CCB Makes Continuing Education Easy

After renewing my CCB license there was a post card type of advertisement with a question, "Did You Know?"

What I didn't know is that the CCB now requires residential specialty contractors to take continuing education courses. So now I do and have started my CE with the CCB. One thing for sure is that the CCB has made online CE so very easy to use. Videos that have the class broken down into segments with a few questions on the topic after every short video. This kind of CE can be done in the comfort of your living room, bedroom, or even at the office. The point here is that CE with the CCB has been made really easy for us to use.

I was able to print off my first certificate of completion, I can manage my CCB license from the comfort of my living room with just a couple key strokes on the keyboard, I can even sign up for a e-newsletter delivered right to my box quarterly, also see up to date information as it happens. It's like having all the latest news updates that the CCB has to offer right at your fingertips.

Here is the web site address for those of you in Oregon seeking to file for your CCB license. It is www.oregon.gov/ccb

Contractors can monitor the license status of subcontractors online. This one here is huge for those general contractors having to sub the work out. Even in preparing the bid to get accurate numbers to place in the proposal. What if you used some numbers for a proposal from a said contractor that wasn't licensed as a sub and you used their numbers for your proposal. You get the job and now have to hire a more expensive firm because the numbers you used were from an unlicensed subcontractor. There goes the profit margin.

I was always told that preparation in 95% of the job. And preparation starts at the estimate. If the estimate is prepared properly nine times out of ten the job will go according as planned because even if there is the slightest of unforeseen issues there has been enough built in for the contingency.

Education is important and continuing education as we grow older is just as important as the continuing education provided on the CCB web site. Courses are affordable and there are plenty to choose from out side from the CORE classes needed to be taken. I have 15 hours to go before renewing my license in 2013. With the way CCB has made this CE that should be no sweat.

So,...your Honor,...whose Fence is it?

Being in the fence industry for nearly 20 yrs now I have seen a lot of issues with fence lines and have heard a lot about fence lines and even have defended against fence lines over whose fence it is or if the fence or even the concrete is on the property of who I am working for. The concrete being two inches on one side of the guys property was one that kinda sticks with me.

There was an estimate that I had went out on and the guy I was seeing asked me about the fence his neighbor had put in. Now his neighbor without getting permission cut up this guys Holly tree in order to put the fence in. The Holly tree was and is clearly on the property of the guy I was called out for and estimate with. The fence wasn't on his property, however the concrete was clearly seen on this his property. He wanted an estimate on what it would take to remove the fence and install it two inches.

To be honest I really couldn't believe it at first but then as I thought about it this guy didn't get permission from his neighbor to hack up his Holly tree to put a fence in. The guy I did the estimate for obviously won the case in court because the company went out and moved the fence over two inches.

Another time it was because of a fence that I was installing. This Vietnam Vet that I was working for decided to have a 7' high brown slatted chain link fence installed with the option of applying barbed wire in the future. The fence is really close to the neighbors boat and so the feud begins. The Vietnam Vet takes pictures and even to the point of leaving a concrete set in line with the post in place, and saving a concrete chunk from the existing fence line. I kinda thought that was a bit odd at first. After the evidence was brought before the judge and the jury deliberated the fence stayed in the spot where it was constructed.

So,...whose fence is it? The one with the most evidence wins in these cases. So if you ever have any questions as to whose fence it is, present your evidence before the judge and let him decide. Or just figure things out before hence the terminology, "Good Neighbor Fence".

Oh,.... I have more to blog about and more to come so keep watching for the Mending Broken Fences blog updates.

Networking - Building Exposure For Your Business

One of the biggest things for any business is exposure. One of the ways to expose your business is by attending a networking association. There are plenty of networking associations to get involved with. For instance here in Portland, OR, Portland Business Alliance, Oregon Executive Association, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network just to name a few. These network groups are made up of like minded people that share in each others business in one way or the other. This is a positive growth factor to be affiliated with in one way or the other, if you happen to be a guest of someone, or just decide to attend to check things out you are able to give a 30 second to one minute pitch about your business.

Now I don't know about you but I could use the business when ever possible. I really don't like sitting around unless I am sitting behind my computer screen working somehow whether it be posting on craigslist, making a video for the youtube acct., or blogging. The point here is to just stay active on the computer. There are so many distractions that the internet has to offer today that it is necessary to stay focused on what you are doing and what your really after.

