Ditching the Shop for a Mobile Trailer Setup—Thoughts?
Originally I worked on a farm as a maintenance manager, repairing everything from feed tanks, silo's, augers, maize dryers, machinery equipment... if you've worked on a commercial farm, you know this list barely scrapes the surface. As the usual story goes, after 3 years, things went south with the senior manager and the owner (nothing like a bit of nepotism) 🙄
So I decided to take my skills into the world and start a steel fabrication business. Sounds easy, and to be honest, it is. Firstly you dont need much to start with... A grinder, a welding machine (preferably a mig because when you start out, you dont want to be filling holes with stick...just my preference any way) a drill, some clamps, lead-extensions, drill bits, a toolbox- (in which you will be constantly adding new and different types of bits, extensions/adapters, hammers, and shit you might not need but one day you will and thank God you had it then).
The brutal reality is that when you're starting out, every job counts, every job puts food on the table, pays the bills and may bring you little sense of accomplishment... all the while you take on every job you can, you also take the risks associated with them, you're green and eager to learn, but MISTAKES are abundant and jobs cost you more than you realize.
In the beginning, quoting and numbers are not something you are familiar with, and before you know it, you're in a pretty bad place hitting rock bottom... but you learn, you pay school fees, you learn from your clients, you learn from other tradesmen, your creativity and problem solving grows. You begin to understand that fabrication isn't just cutting, welding and installation, it's having an eye for detail -(finishings can make or break you), it's engineering, understanding the engineers and the architects, understanding construction companies and how they operate, and most of all having a clear understanding of what the client wants. The more you try to learn and understand, the better the outcome.
While I still feel very new in the game, 4 years still feels like a long time and so I decided to go back to basics by closing my shop and I will permanently be operating from my trailer as a mobile unit. It does suit the way I work as the majority of my work is custom on-site fabricating for commercial and industrial sites. While I know it may come with its difficulties, it also reduces overheads, stress and time. I've observed that the majority of my time is spent on site and I'm rarely in my shop... Have any of you found it more profitable to operate this way?