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What’s In Your Truck?

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Management

What’s In Your Truck?

Carrying the right equipment can save you a lot of time and money. Here’s a list of what’s in my truck.


By BY Dan Bawden January 10, 2019
This article first appeared in the January 2019 issue of Pro Remodeler.

Having just the right tool or part to solve an unexpected issue is one of the most satisfying aspects of having a carefully stocked truck. Stopping on the job for a missing item is not only annoying, it can significantly cut profitably.

Over nearly four decades in the remodeling business, I’ve collected all sorts of things I carry “just in case.” Although I don’t wear the tool belt anymore, I find I have opportunities to use them frequently on personal hands-on projects. My business has grown to where the workload requires three project managers and a large trade base, but I still get a thrill when I can quickly produce that unusually sized set-screw to finish a towel bar installation, or a basin wrench when the plumber has forgotten his that day.

The types of items you carry and how many of each you need depend on your role in the company: If you’re a lead carpenter working on jobsites every day, you’ll carry a lot more than a business owner who no longer does hands-on work.

The following is an inventory of the supplies in my own truck. You’ll have some of these items around already, but others are tricks I’ve picked up thanks to years on the job. Keeping these things nearby not only improves day-to-day production and workflow, but also prepares you for construction and medical emergencies.


written by

Dan Bawden

President and CEO

Dan Bawden, a 30-plus-year veteran of the home improvement industry, is the president and CEO of Houston-based Legal Eagle Contractors, and is also the 2017 National Association of Homebuilders Remodelers chairman. 


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