Greetings all. I’m in my late 40s, and having recently left the publishing industry, now plan to do restoration, woodworking and cabinetry full time. I’ve primarily worked on my own home restorations over the years, but have connections within the local preservation and restoration communities.
I’ve been reading and sometimes contributing to Breaktime for several years, and have read a lot about customer relations, cost estimating, business plans, etc. So I’m not looking for advice.
Rather, I’d like to hear from others who successfully made “the leap” later in life. Anyone willing to offer a brief testimonial?
Looking forward to reading some encouraging stories.
Allen
Replies
Allen -
I've seen some of the pictures that you posted IIRC. You do some really nice work. You obviously do something that you have an interest in, do your homework and put out a beautiful finished product.
I don't know how you define the success that you seem to be looking for in testimonials. If you do something that you love to do every day, isn't that really what success is all about? If you wake up and want to go to work, isn't that important? if you want oodles of money - that's between you and your accountant. I've seen too many people that were miserable human beings, who were miserable because they were chasing that last dollar. I know that's not for me.
My testamonial (FWW)? 21 years practicing law. Done, over. Now doing real estate, renovations and construction pretty much full time. Mostly on my own stuff. Happy I made the change. Last Friday, my fiancee left a company she was with for 28 years. She has no job lined up. Her attitude has changed 180 degrees siince she gave notice.
Quit worrying and enjoy the ride. Stop looking backwards. What's the worst that could happen? You might have to go back to work for somebody? Like I said, I've seen your work. I think you will do well.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Don,
Thanks for the response. And the encouragement. Yeah, I guess I'm a little worried ... I hadn't planned on making the career change for a few more years, hoping to get my finances in a stronger position first. But circumstances sometimes change unexpectedly. So, here I go. And definitely not looking back.
It's great to hear of your success. And best wishes to you and your fiancee!
Allen
Edited 3/12/2006 9:30 pm ET by WNYguy
I was wondering when you were going to make the move. Having seen your work posted here I asked myself why you were not doing this full time. FWIW I'm a 46 yr old engineer 200 miles east of you and I want to do the same thing (gotta get the kids through college first).
I think DonK is right.
Thanks, Mike. I'm amazed that you and Don remember my work; I posted those photos several months ago.
Both my sons start college this fall ... one of the reasons I was gonna keep the "day job" for a few more years. But no looking back, now.
By the time you make your "leap" into the new career, I'll hopefully be able to share my success story. BTW, have you posted any photos of your previous/current projects? 200 miles east of me ... Albany?
Allen
Edited 3/12/2006 10:01 pm ET by WNYguy
You should not be surprised that yuor work stands out.
The project that you had - YOUR "Old House" was a nice example of craftsmanship from a long time ago. It was much more unusual, and therefore interesting than most of the current new homes. "Gee, look at that tray ceiling." The scope of your work was pretty broad, everything from doing stone foundations to building windows and doors, etc. That's the kind of work that many of us admire but don't have the skill or time to undertake.
I also happen to love old houses. Redoing one now on my own. (More of a renovation than a restoration.) I spent about three years working on a late 19th century Victorian when I was in high school and college. My Virginia house is also an oldie.
There were some posts a while ago from a fellow on the west coast. He was a preservationist and he made no bones about how much he enjoyed his work. He also said that once he got established with the locals in the preservation arena, he had no problem making money; picked his jobs. I see you as a New York version of that story.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Edited 3/13/2006 8:11 am ET by DonK
Don, thanks again for the comments. Today I spoke with a new owner of a huge 1870s Italianate -- 12-foot ceilings, 9-foot interior walnut doors, curved cantilevered staircase, etc. I got a tour of the house a week ago; the place needs major restoration work, so this client may keep me employed for the rest of the year. We'll see how it goes.
Allen
Hello WNY guy! Good luck to you in your endeavor. I'm from WNY also(Cheektowaga). I just recently retired after 39 1/2 years. Never having any time to myself because of my job I now am having a fantastic time wood working on various pieces. No more stress and I find myself working harder and longer hours than my full time job.I have a few ideas and will see where the future takes me. Best of Luck Bob
Bob, that sounds great. Congratulations! I'm considering my "market," geographically, as Rochester area to Buffalo. The first couple jobs I'm working on are in Niagara and Orleans counties.
Allen
Are you kidding? Wow your work stands out. I still have many of your pictures saved to my hard drive. The bathrooms, the porches, the foundations.
You do great work. In a couple of years when someone else is posting on here looking for a late in life success story, I expect that you'll be chiming in.
GoodLuck
Thanks, Steve. I hope you're right.
