<p>hello, me and a few guys are thinking of starting a construction firm.</p>
<p>one would be architect, one would be an equipment mover, and I myself would be the civil engineer.</p>
<p>does anyone know if this would be a good route? how can we settle into this plan? and do firm owners make good money?</p>
<p>thanks a bunch guys :)</p>
<p>Considering you’re asking on here with what sounds like a naive, at best, business plan, I don’t think you’ll see much success. There is a lot that goes into starting a construction company beyond just finding two others who say they want to start a company. Where would you get the capital to start this business? Are you absolutely sure your two partners are actually committed to starting a business and seeing it through, even if it means going through some bad times? What kind of permits/licenses will you need and what will it take to earn them? There are tons of questions that you need to know the answer to if you’re going to succeed.</p>
<p>If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. We put a man on the moon, I think you can start a construction firm. There’ll be a hundred naysayers for every person who says it’s a good idea for any business plan.</p>
<p>Bad time to be starting a construction company. US seems to have a large oversupply of housing right now that I think will take a good 5-10 years to get closer to the equilibrium. Although if the housing numbers coming out are more based on consumer confidence and savings, then it could be just a couple of years before things turn around. </p>
<p>Either way, you’ve got plenty of time to do research (6 months), formulate a business plan and get a business license (12-18 months), and acquire start-up capital (6-12 months). </p>
<p>I will tell you though, our country desperately needs people with the entrepreneurial mindset so even if it takes you a while I say don’t give up on your idea.</p>
<p>It sounds like you want to create a company that does everything, which is pretty tough. Most small construction firms are homebuilders (small 1 or 2 family houses) and typically don’t require an engineer. An architect is needed only if the client doesn’t want to pick a floor plan from a catalog or plan book. Essentially, you’d just be a contractor and wouldn’t be using your skills and knowledge to your full potential. A college degree is not required.</p>
<p>Companies that build on a larger scale typically specialize in one area, whether it be civil engineering, MEP engineering, architecture, or construction. The only ones I can think of who might do this are multi-billion dollar international firms and tract builders (they’re the ones who build entire communities and every house is identical aka cookie cutter houses). On my current project, I estimate there are 200 organizations involved including the design team, contractors, ownership, and suppliers. </p>
<p>Another thing to take into consideration is that to be a registered architect, you have to spend time working under another registered architect for a couple of years as an “intern” after college. The same goes for professional engineers. </p>
<p>As others mentioned, you’ll need significant capital to start a construction company for tools, equipment, material, fees, insurance, etc. It’s not chump change.</p>
<p>I will flat out guarantee you that you will NOT be able to successfully start this company until you each of you guys have a decade of experience in the industry first. When you graduate college, there will still be lots to learn in the field. College only teaches you the fundamentals. Then you have to know your local building code. The NYC Building Code itself is 900 pages, and then there’s the plumbing code, mechanical code, and fire code. It’s a lot to digest.</p>
<p>I just checked your profile and it says you’re 15? It’s great that you’re thinking ahead, but take it one step at a time buddy. Here’s a simple 7 step plan for you for the next 15-20 years:</p>
<ol>
<li>High school graduation</li>
<li>College graduation</li>
<li>Get a job in architecture/engineering/construction</li>
<li>Get your RA/PE.</li>
<li>Develop business relationships.</li>
<li>Raise capital</li>
<li>Start your company.</li>
</ol>