Do you work in construction and do you dream of your own company? When you start as an independent painter, a lot comes your way.
Start your own painting company in 8 steps.
1. Prepare for the start
Starting a business requires the necessary preparations. It helps in the neat arrangement. For example, think of:
- Writing a business plan
- Come up with a company name
- Your administration
- Your hourly rate or cost price
- A van (company car)
- Building materials and tools
- A business account
- Company clothing (against the paint splatters)
2. Write a business plan
Writing a business plan helps you as a starter to make your plans concrete. In this plan you explain the opportunities and risks of your future company. What is the added value and how are you different from your competitors? With a complete business plan you are well prepared to start a business. Your chance of financing will also increase a lot. Curious how you write such a plan? Then use our template to fill in.
3. Register with the Chamber of Commerce and Tax Authorities
It is legally required to register your company with the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and the Tax Authorities. Regardless of the industry in which you start a business. To register with the Chamber of Commerce, make an appointment online at one of the offices.
4. Take sales tax into account
As an independent painter I should ask my self on where to pay the charged VAT near me. You usually file this declaration monthly, quarterly or once a year. Most starting entrepreneurs immediately receive a VAT number when they register with the Chamber of Commerce, which they must always state on invoices, quotations and the business website . In principle, the Tax and Customs Administration will send you a VAT number within five working days. If anything is still unclear, the tax authorities will contact you by telephone beforehand.
5. Enter into a model agreement
Do you work in construction on a freelance basis? There is uncertainty (for both clients and contractors) because of the scrapping of the DBA Act, which was intended to prevent you from working as a bogus self-employed person.
6. Set up a business administration
As an entrepreneur you will no longer be paid a fixed amount every month, but you will have to send quotes and invoices to your customers and / or clients for jobs that have been carried out .
To keep track of all income and expenditure and to know if you qualify for tax benefits, it is important to have a good accounting system set up to . We recommend keeping this information up to date from the very beginning with special accounting software.
7. Take out the right insurance
If you accidentally fall off a ladder while painting a frame and break a leg, you will have to bear the financial consequences yourself. After all, as an entrepreneur you no longer have an employer who bears these kinds of risks for you. This also applies to personal and business liability and pension accrual .
8. Consider joining advocacy groups
Some entrepreneurs in the construction industry have consciously joined national interest groups. In this way they are kept informed of developments in their industry. They can also – if necessary – obtain advice in the field of legal aid.
Becoming a member is not mandatory, but at least train yourself to regularly check the news items on these websites and their social media accounts. This way you stay informed and you can anticipate important changes in good time.