Small Crew Builder for Decks, Additions and Framing

Homeowners, small developers, property owners and sometimes larger contractors who need extra building capacity.

Fixed-price quotes or hourly and materials billing per project. Self-performing the labour keeps more margin, but your capacity is limited by crew size.

• Carpentry and building skills
• Estimating labour and materials
• Leading a crew safely
• Customer communication

• Safety training and site safety rules, such as working at heights, differ by province, so check with your provincial regulator
• WCB/WSIB registration is usually needed once you hire, check the rules for your province
• Building permits and inspections are often required for structural work
• Some trades are regulated, so electrical, plumbing and gas work may need certified subcontractors
• Warranty and callback risk if work is poor, plus higher-value tools and a truck to insure
• Work is seasonal in colder areas, so plan your cash flow for winter

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $10,000 to $45,000, depending on the truck, tools and insurance you need and how many workers you take on. Higher-value tools and a truck add to insurance costs.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $10,000 to $45,000, depending on crew size and the projects you win. Work is seasonal in colder areas, so plan your cash flow for winter.

Check your provincial regulator for safety training and site safety rules, such as working at heights, and WCB/WSIB registration once you hire. Also check building permit and inspection needs, and certified subcontractors for electrical, plumbing and gas work.