Voices
The Myths of Contracting Part 1: When your price is greater than your costs, you profit!
by canadiancontractorSome contractors choose to take what they can get rather than decline unprofitable work
Part 4 of What Steve Said! Working with your team
by John Bleasby“As I have grown my business and as it has matured, I’ve found it very difficult not to rush in with my cape on.”
Part 3 of What Steve Said! Everything starts with a business plan
by John Bleasby“It’s important to have a personal plan first, because it tells you where you want to be personally, who you want to be, and where you want to go.”
YES! Payroll is expensive! Listen to the bookkeeper we all need!
by Robert Koci“New business owners are always shocked with how much an employee really costs”
When you know just how irrational your customers really are, you can sleep till noon.
by Robert Koci“Give a renovator or custom homebuilder a reputation for having the best price and he can charge whatever he wants.”
Part 2 of What Steve Said! Steve Barkhouse on mistakes and the passion it takes to overcome them
by John Bleasby“If you don’t think you’re going to get tested, don’t go into business.”
Conservative Contractor? Us? A reader accuses us of right-wing media bias
by Steve Payne“When we started this magazine in 2000, our idea was to give pro renovators and custom homebuilders a magazine that wasn’t constrained from talking bluntly about regulation and taxation in this industry”
A review of Ontario’s WSIB includes testing its efficiency against private sector insurance providers. It’s a test it can’t pass.
by Robert KociFord’s WSIB review should conclude it go private
Code changes that could save thousand$ Why they can’t—or won’t—get done even when they are smart, cost effective and timely
by canadiancontractor“It’s a small wonder that many manufacturers of innovative products privately feel they are held hostage to the approvals agencies perpetuating their existence along with numerous fees, delays and other impediments to innovation.”
The problem employee: “He is stuck, running at about 60 per cent efficiency, dreading every day but doing the best he can.”
by Robert Koci“He is stuck, running at about 60 per cent efficiency, dreading every day but doing the best he can.”
Perfectionism versus excellence
by Steve Maxwell“Don’t spend your time lookin’ around for something you want that can’t be found.”
Carpenters unions against the cash-deal industry? They are creating the problem in the first place, he argues
by canadiancontractor“Unpaid taxes are only secondary to them. Most important is their salaries.”
Are the unions really interested in legit workplaces – or their job security?
by canadiancontractorSurely it’s both, no?
Comment about Bleasby’s article “kicking our addiction to A/C”
by canadiancontractorCasey Edge of the Victoria Residential Builders Association sends us some interesting links
Before you frame a shower enclosure, do this…
by canadiancontractor“It is not worth it any more to just fly blind,” says Mark Bernier
Two words that can improve your business – and your life – beyond measure
by Steve Maxwell“I consider it a privilege to work for clients, and you should, too.” These two words should be said as much as possible.
Passive House building is great building
by Robert KociHere at Canadian Contractor, we are big fans of building tight, smart and well. No matter what you believe about Climate Change.
Quebec contractors in six trades can work in Ontario without bothering with OCOT, Questo points out
by canadiancontractorThe Ontario College of Trades is supposed to be on the way out. But while we all wait for that, Quebec contractors can work in Ontario unhindered by OCOT, it appears