Just curious how things are going in the rest of the country, and how things are looking for the upcoming year.
Around here construction is pretty slow – But only due to the weather. We typically have a big layoff right before Christmas. But this year kept going right through January. Eventually the cold weather and snow caught up with everybody though, and they aren’t getting foundations in. That will continue to hold things up until we get a break in the weather.
But quotes are going nuts. We don’t generally see a rush of quotes until mid March. But they started loading me up with ’em around the middle of February. Looks like it will be a busy spring once the weather warms up.
So how do things look where you’re at?
Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important
Replies
last year was a record year for new home starts here... and site development had its worst year as it rained for four months straight in the spring which is very unusual in the midwest. So It came at the expense of the lots in the till.
Which means we are busier than hell looking this year, but everyone is demanding last year's pricing for development. And it looks like they'll get it because all of the excavators were hurt so bad last year.
remodeler
Oregon, right now, has one of the flattest economies in the nation, and I live in one of the backwaters...and building is busier than ever...last year was a record year here and this year seems to be the same.
It's kind of strange really. (but good!)
We saw a burp of slow down after 9-11 but steady since then. We are a getaway location and I sense some increasing demand because of all the confusion and terrorist warnings. People imagine that they might be safer here than some other places, right or wrong. It drives a nesting instinct so folks are spending more on home remodeling.
Add to that, the fact that demographics indicate that the baby boomers are now entering that phase of life when the kids are getting out of college and we can afford that second home.
This industry will continue to have more problems finding labor than finding work, is my take on it.
Excellence is its own reward!
"This industry will continue to have more problems finding labor than finding work, is my take on it."
I agree on the labor shortage part of it.
But I wonder about the building "boom" continuing when interest rates rise. Depending on how much and how fast they rise, it could really kill the market.A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
Busier than a one legged man in a a-- kicking contest.
Darkworks: We fight for Peace
Can we make that "A one armed paper hanger with the crabs"?
MORE TOYS NOW....
Home business is good although its not the boom we had in 92. Homes are selling very well but they arent bringing a good price .
Tim Mooney
Thats the first Ive heard of that. Round here sales are far more likely to turn into bidding wars than sellers not getting asking price.
As to business in general.....too good! Im trying like the devil to clear my plate in order to complete addition on my own home. Foundation went in early December and Ive only gotten first floor deck down. 'Shoemakers children are barefoot'!J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
I hear what you are saying about shoemakers children going barefoot.. Business here has slowed to the point where I should be taking some time and getting further along with my home than I am..
Instead I'm out beating the bush looking to keep my income up.. talked with several competitors and theyare dramatically cutting back on inventories.. So we will either be golden or lookin' real silly this year since I predicted I could improve my sales over last year with a little more effort on work and less on the house..
Amen, can you translate that to wife-speak, she's eyein the stairway project i started 2 winters ago. Some just know how to appreciate 2x12 in their true unfinished natural beauty.
Commercial work has slowed down big time here over the past 2 to 3 years, mostly electricians and steel stud framers/drywall guys have slowed down with all the dotcoms/telcos going out of business, residential seems strong but alot of stuff is prefab and those guys are a different breed(and their tapers and some frame guys are all out of state crews). I got laid off in December, found something doing interior carpentry commercially but the hours leave something to be desired, alot of 5pm to 1am type jobs.
-Ray
Tell her that 11 years after Norm Abrahams (from this Old House) admitted this fall that the stairway in his house was still in plywood... accordingly you've got nine more years and you're not evan a celeberity!
I agree that we'll see some sort of ionflation down the road but that will be a couple years before it is felt..
Excellence is its own reward!
ionflation is caused by sun spots. I am not sure that will have much affect on building.
Seems like a lot of places are booming well. That surprises me. I'm counting my lucky stars that I've kept steady since Christmas, but everyone I sub to is ready to go or do whatever, tomorrow. Doesn't seem to matter big or small outfit. I only know one other contractor who's up to his ears in work. The rest, you ask them what they're up to, you get "sitting on the couch doing PS2 with my kid, you got work?". It's a downer of a market here at the moment.
" To the noble mind / Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind" - Wm Shakespeare, Hamlet, III,i,100
Work around here has not slowed at all. We are a small coimmunity north of Toronto and it seems we are busy than people down in the city. We have tons of work going and morew lined up for when the weather warms up and we can begin to dig.
We're expecting to be busy than a pig in #### for the next 10 years.
Plus we have the enjoym,ent of skiing during the winter and skidooing and golf in the summer
here in Pgh...busy, busy, busy.
