Anything Improving On The Job Front?

 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 11-09-2009, 07:07 PM   #1
NCbrickie
 
GoToBrick's Avatar
 
Trade: custom masonry and hardscape
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chadbourn NC
Posts: 20
Question

Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Just curious as to the rest of the world,SE North Carolina is a dead fish.we have 15 crews bidding each underpinning out here, much less the the hope of getting a real job.is work picking up anywhere?

Larry

__________________
Larry
farout@myself.com
http://www.centsports.com/?opcode=665464 ---just paste this to your browser to bet all favorite sport games
GoToBrick is offline  
Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury or death. ContractorTalk.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any construction or remodeling task!

Old 11-09-2009, 07:17 PM   #2
Gumby
 
IanS's Avatar
 
Trade: Concrete
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NW Florida Panhandle
Posts: 112

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


I just picked up 3 jobs and 2 other jobs I may now lose because I can't start tomorrow. (concrete) I was worried because of the economy but I also generally don't seem to get any work after Oct-Nov. This is my 4th year in biz. This Oct- Nov have been very busy for me. Maybe its just another Feast or Famine time. The general consensus is that its dead. NW Florida So its dead but I will haul some checks to the bank.
IanS is offline  
Old 11-09-2009, 07:21 PM   #3
Nepster
 
antnepi's Avatar
 
Trade: general contracting
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Delaware
Posts: 171

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Around here you in August you couldn't find a mason. Everybody was 2 months out. Made me think that I should be getting into concrete.
antnepi is offline  
Old 11-09-2009, 08:47 PM   #4
Pro
 
stacker's Avatar
 
Trade: masonry
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: alva,oklahoma
Posts: 1,135

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


around here work is very busy for me,but it must not be in okc.we are having a crew come out here,150 miles,to brick a house,and getting less money per thousand than i charge.that tells me they are hungry.
__________________
life is short,do your masonry naked!!
http://ok.local.yahoo.biz/knabemasonry/index.html
stacker is offline  
Old 11-09-2009, 09:14 PM   #5
Pro
 
6stringmason's Avatar
 
Trade: masonry
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Green Bay, WI
Posts: 2,023

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Things are pretty tough in my area as well. Alot of guys cutting throats and doing what they can to survive. Many seem to be taking work at low prices just to get out of the house.

I just put a bid in on a job for $64k just for labor. Im keeping my fingers crossed on that one!
__________________
Kamps Masonry & Concrete Countertop Design Green Bay, WI
920-680-3195
Visit our website @
http://www.concretecountertopsdesign.com/
6stringmason is offline  
Old 11-10-2009, 05:15 AM   #6
NCbrickie
 
GoToBrick's Avatar
 
Trade: custom masonry and hardscape
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chadbourn NC
Posts: 20

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


I am glad to hear some are holding on,as for me I'm not sure how long it will last. We have ppl here laying brick at 300/1000 and block at 1.10/cmu.I'm not even sure how they can do it much less try it myself. I figure that has to mean getting masons at $12/hour! Do I even want a $12 mason?

Even now as I am leaving for work, I count myself lucky to be out laying a small ledgestone job at (brace yourselves) $6/sqft and a few brick at $450/1000. It kinda reminds me of a horror film where we all get blasted back in time to the 80's and to the best of my recollection the 80's sucked.lol
__________________
Larry
farout@myself.com
http://www.centsports.com/?opcode=665464 ---just paste this to your browser to bet all favorite sport games
GoToBrick is offline  
Old 11-10-2009, 06:39 PM   #7
Pro
 
stacker's Avatar
 
Trade: masonry
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: alva,oklahoma
Posts: 1,135

