sold in 1997. Although there was a slight drop in the number from 2003, this makes for an excellent opportunity for future expansion of the industry.

Twin Brothers Construction plans to rapidly develop marketing alliances with industry leaders and pursue new sales of its services to residential and commercial builders. The marketing strategy will focus on securing city, county, and state and federal government contracts.

TBC plans to use a direct sales force, relationship selling, and sub-contractors to reach its target markets. These channels are most appropriate because of time to market, reduced capital requirements, and fast access to established distribution channels.

Financial Considerations We expect to pass the break-even point in the second half of the first year. Despite initial large outlays in cash to promote sales, the company’s cash account is expected to remain healthy. The company expects approximately $772,000 in sales revenue and reasonable net profits by Year 3.

1.1 Mission

Our mission is to be the best partner for our customers, suppliers and employees. To realize our vision, we will strive for profitable growth, operational excellence, customer satisfaction and strong brand positioning.

1.2 Objectives

• To have up to three construction projects established within the first year.
• To have two building renovation projects in progress by the end of the first year.
• To locate and purchase our first rental building by the end of the first year.
• To achieve at least 7% profit by the second year.

1.3 Keys to Success

We believe our keys to success will be:

• Using the most updated materials and equipment to assure quality construction projects for ourselves and our customers.
• Educating the customers and providing valuable advice during the construction planning stages.
• Helping to confirm customer’s research about targeting markets and specific sectors.
• Overseeing the logistics associated with a project, which can include arranging local transportation, booking meetings etc.
• Assigning the actual work to an experienced and qualified third-party contractors and sub-contractors.

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

The brothers will invest a total of $90,000 combined ($55,000 and $35,000) in the start-up of the company. Initial cash requirements will total $50,000. Start-up assets total $55,000.

2.1 Start-up Summary

The following table describes our start-up requirements. One of our biggest start-up expenses involves the creation of a website. Ongoing maintenance expenses for the website are included in our Profit and Loss expenses section.

2.2 Company Ownership

The company ownership will be shared by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in the following percentage amounts:

Chairman = 60%

Chief Executive Officer = 40%

Both owners are veterans in the building industry, each with over 25 years experience.

Products and Services

TBC will sell its services to clients in the area of commercial construction and renovation. The company’s staff will design specialized construction drawings that outline the schedule, work sequence and the materials needed for building and renovation construction projects. Owners, developers and general contractors will realize substantial savings in labor and material costs by using TBC’s customized performance methods. TBC’s methods will offer complete adaptability at cost-effective prices. The drawings that the company will furnish to the contractor will specify the order of assembly and erection, including the location of the strongbacks and joists, the location and actual loading of the ties, location of accessories and advise clients of the maximum allowable rate of concrete placement.

A longer-term service will be commercial building rental management. This will include the purchase of commercial building sites or existing buildings that need renovation, coordinating the construction/renovation, then managing the rental of the property. The company will also be looking for existing property owners whose properties need renovation to update and increase its income potential, with TBC eventually taking over the management of these properties on behalf of the owner. 

To enter the market with minimum overhead costs, TBC plans to utilize in the first year of operation mainly sub-contractors and independent experts for its building and renovation projects.

Accident prevention will be the cornerstone of TBC’s safety commitment. The company will strive to eliminate foreseeable hazards which could result in personal injury or illness; at TBC, health and safety will not be compromised. 

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

There were about 792,000 construction companies in the United States in 2002: 237,000 were building construction contractors; 60,000 were heavy and civil engineering construction or highway contractors; and 496,000 were specialty trade contractors. Most of these establishments tend to be small, the majority employing fewer than 10 workers. About 4 out of 5 workers are employed by small contractors.

Construction offers more opportunities than most other industries for individuals who want to own and run their own business. The 1.6 million self-employed and unpaid family workers in 2002 performed work directly for property owners or acted as contractors on small jobs, such as additions, remodeling, and maintenance projects. The rate of self-employment varies greatly by individual occupation in the construction trades.

