Slowing trend? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

donb1959 · 07-28-2006, 01:13 AM

Have things slowed down for you guys? Three months ago I couldn't keep up, and was booked solid for 8-10 weeks, but for the past two weeks, the phone has been almost dead silent, I have only given one bid in 4 weeks. I thought maybe it's just that time of year #1 for vacations, and then after vacations maybe folks are just trying to get the kids ready for a new school year.

I remember it slowed down a little last year at this time as well...just not as drastically. Comments?

Brushslingers · 07-28-2006, 01:17 AM

Yup, every year just before school starts and just before Xmas, there is a slump. Unless you are good enough to have pre-scheduled 4 months in advance... it will pass in about 1 month. People will want to get "ready" for the holidays... don't give up hope.

George Z · 07-28-2006, 06:23 AM

Not for us
Eleven leads came in as website requests yesterday.
Most of them good.
Did you stop marketing as much, when you were booked for a while?

donb1959 · 07-28-2006, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Z

Not for us
Eleven leads came in as website requests yesterday.
Most of them good.
Did you stop marketing as much, when you were booked for a while?

George,
No we market the same year round.

tzzzz216 · 07-28-2006, 07:53 AM

If it was anymore dead for me I would by land and go into the cemetary business .

George Z · 07-28-2006, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donb1959

George,
No we market the same year round.

It could be one of these bumps on the road.

impainting · 07-28-2006, 11:54 AM

Sorry to hear that business is slow.

We are cranking right now, 3 months booked out solid. It's going to be a good year.

I do the sales, marketing and estimating for the painting division, we are also a remodeler. What works for us is I contacted local contractors in January (flyers, letters, phone calls, visiting sites). We hooked up with two General Contractors, bringing in $20-60,000 paint jobs every month on top of our regular marketing tactics bringing in the jobs.

Hope business will pick up, just start door knocking!

Good Luck

Woz the Painter · 07-28-2006, 05:51 PM

It's very busy right now and has been for the last couple of months, but the bottom could drop out at anytime. Housing starts and existing house sales are dropping quickly. The Fed is pushing up interest rates at an alarming rate. The idiots in the White House and Congress don't have a clue. So brace yourself for the freefall.