Drywall Company

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

Smooth Wall Drywall is a drywall company serving builders, remodelers and homeowners in our county and the nearby towns. We hang, tape, finish and repair drywall for new construction and for renovation and repair jobs. Builders and homeowners need drywall crews that show up, finish smooth walls and clean up. Many crews are booked for weeks, leave dust everywhere or finish poorly, which shows through paint. We will win customers by being reliable, finishing carefully, controlling dust and communicating clearly. Here is what our numbers show. We expect sales of about $164,900 in Year 1, growing to about $670,600 by Year 5 as we add drywall hangers and finishers and more builder customers. We expect losses of about $75,600 in Year 1, $54,600 in Year 2 and $14,400 in Year 3 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 4 (about $19,400), growing to about $60,700 by Year 5. We need $218,000 in total. That covers $18,800 in startup costs (drywall lifts, finishing tools, dust control, scaffolding, a trailer, opening supplies, license fees, insurance and advertising) and a cash cushion of about three months of bills. I am putting in $10,000 of my own money, and I am asking for $162,000 as an SBA 7(a) loan, plus $46,000 from an investor or partner. In Year 1 I will use my own truck to haul the trailer and supplies. I am Luis Garcia, the owner. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Smooth Wall Drywall will be a limited liability company (LLC) in New Mexico, owned by Luis Garcia. We will work from my home, with the trailer parked in my driveway and supplies stored in my garage. What we believe. Show up on schedule, finish smooth, control dust and leave the job clean. What we offer:
- Hanging and taping drywall for new homes and additions. - Smooth finishes, texture and ceilings. - Repairs: holes, water damage and patches. - Basements and remodel projects. - Work for builders on a per-square-foot basis. Licenses and insurance. Drywall rules vary. Many states and cities require a contractor license above a set dollar amount, and builders usually require proof of insurance and a signed subcontractor agreement. Our state requires a contractor license for jobs over $1,000, so I will get my license before taking larger jobs. We carry general liability and workers' compensation insurance, follow dust and silica safety rules when sanding and, on homes built before 1978, follow lead-safe practices when disturbing painted surfaces. Where things stand today. I have worked on a drywall crew for six years, I own hand tools, and I have repaired walls for friends and neighbors.

Problem & Opportunity

Builders and homeowners near us want smooth walls and a crew they can count on. 1. Long waits. Good drywall crews are often booked for weeks. 2. Poor finishing. Rough or uneven walls show through paint. 3. Dust. Sanding without dust control spreads dust through the house. 4. Missed schedules. A late drywall crew holds up every trade after it. How we know people want this. Six neighbors asked me for drywall repairs last year, and a builder said he needs a dependable drywall sub for four houses.

Products & Services

What we sell. 1. New construction drywall. Hanging, taping and finishing for new homes and additions, priced per square foot. Our plan assumes an average of about $1.85 per square foot in Year 1, rising to about $2.10 by Year 5. Materials and direct costs run about $0.70 per square foot. We expect about 70,000 square feet in Year 1, growing to about 252,376 square feet a year by Year 5. 2. Renovation and repair jobs. Repairs, patches and remodel drywall for homeowners. Our plan assumes an average of about $885 per job in Year 1, rising to about $990. Materials cost about $320 per job. We expect about 40 jobs in Year 1, growing to about 142. Our prices. New construction about $1.85 a square foot. Hole patch from $85. Basement finishing from $2.25 a square foot. How it works for the customer:
1. A free estimate, with measurements and a written price. 2. A schedule that fits the job, with a date for each stage. 3. Careful hanging, smooth finishing and dust control. 4. A clean job site and a walk-through before paint. Gross margin, explained. "Gross margin" is the share of each sale left after paying for materials and direct job costs. Our plan shows about 63% in Year 1. That money pays the owner and crew, vehicle costs, insurance and other bills.

Market Analysis

Who will hire us:
- Home builders and remodelers who need a dependable drywall sub. - Homeowners with repairs, water damage or remodels. - Painters and general contractors who need patches and repairs. - Landlords and property managers. Where we will work. A service area close enough to reach job sites daily, starting with our county and the two neighboring towns, within 30 minutes of my home. Season. Drywall is steady all year, since interior work continues in winter. New construction is busiest in spring and fall, and repair work fills the gaps. Our plan is careful on purpose. About 70,000 square feet of new construction and 40 repair jobs in Year 1 is a workload the owner and two crew members can handle well.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices customers have:
1. Larger drywall subcontractors. Allied Drywall (a made-up name) charges about $2 a square foot for hanging and finishing; known for speed, but rough finishes. 2. Small crews and day laborers. Cheaper, but often not insured and not consistent. 3. Handymen. Fine for small patches, but not for large jobs. How we will win customers: reliable schedules, smooth finishes, dust control, clean sites and fair prices.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How people will find us. - Relationships with builders, remodelers, painters and supply houses. - A free Google business listing with photos of finished work, and a simple website. - Asking every happy builder and homeowner for a review and a referral. - Truck magnets and business cards. - Bids on new construction projects as soon as we have references. Marketing budget. About $4,000 a year. Truck magnets, business cards and the website are paid for from startup costs.