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One longer-term field of operation for the company will be the selling of building material and components to contractors. By slowly establishing itself as a first-rate material provider, the company expects to broaden and strengthen its stance in the local building industry. Initially it will focus on purchasing supplies for its own construction and renovation projects, then use those completed projects as marketing examples to showcase the quality of materials used and the customized approach used to design and construct them.

The company plans to develop marketing alliances with industry leaders and pursue new sales of its services to commercial builders. The market strategy is to capitalize on the company’s future alliances by securing city, county, and state government contracts.

TBC also plans to use a direct sales force, relationship selling, and sub-contractors to reach its markets. These channels are most appropriate because of time to market, reduced capital requirements, and fast access to established distribution channels.

4.1 Market Segmentation

The overall Construction Industry was segmented in 2002 as follows (employment in thousands):

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (March 9, 2004)

For the purpose of this paper we shall segment our initial targeted market as follows:

• Office Building Construction
• Building Facilities Renovation
• General Construction

4.2 Service Business Analysis

The construction industry is divided into three major segments. Construction of buildings contractors, or general contractors , who build residential, industrial, commercial, and other buildings. Heavy and civil engineering construction contractors who build sewers, roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, and other projects. Specialty trade contractors who are engaged in specialized activities such as carpentry, painting, plumbing, and electrical work.

Construction usually is done or coordinated by general contractors, who specialize in one type of construction, such as residential or commercial building. They take full responsibility for the complete job, except for specified portions of the work that may be omitted from the general contract. Although general contractors may do a portion of the work with their own crews, they often sub-contract most of the work to heavy construction or specialty trade contractors.

Specialty trade contractors usually do the work of only one trade, such as painting, carpentry, or electrical work, or of two or more closely-related trades, such as plumbing and heating. Beyond fitting their work to that of the other trades, specialty trade contractors have no responsibility for the structure as a whole. They obtain orders for their work from general contractors, architects, or property owners. Repair work is almost always done on direct order from owners, occupants, architects, or rental agents.

Twin Brothers Construction will concentrate its activity in the following areas:

• Commercial Building Construction
• Commercial Building Renovation
• Buildings Management and Rental
• Building Materials Supplies

Strategy and Implementation Summary

TBC plans to use a direct sales force, relationship selling, and sub-contractors to reach its target markets. These channels are most appropriate because of time to market, reduced capital requirements, and fast access to established distribution channels. The owners of TBC want to emphasize to their potential customers that they are more than general contractors, they are complete construction coordinators.

TBC plans to advertise in magazines, newspapers, and radio. Initially a website with information on the company owners, their construction background, and contact information will be available online. References to the website will be mentioned in all other forms of advertising. Channels used to reach market segments include: sales associates, the Internet and direct mail.

In addition, The table and chart below outline the company’s sales forecast for FY2005-2007. In our sales forecasts, the cost of sales includes only direct labor costs.

5.1 Competitive Edge

The company plans to become a leading provider of construction services in the local area. To achieve this, TBC will invest in many ways that will pay off in competitive advantages for its customers, for example:

• Pre-job conferencing upon request
• Assist in technical or conceptual design
• Assist in supervision when other contractors are employed
• Organize project supervision facilities and staff
• Organize delivery of purchased materials
• Furnishing after-market products

5.2 Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy is the key to our success:

• Emphasize our name and unique services through advertising, including a Web page of contact information. An amount of $10,000 for the design of the website has been included in the Start-up expenses with ongoing maintenance costs estimated monthly.
• Focus on commercial building and renovation projects as our initial and primary target markets.
• Use completed projects to showcase our customized construction project management to prospective clients.  

5.3 Sales Strategy

Sales success requires planning. The company will formulate its sales strategy and tactics to achieve sales success by following these steps: 

Step 1 – Analyzing The Company’s Potential: Step through a structured process to help us develop a sales strategy.

Step 2 – Strategize Around Strengths: The description of sales activity will be analyzed to produce a report on factors impacting sales potential and ways to strengthen this potential.

Step 3 – Develop Tactics: Receive guidance to develop a comprehensive tactical plan to achieve success.

Step 4 – Measure Our Past Success: Develop key measurements that mark the progress of financial estimates that guide our growth.

