Pick up some weekend work!

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I didn't know where to post this, hope this is a suitable category...Picked up this tip from a friend that repairs fluorescent signs:  He rides around at night looking for shorted out lights, bad signs, bad transformers, blinking signs that aren't supposed to blink and other such stuff.  Then he goes home and starts writing estimates.  The next morning he faxes out these estimates.  Remember, these are unsolicited estimates.  At the top of the estimate he will put "Simply sign this estimate and fax it back to us, and work will begin. You will be billed".  No opening letter, no other marketing, just a simple one page fax.  He said 8 out of 10 faxes result in work.The other day I was sitting in the drive thru line at a local fast food joint.  I noticed that the dumpster door was broken off the hinges.  After I got my food, I wheeled back around to take a closer look.  Looks like the hinge had a hole tapped for a grease zirk, but was never used.  Over time, it locked up and the dumpster truck driver had to get forceful with it!I decided to drive around to the other 18 locations of this fast food restaurant.  Only 2 were in no need of repair, the others all had something wrong.  So, I wrote up estimates, and faxed it to them in the same manner as my friend does.Not only did they approve EVERY job, they also let me put them on a monthly maintenance schedule.  For $50 per location, per month, I will go to each location and grease the zirks.  That's it!  $950 for not even a half a day of very easy work once a month!  Not to mention that the repairs to all the locations totals nearly $2800.  Get's my foot in the door, and I'm sure they will be calling for hand rails soon from the way they were talking.In a few days, I will be driving around looking for other jobs like this to estimate.  I'm going to check every restaurant I can find.  Also behind grocery stores and more.
Reply:Man, thats a good idea.Yup
Reply:That's purdy damn slick, never thought of that.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Don't know how it works elsewhere but around here you can repair old railings to avoid installing newer ones that are up to the current code and cost way more. We came up with a couple simple parts to fab up to allow the rusty post on a railing to be chopped off and replaced. We found real long stretches of railing just in our town here that needed help.When you tell the owners how much you can just fix the old rails for, they are usually ecstatic.Yup
Reply:I think it works becuase when you send it to a corporation, or an office with 100+ people working there, they just assume that someone asked for an estimate.  Rather then rock the boat, they just sign it and fax it back.  It's so cool.  If they get mad and question who asked for it, all you have to say is "Hey, I just sent it in, you are the one who signed it (thus approving it) and faxed it back.  If you didn't want the work done, why did you approve it?"
Reply:Good hustle, JC!  I tell folks all the time that there are 100's of tiny, piddly welding jobs all around them.  I bought a little 110 flux core MIG  Hobart 125EZ) just to respond to weekly requests for some tiny little job.  It paid for itself in the first month, because I took barter on some of the jobs that was worth far more than I would have charged.  I have a weekly stop-in-with-my welder deal with a local Antique/Gallery shop that always has a piece of old lawn furniture that need a spot weld, a bracket fixed, a handle repaired, etc...all too tiny to take to a "real" welding shop.  All it takes is some people skills and  some hustle!"Good Enough Never Is"MIller AC/DC  ThunderboltHobart HH180, 125EZRiland Cut 40 Plasma oxy/act  outfitTons of "stuff", all treasures to me!
Reply:Where there's a will, there's a way.  Great post.  Good luck to those venturing in to this endeavor.Heck, a lot of the managers of these places have no clue who to call when something needs repair.Great idea.
Reply:NICE!!!!!!! Thats a great idea!Go hot, or go home!
Reply:that  is one of the most cleverest things that i ever did here. i would like to try that out. thanks for sharingdaveIf you like my stuff you can find me on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/theangryanv...ngryanvilforge
Reply:Not sure how happy the company who actually owns the dumpsters would be if they found out, but congrats on the hustle.Lincoln Promig 180
Reply:****ing brilliant mate, good idea defently, i've just started doing cash jobs also but never thought about going out looking at repairs and so on, so far all i've been doing is trailer mods and a bit of work for the local footy club, good luck with your job, sounds like bit of a jackpot to start out with hey.
Reply:Originally Posted by willinthe985Not sure how happy the company who actually owns the dumpsters would be if they found out, but congrats on the hustle.
Reply:Originally Posted by JC'sWeldingWait...  It's not on the actual dumpster.  What I meant was the gates on the dumpster enclosure.  You know, the area that the dumpster is inside of.  In most areas, the city usually has strict code enforcement that states that the dumpsters have to to be hidden inside some sort of surrounding so that they are not visible.Dumpster truck drivers hate it because when they pull up, they have to get out and open the gates before dumping it.  But oh well, it looks nicer, and keeps the trash from blowing all over the place.  The restaurant owners and managers don't mind because it makes there place look cleaner.
Reply:Good hustle, dude.  That's one way to make sure the bills get paid.Gee, sounds about time to put my litttle Chicago Electric MIG in the back of my truck, and see about a road trip around the back of some of the shopping malls .........