Running a trade business

From one board. Dispatching for a small shop picks one assignment rule, builds tomorrow's board by 3 p.m., and holds one or two slots a day for emergencies. When the owner's dispatch time starts costing billable hours, the dispatcher job description covers the role and its four measures. Then watch return trips: reducing callbacks counts every unpaid return within 30 days, divides by completed jobs, and logs a cause for each. Most trace back to a diagnosis that stopped at the symptom, a skipped step, a part not on the truck or a customer who wasn't told what to expect; Chesapeake Electric, profiled by ServiceTitan in 2026, cut its rate from 7% to 5% by coaching from real calls.

Start with an honest job description and a real pay range, which California, Washington, New York and Colorado require in postings. Use the HVAC technician job description or the plumber job description, each with BLS pay percentiles. Hourly vs flat-rate pay compares four pay plans and the FLSA rules every one must pass: at least minimum wage for all hours, and overtime over 40 hours, with commissions raising the overtime rate.

The parts that fix the most common calls on the first visit, with a minimum and maximum for each and a weekly count. The HVAC truck stock list covers capacitors (a 440V part can replace a 370V one of the same rating, never the reverse), contactors, igniters and refrigerant rules. The plumbing truck stock list covers stops, PEX and copper fittings and cartridges, all lead free (0.25% weighted average lead or less) for drinking water lines.

Anyone who opens a refrigerant circuit needs EPA 608 certification: 25 Core questions plus 25 per type, 70% to pass, and it never expires. The R-454B transition requires a refrigerant with a GWP of 700 or less in new residential systems since January 1, 2025, while R-410A systems can still be repaired. Electricians follow lockout tagout under OSHA 1910.333, where a serious violation can cost up to $16,550.

The HVAC maintenance checklist splits spring (cooling and drainage) from fall (combustion and safety controls) and budgets about 45 to 75 minutes per system. Replacements start with a Manual J load calculation, which the IRC and IECC reference for sizing; the BTU calculator and BTU to tons converter are quick checks, not a substitute. Roofers work the roof inspection checklist in the same order every time, with fall protection from 6 feet, and follow the insurance claims process: the homeowner owns the claim and always pays the deductible. The roof pitch and attic ventilation calculators help on site.

Pick recurring work you can route. Starting a backflow testing business covers certification (Texas requires a TCEQ license after a 40-hour course), yearly gauge accuracy tests, getting on each water utility's tester list, and a worked price of about $160 for a one-off test and $135 on a planned route.