Staying Alive In A Tough Economy?

BKFranks

How are you holding on during these tough times?

Here's what's in my local paper today:
In Orange County, homebuilding dropped to the lowest level in figures
dating back to 1946, amounting to a $1.8 billion drop in the industry’s
contribution to the local economy, according to estimates. In some
cases, local contractors have laid off 80 to 90 percent of their work force
and slashed benefits, while homebuilders have cut production to a trickle.

“A lot of people are hanging on with the hope that 2009 will be better for
construction in Southern California, and it’s just not going to happen,”
observed Tom Rhodes of Newport Coast, owner of TWR Framing in
Corona. It’s possible homebuilding might pick up in 2010, but it’s more
likely things will remain slow until 2011, Rhodes said.

“You’ve got to hold your breath and just hang on until then,” Rhodes said.
“Even then, it’s not going to be a boom. It’s just going to be a slow
uptick.”Home production fell to record-low levels in 2008. In 2009, it’ll go
even lower, according to forecasts.


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CF Construction

I don't see as to how this could be in any sense humorous. Luckily, we haven't been affected due to the recession, but millions of others have. We know so many G.C.'s, Architects, Engineers, and contractors of many trades go under and in some instances close the doors to their business due to this. In addition, your comment about Mexicans (personally I'm not Mexican, but I am hispanic) seems to be uncalled for and assenine like the rest of your post.

Just my $.02


Back to the post, I think for all of us in the construction industry we need to be much more proactive when it comes to quality and service (this should've been the case from day one, but even more so now when jobs/projects are scarce). We should also be more hands on with our marketing campaigns. There's many affordable ways to market yourself online. It'll just take dedication, time, and patience. What we're doing, since we've decided to put off our magazine ads for perhaps the next quarter is simply e-mailing prospects. Since our demo graphic are individuals whom for the most part aren't being affected directly due to the recession (at least not struggling to pay the bills, or put food on their table). I've purchased various magazines that lists countless of businesses down here in South Florida (i.e. luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, corporate offices, medical offices). I send a very brief e-mail "introducing" those prospects to our company. I invite them to visit our website so they can familiarize themselves with what we've done in the past and what we're capable of doing. Surprisingly, this approach has worked very well. Out of 10 e-mails, I perhaps average about 5-6 e-mails replying back to me. Which in return has resulted in a couple of jobs over the $100,000 tag to be completed within a month or so. Thus, giving us a very nice profit at the end. If you have a website, you definately want to make that very "search friendly". This site and some of its members have provided very useful tools to the point that we're getting many calls due to the website. In some instances, we're listed in the "local business" portion of Google searches, which are the ones way up top. It's just a matter of being dedicated, patient, and optimistic. There are many other ways and approaches I've taken to ensure that we don't find ourselves waiting in the office for the next phone call to see if it's the one that finally gets us busy again, but this is pretty much the easiest one I've done so far and by far the cheapest. All you have to do is invest your time and a well written "introduction" and people will call.

JumboJack

Go away...

Mike Finley

If you think about it he really does have a point.

All those f'in illegals WE all let destroy the trades for the sake of making some douche bag be able to buy a house that in the end he couldn't even afford anyways.

That's really something to think about.

Probably a bunch of them back in Mexico laughing their ass off at us now.

JumboJack

I for one have never even built a track home.Most GC's around here don't.The dig developers build all the cookie cutter tracks...Room additions and remodels for me..

And the GC's that don't hire illegals are paying for all of the low lifes that do/did.

dirt diggler

[QUOTE=JumboJack;620533]I for one have never even built a track home.Most GC's around here don't.The dig developers build all the cookie cutter tracks...Room additions and remodels for me..

And the GC's that don't hire illegals are paying for all of the low lifes that do/did.[/QUOTE





then he's not talking about you.