Allen
Mike Smith is late in life AND successful ...
not sure when he made the leap ... but based on the title of this thread he should qualify?
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I'm 47. 10 years ago I lived in the park. No joke. I was hired dirt cheap to do demolition, which led to some yard work and paintning. Now I have a good little business and just recently spent a $10K on a work van. In another 10 years I expect to own a few buildings.
Edited this cuz I didn't mean to stump the conversation.
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FT Job Wanted: Chicago, north side/North Shore burbs. http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=70809.1
Edited 3/13/2006 7:59 am by Ted W.
Ted, that's inspirational. Kinda wish you didn't go back and edit ... I'd like to read more about how you turned things around and continue to grow your business.
Allen
Jeff, just how late in life is Mike Smith?! I'm glad you chimed in, BTW, as you seem very successful and productive as a one-man operation. Always enjoy your posts, and your attitude. Of course you're not as late in life as some of us.
Allen
not sure I'd call it "very successful" but I work fairly steady and I don't always get to choose the perfect projects but I very rarely work in a situation I'm unhappy with.
Subing steady for a great place at the moment ... they have their quirks but then again so do I.
But .. I also got an email reply from yet another K&B place that I stumbled on to as a possible lead for additional work down the road. Wasn't even sure if they subbed ...
Sent an email this weekend, dropepd a coupla names, and they'd like to meet asap as even tough I said I might be available for work by summer they might be needing help within a month or so.
productive one man operation ...
prospect, prospect, prospect!
I always have a back up plan ... always have somewhere to go if need be.
go out ... make lotsa friends ... make lotsa good impressions ... and don't over promise. I let each new contact know I've very, very busy ... but ... I also do my best and bust a$$ to fit everyone in.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Hey WNYguy: don't know if my story is of success, but I'm very happy in what I do and it pays the bills, so I've been lucky (blessed) more than my fair share.
Background in a nutshell, Out of college, started in computers before there was such a thing as a PC. Computers took off, did well, decided to put myself through law school. Practiced law for a dozen years, and did a couple of rehabs as time allowed (my dad was highly skilled and I picked up a lot from him -- just wish I had his unmatched patience and attention to detail).
Got lucky yet again and got a job with a multinational pharma company representing their clinical labs. Got lucky when the pharma company sold the lab division to the largest clinical lab outfit in the world. Started buying small apartment buildings and kept doing rehabs.
Got lucky when real estate started to take off and I stopped practicing law and started swinging a hammer full time. First efforts were on my own apartments, which are perfect place to, shall we say, experiment. For example, the first coffered ceiling I did was in a spare bath in one of my apartments. It came out very well and I learned a lot. Everyone always asks why I would put such a nice coffered ceiling (1) in an apartment and (2) in the bathroom. Simple, it's a small room so I could take my time to learn without making a career out of it and, more importantly, if it didn't come out as planned, it's only a bathroom; who would care.
Since real estate started to take off, a lot of my tenants started to move out and buy houses. Their houses needed remo. They know my work and know me so . . . got lucky and had a base of folks who ask for my work. And they have friends, and so on . . . .
Now I do whatever comes along but it's mostly kit/bath remo, custom carpentry, framing when things are slow, property managment, and rehabs. I still consider myself a bit of a hack, but each job hones my skills a bit more, and I owe a lot to the folks on this board as a priceless resource and cyber source of moral support.
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
Philarenewal, there is no such thing as luck. Your "luck" came because you were smart enough, optimistic enough, and willing enough to take chances when you saw opportunities. Great story, great success. Thanks for sharing.
Allen
I got laid off from my last engineering job three years ago and made my plunge. I was 57 and had planned to retire into a light remodeling/cabinetry business. A month later, I got a kitchen remodel job and have been going pretty strong ever since. I went "legit" two years ago (GC license, Insurance, Business license, etc).
This year, I'm concentrating on building up the cabinetry business. Last summer, I laid about 500 sq ft of tile floor and gimped around for a month. These old knees and back just ain't as flexible as they once were - lol.
I'm working longer hours than ever and making less money, but I feel better than I had in several years. I've had a few calls from engineering recruiters but nothing has been tempting enough to pursue. It's a great feeling to negotiate from a position of strength - lol.
Dave, glad to hear it's working for you. Funny you should mention your back and knees. The physical part of this new venture is a concern, and I'm more than 10 years younger than you. Too many years of marathon running. Well, your cabinet making sounds a bit easier on the knees than floor tiling. Regarding going "legit," that's something I hope to do sooner rather than later, although my first two clients aren't concerned with my current "non-legit" status.
