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9 best steps to starting a Civil construction business in 2022
Starting a civil construction business in Australia is not particularly difficult. Capable people who want to establish themselves should have no great difficulty in achieving their goals.
We have put together an easy step by step guide on how to start!
What steps do you take to Starting a Civil construction business?
Step 1
– Make decisions on what type of business you want to start. People who are already in the civil construction industry will usually be very knowledgeable about all aspects of this area, but if you are new to it, make sure you do plenty of research. Talk to as many people who are currently working in civil construction as possible, and ask for their advice. They should be glad to help because helping newcomers is an important part of the culture in this line of work. You may also find that some companies will offer free training programs if they think it might lead to long term employment opportunities for them.
Step 2
– Next step is to think carefully about where your new company will base itself., talk to other businesses in the area you plan to be in to see what the competition is like, and whether there are any special licences required to operate your business. For example if you decide that you want to be mobile and work on the road, or perhaps use a boat or helicopter, don’t forget about your licence requirements.
Step 3
– Look at insurance options. Every civil construction business needs workers compensation insurance from day one. Because of this it is easy to set up a company in Australia as most Australian states have a scheme where companies can apply for their workers comp through which they can get an instant no obligation quote number
This website provides excellent advice on how much workers comp you need http://www.workcover.com.au/workers-comp-insurance
Step 4
– Business Structure is the next thing to consider, this is very important when you are starting up your new business. There are two options for setting up a Civil construction business; sole trader or company. Both have advantages and disadvantages associated with them, not least in terms of taxation. Many owners take on multiple roles within their business, for example acting manager, administrator and purchasing officer etc. The advantage in doing this is that it simplifies tax matters somewhat because everything can be done under one umbrella entity rather than having several companies within that entity all having different taxation responsibilities..
A good accountant will help you decide which option is best for you based upon your unique circumstances so don’t try to guess at tax rates, how to run your business etc.
Step 5
– Licenses and permits are often overlooked when starting a new business. One of the most basic needs is to register with your local council as a commercial enterprise, or if you plan to do construction work on roads that will affect traffic, with your state road authority. To do this it is essential to have a recognised ABN for your new company which you can get by registering online and paying $60 for an ABN at https://abr.business.gov.au/
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Step 6
– Research is everything when you are looking at how trade with other businesses and government departments – so make sure you check out all the free information available on trading in Australia from federal, state and city authorities. For example, if you are planning to work in the northern territory, download a copy of their free publication for contractors and businesses at
http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Business_and_industry/Publications/contacts/contractorsguide?view=Binary
Step 7
– If your business will be carrying out construction work that may require approval from a government authority then it is important to check how far along in that process you have to get before you can start trading – there are severe penalties for non compliance so don’t put yourself at risk! The best place to start looking for this information is again with the relevant government authority but do some research first on any websites or publications specific to civil construction business .
For example, there are very strict rules regarding working in the vicinity of waterways and tidal areas, or close to powerlines etc. so find out what these are from your state infrastructure authority at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/home/projects_and_programs/infrastructure_investment_program/index.aspx
Step 8
– Finally a good place to look for information on how you can successfully run your new business is with other civil construction businesses that have been operating successfully for a while – ask them for their advice on things like which software they use to keep track of jobs etc., but also see if they have any tips about areas where mistakes are commonly made by newcomers – that way you can avoid making the same mistakes yourself.
A good starting point for finding out more about civil construction businesses that are established and operating successfully is http://www.business.gov.au/
Step 9
– With all of the above steps completed you should be ready to start your new business – make sure you record your company name on the ABR (Australian Business Register) website, get an ABN (Australian Business Number), maybe even introduce yourself on some industry forums like LinkedIn or Twitter etc., then put all of this together in a marketing strategy that can help create awareness with potential clients in your area..
If you have any experience in Civil construction please share them below!