The Elements of Building: A Business Handbook For Residential Builders & Tradesmen Paperback – January 1, 2014

This is the sort of book that you need to read if you are a contractor, and you want to read if you are anyone else. It is written with humor, skill, and deep wisdom. If you are a contractor, the insights will make you (or save you) thousands of dollars in the first year. If you are simply looking for a book that showcases how an exceptional individual with a passion for improving and growing can become a leader in any field, this is it. Thank you Mark. In our office, we refer to you as "Our Mentor," and you've helped settle several questions about how we should conduct our business.

Mark Kerson provides advice for everything an aspiring or experienced contractor needs - finances, estimates, materials, contracts, etc. There’s also a very pleasant surprise. The book opens with a short digest of the personal tools we need to build a life: honesty, communication, attitude, image; the things we take for granted. It’s a charming way to get into the technical and business skills contractors need, which Kerson includes along with common-sense advice on things like when to back away from bid requests and how to identify and deal with difficult customers.This book is a little too big to slip into a tool belt pouch, but it should definitely be on the front seat of a contractor’s pickup for the first ten or fifteen years, maybe longer.An earlier reviewer said “Elements of Building” was filled with faith-based references. I didn’t see that, just a clear-eyed, clearly written guide to building, a small miracle of good advice, good examples and no ego.

The author of this book has clearly walked the walk. He generously shares a broad range of information that will be invaluable to anyone who wants to learn how to run a contracting or trade business. While there are thousands of books on building and carpentry, the skill set needed to establish and run a contracting business is much harder to learn. Many of the tips found in this book could more than justify its cost. One thing that puzzled me was the review written by Shawn M who said there was outdated, mostly religious information here. There are many quotes, but as far as I could tell there was exactly one from a religious source. I have to think that Shawn read that quote and nothing more. Otherwise, Kerson does stress the importance of operating your business with honesty and integrity, but I found that info completely secular with zero religious dogma anywhere. Great book. Highly recommend.

This is an excellent book... I have learned so much... He had me from the beginning when he said in the dedication that unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.... This is a wealth of knowledge and especially for someone starting out as he generously tells you how to avoid mistakes... Thank you for writing this book! It is a priceless in many ways....

Excellent book full of helpful little nuggets. I’ve been in construction my whole adult life, and lately have been transitioning from the field to management so this has been helpful to clarify a lot of things I had heard of but wasn’t entirely sure of. Definitely found myself nodding along to a lot of it.

Excellent book, not rocket science. Being a construction project manager for large scale projects this book was a little more primitive than I had originally thought. Excellent for contractors looking to start a residential building company or in the beginning stages of doing so.

The Strunk and White of construction business advice. This is a wealth of experience and practical principles. This is a good starting point if you are looking to improve your business skills in construction. It is an overview of all the major areas rather than treating a specific topic.Highly recommended

Good rules of thumb for the contractor or some one looking to get into the gc world in light construction or residential