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Rock Yard

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 00:00:19 No.937321 View Reply Report Delete

Does anyone here own or operate a rock yard? Im talking about selling veneer, flagstone, fieldstone and such. Does the business do good? Im in NC if that helps. Scary shit signing a lease when im not sure that it will fully pay rent. Things i know i need are a loader and pallet scale and other obvious things. Any input on further needs? Thanks guys

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:TfFEfTSc Mon 26 Oct 2015 00:31:13 No.937344 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937364

>>937321
It's weird, I typed in 4chan but all the threads are simple Google searches.

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 00:59:33 No.937363 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937366

>>937321
I'm a stonemason who buys from rock yards on the west coast regularly. I know what to do and what not to do if you want return business.

Ask me anything, OP

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:02:56 No.937364 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937344
Please explain how google is going to give me good solid advice on business start up. Ive already looked for a thread on this and found none

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:05:17 No.937366 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937368

>>937363
perfect..... as someone who buys from a yard on the regular, what do you look for when choosing a yard to buy from? does presentation mean a lot to you? (ie waterfalls, walkways, and other things made of our product sitting on the yard) just in general advice on how to make this thing work would be great. i have good connections but not sure thats enough to make it a profitable business

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:08:51 No.937368 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937371

>>937366
Connections are everything. Keep the actual operations barebones to start, no fancy waterfalls. Maybe have a contractor build you some mockups and a cool wall or two to attract homeowners, but your cash cow is contractors.

Im gonna write u up a thing gonna take a minute...

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:14:47 No.937371 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937368
cool

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:DR+vuoIF Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:17:34 No.937373 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937378

>>937321
You need a logistics network. I am not in this business, or any business like it but. I can tell you that, moving your goods cheaply, and quickly from the yard to the retailer is incredibly important. Next line up your contracts, winter is a good time to buckle down spring deliveries. Emphasise any rare or especially beautiful goods you may have. I live in Chicago, and I recommend you approach garden centers, new construction developers, tile workers, and landscape companies just off the top of my head. But dont outsource logistics if you can avoid it with a cheap CL semi with a flatbed and a family member woth a cdl.

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:18:29 No.937375 Report Delete

Quoted By:

There are 3 major yards operate in my area. Here are their pros/cons and are listed in the order my company uses them:

YARD A:
>Carries the biggest selection of rock in stock
>mostly knowledgable staff
>store has wide selection of tools and stuff (sponges, brushes, etc)
>carries hardware (screws, concrete nails, shots)
>delivers anything anywhere
>fairly flexible and helpful with returns
>good prices
>can take awhile to get in/out. Very busy
YARD B:
>local business. Owner in store almost every time I go
>smaller selection
>doesnt carry as many tools and little hardware
>excellent staff very knowledgable
>operates as a sort of go between for contractors and clients who come in with no idea where to start. Has a wall with business cards for contractors and is extremely helpful
>coffee on all the time and everyone there will talk building with you regardless whether you are buying or not

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:22:15 No.937377 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937379 >>937381

YARD C:
>has huge showroom and giant office
>emphasis clearly on the design aspect
>fancy waterfalls, etc
>largely female staff
>actual yard lacks. The idiots who work at this yard constantly get orders wrong and short on product
>i have very little good to say about this yard.
>the disconnect between the office side and the yard is so great that the office doesnt usually know wtf to say when they answer the phone.
>fuck this place

Saging and continuing...

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:26:26 No.937378 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937382

>>937373
thanks for the advice. logistics are in the making as we speak. one of the hardest things to get together so far that i have found. starting out on the smaller side, so it will have to be outsourced for the beginning stages

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:DR+vuoIF Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:26:43 No.937379 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937386

>>937377
Why saging?

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:27:22 No.937380 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937384 >>937386

The point of writing those up is you need to know your customer base.

Yard A caters to large contractors and has to have everything on hand for them. When I go to Yard A, I am usually on a big job and need to grab hardware, a couple tools, sponges, etc, as well as place large orders and have everything delivered in a timely manner. I want one stop shop. This isnt a specialty yard, they have everything you need to build an entire castle, start to finish. If this is what you are shooting for, you cannot fall short. Big contractors expect this full service and you will instantly lose their business forever if you fuck up.

(Saging and continuing...)

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:27:27 No.937381 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937377
take your time, i appreciate your input

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:DR+vuoIF Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:32:24 No.937382 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937387

>>937378
Another thing about owning logistics is with the proper insurance you can make money moving other freight along with your loads on long hauls. And if god forbid the main business has a dead period, your teucks can still be workhorses.

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:34:06 No.937384 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937392 >>937398

>>937380
so far i can tell you this, i will be shooting for a yard b type business. we will be trying to cater to our biggest buyers and will be trying to specialize in a new type of veneer that i think will do great. this stuff is very easy to hang and has weight specifications of 15 lbs per sq ft or less. im not looking to be a millionaire out of this, but i would like the opportunity to run a business that will keep a roof over my head so that i can stop working for the man. i plan to be close knit with my customers and cater to who i can. what hardware would you recommend be in the office? i never even thought about supplying hardware for those that walk in. would that be a deal breaker?

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:36:00 No.937386 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937379
Saging so I dont keep bumping, since this is taking a few posts..

