Cost and What to Know: Starting a Business With a Portable Gutter Machine
If you’re considering purchasing a portable gutter machine for an upstart, you’re probably familiar with the advantages of owning your own roll former, like fabricating custom seamless gutters on-site, having total control of your operation, and cutting out the middleman. However, while we’ve seen gutter businesses grow with the addition of New Tech Machinery (NTM) Mach II Gutter Machines, those starting out should also consider all the costs of running their own gutter operation.
New Tech Machinery (NTM) has been manufacturing portable seamless gutter machines for three decades. We produced the first polyurethane drive roller, which has become the industry standard in portable roll formers. As we continue to improve our machines with the advent of new technology, we also try to keep it simple: Fabricate a perfect seamless gutter custom-fitted to a home or structure.
A gutter installation business has great potential for profitability. Opportunities open up when you own a portable gutter machine and manage every aspect of your operation. Depending on your region, there may be a strong and persistent demand for gutters, especially if you’re in an area prone to storms or heavy snowfall or where new housing developments are under construction.
In this article, you’ll learn about aspects of the business you need to consider when purchasing your first machine:
5. NTM’s Mach II portable seamless gutter machine
1. The Portable Gutter Machine and Related Costs
Think about when you purchased your first car or truck. You paid the sticker price, as advertised. In reality, a vehicle costs more than the listed price. First, you’ll likely add options and accessories. Then comes the annual registration fee, insurance, servicing, replacement parts, and fuel. You’ll pay for parking, car washes, tolls, etc. When all is said and done, that car costs a lot more than what the salesperson quoted!
The same goes for purchasing a portable gutter machine. Not only do you have to have a truck to transport it (along with all the related costs just mentioned), but you’ll also have to insure and maintain the machine. You’ll need a forklift and storage space for the machine, trailer, coil, and any accessories. If you live in a humid climate, it will need to be a ventilated area to prevent rust.
Always prepare for the worst. If the machine breaks, you’ll need to cover the costs of fixing it and/ or replacing parts (unless covered by warranty) and downtime while it is out of order.
The positive of this is that you don’t have to pay for it all at once. If you take out a business loan, you can manage it in monthly increments. If you already own a truck, you’re halfway there.
2. Business Expenses
Another aspect of owning a portable rollformer to consider is the business itself. While you may be an expert at running a machine and installing gutter, you’ll also have to handle accounting, scheduling, compliance, and making sales. In a family business, a family member often can handle the front office. If not, you’ll need to hire someone.
Setting up an office is another expense. You’ll need to purchase computers, printers, desks and chairs, and file cabinets—everything you see in an office, even the coffee machine.
Hiring and keeping good employees is a challenge for any business. Finding the right people to do the work isn’t always easy, and you may go through a few bad eggs. One employer said that if a new employee comes through the door without the proper PPE, he turns them around with the message not to come back. That’s his first test of a good employee. If you’re lucky, you might realize it that quickly. However, it may take a few weeks to know exactly what that new employee is capable of, and if they’re not the right fit, that may impact your jobs and workflow.
Abel, owner of C&S Raingutters in Greeley, Colorado, is known for how well he treats his employees. They have a break for coffee in the morning and he pays them for their time commuting to the job as well as for the work itself. As a result, he has employees who have been with him for well over a decade.
Also, Abel works around their limitations. If an employee isn’t working out, he’ll try to find them another seat on the bus. So, for example, one employee he had couldn’t stand on a roof more than two stories high. Abel gave him jobs where the building was no more than two stories. He also has found some new positions within his gutter business. If they weren’t right for installation or fabricating, he’ll see how they do at sales or office work.
Along with employee wages, you’ll have to consider benefits, training, tools, and PPE.
One way to determine what to expect is to ask a gutter business owner as many questions as possible. For example, “What do you wish someone had told you when you started out?” and “What are the biggest challenges you face?” While you want to hear about all of this owner’s success, you also want to find out what problems they’re facing and how they address them. This is advice you can go to when faced with similar issues.
3. Marketing and Promotion
If you’ve been installing gutters for a while, you may already have a number of contacts through jobs and social media. However, if you’re planning to market your services, you’ll want to make sure you cover the following:
- Have a website. It’s cheap to purchase a website these days and you can design a decent one without too much work. You can also hire someone to set it up for you. Whichever you decide, a website is a must.
- Social media. There are several gutter groups on Facebook and other social media that you can connect with. It may not earn you direct business, but you’ll get to know others in the gutter community and get your name out there. The more you post and comment, the more visible you are.
- Flyers, bulletin boards, print ads in local newspapers and newsletters. You can usually find weeklies that don’t cost a lot. Get the word out in your community that you are open for business and producing quality seamless gutters on-site.
4. Where to Begin
Of course, none of this information is meant to discourage anyone from starting a business with a portable roll former, but rather to help you think through all aspects of starting a business. We’ve seen more success stories than we can count from customers who have purchased our gutter machines. When we talk to them, we often ask the same questions: what made you successful? What are your challenges, and how do you manage them? They may not have known much when they started, but learned a lot along the way that helped them become the successful gutter business owners they are today.
If you’re starting a gutter operation, we recommend talking with as many industry professionals as possible, becoming a member of a local roofing or gutter organization, and researching all aspects of your operation. No one is an expert in everything, so find people who can fill in the knowledge gaps.
Time commitment is another thing to consider. If you’re already working 70 hours per week, it may not be an issue. However, starting a business is rarely a 40-hour-per-week job. Customers we talk to tell us about their early days working so late they kept a cot in the shop, waking up early and jumping back into the job. One customer lived in a trailer parked just outside his shop. Be ready for your business to consume any free time and then some.
You don’t have to have the answers to every question to start your business, but be aware that there may be things you don’t know, and prepare yourself as much as possible to avoid some obstacles that others have faced when starting out.
While starting any business has its share of risks, owning a portable gutter machine can set you apart from other contractors. Abel started out with a Mach II and now owns three. He runs and installs gutters only for high-end projects and expensive custom homes. He knows he charges more than the average gutter contractor, but he has decided what type of business he wants, and he’s shown that the quality and service he provides attract enough customers that he’s always busy. By providing quality products and excellent customer service, he found his niche market.
5. MACH II 5”, 6”, and 5”/6” Combo Gutter Machines
New Tech Machinery has helped gutter businesses for three decades with our Mach II portable seamless gutter machine. NTM’s Mach II is the original polyurethane drive machine that has been copied many times by competitors. However, NTM is still producing the original portable gutter machine. We have Mach IIs that have been in operation since the 1990s and are still going.
You’ll have to research which gutter styles and sizes are most in demand in your area to determine which machine to purchase.
The Mach II machines produce K-style gutters that can incorporate a bottom bead, Alcoa hook, or straight-back profile. K-style is the most popular gutter type for most residential and some commercial properties and the only style produced by the NTM Mach II machines. They come in 5″, 6″, and 5″/6″ combo sizes.
Prices for portable seamless gutter machines vary depending on the configuration, accessories, and sizes of gutters produced.
For pricing, configurations, and to purchase a Mach II Gutter Machine or accessories, click here.
For more information on our metal roof panel or gutter machines, contact us to speak with a knowledgeable account manager.