I had a little slow down in Dec..first time in a coupla years..but just that particular bunch of customers didn't want work done in their homes over the hoildays.
Some are slow..the good guys are booked and busy.
Dad said years ago....remodeling is a recession proof business...
in times of good....people have extra money and fancy up their homes...
in times of bad...people don't have money to move and have to keep their homes presentable....
Seems to have worked....but I've stumbled on another part of that in the last 2-3 years....
Rich people always have money to blow on a fancy new addition!
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
Booking floor refinishes for August thru October right now. Wating to start over 10,000 ft. of installs on 4 jobs. Have never been busier in 20 years. Just hired another finisher-in-training, and purchased 2 more machines.
Ditch
Too busy to be answering dumb questions.
; )
Quittin' Time
Last week on the front page of the New York Times was the headline "Economy is Slow but New York's is Horrid". New York and New Jersey and slow, many Wall Streeters lost their jobs, something like 20,000 in the past year. This area goes as Wall Street goes. Have not seen it this bad since 1989! I'm hearing subs are moving to other areas with work. Fear of the war, gasoline up, just too much uncertainty and I don't see an upswing here soon.
The thought just came to my mind that the guys who are worried about the food and the rent probably wont post. Why are professionals that way ? You ask them how they are and they say "great". I'm glad the guys here are doing good , but I doubt the others would type the bad news. Something was said about the good ones are busy . That's a general rule that holds true more often than not . Give me a town that has lost three major factories this past year and Ill show you a town on its butt. Then we will talk about the good ones being busy. I'm not on a rant , just my thinking. Of course reading the paper might have had something to do with my mind this morning ; WE aren't getting the budgeted money we were supposed to get and the governor will have to pass on giving our schools the money he didn't get . He told us he would be cutting jobs and programs Monday. Speculation is he might have to consider turning loose prisoners like Oklahoma did. Yea the prisons in this state need more money than our schools . Seems everyone cant be doing better unless not paying taxes is a new fad because the tax money is seriously short. Wonder why the stock markets are crashing ? I guess their hiding their profits. Fact is ; American companies biting the dirt and the smart ones are leaving America to sell to America. That sounds like a real deal. Also in my paper this morning listed 60 percent of the oil US is using is coming from Irag. That's ok though because we aren't buying it from them . No its a much smarter plan than that . We purchase it from middle men so those guys are doing great ! Can you imagine a country our size going through a middle man for oil? Supporting who we are going to war with in the very new future. Murphy Oil that sells through Wal-Mart Supercenters are "not" buying from them and sell it cheaper than any other gas station. "d u h" We are doing great guys , just great. Can anyone see a "little " bit of our future? Prime rates gonna go through the roof . If you need to buy a house , "do it " , or hold your cards. Someones gonna have to pay and its right around the corner. Federal bank is broke trying spur the economy by lowering rates. Greenspan is seriously at odds with our President . Shame on him . America is strong and doing great . The professional way.
Tim Mooney
Edited 2/26/2003 12:26:00 AM ET by Tim Mooney
Some guys are slowing up a little here in commercial and new construction. Personally I can't even go look at all the jobs that people call me about. Most of the high-end remodelers I know are pretty full up.
Here in Central Texas, it is running hot and cold (from Dallas to Waco, it's very cold, ice & sleet having closed the bridges on the interstates).
In my town, it's not too bad. Dallas & Houston & Austin are all quite busy. The real problem is labor. Right now, if I could find 10 people, half of whom would show up, reliably, at least 4 days of a week to competently tape bed float and sand drywall--after about six weeks, I'd need wheelbarrows to haul the cash around in. The drywall "shortage" three years back put a lot of the skilled labor on the streets. They went off and found other jobs. The work ethic in far too many of those available for hire leaves a lot to be desired. One of our local drywallers retired to Austin, over 90 miles away. The local GCs have talked him out of retirement (but not into moving), and he's doing about 1/3 of the local commercial work.
Right now, my biggest hurdle is capital. If I could swing the capital needed, I could be building affordable entry-level housing for about the next decade, and only keep up with demand. "Starter" new homes are small for their $90-100k prices. The local economy pays about enough to make a $75-85K house ideal for the 'typical' starter house couple. Incomes, and retail prices have been holding about constant for the last couple of decades, with no change in sight. This has driven the resale market from $70-90K into overdrive (in 1999, there were 4-5 buyers per seller; houses either sold in 48 hours or in 48 days).
The bigger commercial GCs & subs are feeling a bit pinched, coming into this winter, but no one is at home, idle, either. So that seems to be just a seasonal "blip."