[katoman]

Well there have been a bunch of posts lately all kind of revolving around a similar theme.

-no apprentices left
-the young don't want to work
-can't find skilled people
-can't make any money
-and a few more I can't remember right now.

But here's the thing - if you are a young man ( or youngish ) then the future is yours for the taking.

The old timers are retireing. There is a huge demand for SKILLED carpenters. HO with money will pay rediculous sums to have work done.

All you need is ambition, training, skills, and you can make a ton of money in this business. The future is bright for you. The demand for skilled people is growing and will continue to grow. The renovation market may be a little slow right now, but it will come back huge.

Just think - who will renovate and repair all the homes out there? I could spend the next 20 years just re-doing bathrooms, let alone the rest of the house.

So come on, get the skills and smarts, have fun, and take advantage of the opportunity that is coming. :thumbsup:

 

[KnottyWoodwork]

Call it an investment in our future? That's my theory atleast

 

[Teoli]

A good and positive attitude but the sum of the majority of threads here disagree. As someone else wrote previously, a couple of years ago it was a jungle out there, now it's a war zone.

I personally think it will never be like it was 3-4 years ago. and it probably shouldn't be. That's one reason why we're in the mess we're in now. Not to get into a big debate and sound Doom and Gloom, but have you been watching the news lately?

People want things to be like they've always been. It's comfortable, but it's not realistic. The crap happening in Wisconsin with the unions, the middle east and oil, the debt of your state. ( I live in Illinois-the most f'd up broke state in the union). People will sooner than later wake up and realize that they're going to have to give up a lot to get us back to just plain normal. Housing is the last to recover in this recession. We are no where near a housing recovery. It's years away.

Three years ago, I would've said you were right on. There was and is a lack of skilled trade professionals coming into the next generation. But the future is very uncertain now. I wouldn't steer anyone toward the trades.

Unemployment for carpenters was 20ish percent in 2010, and over 30 percent for architects. The architects I know say it's such a huge blow to their profession that it may never recover. The young graduates now are abandoning hope to work as architects and doing anything else to survive. Once youre out of the trade for 5 or more years you'll likely not go back. There is a domino effect coming. The strong will survive but I wouldn't encourage newcomers.

Just my opinion. Hopefully I'm dead wrong.

 

[katoman]

I'll try and be a little more specific. I'm talking skilled people. All you need do is look at some of the work posted here on CT. You know the high end work.

These jobs it's not a question of "how much" as it is more a question of "can you do it" ; "do you have the skill/ability".

Most "carpenters" are coming up through the new housing market. This won't cut it.

That's why I say if you truly apply yourself and develop not only the skills but the knowledge needed, these high end customers will always be there for you to work for.

The wealthy continue to get the work done, regardless of the economy.

Yes, it's a small market, but then so are the number of real craftsmen.

I'm trying to show some of the young guys how to make it in this harsh environment. Be the best, you'll have lots of work. I regularily turn down work with no one to refer those clients to.

 

[TBFGhost]

Well there have been a bunch of posts lately all kind of revolving around a similar theme.

-no apprentices left
-the young don't want to work
-can't find skilled people
-can't make any money
-and a few more I can't remember right now.

But here's the thing - if you are a young man ( or youngish ) then the future is yours for the taking.

The old timers are retireing. There is a huge demand for SKILLED carpenters. HO with money will pay rediculous sums to have work done.

All you need is ambition, training, skills, and you can make a ton of money in this business. The future is bright for you. The demand for skilled people is growing and will continue to grow. The renovation market may be a little slow right now, but it will come back huge.

Just think - who will renovate and repair all the homes out there? I could spend the next 20 years just re-doing bathrooms, let alone the rest of the house.

So come on, get the skills and smarts, have fun, and take advantage of the opportunity that is coming. :thumbsup:

You sound like a technical school's commercial advertisement.

 

[mikeswoods]

Katoman is right---there is a huge shortage of highly skilled woodworkers.

I wouldn't have a clue as to hiring someone to take over if I was not able to complete a job.

