Homeowners aren’t the only ones who need to create to-do lists for spring-cleaning tasks. General contractors should create a list of tasks to complete in order to get ready to help residences with their renovation projects.

These tasks can include office as well as professional duties. This slow time of year is the perfect time to complete office tasks you have been putting off. Creating marketing plans, updating contracts, and organizing files will help you stay efficient as your workload increases.

Catching up on your reading is another beneficial way to spend your down time. If you have trade magazines and e-books that you meant to read but couldn’t find the time, you should go through them now. This will help you understand what to expect in the construction market and your specialty as summer draws near.

Once you have a better understanding of the current building trends, you should look at the tools of your trade. You will need to go through your tools and inventory to determine what you may need for upcoming projects.

Some of your tools may be old and worn. If you can’t repair them, you should replace them to foster a safe work environment for future jobs. Determine if you will need to buy new tools to make sure you can handle the changes in technology and trends in your specialty. This way you can look for bargains instead of being pressured to buy with a project deadline drawing near.

If you have any vehicles or large equipment, you should examine those as well. Make sure they are tuned if they need it in order to prevent inconvenient mechanical issues while on the job.

If you have left over inventory from past jobs, go through it to determine what is still good and what may need to be thrown out. Left over inventory may be a great opportunity to trade with your peers. If you had many painting jobs last year but expect to do more drywall projects this year, you may be able to barter with a contractor who has excess drywall.

If you don’t think you can barter your left over inventory and you don’t think you need it, perhaps you can sell it for some extra cash. This may help you buy tools or supplies you do need when finances are tight due to a lack of projects.

When work is slow, general contractors often get nervous. Completing these projects will help make you feel like you are moving forward professionally, instead of staying still and worrying about your future. If one of the items on your to-do list is a core or professional development class, contact us to see how we can help.