>>937380
Yard B is my favorite. If I am doing a small job or a specialty fix, or have a client in town that wants something very specific, I go here. What really sets Yard B apart is the attention they pay to the regulars and the laid back feel of the whole place. They dont always carry everything I need, but I know that going in. They will pour coffee and talk a $100 order over with me for an hour just to make sure my clients are going to be happy. Its hard to put a price tag on this kind of service, but it requires true knowledge of your product. The owner has never installed a rock in his life and I have no doubt he is more knowledgable than I, and I trust his advice. The place is a hub for local contractors and I know a few who go out of their way to do business here, even if it inconveniences them.

(Continued...(

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:36:33 No.937387 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937396 >>937398

>>937382
that has definitely crossed my mind. i myself own a 2000 F350 with a 7.3 in it. my original thoughts were to buy a goosneck trailer and do some deliveries that way but two things... if the customer has no way of unloading, im stuck.... also, it would probably look pretty unproffesional in my opinion.... your thoughts?

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:44:57 No.937392 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937384
You will absolutely need to carry hardware/ tools. Ill list these off in a future post. Either tonight or tomorrow if I fall asleep. You'll need a small forklift too and a flatbed for delivery to jobsites. That is a must-have or you will instantly lose your biggest clients. You should also carry 2 different grades of sand as well as baserock and decomposed granite at a minimum.

Yard C:
Basically, I will just list what NOT to do. Dont get too fancy. Aim to please the contractor, not the designer. Dont forget, the business is built around the product. Good service starts at the front office, but must flow smoothly into the yard. If a contractor feels cheaped or shorted, RECTIFY THE SITUATION and then change what you were doing wrong. I have had the same problems with them over and over since the office doesnt understand the problems their policies create for the yard employees

Anonymous

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Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:47:16 No.937396 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937399 >>937400

>>937387
Sage

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:DR+vuoIF Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:48:08 No.937398 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937401

>>937387
There is alot of variety in the type of truck you can buy... buy one of home depots outdated rooftop shingle delivery vehicles if you can. You are spot on that you HAVE
To have a way to offload freight effectively.

>>937384
You should always run any business like you want to be a millionaire on it.

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:49:02 No.937399 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937396
That is exactly what i planned on buying. Hard to find locally however even though that suprised me

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:DR+vuoIF Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:49:14 No.937400 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937396
Well this anon and I have the hivemind on the delivery truck.

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:50:17 No.937401 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937398
o believe me it will be operated as such, but im also realistic

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:54:31 No.937403 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937405

Hardware is more important to carry than tools.

You probably wont be able to compete with Home Depot type places on tool prices, but when I come to your shop with a 200sq' veneer order, I want 50 bags of mortar mix, a box of wall ties and a box of concrete nails or the rock wont do me much good.

Once you get settled in and build a client base, add tools to the mix. It is important that you only carry the best, highest quality tools. If people want cheap shit, they can get it at home depot. Carrying high quality tools will build your reputation as a quality shop and you will sell them regularly as guys will tack on a new tool or level with a large order and pass the cost on to their boss or the customer.

Want a basic hardware list?

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:57:36 No.937405 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937403
im all ears for everything you have to say. you guys are helping me think beyond my end and what the customer would like to see. i like it.

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:aleLy8/L Mon 26 Oct 2015 01:59:50 No.937407 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937412

Is there any room for O/O truckers in this business? I always had a thing for the tractor trailer flatbeds with moffetts on the back delivering product but I'd imagine it's a lot of in-house.

Anonymous

Anonymous ID:qlSfoEag Mon 26 Oct 2015 02:09:23 No.937412 Report Delete

Quoted By: >>937418

>>937407
It's all inhouse as far as Ive seen. There might be something in delivering to innawoods jobsites, though.

HARDWARE:

Wall ties
Concrete nails 1" up to 4" in 1/2 increments
Concrete screws
Shootable concrete nails
Nail shotgun ammo
Acrylic adhesives/concrete bonding agents
Muriatic acid
Hand brooms
Wire brushes
Tile sponges
Deck screws

You are gonna sell a lot of this shit. Almost every time I go to a yard I pick up something off that list to add to my order. Go to some yards around your area and see what they have in their stores. It might be wise to team up with a local masonry contractor and offer them a 10% discount for a year or something like that for consulting services. If you do this, make sure its a highend company. Theres a lot of shitty rockwork that gets passed off because no ones seen the good stuff up close

If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Ill stick around for a bit before bed

Dylan Young

Dylan Young ID:qHTNQehm Mon 26 Oct 2015 02:21:32 No.937418 Report Delete

Quoted By:

>>937412
ive been around to a few of the yards around here to compare prices and look at selection and stuff. my main competition is about thirty minutes from where my set up will be. he is supplied by my uncle which is who i will be supplied by. his prices are the best and he has a bigger lot than i will have for the first bit, but he offers nothing as far as hardware or tools go. the only place in a reasonable radius that does, is like a yard A situation that you laid out earlier. their prices are much higher, and they mostly supply brick and concrete block. its 50/50 there as to whether you get knowledgeable help or not. i can compete with them strictly out of price. i believe that your advice is going to get me above and beyond in all aspects vs the surrounding competition. i certainly appreciate you taking the time to lay all of that out for me. do you do any work outside of your area? ever in NC?

Daishi Yamaguchi

Daishi Yamaguchi ID:HNUxToOU Mon 26 Oct 2015 07:10:38 No.937469 Report Delete

Quoted By:

How do you do?
My name is called YAMAGUCHIDAISHI!
I'm treating Japanese electrical appliances!
I'd like to sell Japanese electrical appliances to an overseas site, I'm looking for someone who passes as a broker!
The person who takes an interest?
"[email protected]"
Please mail it in MA!
Please have a contact casually!
Thank you.

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