If I need some special trim on a job--I just make it---Where would I find someone like that?

Missing spindles om a stairway? Chuck some wood in the lathe and make new ones---

Any young guy that is willing to learn the more advanced carpentry skills and learns to work efficiently

will always be in demand.-----That goes for any trade really---Mike---

 

[waterman1971]

The satisfaction of being able to look at a job well done and take pride in a days work is a feeling that cannot be described.

 

[kyle_dmr]

I'm signed up for the long haul. 22 years old, own my own taking chances. Everyone I talk with tells me prices have never been this low, and I am making it alright on this kind of money. Can only wait till it becomes a good market in 5 years or however long it takes.

 

[dibs16]

Im with you kyle. 23 and heading out on my own. I feel like there is a lot more people like us that learn as much as we possibly can as early as we can, and then venture out on our own. I feel like it's difficult to find an employee to work year after year without any ambition of owning his/her own company. Not sure if this is for money or "glory" but hey, it is what it is.

Sure you and I may not know everything, but we're also taking chances to learn on our own dime, but at the same time I am always doing everything I can to learn more. I almost wish I could book enough jobs to hire a more experienced carpenter than I, maybe that will be down the road.

 

[katoman]

That's it guys :thumbsup: Keep striving to be the very best you can be. I used to read carpentry books every night. The well to do who are doing high end work will of course only hire those with the skills and knowledge.

And the money comes with it. :thumbup:

 

[FRAME2FINISH]

but whatever you do don't put all your eggs in one basket, this is very important not to go for the easy money,

make sure you get a clientel started and if you are good they will keep ya busy imo.

 

[FramingPro]

good thread i sent it to my dad :tt2: to show him whats actually going on

 

[Willie T]

We have less than a half dozen men in our county (and it's a big county) that fit those skill qualifications. Sad.

And, no, I'm, not one of them. That's sad too. :sad:

 

[Joasis]

People will sooner than later wake up and realize that they're going to have to give up a lot to get us back to just plain normal.

So what is "normal" ?

Normal to me could be being 20 again...with 4 channels on tv, I read a lot in the evenings, and made close to what I make now....adjusted for inflation.....but look at what we think of as normal today. Dish Network at $70 a month.

30 years ago, a trip to the doctor did not involve insurance...you paid $20 bucks and complained, and health insurance was maybe $125 a month for a family...used only if you needed it.

Very few mobile phones 30 years ago....pay phones everywhere, and you paid $25 a month for a landline. I have no idea what a mobile phone cost 30 years ago, but they were actually radio telephones....Motorola was the big name...the box was in the truck of a car or behind the seat of a pickup, and if not turned off, would run a battery down in few hours...the horn would honk if you had a call coming in....:laughing: Now, we pay cell phone bills that are a few hundred a month and think nothing about it.

So what is "normal" I kind of miss what it used to be like.....when I would read a few books a week, and no computer. Didn't watch a lot of tv, and I didn't have gray hair like I do today from worry and stress.

 

[bhock]

You know Kato you are so right, people like Nick(framingpro) and Brutus(even though he is a canadian...I'm kidding) They are both young and wanting to learn the skills, they will both have good futures.
But unfortunately there are not enough of them it seams.

 

[parkers5150]

Ive been preachin' it for years!! all these threads on here, and complaints in the field about cheap labor...... well guess what??? every time one of these low balling under qualified " construction types" screws something up my worth just goes up.:thumbsup:
Getting started framing in the eighties in cali i was one of the first pushed out by cheap unskilled labor.... No crying, just moved into remodeling.
Gotta call the other day..., rolled up on a Frank Lloyd Wright deciple house, absolutely breath taking architecture. The HO introduces himself and proceeds to show me where he would like to build two observation structures. Seems his "Ace concrete guy" convinced him that he knew how to set Simpson buckets and conduit:laughing:. A five post and six post irregular hip pentagon was all he wanted. every bucket was just thrown in there and my $proposal definitely reflected it. Probably wont get the job but i guarantee hell pay more if he goes with the cheap guy.

 

[Teoli]

So what is "normal" ?