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


im still getting anywhere from 500 to 700 per thousand for my brickwork.the mexican bricklayers are getting about 300/thousand.not sure what they get for block or stone.i am getting 3.00-3.50 per block for 8 inch,plus .50/cell to grout.adheered veener im getting 3.50/sq ft.
i gave a man a bid for a triplex apartment last week.$54,000 for material and labor.and will be getting plans for a new church building tommorow.right now im good till the middle of january.seem like when i start catching up i start to worry.then next thing i know im snowed under and worry how im going to get to everything.
__________________
life is short,do your masonry naked!!
http://ok.local.yahoo.biz/knabemasonry/index.html
stacker is offline  
Old 11-10-2009, 10:37 PM   #8
Gumby
 
IanS's Avatar
 
Trade: Concrete
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NW Florida Panhandle
Posts: 112

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Down here I see 300-450 for brick and typically $1 for block 2 courses but 2.5 and over for scaffolding. I have seen 5 but he did not get the job. I am working 2 jobs with block guys doing 10 foot walls. I will ask their price when I see them next. We have 4 sites and I am doing the footers and rebar ahead of them.
I was in Wichita falls 8 years in the AF and visited Lawton and Altus. Having a cold winter Stacker?
IanS is offline  
Old 11-11-2009, 10:19 AM   #9
Pro
 
stacker's Avatar
 
Trade: masonry
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: alva,oklahoma
Posts: 1,135

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


so far we are in an el nino fall.i think we have had one freeze so far this fall and that was only dropping to 31 for an hour or so.last week temps were in the 70's and 80's all week
__________________
life is short,do your masonry naked!!
http://ok.local.yahoo.biz/knabemasonry/index.html
stacker is offline  
Old 12-06-2009, 07:10 PM   #10
New Guy
 
beleive's Avatar
 
Trade: mason
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: southern us
Posts: 20

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


we have to keep dropping prices, bid a big building other day, cut up with gables, dbl. rolocks on all openings, arch entrance way. I bid it for 750 a 1000. Contractor said I was trying rip him off. Mexicans 380 a 1000??Crazy.Im staying busy, but not like I used to.
beleive is offline  
Old 12-06-2009, 09:14 PM   #11
Pro
 
6stringmason's Avatar
 
Trade: masonry
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Green Bay, WI
Posts: 2,023

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Quote:
Originally Posted by beleive View Post
we have to keep dropping prices, bid a big building other day, cut up with gables, dbl. rolocks on all openings, arch entrance way. I bid it for 750 a 1000. Contractor said I was trying rip him off. Mexicans 380 a 1000??Crazy.Im staying busy, but not like I used to.
What part of the country is this?

And did you explain to the GC that your prices are higher because of quality and you pay insurances?
__________________
Kamps Masonry & Concrete Countertop Design Green Bay, WI
920-680-3195
Visit our website @
http://www.concretecountertopsdesign.com/
6stringmason is offline  
Old 12-06-2009, 09:40 PM   #12
Pro
 
TulsaRemodeler's Avatar
 
Trade: Remodeling
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 154

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


I have nothing after current rehab job, dont think I'm willing to sink any lower. I'll sit Jan-Feb out and try to line up something for March. Wow HO's expect a lot for little these days. Its brutal for me. Not whining, I know I'm not the only one.
TulsaRemodeler is offline  
Old 12-07-2009, 04:20 PM   #13
Registered User
 
Jagged Sky's Avatar
 
Trade: Masonry
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


I finally got a few good sized stone jobs here in Bend after a bleak year and now I have an artic front that has set in and we are sitting at about 8 degress. I can't win...
Jagged Sky is offline  
Old 12-07-2009, 07:59 PM   #14
Pro
 
TulsaRemodeler's Avatar
 
Trade: Remodeling
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 154

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Jagged Sky View Post
I finally got a few good sized stone jobs here in Bend after a bleak year and now I have an artic front that has set in and we are sitting at about 8 degress. I can't win...
Bend Oregon? Thats where I moved from 7 monthes ago. You found work there?
TulsaRemodeler is offline  
Old 12-07-2009, 09:55 PM   #15
Gumby
 
IanS's Avatar
 
Trade: Concrete
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NW Florida Panhandle
Posts: 112

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Sorry for the delay.
The mason was getting 4.5 / block for this job. However they got canned because 4 of 5 guys did not pass the background check in the next county for work at schools.
I also heard they tried to do block fill on all 10ft high at one time and the blocks started collapsing around 6-7 ft high. The spec called for 5 ft maximum / hr. I guess they were trying to save a pump charge.

