How to Start a Siding Business

So you’re ready to start a new siding business, but where do you start? Starting a siding contractor business takes more than just business cards and a bank account. As a new business owner, you’ve decided to embark on a journey that has no guaranteed success or income, but like all entrepreneurs, you’ve decided the risk is worth it. The construction industry is booming, and you’ve got the skill and experience required to operate a siding company — you just need some help in the other areas of running a small business. 

Long-term, your siding company’s success will rely on attracting enough customers and completing enough siding installations. That sounds more like a job for a marketing specialist or customer service rep but, just like a siding job, some basic prep work will help make your job a lot easier down the line. You can get started right away, without a complicated marketing strategy, and that’s where Bidmii comes in.

Bidmii helps connect independent contractors with homeowners who need projects done well, and fast. We’re here to help get small businesses like yours off the ground. The good news is, it’s easier than you think. Below, we’ll cover everything you need to do to launch and grow your business, from your business plan and cash flow to getting your first customers and getting paid. We’ll help provide the knowledge and resources you need to start a successful siding business, so you can focus on what you do best.

Table of contents

• Business Plan
• Selecting a Business Structure
• Register Your Business
• Create a Website
• Get Insurance
• Municipal Licensing
• Get Your First Customers
• How to Bid on a Project
• Complete the Project and Get Paid
• Build your Profile

Business Plan & Cash Flow

So you’ve decided to start a siding business — congratulations! On top of your job installing siding, you’ll also need to be a CEO, CFO, business leader, and sales person, along with several other responsibilities. If you’re serious about your business, you’ll have a basic business plan and cash flow. You should know the types of siding you’ll be offering, whether it’s wood, aluminum, or vinyl siding, and how much you’ll charge for each service. It doesn’t have to be pretty or complicated, but it should lay out your path forward.

One of the biggest reasons you should have a business plan and initial cash flow is to apply for a small business loan. If you need vehicles, materials, or equipment like saws or siding cutters for your flooring business, this will be crucial for you. Your business plan should include a description of your business, the services you will offer, a summary of who is involved and their responsibilities, how you plan to market your services, operate and manage the business, and how much funding you need, if any.

Don’t Forget the Cost of Tools

Siding itself doesn’t require a lot of hand and power tools, however, it’s an environment where workplace safety is paramount. In order to safely perform and install siding, you will need a variety of equipment including:

• Extension ladders
• Scaffolding
• Pump jacks
• Aluminum planks
• Toeboards
• Safety nets
• Fall protection equipment
• Metal break

There’s no question the list above is a substantial investment, but it’s also an essential part of any siding business. Your next major investment will be your company vehicles and job trailer to haul your equipment. Your company truck and trailer can act as a moving billboard to advertise your business, so it’s worth getting your company logo and phone number on them. This will help build brand awareness and portray an image of legitimacy and professionalism to your potential customers.

Selecting a Business Structure

A business structure is one of the first decisions you’ll need to make for your professional siding business. There are 4 standard types of business structures:

• Sole proprietorship
• Partnership
• Corporation
• Cooperative

Each structure type has different pros, cons, and implications, so you’ll need to choose the one that works best for your business. When selecting your business structure, consider your liability. Businesses with higher liability will want to choose a more protective structure, such as a corporation, which costs more than a sole proprietorship but offers benefits such as limited personal liability. If you’re in the construction business, your potential liability is higher, so it makes sense to protect yourself and your business from the start. Learn more about choosing your business structure.

Register Your Business

Now that you’ve selected your business structure, you’ll want to get your siding business registered. Registering your business protects your business name and proves that your company is a legitimate entity — meaning that you can hire employees and complete real jobs, among other benefits. To register for a business license, you’ll need to provide your business name and structure type, along with information including your address and other details. You’ll also need to pay for your business registration.

Register Your Business in Ontario

Create a Website

In the digital age, if you’re not online, you’re behind. Most owners of small businesses rely on word of mouth and social media to get customers, but a website is a big checkmark that helps to show potential customers that you’re a legitimate siding company. Your website can be a simple contact page to prove that you’re a real company. Many website builders offer a free trial, so you can get a basic website up and running on your own fairly quickly. 

Pro Tip: Your Google business profile will be the largest entry point for your business. Start your site there, and you’ll have an online storefront created quickly for less than $20/year.

Don’t get overwhelmed - just get it launched!

Many business owners will put off launching a website for months because it’s not perfect. In the beginning, you won’t get much traffic, so just make a basic website with relevant information and get it online. You don’t need to spend money on a custom designed website. Once you’ve got money coming in consistently, you can invest more in your website. Just be clear about what you offer. For example, it’s a good idea to include information about the types of siding materials you install. Your customers need to know that your siding business provides what they’re looking for, whether that’s aluminum siding, vinyl, or board and batten.