Normal to me could be being 20 again...with 4 channels on tv, I read a lot in the evenings, and made close to what I make now....adjusted for inflation.....but look at what we think of as normal today. Dish Network at $70 a month.

30 years ago, a trip to the doctor did not involve insurance...you paid $20 bucks and complained, and health insurance was maybe $125 a month for a family...used only if you needed it.

Very few mobile phones 30 years ago....pay phones everywhere, and you paid $25 a month for a landline. I have no idea what a mobile phone cost 30 years ago, but they were actually radio telephones....Motorola was the big name...the box was in the truck of a car or behind the seat of a pickup, and if not turned off, would run a battery down in few hours...the horn would honk if you had a call coming in....:laughing: Now, we pay cell phone bills that are a few hundred a month and think nothing about it.

So what is "normal" I kind of miss what it used to be like.....when I would read a few books a week, and no computer. Didn't watch a lot of tv, and I didn't have gray hair like I do today from worry and stress.

Yeah, your'e right. "Normal" is a point where you are too comfortable. It's the point where you get a little lazy and think that your'e never going to get hit over the head with a nasty recession. Normal was 1997-2007.

I just finished watching an episode on "The Today Show" with Suze Orman, the money guru. She just finished explaining in some pretty rough words what the new normal is going to be. It's about busting your ass, not using your house to pay for anything, saving money rather than spending it, and working until your'e 70. That's the new normal.

I miss the old normal.

 

[Brutus]

You know Kato you are so right, people like Nick(framingpro) and Brutus(even though he is a canadian...I'm kidding) They are both young and wanting to learn the skills, they will both have good futures.
But unfortunately there are not enough of them it seams.

Thanks buddy. Kyle is running his own outfit, it seems. And he is Canadian. That's awesome. As it stands right now, I don't exactly want to go out on my own in the fore seeable future. That may change...

 

[Irishslave]

So what is "normal" ?

Normal to me could be being 20 again...with 4 channels on tv, I read a lot in the evenings, and made close to what I make now....adjusted for inflation.....but look at what we think of as normal today. Dish Network at $70 a month.

30 years ago, a trip to the doctor did not involve insurance...you paid $20 bucks and complained, and health insurance was maybe $125 a month for a family...used only if you needed it.

Very few mobile phones 30 years ago....pay phones everywhere, and you paid $25 a month for a landline. I have no idea what a mobile phone cost 30 years ago, but they were actually radio telephones....Motorola was the big name...the box was in the truck of a car or behind the seat of a pickup, and if not turned off, would run a battery down in few hours...the horn would honk if you had a call coming in....:laughing: Now, we pay cell phone bills that are a few hundred a month and think nothing about it.

So what is "normal" I kind of miss what it used to be like.....when I would read a few books a week, and no computer. Didn't watch a lot of tv, and I didn't have gray hair like I do today from worry and stress.

My mustache and sideburns have gone from a few grays to snow white in the last year. I believe there is a correlation to this phenomenon and the economy. Getting too old to adjust to "a new normal"

 

[CO762]

I personally think it will never be like it was 3-4 years ago. and it probably shouldn't be. That's one reason why we're in the mess we're in now.

You are very astute, macro-economically speaking.
There was way too much "money" out there creating work/jobs. It was a government funded consumer fantasy.

Now the bill is due and the govt is sort of running out of options of gimmicks to pull and IOUs to exchange. The trip is, most normal people understand this as they are living it.

There was and is a lack of skilled trade professionals coming into the next generation.

The importation of clueless hacks from mexico enabled the american kids to turn into "educated" adults that didn't think they should work, but make 100K supervising or running a company. This started in the 90s in the net boom. When that fantasy collapsed, the money then went into real estate (govt guaranteed returns). So why should they learn a trade that will make them work, get dirty and tired?

The end result is a lack of skilled tradesmen, a severe overabundance of housing/commercial stock, and of course, and a lot of really sh*tty work out there that people should want fixed, but they don't due to...uncertainty in the economy.

Thus, we are where we is and we gots the gubmint we deserve.