Light at the end of the tunnel?

2589 Views 17 Replies 13 Participants Last post by wellbuilthome, Nov 19, 2009

Aggie67

Discussion Starter · Nov 14, 2009

Two houses around the corner from me just started major remodels. 4 people got new driveways. One guy behind me just started a wrap around porch. The two foreclosure houses in my neighborhood just got occupied. I'm back to working 7 days a week, and we hired 2 more welders back. My little estimating side business is booming. My brother-in-law is a union mason, and he's back on steady work.

This feels like the "normal" we had 2 years ago.

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

skipdow

· #2 · Nov 15, 2009

I can echo that too. My lowest was feb and march (I made $500)but from then on each month has been busier to the point of this month where I'm wondering how I'm gonna get it all done:blink:

ABKY

· #3 · Nov 15, 2009

I agree

Feb and March were HORRIBLE! We are 6 day a week swamped and got people gettin mad at us now, I Love IT!

Zinsco

· #4 · Nov 15, 2009

You guys. The economy as a whole is continuing to plummet. When it does begin to recover, construction will be the last sector to turn around. Just because you worked 6 days last week is not an indication that the national economy is improving.
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Aggie67

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 15, 2009

While I agree that this little smidge of the market is no indicator of the national economy, I have to say that here in my neck of the woods it feels like things are getting back to normal.

SC sawdaddy

· #6 · Nov 15, 2009

Zinsco said:
You guys. The economy as a whole is continuing to plummet. When it does begin to recover, construction will be the last sector to turn around. Just because you worked 6 days last week is not an indication that the national economy is improving.
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I hope your wrong about that Zinsco. I'm betting the farm that although new construction will still be slow getting restarted, People are going to fix up and repair those old problems that would otherwise be considerations for a new house, office, church,etc.
Necessity comes into play here.
I still remember the lesson that my 7th grade shop teacher tried to get across to us. there are 3 basic needs in life and no more.
1. Food
2. Shelter
3. Oxygen
If you have these 3 everything else is just of a commodity. If your roof is leaking or the kitchen floor is rotting or the bathtub leaking (you get the point) what are you going to spend your money on. A new TV? A car? New clothes? Naaaa. All this stuff will take a back seat to getting necessary repairs in most cases.
Now we just need to weed out the hacks and fly by nighters.

Tom M

· #7 · Nov 15, 2009

Your very fortunate I guess. In know some random guys have been busy but know way more who have nothing or little on the table. With holidays and winter coming its going to be really rough.

jarvis design

· #8 · Nov 15, 2009

Don't even remind me of last winter - what a disaster!!

But, since then, we have been pretty busy and I can not believe how the phone calls have picked up in the last couple of months. Close to signing 1 and possibly 2 nice jobs for January.

Destin Handyman

· #9 · Nov 17, 2009 (Edited)

From what I see and hear, it is slowly beginning to look positive. We still have some time before normal is said. When people lose tons of money within a 6 month time period it is just a little shocking

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David
Emerald Coast Deluxe Services LLC
Destin, FL
www.deluxehandyman.webs.com

The Coastal Craftsman

· #10 · Nov 17, 2009

It has improved for me a lot me also. Seem to have a lot of jobs lined up for remodel projects. House prices have risen slightly around here and im seeing more and more new cars on the road. People are def starting to spend more money. I just bought a house also. Great time to buy before they go back up.

Magnettica

· #11 · Nov 18, 2009

Aggie67 said:
While I agree that this little smidge of the market is no indicator of the national economy, I have to say that here in my neck of the woods it feels like things are getting back to normal.

I'm not sure where you are but up this way in Union County I do see a few dumpsters in driveways and small to moderate remodeling jobs going on. My phone has not been ringing much the past 3 weeks. Small job here, small job there. At this point I don't even know what normal is anymore.

Zinsco

· #12 · Nov 18, 2009

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..............I sometimes call myself just to see if my phone is still working...
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wellbuilthome

· #13 · Nov 18, 2009

I don't see any real improvement here .Ive been working with 3 guys for 11/2 years .
People are having a hard time getting money for projects .
Ive been working 7 days a week since last June and I'm getting tired.
I stopped advertising last year .
I get a few calls a week from WOM .
If a job happens i get to do it . But most of the time there is no money .
I have a few jobs to finish now and 2 additions scheduled to build this winter . I mite get a few more calls but things go dead from thanks giving until after new years and if we get alot of snow things stay dead all winter. I think things will get worse before it gets better . John

ABKY

· #14 · Nov 18, 2009

Hope your wrong John

And things turn around for you. We are swamped right now, but who knows what winter will bring. Just keep your head down and keep moving. Im not turning ANYTHING down If it pays 3 or 400 bucks, Im on it and its all we can do. Good luck my friend. We all need it!

Zinsco

· #15 · Nov 18, 2009

Housing starts drop 10.6 percent in October

Housing starts drop 10.6 percent in October

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34012342/ns/business-real_estate/

fairfaxgc

· #16 · Nov 18, 2009

We are lucky to have two substantial projects on the books that will keep our little operation running through the winter; however, this fall has been an extremely slow quoting season with even few closed deals. The few things we have quoted went very cheap and I'm too stubborn to work for free. The arhictects we work with are starting to see an up tick in their work which gives some hope for the spring.

Elite1

· #17 · Nov 19, 2009 (Edited)

We were starting to get busier in september, but now it's slowing down again.
http://www.eliteroofingwi.com/

wellbuilthome

· #18 · Nov 19, 2009

ABKY said:
And things turn around for you. We are swamped right now, but who knows what winter will bring. Just keep your head down and keep moving. Im not turning ANYTHING down If it pays 3 or 400 bucks, Im on it and its all we can do. Good luck my friend. We all need it!

My #s have been about the same for the last 3 years .
This year my profit is off about 3% +- I cant really tell until year end .
It looks like If the snow holds out i could catch up by new years .
My problem is, my area is taking a beating and all my jobs are for people spending old money . Next year there will be less people with old money . Our taxes are thru the roof , fuel , food , etc .
I think between the devaluing of the dollar and the inflation that will hit next year every one in the county's has lost around 20% of there buying power .

WTF
We will see small blasts of work come in , but for the most part things could come to a halt at any time.
I don't make any money on a small jobs! Ive been trying to do small jobs but i just get beat up . Small jobs lead to big jobs . I received a check in the mail to day ( my birth day ) for a deposit on a large addition to start in the spring .
This doesn't really mean that things are getting better with the economy , I just get lucky . I know guys that haven't worked since July . I don't think this money thing is a easy fix . No one has really done any thing to fix it. Im in for the long haul . John

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