How To Start A Contracting Business Without Wasting Thousands on Mistakes You Don’t Need To Make
The complete Kit for tradesmen starting their contracting business lean—so you can be profitable from day one. Learn what you actually need (and what’s a total waste of money).
You know your trade. But running a business? That’s where most skilled tradesmen waste thousands figuring it out the hard way. I burned through $4,800 on a website trap, bought equipment I didn’t need, and paid for software subscriptions gathering dust. You don’t have to.
The $40K Startup Tax New Contractors Pay (And How to Avoid It)
When new contractors start their business, they get targeted by companies selling everything a large construction company would need—not what a solo tradesman actually uses.
Expensive marketing that generates zero leads. $500/month CRMs that sit unused. Website packages that lock you into rental contracts. Equipment purchased too early. Overhead that bleeds margins dry before the first profitable job.
Most tradesmen pay this “startup tax” because nobody tells them what to skip and what actually matters. The Built Right Kit shows you how to start lean and profitable—keeping more money in your pocket from Day 1.
I was profitable from day one—but only because I started lean. No fancy office. No debt. Just the essentials.
Years 1-3: Still wasting money on stuff salespeople convinced me I “needed.”
Years 4-5: Cut all the waste. Focused on what actually works. Same business, way better margins.
The difference? Knowing what to skip and where to invest. The Built Right System is everything I learned the expensive way:
This isn’t about scaling to millions. It’s about building a sustainable contracting business that doesn’t break you. 5 years. Part-time. 5-star reviews. Profitable every year.
Start right. Stay lean. Build something that lasts.
❌ Pricing That Loses Money
Charging $75/hour because “that’s what everyone charges” while your true cost is $110/hour. Working 60-hour weeks to break even while wondering why there’s nothing left.
❌ The $500/Month CRM Trap
Paying $500-800/month for contractor software you barely use. Five years = $30,000-48,000 for features you don’t need when $36/month handles everything.
❌ Equipment Decisions That Drain Cash
Buying a $28,000 specialty tool you’ll use 45 days/year when renting costs $6,750. Tying up capital in equipment sitting idle 220 days annually.
❌ Starting Before You’re Protected
Launching without fraud protection, verification systems, or contract safeguards. One scam or payment dispute wipes out months of profit and teaches expensive lessons.
Your Free Starter Pack-Built for Contractors
The Starter Pack: Essential Filters & Checklists
The #1 problem new contractors face when starting a contracting business is saying yes to the wrong things.
Bad leads that waste your time. Problem clients who never pay. Products that bleed you dry. Website traps that cost $400/month. The Starter Pack gives you the filters and checklists to spot these traps instantly and avoid them completely.
What’s Inside
Start-Up Filter
Take the 25-question readiness assessment. Find out if you’re actually ready to launch or headed for the 60% failure rate.
Avoid The 5K Website Trap
Why renting websites is bleeding you dry and how contractors own everything for $38/month instead.
Stop Buying Junk You Dot Need
The 5 products that waste $500+/month (CRMs, lead packages, tools) and what to use instead.
Screen Clients Before You Drive
Quick intake questions that filter bad leads so you stop wasting time on free estimates that go nowhere.
Know What Your Numbers Are
Lite pricing calculator + first 30-day checklist so you don’t underprice yourself into bankruptcy.
Don’t Be The Next $40,000 Lesson
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Start Free — Upgrade When You’re Ready
Free Starter Pack
Get the tools to protect your first steps.
Startup Filter — Are you actually ready to go all in? Find out before you risk everything.
Starter Success Checklist — Step-by-step launch priorities for your first 30 days.
Website Trap Alert — Why renting sites is a $5K+ mistake and how to avoid it.
Top 5 Products You Don’t Need — Skip the junk tools, CRMs & traps that bleed money.
Quick Intake Questions — Screen clients before wasting time on bad leads.
Hourly Rate Calculator (Lite) — Find your true minimum break-even rate.
Bad Client Radar (Lite) — Spot red flags before they cost you.
Quick Tips Guide — Simple rules that save money and stress.
The Built Right Kit: The Complete System For Starting A Contracting Business
Ready to build it right from the ground up?
The Built Right Kit is the complete system for contractors who want to do more than avoid mistakes – they want to build a profitable, professional, sustainable business from day one.
9 Complete Modules Covering: Pricing • Business Systems • Fraud Protection • Equipment • Marketing • Online Presence • Contracts • Cash Flow • Sales
Two Formats Per Module:
📱 Quick View Gamma Cards
Visual summaries you can reference in seconds – perfect when you’re on a job site or between appointments
📚 In-Depth Guides (40+ pages each)
Complete implementation systems with templates, calculators, scripts, and step-by-step processes
What’s Included:
✓ Module 1: Pricing That Sticks – Calculate your true costs and build profitable pricing
✓ Module 2: Business Systems That Work – $36/month system that replaces $500/month CRMs
✓ Module 3: Fraud Protection – Spot scams before they cost you
✓ Module 4: Equipment Decisions – Smart investments that support growth
✓ Module 5: Marketing That Works – Generate consistent leads without wasting money
✓ Module 6: Online Presence That Works – Own your website for $38/month vs renting for $400
✓ Module 7: Contracts & Legal Protections – Agreements that protect your profit
✓ Module 8: Cash Flow Mastery – Manage money so your business actually makes money
✓ Module 9: Sales & Closing Systems – Turn 30% close rates into 60%+
Plus 4 Bonuses:
- Built Right Profit Calculator (The Full Version to accurately determine your REAL pricing)
- Complete Contractor’s AI Prompt Library (101+ professional communication templates)
- DIY vs Hire Guide (Know when to outsource and when to handle it yourself)
- Red Flag Radar (Spot problem clients before you regret it)
Who This Is For:
Contractors are serious about building profitable, protected, sustainable businesses. You get both the quick-reference cards AND the complete deep-dive implementation guides.
Investment: $[297] – Complete Built Right Kit
All 9 modules + bonuses. Bundle only.
What Contractors Are Saying
I wasted over $500 every month on a marketing service that never brought a single lead. JLB Built showed me simple tools that actually work and saved me thousands.
I nearly bought a $15,000 used truck without knowing the real ownership costs. Thanks to JLB Built’s framework, I avoided the mistake and kept my money in the business.
I was overwhelmed by overpriced software and useless advice. JLB Built finally gave me practical, step-by-step tools from real contractors that I could use to start profitably.
The Hidden Price of Trial-and-Error
Most contractors lose $40,000+ in their first years — not from bad work, but from bad decisions.
Built by Contractors, for Contractors
JLB Built was founded by Jake Blair, owner of Heron Stone Masonry, after watching too many skilled tradesmen fail — not because of bad work, but because of bad business advice.
Jake saw contractors getting ripped off by $400/month websites they didn’t own, predatory marketers promising leads, and overpriced software that didn’t fit their stage of growth.
Every tool inside JLB Built comes directly from real-world contracting experience — not theory, not fluff. It’s built from the field, tested on actual jobs, and designed to protect contractors from costly mistakes.
Ready to Build Smart?
Start with the Free Starter Pack — or go straight to the Built Right Kit if you’re ready to take full control.