Q. I am starting a Yogurt Shop like Pinkberry. I am planning to lease a 800 sq ft space. The space was a previously a office, a rectangular layout. It does have a bathroom in the back, what would be the rough amount of cost to get the adequate plumbing in there?

A. You would really have to contact a commercial plumber for this.

Q. - Quote to replace tub and tub surround - $1,700 - "this would be barring any problems" - Remove and dispose old carpet & baseboards - $300 - Paint entire apartment including kitchen and bathrom cupboards and hallway -$2,100 - Carpet installation (275 sq.ft) and vinyl flooring (275 sq.ft) - $2500 The apartment is a 1-bedroom only 550 sq/ft. it's a rental business and not in the best area in town in Ontario, Canada so I just want it to be nice and simple, not expensive fancy stuff. (for example commercial grade carpet is perfect). There was a heavy smoker living there before. is it possible painting is more expensive becasueof that for example? how much approximately should the above items really cost? THANKS.

A. If the tub quote includes the tub, new plumbing and faucets it is OK. Not good, but OK. The rest of those are nuts. The carpet and vinyl, removal, and replacement is more like 800-1000, unless you are buying high end carpet. Painting a place that small is maybe 60 in supplies and 100 to paint, it will take 6-7 hours to prep and paint. Another 2 hours for the cupboards.

Q. I work for a heating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and roofing company, and I dispatch about ten people on seven calls a day, and it is exhausting. I take the call (or whoever is in the office does) and gather the customer information. This includes name, address, phone number, city, zip code, how they heard about us (commercial, radio, referral, repeat, etc.), what type of problem they are having (heating, electrical, plumbing, or roofing), what exactly is going wrong, if it is an estimate on a new unit, a service failure, what time the customer called, what date the customer called, when the customer would like the technician to come out (we try to always book them between twelve and four, and save the early times for customers with no other option). The salesman then takes the inbound call sheet over to the dispatch log. I probably should have mentioned that each call sheet has a preassigned number (e.g. 20090001, 20090002, etc.). They match the invoice number on the inbound call sheet to the number on the call log which contains the invoice number, then a place for the sales rep to fill out the rest of the customer information, including customer name, technician assigned to customer's zip code, type of call (hvac, electrical, plumbing), date of call, date scheduled, time of call, time scheduled (am or pm), time completed, revenue collected, and if it was entered into quickbooks, and then if the invoice was given to the technician. This is all if the customer wants the work done on a future date. If the customer wants the work done that day, the sales rep goes ahead and calls the technician assigned to the customer's zip code. He then fills out the call log like normal. Once they have done all that, they give the call sheets to me. I then enter all the information into quickbooks and print out two work orders. I put the call sheets into a plastic sleeve and put those in a binder starting from the lowest work order number to the greatest. Then I put the work order in Steve's folder who gives them to the correct technician. The technician's go out and do the call and collect the money unless it is a credit card. Then I call the customer, get their credit card information, and call the credit card company and charge their card (I am honest enough to be trusted to do this). The checks are deposited every day at the bank after they have been entered into quickbooks. Most of the technicians are paid by salary. I broke my windshield the other day (coincidentally trying to deal with stress from this job), and a company with similar problems came out to fix it, and I was very interested in how they overcame them. The people on the phone took my phone number, name, car type, and schedule me for 12 to 4 pm. the technician who gets paid by the job came out, fixed my windshield, entered some information into his blackberry and connected it to the safegear thing and printed out his receipt and was on his merry way. I called the company (safelite), and tole them all this, and they said to call the corporate office between eight and five, which I will do tomorrow. but fellow workers, will you please help a struggling business and let me know how you dispatch people or how we could improve? Is there any company that has software for this??? PLEASE!

A. Whew, your employer owes you big time for some mental health counseling. The really big firms around here in the midwest use a system that is identical to law enforcement. They carry a small walkie talkie and have radios in their big box trucks. I had a young man check out my heat pump just last week and I could hear the dispatcher talking talking talking. It was a woman and she'd been doing it a long time that was obvious from my first contact. Except she gave him the wrong address and he was driving around for a while until I called her back, she then radioed him right away and I had a delay of maybe ten minutes. We have quite a few one man operations around here and they are Good. The one husband of a friend that I know just gets by with a cell phone, but you don't want to face something like that you have way too many people running in and out. Here's a suggestion: check out temporary employment agencies and ask them what kind of system they use? You might even find a better job who knows? Community colleges have wonderful courses on Business Communication, check them out if you have time and if your employer will pay for all or part of it. This is tax deductible as it's to improve your performance on your job. Then, get online and check out different software companies, there are tons out there who really need the business. A local Nerd would also jump at the chance to get a system customized just for your firm. You really have a situation and I sincerely hope you get some kind of help and soon. Oh, I also know of what you call service plumbing firms in the Miami/Tampa/Cape Coral/Fort Myers areas. These people are really with it but they're in trouble now because the hotels are sitting there empty especially this time of year. Maybe you could check with some hotels or housekeeping managers as to what kind of system they use, but it would depend on how big and busy your area of the country is. Okay, there's lots more but this will keep you busy thinking and maybe alleviate some of your stress. Good Luck!

