[jyl]

Suppose a young man is going into the construction trades now, with the ambition to learn the trade and open his own business.

Which trades are most and least suitable for this? Electrical? HVAC? Plumbing? Framing? Roofing? Flooring? Painting? Cabinetry?

I imagine there's some trades where starting and growing a business is especially difficult - high capital requirement, low margins, seasonal/intermittent business, heavy competition, unstable or expensive or scarce labor, union issues, customers do it inhouse, all commercial customers who avoid new startups?

Or would general contractor be the better route? Design-build?