I agree with Mike. While Fing Plumber might need to work on his delivery ... he's got a couple valid points in there ...

rbsremodeling

[quote=dirt diggler;620576]Mamar Bicho gringo

wellbuilthome

I don't really know what to do . My phone is ringing I'm getting jobs . People are signing my contracts and giving me deposits but they just cant get money to do the work . I sold a job last July to start march first . yesterday the people tell me they lost there equity loan and have no money to pay me . Ive been turning down jobs since November because i don't have the time to do the work . I bought the windows and have them in my shop . The kitchen cabinets are on order . Ive got 70 hrs into the job .
The guy was looking for his deposit back I really didn't know what to say . I guess i will try to do part of the job for what ever money they have and let them pay it off . I don't think things will get better any time soon . I think the commercial real estate market is going to slide into the toilet in april and that will cost us another 350 billion ++++++++ . The problem is the government is making it impossible for any one to do business. Next fall all the good tax paying people that , didn't over spend , didn't over extent them self , don't live above there means , will start to louse there jobs and run out of money and there is not a dam thing we can do about it.
I own everything i have , I can hang out for years with out working . Ill just let my wife pay the bills she makes a ton of money I hope im wrong but that is how i see it now. Stay on top of the food chain , you don't want to be the only guy on the block with out a automatic weapon. hang in there John

wellbuilthome

Dam fink, that was a really rude post most guys wait till they hit 50 posts before they piss every one off !
Why don't you post a location ? I'm sure some of the guys would like to stop over for some laughs . Did you come over from the angry plumbers forum ? John

dirt diggler

well, due to the fact that there are a lot of members going through some rough times --- i was merely suggesting that you could have chosen a better way to formulate your opinions with the rest of the forum ....


you belled-end pipef**k

(how's that for delivery?)

DavidC

Valid points or not, kick 'em while their down is never a good idea.

Fing, I's like to help you out. Which way did you come in?

Good Luck
Dave

Blast&Coat

Deposits and no work. man that sounds like a great job to me! Just kidding, dont want you to lose your rep along with your work. Anyone doing commercial needs to start looking for other revenue streams fast, that market is going to go away and never come back as information technology improves not many peoples will feel the need for a formal office. We weere lucky to sell the small commercial complex we had 2 years ago and now I drive by it everyday with one tenant out of 6 spots.
no bueno... and hey some mexicans do very good work! Well at least the roofs on our rental property.

JumboJack

APC

Illegal aliens are not the ones to be ANGRY at . It's our American businesses that hire them, Congress, police, our President and our judges that we need to be angry at. THEY are the ones aiding and abetting this invasion!

&

No, I am NOT Mexican

outlaw

I agree with the turd chaser ....... uh I mean plumber

All of these citizens out of work and we still have a bunch of illeagals work for much less, not paying taxes, and sending the money back to their home country

I dont blame them. I would do the same thing if I were in their shoes. I blame the SOBs that hire them in the first place.

Mike Finley

Oh, I'll be angry at them for sure. But I'm also angry at the a-holes who hire them and I'm angry at our government for not taking care of the entire issue with the sweep of a pen by just making the penalty so severe for getting caught hiring them that nobody would try to get away with it.

Hire an illgal get caught the first time - $2500 fine per illegal, 2nd time $25,000 per illegal, 3rd time 100,000 + 6 months in jail.

End of story, no workie no need to be here, bye-bye, sweep the border up on your way back across, mmmm-kay?

pcplumber

Even though the illegals don't directly pay taxes they have a very huge positive impact on our economy. Perhaps, a huge part of our economic problems can be blamed on the deportation of illegals and alienating them by building 'The Wall'.

If 30% of the population in Los Angeles are illegals then Los Angeles will have a property vacancy of 10% + 30% for illegals. Illegals do pay taxes when they purchase products, gasoline, etc.

The illegals are relentless back-breaking workers who take the jobs nobody wants. While I am against them being here illegally, you won't get an Americal to pick fruits for minimum wages in the 124 degree heat in the desert. We will be paying about $20 for a pound of grapes.

We are screwed with or without the illegals and they are not the cause of our economic problems.

CSB

Id rather hire ten illegal immigrants that dont smoke dope than one white boy who does...

rbsremodeling

You think they don't do drugs. They just tolerate it better.

Mr. Mike

So if I ever owe big, I'll just say to Mr. Sam Don't tax me I buy gas, cigs, cars, and other stuff that you get taxes for.

Define Dope.