Q. Buying a house, and the home inspection has uncovered some potential issues. It's been a real pain in the butt to get someone to go out and review the inspector's findings. I have posted the report with pictures on profiles.yahoo.com/chuckynjwvu The projectis very time-sensetive. I need to know if I should even bother buying that house. Thanks

A. Try the link below and start calling numbers, someone will know someone that can help you. Good luck. At the very least, the problems involved should save you enough money to put towards resolving the issues. If you don't feel comfortable, move on. Buying a home is a 30 year investment, and the market value will increase, unless it BURNS to the ground. I tried to look at your pictures but the files won't open. You may need to retry, or e-mail them to me, I'll take a look and give you an opinion. Background: In and around construction my whole life, 3 years working for Connectiv, 2 years in school studying electrical construction, 15 years flooring, commercial and residential, 2 years as production manager for a mold remediation, fire and water damage restoration company, currently the division manager of a large flooring distributor / contractor. Electric, plumbing, framing, concrete, damage that can result from fire and water, and poor workmanship. I can't fix it for you. But I'll give you an honest professional evaluation.

Q. I have recently rented a place to open a restaurant. The first time I turned on the hot water, I could smell gas. I called the plumbing company to come check and he found out the problem is coming from the water heater. In order to fix the problem is to change the water heater.

A. With commercial rentals it is usually the tenants responsibility, but you will have to check your specific lease.

Q. My great commercial clients want me to do all their contracting needs such as dry wall, plumbing, electric for their stores, they trust me and want me to get things done, i wanna make a living. I am having a hard time getting any straight answers. I would like to sub out to highly proffesionals with their own licence and insurance. what is the least expensive way for me to do business and what kind of insurance and licence do I need? I am being told buy insurance companies that i need to get about $12,000. liaibility and $10,000. in workers comp. Please help someone so I am allowed to make a l honest living withotu giving all my money to these other guys!

A. Im in the cleaning business with similar situations. The insurance should NOT cost too much. I finally found, through american family insurance, the minimum that I needed and it costs about 30.00 per month. That is not bad. Be careful for those chaps that will try to bilk you out of hundreds. Did you know that most companies ask for this insurance not because they are concerned that you will need it but because on paperwork it proves to THEIR insurance companies and the IRS that you are an independent contractor and not an employee? Insurance quote sounds about right just watch the prices. They will ask you to pay the first three months in advance. I am not sure why on earth you would need workers comp if you are hiring out to subcontractors as that is for employees. Workers comp wont even cover you. It is ONLY for employees. Best recheck that info. I have a contract that I make my subcontractors sign, covers stuff like them trying to take my work away, their conduct, due dates, billing submission and so much more. You really want that more than anything else. Make sure the contracts are as complete as possible. I might have a copy still and can email it to you if you contact me just to give you an idea of what you are looking at. The best way to get the most educated answers would be to contact your local "score" office. They are bent on promoting small businesses and will help you any way they can for free or a very small price. Here is the link in your area, they will even work with you over the phone. http://www.scorenyc.org/ Be picky with those subcontractors at first. Dont be nice. All business. I had to learn the hard way. Now im not saying be a jerk but firm, demand perfection. It will weed out the chumps quickly. I really have to do this being a woman but I am a great business person. I have gone through about 5 people to find one good one and that is lucky. Most say 20 to 1. Ride their rumps and check all their work often. Dont let them chum up to you and watch out for the ones who try and make you laugh a lot or refocus on other things besides the work, like family, finances, and eating. Ask those pleased companies you work with to post on Angieslist.com for you too. You will be great.