Final Step – Employ An Action Plan for Success: Provide sales force with a tactical plan that is aligned with management’s strategic objectives.

5.3.1 Sales Forecast

The company will start its operation in the first year by focusing on two areas:

• Direct construction work
• Renovation of existing buildings

Starting later in the second year and continuing into the third year the following areas of operation will be added:

• Renting of Industrial Spaces
• Sale of components and other building materials and components

The following table details the forecasts.

5.4 Milestones

The milestones table describes the steps required for the beginning of operations. Steps might take longer than estimated, however the owners and the staff will do their utmost to adhere to this timetable.

Web Plan Summary

The cost to create a website has been included in start-up costs, with website maintenance costs included in our ongoing expenses. The initial website will have basic contact information and background about the company owners. Later, it will show information about current projects as well as completed projects as examples of what the company can do. Once the building materials portion of the business is well established, the website will expand to include an online store. At this point in the business plan, there are no estimates for the cost of this expansion and it will need to be researched and planned for more thoroughly at a later point.

It will take time before the initial cost outlay for the website will pay for itself in potential customers, but once established, it will provide a cost-effective way to communicate to new and existing customers.

We will mention our website address as part of our other advertising media.

6.1 Website Marketing Strategy

We hope to be able to secure links to our website from the local city and chamber of commerce websites as well as local construction-related websites that we can affiliate with.

6.2 Development Requirements

We will contract with a Website developer to initially design the look and information provided on the website. Our initial cost for this design also includes the first six months of website maintenance by the website developer. In October, we plan to hire a technician with experience in website maintenance to troubleshoot and maintain the Website internally.

Once the business has progressed, we will either increase this person’s hours from temporary to a full-time position, or we will hire a second temporary technical position to assist in the re-design and expansion of the website. Our long-term goal is to have an online store for the sale of building materials and components.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

The company’s management philosophy will be based on responsibility and mutual respect. Twin Brothers Construction will maintain an environment and structure that will encourage productivity and respect for customers and fellow employees.

TBC will be responsible to its employees and sub-contractors, the men and women who will work with the company throughout the state. At TBC everyone will be considered as an individual and the company will respect their dignity and recognize their merit. Employees will be encouraged to have a sense of security and pride in their jobs. Additionally, employees will be free to make suggestions and complaints. The company will afford equal opportunity for employment, development, and advancement for those qualified.

TBC employees will be committed to:

• Providing a safe work environment to protect employees, the employees of customers and sub-contractors, and the public.
• Supplying safe products for customers.
• Continuously improving the company’s safety program to reduce the risk of accidents and occupational illness in a changing work environment.
• Encouraging employees to participate in accident prevention programs and take personal responsibility for their own and their co-workers’ health and safety.
• Regulatory compliance and contribution to high safety standards for our industry.
• Monitoring workplaces, enforcing safe work practices, and communicating the company’s safety performance to employees and other stakeholders.
• Making safety a value-added service that the company provides to its customers.

The company is planning to expand its personnel to add more job superintendents as soon as the number of projects increases. These superintendents will have the following duties:

Direct supervision of all work at the job sites:

• Quality Control
• Scheduling sub-contractors and material deliveries  
• Verifying and insuring that all work is done in accordance with plans
• Insuring that all work is performed in accordance with all OSHA guidelines

7.1 Personnel Plan

The personnel plan is based on the two owners to guide and oversee the operations that will be managed by themselves. Having been in business for over 25 years, they have agreed to draw very low salaries for the first two years to offset some of the initial expenses in starting the business. 

For the first year, the company will hire temporary and part-time employees and sub-contract with consultants and construction professionals to perform the variety of tasks needed. Also, our contracted construction personnel expenses are reflected in our Sales Forecast as cost of sales, not part of our personnel table, since they will not be regular employees of the business.

TBC will be committed to conducting business in a manner that protects the health and safety of all employees, customers, and persons living in the community where it operates. To accomplish this, the company will ensure that it complies with current Health Administration and Occupational Health and Safety laws and will maintain its operations, procedures, technologies, and policies accordingly.

