Hiring Your First Field Tech: A Restoration Owner's Playbook
2 min read
You can't scale as the only person on the truck. Here's how to find, vet, pay, and keep your first field technician without blowing up your margins.
The moment your calendar is fully booked and you're turning work away, it's time to hire. Most owners wait too long, then hire the wrong person because they're desperate.
When to hire
- You've turned away 2+ jobs this month.
- You're working 60+ hours and revenue plateaued.
- You have 90 days of runway to cover payroll if a slow month hits.
Where to actually find them
- Indeed for volume, but 80% of applicants are noise.
- Facebook groups for your trade in your metro — best signal-to-noise.
- Referrals from other contractors who are downsizing.
- Never overlook auto body and HVAC techs; the skill transfer is real.
The 4-question phone screen
- "Walk me through your last week of work, day by day."
- "Tell me about a job that went wrong. What did you do?"
- "What tools do you own?"
- "If I called your last supervisor, what's the first thing they'd say?"
Any dodged answer = pass.
Pay structure that keeps them
- Base hourly at market rate (don't cheap out on the floor).
- Job completion bonus ($25–$100 per job hit on time and passed QC).
- Monthly review — never surprise them at 90 days.
The 90-day plan
- Week 1–2: ride-along only.
- Week 3–4: they lead, you shadow.
- Month 2: solo on small jobs.
- Month 3: solo on any job, plus one QC ride-along per week.
The tech you hire is a reflection of the standards you enforce. Set them from day one.