Anyway the 1st pic is of 1'4" thick footer 3' 6" to 4' 2" wide with oversize areas for columns. Note the 7' tall rebar sticking up. Not my idea and the masons will have fun with that. The new masons price will reflect the height of the rebar.
2nd pic has 2 blocks over my footer and a slab for a transformer. 1 ft of gravel is about to be installed over the brown weed block.
3rd picture is of a 16" tall 8" wide bond beam. I was glad I was able to find beam clamps. My next option was going to be snapties and that would have cost me a fortune and taken forever. Beam clamp installation 1 hr. Beam clamp rental $40.00

For all you tree fiddy guys, note we are getting four fiddy down here at least for some things.

These pictures are a thing of beauty for some of us. The rest of you, just move on. No hot concrete babes here. Next year I will hire my first bikini crew. Amazon concrete babes where can I hire them?
Attached Thumbnails
Anything improving on the job front?-slide3.jpg   Anything improving on the job front?-haney-c-1-.jpg   Anything improving on the job front?-pcola-bond-beam-3-.jpg  
IanS is offline  
Old 12-08-2009, 01:46 AM   #16
Registered User
 
Jagged Sky's Avatar
 
Trade: Masonry
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Quote:
Originally Posted by TulsaRemodeler View Post
Bend Oregon? Thats where I moved from 7 monthes ago. You found work there?
I figured you might have since you had a link from Dan Ward's company, I see alot of the stuff he has on his web page were things I did for him.
Jagged Sky is offline  
Old 12-08-2009, 10:09 PM   #17
Pro
 
TulsaRemodeler's Avatar
 
Trade: Remodeling
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 154

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Jagged Sky View Post
I figured you might have since you had a link from Dan Ward's company, I see alot of the stuff he has on his web page were things I did for him.
I had no bad experiences with Dan, did you? I met a guy in a bar who was "handling" the tilework for him at Brasada Ranch, not to good he wasnt handling it. I liked Dan. Double Diamond Masonry puts out top drawer stuff. Good guys.
TulsaRemodeler is offline  
Old 12-09-2009, 12:42 PM   #18
Registered User
 
Jagged Sky's Avatar
 
Trade: Masonry
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7

Re: Anything Improving On The Job Front?


Quote:
Originally Posted by TulsaRemodeler View Post
I had no bad experiences with Dan, did you? I met a guy in a bar who was "handling" the tilework for him at Brasada Ranch, not to good he wasnt handling it. I liked Dan. Double Diamond Masonry puts out top drawer stuff. Good guys.
No, no problems with Dan, he is a good guy. DD does do nice work also.
Jagged Sky is offline  


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Front step relocation, new steps, wall, curbstone. StreamlineGT Landscaping Picture Post 7 01-14-2011 04:45 PM
Front rotors/removal, Dodge 4x4 charlesmd Vehicles 24 09-24-2009 09:17 PM
open front toilet seat cleveman Plumbing 6 08-23-2009 10:14 AM
Commercial Contract No $ Up Front + 30 Net? Thundercow Business 35 03-20-2009 05:11 PM
Store Front Vs. Home Based Remodeling Biz. OPAL Business 13 01-25-2009 09:19 AM

Join Now... It's Fast and FREE!

Privacy Badge
I am a professional contractor
I am a DIY Homeowner
ContractorTalk.com is for
PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTORS ONLY!

At ContractorTalk.com we cater exlusivly to professional contractors who make their living as a contractor. Knowing that many homeowners and DIYers are looking for a community to call home, we've created www.DIYChatroom.com DIY Chatroom is full of helpful advices and perfect for DIY homeowners.

Redirecing in 10 seconds
No Thanks
terms of service

Already Have an Account?