Supplemental income

Post your windshield repair tips, questions, advice! Note there is a sub-forum specifically for business development questions.
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j.mckenney
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Supplemental income

Post by j.mckenney »

I've searched the forum far and wide, and can't seem to find anything specifically about this so I figured I could start a new thread.

I'm one of the new guys, like a ton of other people on here so I apologize in advance for anything that shows just how much of a rookie I am.

I currently work full time for a fire department in a large city, however with our schedule I only work 10 days a month. The other 20, i'm sitting on my butt at home instead of making money. Before I got on the fire department, I was a technician for another large glass company doing both repairs and replacements. I'm currently in the process of buying my kit (from Delta Kits no less!) and getting my side business officially started. When I thought about doing this initially, I wanted it to be a thing I can do for friends & family and my co-workers on the department. However, i'm starting to question if just with that small market alone I will even make enough money to cover the $500k liability insurance that we are required to carry. So the question is; How many repairs/month does it take to be profitable? Am I completely stupid for trying to keep the business to a small size and not go out and try to fight for more? I definitely don't want to be one of those guys at the gas station, sorry if anyone here does that... & where i'm located in Arizona there are glass companies EVERYWHERE.

Thank you to whoever responds!
kennycrane
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Re: Supplemental income

Post by kennycrane »

Windshield repair is whatever that you want to make of it, not very many places that you can make 50,60 or even 120 dollars in an hour or less. With windshield repair you can. Not going to happen overnight, and you really need some training and a lot of practice. I couldn't be happier with my choice to invest in Windshield repair 8 years ago using Delta training and Delta kits. I hope this might be of help to you.
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Brent Deines
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Re: Supplemental income

Post by Brent Deines »

I would just add that your liability insurance does not have to be very expensive. You are by no means the only fireman to take on windshield repair as a part time job and as Kenny said, the business can be scaled to whatever you want it to be. If you limit your business to friends, family and co-workers your overhead will be next to nothing so a few repairs a month will get you past the break even point pretty easily. When I started I was driving a city bus and a tow truck part time, both of which provided opportunities to repair windshields. In my case the business grew into a full time gig but fire departments typically take pretty good care of their employees so if you like what you are doing I think keeping windshield repair as a sideline makes perfect sense.
Brent Deines
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CowboyDave
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Re: Supplemental income

Post by CowboyDave »

Great post! We are retiring shortly with a public pension and our plan is to start a family business that we can build big enough for our kids to operate. We are also in AZ and I hope you are doing well in your side business. Thanks, Dave..
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