subcontracting

Most pay about 40% of the job cost, but it really is determined by your negotiating ability. Some pay more and some pay less than this amount.

Open up the phone book and start dialing.

You can lose quality control and thus your reputation doing this.  Employees are under your control, sub contractors are under their own control.  However, who gets sued when they damage something?  YOU!

Imagine an almost toothless, scruffy looking guy showing up in a beat up van and smelling of pot or beer on a job you contracted with him to handle for you.  That happened to a big guy in Washington and his company is gone now but the negative feedback about him continues.

Subcontractors have the check made out to them often, they keep what upsells they do, you get the portion you agreed to but sometimes you have to wait until he gets another job that can pay you because your money was spent the same day paying someone else or for his bills, etc.

Just saying, it is your business, your risk, your good name.  That subcontractor doesn't care.  He can replace you and if he did a good job he has the customer replacing you with him too.  Why give up control?