Operations Plan

How the business runs day to day. Jobs and crews. The owner measures, quotes, orders materials and schedules the crew. In Year 1 the owner works with two hangers and finishers, and we grow to six by Year 5. Each job has a quote, a materials order, a schedule for hanging, taping and finishing and a final walk-through. Equipment. About $10,000 to start: drywall lifts and stilts; taping and finishing tools; power tools and dust control: screw guns, sanders and vacuums; scaffold and ladders; used utility trailer. We set aside about $1,500 to $2,000 a year for repairs and replacements. Upkeep. Lifts and tools cleaned and serviced after each job, mud pans and knives cleaned and replaced and the trailer checked before each trip. Safety. Dust masks or respirators when sanding, dust-collecting sanders and vacuums, safe use of stilts and scaffolds, careful lifting of heavy sheets and clear walkways. Running costs in Year 1: tools and lift equipment about $8,000, insurance and licensing about $6,000, marketing about $4,000. Scheduling and billing. A simple scheduling and invoicing app on my phone, with builders billed every two weeks and homeowners billed at completion.

Management & Organization

Who runs the business. Luis Garcia, owner. As owner I will hang and finish drywall, measure and quote jobs, order materials, schedule the crew and handle the money side of the business. I plan to pay myself $54,000 a year in salary in Year 1. Crew. Drywall hangers and finishers at about $42,000 a year each (or part-time pay): two in Year 1, three in Year 2, four in Year 3, five in Year 4 and six in Year 5. People who will help us: a bookkeeper or tax preparer, an insurance agent, and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Jessica Williams serves as a key volunteer advisor.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them. - Before starting: register the business, get the license and insurance, buy the lifts, tools and trailer, and meet builders and suppliers. Target start: March 2027. - First year: complete about 70,000 square feet of new construction drywall and 40 repair jobs, for about $164,900 in sales. - Year 2: add a drywall hanger and finisher, about $265,800 in sales, and a loss of about $54,600. - Years 3 to 5: grow to six drywall hangers and finishers and about $670,600 in sales by Year 5. Growth depends on hiring good people and winning the work, so treat the later years as goals, not promises. What we check every week: jobs on schedule, square feet hung, callbacks, material costs, and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total needed: $218,000. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan shows a minimum, and we plan to raise a little more than that so the loan payments in the early years are also covered. The calculator's number adds up: - Startup costs of $18,800, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section (about $10,000 for lifts, stilts, finishing tools, dust control, scaffolding and a trailer, $2,000 for opening compound, tape and screws, $800 for the contractor and business licenses, $3,500 for the first insurance payments, $700 for business setup and bookkeeping software, and $1,800 for truck magnets, business cards and a website). - A cash cushion of about $199,200: the deepest cash dip in the early months plus about three months of bills, so slow weeks do not put the business at risk. Lenders call this "working capital." - Together that comes to about $172,000 (rounded up to the nearest $500), which is the minimum the calculator shows. We are planning for $218,000, which adds room for the early loan payments. Where the money comes from: - My own money: $10,000. - Amount requested: $162,000. - From an investor or partner: $46,000. Kind of funding we are looking for: an SBA 7(a) loan through a local bank or community lender, plus investor or partner money, which is not paid back with interest but gives that person a share of the business. How we will pay it back. We expect losses of about $75,600 in Year 1, $54,600 in Year 2 and $14,400 in Year 3 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 4 (about $19,400), growing to about $60,700 by Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank every year of the plan. The loan is planned at 12.75% interest over 10 years, the most the SBA allows for a loan this size, so payments of about $2,395 a month are already included in our cash flow. What we are offering the lender: our tools and trailer as collateral and my personal guarantee A smaller first step, if needed. If we cannot raise the full amount right away, we can start smaller and grow into this plan: - Phase 1: start with small repair and patch jobs on evenings and weekends using hand tools and a borrowed ladder, while keeping your current job. Startup can be under $2,500. - Phase 2: once you have more jobs than you can handle part-time, buy the lifts, tools and trailer and follow this plan. To plan the smaller start, make a copy of this plan (use Duplicate) and lower the numbers to match. All numbers in this plan are estimates. We will update them as real results come in.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this plan:

- Your resume (one page is fine) and any licenses or certificates. - A personal financial statement (a list of what you own and what you owe; lenders usually provide a form). - Business registration papers and your EIN (your business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov). - Proof of insurance, or a quote. - Quotes for the equipment and vehicle. - Your price list and a sample written estimate. - Photos of past work and references, if you have them. If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue. The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- New Construction Drywall (per sq ft): about $2 per square foot in Year 1, rising to $2; about $1 per square foot in direct costs; about 70,000 square feet in Year 1, growing to 252,376. - Renovation & Repair Jobs: about $885 per job in Year 1, rising to $990; about $320 per job in direct costs; about 40 jobs in Year 1, growing to 142. - Owner salary: $54,000 a year. Crew: $42,000 a year each, from two in Year 1 to six in Year 5. - Other yearly costs in Year 1: tools and lift equipment about $8,000, insurance and licensing about $6,000, marketing about $4,000. - Tax rate: 21%. - Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs