Switched from a crew to going solo and man the difference is night and day

I used to run jobs with a crew of 5 guys for years. Always felt like I was babysitting more than working. Someone would show up late, another would mess up a cut, and I'd spend half my day fixing mistakes instead of laying floor. Last year I decided to try going solo after a big job in Dearborn where my lead guy just walked off mid shift. Now I take smaller residential jobs, charge a bit more per square foot, and I'm actually making more money because there's no payroll eating into everything. Plus I can pick my own hours and don't have to deal with someone else's drama. Only thing I miss is having an extra hand for heavy rolls of carpet. Has anyone else made that switch and found it worth it long term?

2 comments

2 Comments

emeryfox12d ago

Do you ever worry that going solo might limit how much you can grow your business? A crew gives you the ability to take on more square footage and bigger commercial accounts, which has kept me busy even when residential work dries up. If you find a few reliable guys, the headaches can be worth it for the sheer volume.

miles27712d ago

Watch out though, getting bigger crews just means more payroll headaches and less time actually doing the work you love.