Each employee will have the responsibility to fully comply with established safety rules and to perform work in such a manner as to prevent injuries to themselves and others. TBC will be very concerned about job-site safety and plans to set up a comprehensive safety program.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

The brothers have long-term experience in the local construction industry. They are willing to invest heavily in this new company and their accumulated experience will insure success for the new venture. It will be important to watch closely the salaries and regular expenses to assure that the company will not suffer from lack of sufficient cash to fund its operations.

• We assume a conservative entrance and steady growth in the market.
• We assume a slow financial progress based on initially conservative sales against highest expenses.
• We assume there will not be an economic crash that would greatly hinder our target market’s access to their personal luxury finds.

The following sections describe the financials for TBC:

8.1 Projected Profit and Loss

Twin Brothers Construction is in the early stage of development, thus initial projections have only been made based on the sales projections and efficient cost control measures in place. Our first year monthly net profits will become positive by October, but we will still close the year with negative profit. This is primarily because of personnel expenses, which include salaries and the cost of sales for sub-contractors.

8.2 Break-even Analysis

During the first year of operations, the break-even monthly sales volume is estimated as shown below. Our average percent variable reflects our cost of sales which covers contracted construction payroll costs.

8.3 Projected Cash Flow

8.4 Projected Balance Sheet

The following table outlines our Balance Sheet.

8.5 Business Ratios

The following Ratios table includes industry profile comparison ratios for Commercial and Office Building Contractors (Standard Industry Code #1542).

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News Roundup Spring 2024

CEGE Spring Graduation Celebration and Order of the Engineer

Forty-seven graduates of the undergraduate and grad student programs (pictured above) in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering took part in the Order of the Engineer on graduation day. Distinguished Speakers at this departmental event included Katrina Kessler (MS EnvE 2021), Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and student Brian Balquist. Following this event, students participated in the college-wide Commencement Ceremony at 3M Arena at Mariucci. 

UNIVERSITY & DEPARTMENT

The University of Minnesota’s Crookston, Duluth, and Rochester campuses have been awarded the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, joining the Twin Cities (2006, 2015) and Morris campuses (2015), and making the U of M the country’s first and only university system at which every individual campus has received this selective designation. Only 368 from nearly 4,000 qualifying U.S. universities and colleges have been granted this designation.

CEGE contributed strongly to the College of Science and Engineering’s efforts toward sustainability research. CEGE researchers are bringing in over $35 million in funded research to study carbon mineralization, nature and urban areas, circularity of water resources, and global snowfall patterns. This news was highlighted in the Fall 2023 issue of  Inventing Tomorrow  (pages 10-11). https://issuu.com/inventingtomorrow/docs/fall_2023_inventing_tomorrow-web

CEGE’s new program for a one-year master’s degree in structural engineering is now accepting applicants for Fall 2024. We owe a big thanks to DAN MURPHY and LAURA AMUNDSON for their volunteer work to help curate the program with Professor JIA-LIANG LE and EBRAHIM SHEMSHADIAN, the program director. Potential students and companies interested in hosting a summer intern can contact Ebrahim Shemshadian ( [email protected] ).

BERNIE BULLERT , CEGE benefactor and MN Water Research Fund founder, was profiled on the website of the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF). There you can read more about his mission to share clean water technologies with smaller communities in Minnesota. Many have joined Bullert in this mission. MWRF Recognizes their Generous 2024 Partners. Gold Partners: Bernie Bullert, Hawkins, Inc., Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and SL-serco. Silver Partners: ISG, Karl and Pam Streed, Kasco, Kelly Lange-Haider and Mark Haider, ME Simpson, Naeem Qureshi, Dr. Paul H. Boening, TKDA, and Waterous. Bronze Partners: Bruce R. Bullert; Brenda Lenz, Ph.D., APRN FNP-C, CNE; CDM Smith; Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA MN); Heidi and Steve Hamilton; Jim “Bulldog” Sadler; Lisa and Del Cerney; Magney Construction; Sambatek; Shannon and John Wolkerstorfer; Stantec; and Tenon Systems.

