Masonry Magazine September 2006 Page. 9
The Big Secret...
What Non-Stop learned when we were a large masonry contractor...
Non-Stop was born from the lessons we learned as a masonry contractor ourselves. We were as large as any and more profitable than most. But we never became wealthy. That always bothered us because we did a pretty high dollar volume.
Our estimates broke down like most everyone else's...50% labor, 40% materials and 10% overhead and profit. Contractors today tell us those numbers haven't changed much through the years except, perhaps, the 10% profit has become smaller.
We realized that the only way to increase our profit was to reduce our labor from 50% to...a lower number. We had a sharp pencil when it came to buying materials...but so did our competitors! Simply, we weren't going to find any extra profit there.
All the wiggle room was in our ability to increase our production because we knew that when our production increased, every dollar saved on labor went right to profit.
Faster bricklayers and better foremen helped. But our competitors were always looking for faster bricklayers and better foremen, too. The answer would have to come in making it possible for average bricklayers to lay 20% faster with no extra effort and without even realizing it. Could that be done?
A little analysis on the job showed us exactly what was holding us back. Our bricklayers stopped laying brick for at least a full hour (or more) every day because they had to hop planks. To make matters worse, they laid at about 2/3 speed when the wall was below their thighs and above their belly. They couldn't help it! It was our frames that were in our way!
The big secret is to put the bricklayers waist-high to the wall, all day, so they can lay...non-stop! That's where they lay the fastest because it requires the least effort. They easily put in 20% more material... with no more sore backs!
By working only a little faster we made a lotta money. We perfected our scaffolding and put it on every wall...from long and tall to short and cut-up. We started selling Non-Stop to fellow masonry contractors in distant markets. They all made a lotta money. They told their friends who then told their friends. We went into the elevating scaffold market full time.
Today we're the largest in the country. You can get by on 50%-40%-10%. You can get RICH on 40%-40%-20%. You only have to work a little faster to make a lotta money.
Your Jobs on Frames
Your Jobs on Non-Stop
So, while being a masonry contractor, we created Non-Stop adjustable scaffolding. It turned our bricklayers loose! Overnight our actual labor costs dropped from 50% to 40% and our profit increased from 10% to 20%. Every dollar we saved on labor went directly into our wallet.
P.S. If you bought Non-Stop just 5 months ago, it would have paid for itself by now! Buy it. Rent it. Or lease-to-buy. Please call us and request a list of contractor testimonials which will...speak for themselves!
Non-Stop Scaffolding
1314 Hoadley Street • Shreveport, LA 71104 • Phone: 1-800-845-0845 • Fax: 1-318-222-0707
www.nonstopscaffolding.com