- Industry Insight - Construction Industry

The Truth about Builders: Why does the construction industry - particularly the remodeling and home improvement sectors - have such a bad reputation? Why does the consumer take such care and place so much effort in vetting and qualifying the builder with whom they will do business?

The U.S. construction industry is the largest in the world at $1.3 Trillion per year. It is also the least regulated and the easiest to enter and start a business. Most construction companies are owned and operated by three types of people: Tradespeople, Salespeople, and Entrepreneurs. Individually, none of these skillsets are adequate to safely and effectively manage your project and your money. Still, homeowners give these unqualified individuals tens of millions of dollars in down payments and progression draws every day. As an example of a highly regulated city, statistics show that in the city of Houston, Texas more than 4,000 complaints, grievances and lawsuits are brought against LICENSED contractors every year.

Whether a builder's experience is based in the trades or in sales, few owners of modern building firms possess any type of business or business management knowledge. A well-funded and effective HR department is nearly unheard of in the industry. Most sub-contractors and tradesmen are unemployable, so they work for the only person who will hire them - themselves. The inexperienced and unprepared building contractor has to select from these questionable contractors to provide skilled labor for your project. Much of the loss of money and time on a client's project is directly related to poor hiring decisions by the builder.

It surprises many of our clients when we inform them that most sub-contractors in the building industry are unemployable. Many cannot pass a basic background check; they may not be able to show up on time for a job; others are unable to adhere to the rules and requirements of the conventional workplace. Clients rarely dedicate a part of their project budget to HR efforts. We have vetted and carefully selected reliable skilled tradespeople for your project. Our knowledge and experience in the industry give us a unique insight into what makes a good artisan. When selecting a remodeling contractor, the client depends upon his or her gut feelings, online information, and the referrals of strangers to make a huge financial decision. We at ZeroDown Consulting focus on the design, budget and management of your project and leave you to safeguard your money. We bring our more than 4 decades of hands-on building experience to your project and leave the fear and doubt out of the process. Your exposure to risk and loss is reduced to nearly zero.

- Our Creedo