After retiring from Baker-Tilly,  NICK DRAGISICH  (BCE 1977) has taken on a new role: City Council member in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. After earning his BCE from the University of Minnesota, Dragisich earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas. Dragisich retired in May from his position as managing director at Baker Tilly, where he had previously served as firm director. Prior to that, he served as assistant city manager in Spokane, Washington, was the city administrator and city engineer in Virginia, Minnesota, and was mayor of Chisholm, Minnesota—all adding up to more than 40 years of experience in local government. Dragisich was selected by a unanimous vote. His current term expires in December 2024.

PAUL F. GNIRK  (Ph.D. 1966) passed away January 29, 2024, at the age of 86. A memorial service was held Saturday, February 24, at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T), where he started and ended his teaching career, though he had many other positions, professional and voluntary. In 2018 Paul was inducted into the SDSM&T Hardrocker Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame, joining his mother Adeline S. Gnirk, who had been inducted in 1987 for her work authoring nine books on the history of south central South Dakota.

ROGER M. HILL  (BCE 1957) passed away on January 13, 2024, at the age of 90. His daughter, Kelly Robinson, wrote to CEGE that Roger was “a dedicated Gopher fan until the end, and we enjoyed many football games together in recent years. Thank you for everything.”

KAUSER JAHAN  (Ph.D. 1993, advised by Walter Maier), PE, is now a civil and environmental engineering professor and department head at Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering. Jahan was awarded a 3-year (2022- 2025), $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The grant supports her project, “WaterWorks: Developing the New Generation of Workforce for Water/Wastewater Utilities,” for the development of educational tools that will expose and prepare today’s students for careers in water and wastewater utilities.

SAURA JOST  (BCE 2010, advised by Timothy LaPara) was elected to the St. Paul City Council for Ward 3. She is part of the historic group of women that make up the nation’s first all-female city council in a large city.

The 2024 ASCE Western Great Lakes Student Symposium combines several competitions for students involved in ASCE. CEGE sent a large contingent of competitors to Chicago. Each of the competition groups won awards: Ethics Paper 1st place Hans Lagerquist; Sustainable Solutions team 1st place overall in (qualifying them for the National competition in Utah in June); GeoWall 2nd place overall; Men’s Sprint for Concrete Canoe with rowers Sakthi Sundaram Saravanan and Owen McDonald 2nd place; Product Prototype for Concrete Canoe 2nd place; Steel Bridge (200 lb bridge weight) 2nd place in lightness; Scavenger Hunt 3rd place; and Aesthetics and Structural Efficiency for Steel Bridge 4th place.

Students competing on the Minnesota Environmental Engineers, Scientists, and Enthusiasts (MEESE) team earned second place in the Conference on the Environment undergraduate student design competition in November 2023. Erin Surdo is the MEESE Faculty Adviser. Pictured are NIKO DESHPANDE, ANNA RETTLER, and SYDNEY OLSON.

The CEGE CLASS OF 2023 raised money to help reduce the financial barrier for fellow students taking the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, a cost of $175 per test taker. As a result of this gift, they were able to make the exam more affordable for 15 current CEGE seniors. CEGE students who take the FE exam pass the first time at a rate well above national averages, demonstrating that CEGE does a great job of teaching engineering fundamentals. In 2023, 46 of 50 students passed the challenging exam on the first try.

This winter break, four CEGE students joined 10 other students from the College of Science and Engineering for the global seminar, Design for Life: Water in Tanzania. The students visited numerous sites in Tanzania, collected water source samples, designed rural water systems, and went on safari. Read the trip blog: http://globalblogs.cse.umn.edu/search/label/Tanzania%202024

Undergraduate Honor Student  MALIK KHADAR  (advised by Dr. Paul Capel) received honorable mention for the Computing Research Association (CRA) Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award for undergraduate students who show outstanding research potential in an area of computing research.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

AKASH BHAT  (advised by William Arnold) presented his Ph.D. defense on Friday, October 27, 2023. Bhat’s thesis is “Photolysis of fluorochemicals: Tracking fluorine, use of UV-LEDs, and computational insights.” Bhat’s work investigating the degradation of fluorinated compounds will assist in the future design of fluorinated chemicals such that persistent and/or toxic byproducts are not formed in the environment.