Get Business Insurance

Since you’re in the construction industry, your siding business will probably need 3 different types of insurance. You’ll need to cover your general liability and consider factors like workplace safety and fall protection. It’s worth reaching out to several different insurance agents for quotes and advice. The types of insurance you may need include:

General Liability insurance: potential damage you may unintentionally create at a client’s property.

Workers' Compensation: potential injuries to you or others while on the job.

Equipment insurance: theft or damage to your tools and equipment.

Responsibilities of Siding Contractors

Being the owner of a siding business comes with a lot of responsibilities. Your biggest responsibility will always be the safety of your workforce, so it’s important to take this seriously and make sure that your crew and business are protected. It’s not fun to think about, but people can die falling from a height of just six feet. In the siding business, your workforce will always need to work at heights, so your responsibility is to ensure that workplace safety measures are followed. Make sure that all staging and scaffolding is securely attached and constructed properly at each job site and that all your workers are trained in fall protection and emergency first aid.

Additional Licensing

This section mainly applies to general contractors and specific trades, but it’s worth looking into to ensure that your business is operating within the laws and regulations of the municipality where you’re operating. If a contractor or subcontractor doesn’t have the required permits, it can lead to an entire project being halted, which can damage your relationships with customers, and other contractors.

As an example, according to bylaws in the City of Toronto, additional licensing applies to anyone who advertises or solicits for work as a building renovator or building contractor doing renovation work (including altering, repairing, or renovating buildings or structures). This means that if you’re planning to operate a siding business within the City of Toronto, you may need a work permit from the city. If you’re subcontracting for a home builder or general contractor, they should know if you’ll need a city permit. You can also check with your local municipality if you’re unsure.

Get Your First Customers

The biggest step to starting your siding company is getting your first customer, but it can soon become a struggle between competing priorities. Most new business owners are forced to divide their limited time between lining up new projects and completing those they’ve already agreed to. To ensure that you have new siding projects coming in, you’ll need to spend time on marketing and sales activities, on top of managing your job sites. Traditional advertising can cost up to $100 per lead for lawn signs, flyers, and more, which is unrealistic when you’re starting your own small business. That’s why we created Bidmii. It’s the cheapest, easiest, and fastest way to get your first customers. 

How Bidmii Helps You Earn Your First Customers:

With Bidmii, you’ll lower your business expenses and increase your profitability with one simple tool. You’ll never have to pay for marketing expenses and materials because we’ll provide a direct link to your customers. Just create a free profile, select the types of projects you’re interested in, and receive daily notifications for new projects through SMS and emails that will connect you with homeowners in your area. You can immediately start bidding on projects you want, send offers to potential customers, and engage in direct conversations with customers in your area. 

How to Bid On a Siding Project

Bidding on a project is easy and it helps provide upfront insight into your profitability on each project. If you’re just starting out, you may want to seek advice from other professional siding installers on how to price projects, but in general, you should always make sure you can account for your costs. 

Example Project Bid: Siding Job

Mike from Gravenhurst wants his home siding completed, so he posts a project on Bidmii. You see the email notification on your phone, and decide to place a bid. You post additional questions to dive into the details regarding materials and colours. You estimate that you will incur around $50,000 in materials, transportation, and labour. With this in mind, you decide to quote the job at $65,000. Mike accepts the bid, and you’re left with at least $15,000 profit on your first job, and you only spent money out-of-pocket on your siding business registration, expenses, materials, and subcontractors.

Your Proposed Price: $65,000

Subcontractor Fee: $20,000

Equipment & Expenses: $30,000

Total Profit: $15,000 

Complete the Project and Get Paid

This is why you’re really here and why you started your siding business in the first place. With Bidmii, you won’t have to spend your valuable time chasing payments from your customer. You’re protected by our terms and conditions, so you’ll receive payment directly into your account as soon as a project (or project stage) is marked as completed by both parties. 

Build your Profile

Congrats, you’ve completed your first project! If you do high-quality work, you’ll be rewarded with honest, verified ratings and reviews from your customers about your completed projects directly on Bidmii. As you grow your business with Bidmii, homeowners will feel more and more confident using your services which will help you compete for more (and bigger) projects. 

Want To Build Your Business Using Bidmii?

Bidmii is the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to earn new customers for your siding business. We’ll help you find new clients and make lasting relationships with homeowners in your area. By completing projects you’ll earn a strong reputation through ratings and reviews based solely on your skillset and communication.

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