Design, Build, Maintenance start-up... NEED WISE COUNCIL

[aoneill2020]

First time poster - My name is Andrew I live in GA. I have a degree in landscape architecture from UGA and have been in the design side for a few years. I recently began my own company promoting myself as a turn-key design, build, maintenance company.

I landed a maintenance contract with a local high school roughly an 11 acre site. The agreement is they are buying all equipment and my company is operating and overseeing the project. This is all detailed contractually.

I need help with:
- crews: what to pay, how to file (w2, 1099, etc.), workers comp. and liability. I am planning to find 2 guys 20 hours a week.
- what kind of certifications/licenses i need to sub the work/labor, contract includes chemical app. by 3rd party licensed/cert.
-I am also bidding install with an installer friend who is a GC. We are splitting the profit. If the clients write checks to my company and then I pay him what liability will I face and again what license/cert. is necessary.
-In order to offer install/maintenance do i myself need to become a GC

Moving forward, I obviously want to grow this business and recognize getting the contracts is the most difficult part, finding help and getting work done shouldn't be to difficult especially in this economy. I am currently studying both for my CTP (cert. turf pro.) and chem. app. license as well as my registration as a landscape architect.

I realize this is a big undertaking and I would appreciate any words of wisdom from those who have gone down this road.

thanks,
Andrew

[Tommy Boy]

Go DAWGS! Grad 1982

[TScapes]

I need help with:
- crews: what to pay, how to file (w2, 1099, etc.), workers comp. and liability. I am planning to find 2 guys 20 hours a week.
- what kind of certifications/licenses i need to sub the work/labor, contract includes chemical app. by 3rd party licensed/cert.
-I am also bidding install with an installer friend who is a GC. We are splitting the profit. If the clients write checks to my company and then I pay him what liability will I face and again what license/cert. is necessary.
-In order to offer install/maintenance do i myself need to become a GC

Moving forward, I obviously want to grow this business and recognize getting the contracts is the most difficult part, finding help and getting work done shouldn't be to difficult especially in this economy. I am currently studying both for my CTP (cert. turf pro.) and chem. app. license as well as my registration as a landscape architect.

I realize this is a big undertaking and I would appreciate any words of wisdom from those who have gone down this road.

thanks,
Andrew

Andrew,

Congrats and Best Wishes on a profitable and rewarding career!

It has been a few years since I was in Ga, but I am pretty sure you just need to get a business lic, general liability, workman's comp and your applicator's license. I do not recall Ga requirements for having a GC license. You can check with your state dept. of revenue for that confirmation. I would also contact the GGIA (Georgia Green Industry Association) and try to get info on becoming a CLP (Cert. Landscape Professional). I would also recommend checking into MALTA and attending a meeting. Talk with several companies to get some of your questions answered. They have all been there before and that is one of the reasons for MALTA.

[JPsDuramax]

A GC license is very difficult to obtain these days in GA. My Dad's company was able to be grandfathered in because he had over three hundred permits in one county in one year, and none of them were residential. It took two years of jumping through hoops for all of the additional things the state requires. There are three types of licenses and all require different items.

I believe now you have to pass an exam, along with all of the other requirements. go to the Secretary of State's website for additional info.

[The Elements Group]

i wil tel you , make sure that whomever subs work from you carries workmans comp and insurance ( GL) or your going to have to subtract that amount from what you pay them... be careful, Money does wierd things to people..... you will also need an EON policy that covers your consultation mis-haps... i know of a stand up insurance guy give me a shout pm me on this site or e-mail me at bluemartin70@yahoo.com and ill have more info for you... Thanks Matt

[aoneill2020]

Thank you everyone for your comments... this has been very helpful.