ETHAN BOTMEN  (advised by Bill Arnold) completed his Master of Science Final Exam February 28, 2024. His research topic was Degradation of Fluorinated Compounds by Nucleophilic Attack of Organo-fluorine Functional Groups.

XIATING CHEN , Ph.D. Candidate in Water Resources Engineering at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory is the recipient of the 2023 Nels Nelson Memorial Fellowship Award. Chen (advised by Xue Feng) is researching eco-hydrological functions of urban trees and other green infrastructure at both the local and watershed scale, through combined field observations and modeling approaches.

ALICE PRATES BISSO DAMBROZ  has been a Visiting Student Researcher at the University of Minnesota since last August, on a Doctoral Dissertation Research Award from Fulbright. Her CEGE advisor is Dr. Paul Capel. Dambroz is a fourth year Ph.D. student in Soil Science at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria in Brazil, where she studies with her adviser Jean Minella. Her research focuses on the hydrological monitoring of a small agricultural watershed in Southern Brazil, which is located on a transition area between volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Its topography, shallow soils, and land use make it prone to runoff and erosion processes.

Yielding to people in crosswalks should be a very pedestrian topic. Yet graduate student researchers  TIANYI LI, JOSHUA KLAVINS, TE XU, NIAZ MAHMUD ZAFRI  (Dept.of Urban and Regional Planning at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), and Professor Raphael Stern found that drivers often do not yield to pedestrians, but they are influenced by the markings around a crosswalk. Their work was picked up by the  Minnesota Reformer.

TIANYI LI  (Ph.D. student advised by Raphael Stern) also won the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation (DDET) Fellowship for the third time! Li (center) and Stern (right) are pictured at the Federal Highway Administration with Latoya Jones, the program manager for the DDET Fellowship.

The Three Minute Thesis Contest and the Minnesota Nice trophy has become an annual tradition in CEGE. 2023’s winner was  EHSANUR RAHMAN , a Ph.D. student advised by Boya Xiong.

GUANJU (WILLIAM) WEI , a Ph.D. student advised by Judy Yang, is the recipient of the 2023 Heinz G. Stefan Fellowship. He presented his research entitled Microfluidic Investigation of the Biofilm Growth under Dynamic Fluid Environments and received his award at the St. Anthony Falls Research Laboratory April 9. The results of Wei's research can be used in industrial, medical, and scientific fields to control biofilm growth.

BILL ARNOLD  stars in an award-winning video about prairie potholes. The Prairie Potholes Project film was made with the University of Delaware and highlights Arnold’s NSF research. The official winners of the 2024 Environmental Communications Awards Competition Grand Prize are Jon Cox and Ben Hemmings who produced and directed the film. Graduate student Marcia Pacheco (CFANS/LAAS) and Bill Arnold are the on-screen stars.

Four faculty from CEGE join the Center for Transportation Studies Faculty and Research Scholars for FY24–25:  SEONGJIN CHOI, KETSON ROBERTO MAXIMIANO DOS SANTOS, PEDRAM MORTAZAVI,  and  BENJAMIN WORSFOLD . CTS Scholars are drawn from diverse fields including engineering, planning, computer science, environmental studies, and public policy.

XUE FENG  is coauthor on an article in  Nature Reviews Earth and Environment . The authors evaluate global plant responses to changing rainfall regimes that are now characterized by fewer and larger rainfall events. A news release written at Univ. of Maryland can be found here: https://webhost.essic. umd.edu/april-showers-bring-mayflowers- but-with-drizzles-or-downpours/ A long-running series of U of M research projects aimed at improving stormwater quality are beginning to see practical application by stormwater specialists from the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. JOHN GULLIVER has been studying best practices for stormwater management for about 16 years. Lately, he has focused specifically on mitigating phosphorous contamination. His research was highlighted by the Center for Transportation Studies.