Q. I asked this once but didnt get many answers last night so here it goes again...and im sorry i know its long. can you please help me? my hubby started plumbing at the age of 18 (now 26) in residential. he can do practically anything when it comes to plumbing a new house. im really not sure what everything is called so excuse my lack of knowlege here. but i know he can do inside and outside work for the houses. now with the industry the way it is...he has moved on to commercial industrial plumbing and has been in this field for a few years. i couldnt tell you exactly what all he knows but he is very good at what he does i know (ive heard ppl compliment him) and is a very hard and dedicated worker. he is plumbing HUGE jobs alone (example...petsmarts, hotels, apartment buildings, ect). he is doing undergrounds and using equipment. he is working for a man (basically sub contracting but getting paid weekly for the jobs). this is the only man he is working for and he keeps him very busy since my hubby is the only one who subs thru him. he doesnt even have a helper (well on certain days my bro helps but not everyday). again im not sure what all he can do but i know he is doing these jobs alone...dealing with the inspectors, laying out the jobs alone..basically running the show. everything but finding the jobs. HE DOES NOT have any kind of a licence tho. the man who runs the company is the one pulling permits ect. right now we are working on him going to school to get a licence but the thing is...we cannot afford school!!! i think he is underpaid for everything he does. he gets a regular pay of 650.00 per week (not by the job as a normal sub would get). he is also not on salary so days when he has to come home early for things that didnt work out right he loses pay. we also pay for the gas in the van he uses (i know he subs and we are responsible for that but this is ran a bit differently...kinda like an employee). the company provided the van. the way gas is we are definately using a 100 weekly in gas if not more. so basically 550 weekly he is paid. also taxes are not taken out. any thoughts or advice would be great. i think he is underpaid but what do you think? could he go to a company as a regular employee and make more? again he can do it all and if he doesnt know he is a quick learner. outside/inside/escavating ect on commercial and residential he can do. thanks

A. I'm not a plumber, but I know a very good website where you can find out whether your husband is being underpaid. I've linked to the page for an entry-level plumber (as your husband is unqualified, I'm afraid that's what he technically is) and it shows that the national US average is 1149 us dollars every 2 weeks, but that includes SS, 401k, etc, etc. My personal opinion is that plumbers are in great demand right now and as long as he has the right tools, I would set up a sole-proprietorship and become a sub-contractor who gets paid by the job. This should be more lucrative, as freelancing business is pretty simple to maintain, I do it with Web Development from home, full-time.

Q. Recently a home was donated to a town near me, for the purpose of being used as a public library. It was one of those big old mansion homes built in the 1910s like you see on the Main Streets of small towns all over America. Architecture services were provided by a man in the community who is a Friend of the Library, he is retired and essentially provided his services Pro-Bono. (He submitted a bid for services equal to the cost of the application and filing fee for the contract). The home needed some work done before it could be used as a public building. It was a two story home of just under 3000 square feet and required bathroom, plumbing, electrical and fire-safety upgrades. The architect's estimate for the total cost of all the work was $70,000 and knowing that General Contractor's like to make a hefty profit he suggested that the town expect to pay around $150,000 to get the work done. The lowest apparent bidder was $275,000 (the contract was not awarded, the bids were rejected and the project will be re-bid later this year) the highest bid was $630,000. Another library near me wanted to build a 600 SF climate controlled storage facility on a plot of land adjacent to an existing library. The contract was basically a masonry storage shed with lights and an air conditioner/dehumidifier-there were no bathroom or kitchen facilities, nor was it equipped for Internet or Wi-Fi. The AC/dehumidifier called for was a high-end residential unit - not a piece of specialized commercial grade equipment. The lowest apparent bidder submitted a bid of $499,000. That's $831 per sf in a market where typical residential construction only costs $140 per sf. A public high school near me wanted to build a 300 sf refreshments facility next to the district athletic fields for the purpose of hosting fund-raisers. The architect on that project estimated a total actual cost of construction of approximately $115,000 and suggested that no GC would bid on the project if they couldn't get at least $250,000 to do the work. The lowest apparent bid was $990,000. This represents a real threat to American municipalities if collusion and price fixing in the construction industry is making it impossible for local governments to engage in new construction projects. What means do you feel are appropriate to "starve them out" and bring bids for municipal work down to reasonable levels? Reducing requirements for a 600 sf masonry shed? You're kidding right? These were prevailing wage contracts but you can't blame figures like these on a requirement that a painter be paid $17 an hour. Also, when bids are consistently this high because of secret deals between companies in the contracting business then it's price fixing, which is illegal.

A. Unfortunately, it is a widely accepted practise amongst building contractors, to charge more for municipal works. if you did a little investigation, you may discover that the majority of contractors are operating a cartel. where work and quotes are shared amongst themselves. the highest bid normally indicates to the rest that the coast is clear for the others to feast at the taxpayers expense. this practise is not new, and the architect should not feign ignorance