Hoyt Crouch

What I saw as a market opportunity was actually a giant pitfall my competitors already knew. I started my fence biz because in my area there are only two large fence companies and they refuse to do residential work. One of them does about 20m in revenue and has 3 stars on google. Owner personally told me they don't even quote residential. Then there are 100s of small fence guys that do residential work....chuck in a truck types. No insurance, no uniforms, no promise of showing up etc. My brilliant idea: high quality residential only service. The big guys don't want these customers (obv because they hate money)....and the little guys aren't good enough to stay in business/show up etc. After 14 months I've realized the big guys are mostly right. Residential customers tend to be much pickier, lower ticket price and care 100x more about end product (they see it every day). There is also a LOT of logistics to being in and out of 5-10 customers yards each week. Which is why the little guys stay small. Are there great residential customers? Absolutely. But even on a great residential fence job, we can typically do 3-4k in revenue per day/per crew. Meaning we have to move fast and do high volume Commercial fence work? Most often we are 2-5x that daily revenue will similar or better margins In the end, to make equivalent money doing residential fences as commercial: I have to take 10x more calls, 10x quotes, 10x problem customers + have much more complex logistics. I've decided to focus almost solely on commercial work moving forward. Less headache, less customers, more money. We will continue to work with residential customer in specific niches that I like but won't actively seek them out. I don't think this strategy would be best in most markets. But we're in a weird area with different dynamics. Commercial work comes with its own challenges. Much higher operating cash needed (100s of thousands instead of 10s), more expensive equipment, more employees, insurance, shop space, bond requirements etc. I think in the future, we'll come back to doing more residential (maybe 75/25 split). But for now: Good GC's, developers, builders etc.... we will find you and we will build your fences.

@jamesonhaslam @TheSalonDon @gowithquo Happens all the time. Can use my actual cell with no issues then answer a quo call in the same spot with constant chop.

@hoytcrouch @TheSalonDon @gowithquo Depends! Does it happen when you’re super rural?

Setting up a calling center. Does anybody have experience using Ring Central?

@jamesonhaslam @TheSalonDon @gowithquo I love the Quo interface and such. But we have had terrible call quality with them. You?

@TheSalonDon Please god use @gowithquo We’ve tried them all

@Tylergroce Open to talking?

@hoytcrouch The algorithm provides. We bid out a lot of fences. Several lately for data centers. These fences are next level.

If you’re building data centers with high security fence needs - I want to talk to you. If you know someone who’s building these - I’ll pay you for a legit intro. Owners or GCs Anywhere in the US.

@BPD1776 Mine is a mix. 25% recurring, the rest is repeat customers, but not quite “recurring”

@hoytcrouch I know someone who has done this. they paid something that was effectively 20-40% referral fee for every customer that renewed in the first 12 months. They had recurring revenue. Not sure if yours does.

I’m considering an aquistion that’s really more of a hire and customer list purchase. Who’s done this before? What questions should I be asking?

@jamesonhaslam I have bought 2 of these from auction with no real issues. Realistically for the price, I’d hope to get 1 year out of it and then sell for 4-5k

how long do you think this will live for

@realAAAbbott @jamesonhaslam Soccer dad truck is 250 short bed in black.

@hoytcrouch @jamesonhaslam He said work trucks, not soccer dad trucks.

Haven’t see a “what type of truck should your contractor drive” debate in a minute I always hire the guy in the wrapped cybertruck, what about you?

@Tylergroce These are all over south Texas. I live in McAllen and see at least a couple a day.

I've worked a decent amount in South Texas over the last 15 years, and yeah, this is the first one that I've actually seen. This will become a bigger issue in time. This is actually a major sticking point in China-Canada negotiations when they were threatening to begin importing en masse these Chinese vehicles. They will never be able to be registered in the US. We're not going to let our main foreign adversary use self-driving or assisted driving technology to in detail map all over the United States with ever increasing detail.

Spotted in Laredo Tx. We’ve got a problem.

@jamesonhaslam B 100%

would you rather: A) be the top decking contractor in all of SoCal (offices in SD, OC, LA, and Ventura county) B) be the top outdoor living guy in north county San Diego (decks, fences, patio covers, hardscape) !???

@realEstateTrent Walk through a construction site. 7/10 smoke and the other 3 dip.

I literally don’t know a single person who smokes cigarettes

@shawngorham Same crap in Texas. Employee hired a lawyer before he even went to the hospital

Wife and I got into a car accident last week (rear ended) We have been the the Dr a couple times (still so sore) Now I have PI attorneys and "Chiropractors" calling me daily - meaning someone is creating lists of leads and selling them. Imagine having a worker in CA have an accident and get hurt - an attorney will be hired by the end of day.

@Nick30D What software? did the integration in house or hired consultant?

@hoytcrouch We got into a new erp system at the beginning of this year. It has taken 14 months. A lot of hard work but it’s worth it already. I don’t think qb can offer the results you need with making the switch.

My fence company's accounting/booking keeping is becoming rapidly more complicated. Specifically making the switch from cash to accrual, AR/AP tracking & job costing. Anyone have a recommendation for a firm? Construction specialty preferred but open to suggestions.

It’s way easier than you think. Springs are the only thing that can hurt you, take your time. 1. Install track (if new needed) 2. Set bottom panel 3. Set second panel then attach to bottom. 4. Continue for however many panels. 5. Bolt on top arms 6. Slide door all the way up (two people needed. Super heavy). 7. Tension/roll wire with door up

do you think I could replace my own garage door (it works fine I just want one that looks cooler)

@jamesonhaslam Fences: concrete, sawdust, dirt 😭

@hoytcrouch Metalwork - no sawdust or dirt

POV you’re on a West Coast Deck jobsite (it’s lunchtime)

@jamesonhaslam I’ve gotten a handful of these. First ones really bother you. At this point I just put my phone on silent and get to it when they cool off.

broke and scandalous

I started telling this to commercial customers too. Expected to get some push back….none at all. Haven’t had one bat an eye yet writing us a deposit check.