@Merle Sauvola My dad spent the majority of his life owning and operating his multiple construction companies. Some years it was good, some not so much. It wasnt until the last few years that he started doing exactly what you are looking at. On paper he now has something that he can sell for real money. You need assets.
Basically at the end of the day your other companies aren't appreciating assets, so your only working a job. You do have a very special asset in yourself that has the potential to produce more long term value than the construction companies can ever produce.
Like you said, you've created something that needs to be fed. Construction goes in cycles just like real estate. Fortunately, those can work really well together.
What I did was start a real estate centric construction company. Meaning its fed through its own pipeline. You can keep your crews busy building your own wealth instead of someone else's (or in conjunction with) This is my second company using that philosophy and it worked very well last time. When I went full time in real estate in 2013 I partnered with investors and my whole team got paid along the way while still taking equity on the backend. It was a true win/win.
That isn't to say you don't take on projects that aren't yours, but the focal point should be your building your own assets. And, by the way you don't have to start as small as you think. Theres lots of money out there looking for a partner like you. JVs are a great way to move the needle forward at a much more rapid pace than you can do on your own. Trust me, if the numbers work the money will find you.
Obviously todays market is different than ten years ago, so you do need to be smart in your way forward. Follow the cycles, sometimes its rehabbing, sometimes its new construction, sometimes its repurposing. Its a great time to be an established contractor which I am sure you are seeing, but id focus on the area of long term growth.... Your assets.