JIAQI LI, BILL ARNOLD,  and  RAYMOND HOZALSKI  published a paper on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors in Minnesota rivers. “Animal Feedlots and Domestic Wastewater Discharges are Likely Sources of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) Precursors in Midwestern Watersheds,” Environmental Science and Technology (January 2024) doi: 10.1021/acs. est.3c09251

ALIREZA KHANI  contributed to MnDOT research on Optimizing Charging Infrastructure for Electric Trucks. Electric options for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks (e-trucks) are still largely in development. These trucks account for a substantial percentage of transportation greenhouse gas emissions. They have greater power needs and different charging needs than personal EVs. Proactively planning for e-truck charging stations will support MnDOT in helping to achieve the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. This research was featured in the webinar “Electrification of the Freight System in Minnesota,” hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies. A recording of the event is now available online.

MICHAEL LEVIN  has developed a unique course for CEGE students on Air Transportation Systems. It is the only class at UMN studying air transportation systems from an infrastructure design and management perspective. Spring 2024 saw the third offering of this course, which is offered for juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Research Professor  SOFIA (SONIA) MOGILEVSKAYA  has been developing international connections. She visited the University of Seville, Spain, November 13–26, 2023, where she taught a short course titled “Fundamentals of Homogenization in Composites.” She also met with the graduate students to discuss collaborative research with Prof. Vladislav Mantic, from the Group of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis at the University of Seville. Her visit was a part of planned activities within the DIAGONAL Consortium funded by the European Commission. CEGE UMN is a partner organization within DIAGONAL, represented by CEGE professors Mogilevskaya and Joseph Labuz. Mantic will visit CEGE summer 2024 to follow up on research developments and discuss plans for future collaboration and organization of short-term exchange visits for the graduate students from each institution. 

DAVID NEWCOMB  passed away in March. He was a professor in CEGE from 1989–99 in the area of pavement engineering. Newcomb led the research program on asphalt materials characterization. He was the technical director of Mn/ROAD pavement research facility, and he started an enduring collaboration with MnDOT that continues today. In 2000, he moved from Minnesota to become vice-president for Research and Technology at the National Asphalt Pavement Association. Later he moved to his native Texas, where he was appointed to the division head of Materials and Pavement at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, a position from which he recently retired. He will be greatly missed.

PAIGE NOVAK  won Minnesota ASCE’s 2023 Distinguished Engineer of the Year Award for her contributions to society through her engineering achievements and professional experiences.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced ten inaugural (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines awards, with a potential $1.6 billion investment nationally over the next decade. Great Lakes ReNEW is led by the Chicago-based water innovation hub,  Current,  and includes a team from the University of Minnesota, including PAIGE NOVAK. Current will receive $15 mil for the first two years, and up to $160 million over ten years to develop and grow a water-focused innovation engine in the Great Lakes region. The project’s ambitious plan is to create a decarbonized circular “blue economy” to leverage the region’s extraordinary water resources to transform the upper Midwest—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Brewing one pint of beer generates seven pints of wastewater, on average. So what can you do with that wastewater?  PAIGE NOVAK  and her team are exploring the possibilities of capturing pollutants in wastewater and using bacteria to transform them into energy.

BOYA XIONG  has been selected as a recipient of the 2024 40 Under 40 Recognition Program by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. The award was presented at the 2024 AAEES Awards Ceremony, April 11, 2024, at the historic Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

JUDY Q. YANG  received a McKnight Land-Grant Professorship Award. This two-year award recognizes promising assistant professors and is intended to advance the careers of individuals who have the potential to make significant contributions to their departments and their scholarly fields. 

Professor Emeritus CHARLES FAIRHURST , his son CHARLES EDWARD FAIRHURST , and his daughter MARGARET FAIRHURST DURENBERGER were on campus recently to present Department Head Paige Novak with a check for $25,000 for the Charles Fairhurst Fellowship in Earth Resources Engineering in support of graduate students studying geomechanics. The life of Charles Fairhurst through a discussion with his children is featured on the Engineering and Technology History Wiki at https://ethw.org/Oral-History:Charles_Fairhurst#00:00:14_INTRODUCTION

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