Soils Lab 1

[geope]

I need to start a soils lab and I need to put a Business Plan togetehr for investors. Could anyone recommed a book to follow or does anyone has a guide I can folow? Thanks

 

[fndn]

Contact one of the major testing equipment suppliers like Humboldt manufacturing or Eletest, and request their testing catalog. Then you could purchase a business plan software from Bestbuy and put together the two sources. Then call around warehouse/office landlords and get lease information.

A Member of

http://www.civilvillage.com

 

[geope]

Thank you for your advice. I already have the catalogs and I downloaded business plan samples, but I can't seem to find one that relates to Soils Lab or something similar. I was wondering if anyone has put one together and provide me with good tips or information. The purpose of the soils lab is to provide laboratory services for DOT projects in Florida.

 

[Ron]

geope...I hope you have throroughly researched the qualification requirements for the laboratory and the personnel for doing FDOT work. It takes a while to become approved, then you have to compete for the work. Don't expect immediate work unless you are a minority or disadvantaged business enterprise.

 

[fndn]

geope-Ron has great advice. Which brings the thought that you may call municipalities and see if you could get last years materials testing contracts. This typically will show the estimated number of hours required say for asphalt testing, concerete teting, plant inspections etc. Then multiply your local hourly rate for an engineering technician. Then use that number to divide by the quantity of tests and labor and that would give you a ballpark number of what to charge per lab test and field inspection.

A Member of

http://www.civilvillage.com

 

[iandig]

One piece of advice for setting up a lab, a good technician can get a good result using older, second-hand equipment which may not be cutting edge, but a bad technician will never give you a good result. The consideration of 'good' technicians must form part of any business plan, theres no point in setting up a lab, if you don't have the correct resources, and in testing this is definatley where the technician comes first, followed by equipment.
My definition of a good technician is fairly simple, competant, accurate, reliable, honest and trust-worthy, and if their efficient even better. Good technicians are able to learn new tests, so experience in specific fields does not need to be a priority, just an advantage.
As for a 'good' result, this is an accurate reflection of the property measured, which is repeatable and reproducable - not it always passess.
If I was an investor in a lab, I would be concerned about the way in which it would be staffed, who were the potential Clients, and how quickly (realistically) it would be expected to start winning work from them. You can't sell anything if your shelves are empty, and with any business there is a 'critical mass' which needs to be achieved before a profit can be made.
Oh and don't forget to tell the investors what can be typically expected as a good profit from a lab, different industries definatley have different ideas as to what is a succesful business and you can't compare apples with pears.

 

[geope]

Thank you! Good advice, I have no choice, I must have a good technician in order to get approved by the FDOT.

 

[solidground]

I am assuming that you must have had years of lab experience under your belt. In addition to having a good technician, you must be able to train and advise if require.

I don't know how far you are from a local university. College students, senior status prefer, are cheap and eager to learn. You can have 1 full time senior technician and couple of college students as a part-timer. A good technician in Southern California go for $25-30/hr. Instead of having two full time Senior Technician, you can get a college senior for about $12-14/hr.

Good luck..