I like the freedom of owning a business. I like telling myself what to do and when to do it and not having someone else telling me what and how to do what I already know how to do. Now if this was a customer telling me how they wanted their fence to look then of course I will be listening and complying with their requests. That is freedom of business.

If your now involved in some kind of networking association may I suggest that you seek one out and attend an event to see what is really happening behind the scene of business. There are a lot of great experienced and motivated people that attend these functions and they are a wealth of information once you get to know some of these people that are associated with these functions. Build exposure for yourself and your business, remember word of mouth is huge, because how will your business ever take off if you or someone else doesn't speak about it to anyone else? Even if you contact an advertising agency to place an ad your creating word of mouth exposure. Let your word be impeccable to your business. Help your business grow by attending a networking association event. Who knows you might gain a new customer or a new friend and the possibilities from there should lead to success and with that success it should demand more action to maintain the results your looking for.

Mending Broken Fences

Today was a great day for the motto, Mending Broken Fences. While finishing up with the project for the day the neighbor to the home owner I am working for came out and asked if he could help in any way. I told him that the work was about complete but thanks anyway and began to chit chat about the fence and why it is there. Found out that it is not because of the chickens the neighbor had a problem with but the dogs. Apparently dogs like duck too, because the neighbor began to explain about the incident about the dogs and police that were called while he was trying to protect his property. Interesting how a story can get all turned around when authority is intervened.

As the neighbor and I were having a chit chat the home owner came out and started along with the chit chat. I finished cleaning up and came back with the invoice and they were still talking, mending a broken fence. The home owner and I went inside after the chit chat and upon receiving the check for the work she had brought over to me a to do list of sort and on it was what she considered a picture of her neighbor with a caption above saying, Hello, how can I help you today. Do..do...do...do.

I told myself in the beginning when I first bid this job, if God wants me to have this work then there will be a reason why I get the work. I like the way I really get to help people other than doing what I am already good at mending broken fences.

Fence Video Marketing

Technology isn't slowing down by any means. Seems like everyday I get to learn something new to use for the fence business. Like for instance google adsense, I have enabled a feature that will allow me to post ads on this blog for visitors such as yourself to click on and through.

What I really like though is the use of a video editing tool called Power Director. This tool allows me to create my own videos from pictures or videos. Power Director is a great tool for the newbie in creating videos. It is easy to use and has great functionality features such as drop and drag, transition feature, microphone, and music track. There are plenty of effects that come along with the Power Director package. The investment is just around a hundred bucks. It was a very good hundred dollars spent.

Now I have the ability to help other business owners create videos to help promote their business. Many friends and family members have seen some of the videos I have created and are interested. So interested that they want me to do a video for them. I may not be building fence forever after all. You know what they say about practice becoming perfect. My video creations will only get better with time, eventually the cash will start falling from the sky into the bank account. Now wouldn't that be technology?

Look for more of the Fix-A-Fence LLC video series to come out. There really is a lot to building a fence. From getting the phone to ring for the estimate to repairing or installing the fence from the ring of my phone everything that is put into the fence company is a process of marketing. Videos are just a huge plus in todays world of increasing technology.

Is A Fence Estimate Really Free?

Have you ever asked yourself if the fence estimate you received is really free? I have always wondered that myself, being that I am a fence contractor and say that I am giving you a free fence estimate. I feel that the estimate is only free until someone actually blesses me with the opportunity of a work order. How is that free when the estimate turns into,...cash? I do know this that by saying I am giving you a free fence estimate that is exactly what you are getting from me. No hidden fees for an estimate on the back end of the quote. Honesty is the best policy in my book. Word of mouth can really make or break a business no matter what line of work you're in.

Another thing that I know about giving away free fence estimates is that my phone seems to ring for a free fence estimate. Now not every fence estimate turns into a work order so that may be another reason why the estimate is considered free.

The attitude of listening to the customers needs and desires for their fence is true customer service. This adds value to any business. Remember you are not the one that has to live with the fence. The customer always has a say for what goes in on their property. Otto Zochert founder of Zochert Fence Co. always said that if I could build a residential fence I can build any fence. Customers are not picky, they may seem that way but it is their money and their fence so they have a right to be picky if that is what you would like to consider it when the customer wants a fence a certain style or grade of material or even in the most extreme conditions and terrain.

So I guess if I were to get asked the question is the estimate really free? My response would be yes,... but if I were to land the contract how can I consider it free?