Help on doing Research for a break-even analysis...

**Morpheus** · 07-12-2006 12:37 AM

Hi, my name's Mike and I'd really like to start a custom brick and mortar company in my area specializing in one type of construction. I'll be building my first project hopefully this week (as soon as the parts arrive), and I think I can really profit by turning this into a business. I've been trying to do research but all I can come up with is industry statistics which are helpful but either I don't know how to use them or I need different research for my break-even analysis.

How should I go about finding information like expected # of sales, expected revenue per sales, and expected costs? I can't find anything like this online for the masonry industry, let alone my geographical area, and all the business books I've read always tell you to include educated estimates as to your expected financials. Please help with my break-even analysis! Thanks in advance

**F360** · 07-12-2006 01:21 AM

Expected costs...just write down every cost you can think of, you know best because you seem to be in the industry (I hope...)
Fixed
Rent, Electricity etc

Variable
Brick costs, mortar costs, labour costs, tool hire etc

Look at competing companies and see what there costs are.

I doubt you could find statistics on competition revenue per sale etc, but what you could do if find a bigger, public, company and download their Financial Statements. This should show alot of there info that you want.

But remember that these big companies will have quantity on their side, so your costs will likely be higher per unit.

**Morpheus** · 07-12-2006 01:47 AM

Nope not in the industry at all, but hoping to break into it!!!

Thanks for the advice

**F360** · 07-12-2006 01:53 AM

Maybe you should work in the industry for a few months (years even) before you risk going alone. It will make your business much more likely to succed.

**Morpheus** · 07-12-2006 01:56 AM

I'm going to start small with specialized projects, which means I won't need to know a lot about masonry, just what I need to know to do what I'm going to do. I'm building one myself this week so I'll see how it goes, its all planned.