Best to you.
Allen
My first few jobs were with friends and neighbors and they weren't worried about "legit" either - they had seen the work I had done on my own house and weren't worried about me screwing something up - lol. They also liked the idea that they could hand me their house keys and go to work without worrying if I was pilfering the silver.
I went legit so I could expand my service base and so I would have some liability coverage. Friends and neighbors are usually a bit more forgiving than other customers. And, there was also the possibility of being caught up in one of the "sting" operations they run a couple of times a year. Who needs the aggravation!!??
Good luck to you. It's spooky for a while, but things have a way of settling out.
Do you build your cabs from scratch, or buy them assembled?
We have had great success doing cabs as RTA kitted units from Scherr's. The only drawback is that Scherr's only sells finishing as either natural clearcoat or white paint. If a client wants stain, distressing, glaze, etc., we get them unfinished and hire a local painter/artist.
I design and make my own from scratch. I don't do a lot of kitchens - there are plenty of places that do that faster and cheaper than I can. I focus on the custom cabinetry market - making the stuff that people can't find in some store. I do lots of entertainment centers, desks, bookcases, bathroom vanities, furniture, etc.
Most days, I take pictures of the project and email them to the customer. Most of my customers like seeing their project "grow" from a pile of wood into whatever they hired me to make.
I just finished a seriously custom kitchen island and am working on some specialized kitchen cabinets for a customer including a built-in wine cabinet. I'm farming out the finish work for these since they have to match the existing cabinets.
Not sure how inspiratioinal it is. I got tired of being a nothing and decided to do something about it. Seemed every other building or house was getting work done, so I asked around till someone gave me someting to do. This guy that just bought a 3 flat was doing all the work himself. He originally gave me $20 to haul a bunch of debris out of the front and back yard, but when it took all day he gave me $35 instead. Next thing I know I'm ripping out old plaster, then hanging drywall, he showed me how to tape, then we put in new kitchen cabinets, replace some windows and did a bunch of other repairs.
I was never really sure but I think he thought I was just looking for drinkin' money, telling me I could clean up the yard for 20 bucks was more so I can't say nobody ever gave me a chance. I called his bluff - never was much of a drinker. I worked for him about 6 months and saved every penny I could.
From there I got a cheap apartment, bought a few tools and found more work. Since then I've worked in every situation you can imagine - from ghetto slums to North-Shore mansions. Now I charge 35 and hour and have regular customers who keep me real busy. The reason you see that FT Job Wanted below is because I'm tired of always working alone. And the only reason I insist on high-end work is because it pays more. My goal (or one of my goals) is to eventually buy a building in dire need of repair, kick everybody out and gut remodel the whole thing. Rent units or sell it, whatever is the most profitable, then buy another one.
That's my late start success story. Happy to have my health and the opportunity to do something with it. Never looked back. -----------------------------------------------------------
FT Job Wanted: Chicago, north side/North Shore burbs. http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=70809.1
I will be 49 this month. I started this business 6 years ago when I got tired of teaching school. Before that I was a Maintenance Engineer at some large hotels. Prior to that I worked in a building engineering firm as a project manager/field rep. Prior to that I was a Maintenance Supervisor at a prison. In between I bought, rehabbed and rented out houses, painted cars, built motor cycles etc.
My brother tells everyone I have quit all the jobs everyone else wanted. I view at as a continual learning experience. Don't be afraid. It will work out as long as you work at it. Never been fired and have always been asked to reconsider and stay. Now I don't worry about either! :-) DanT
You're older than my mom.
;-)Hug it out.
Has she got a big chest? DanT
She has big everything.Hug it out.
Oh......well then.......never mind. Lol. Dant
By the way I think Mike Smith is 79. DanT
He told me he can't write his name in the snow any more.
How old does that make him?[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
Three days older than dirt I guess. DanT
He say's he's going to JLC.
I'll check his pulse and get back to you.[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
Damn you guys are hard tonight. Where's my milk?
at least.Tipi, Tipi, Tipi!
http://www.asmallwoodworkingcompany.com
Ted, I've seen pictures of your work and you seriously need to double your hourly...even down here in Texas you should get 60.
The guy that convinced me to double mine was from your neck of the woods and charged $78. You're better.
john
I'm stifled, are you for real? I been siting here for over an hour contemplating how to reply to that. Best I could come up with is "Looks like I've got some serious homework to do".-----------------------------------------------------------
FT Job Wanted: Chicago, north side/North Shore burbs. http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=70809.1
Ted, I am serious. There was series of posts about this very subject (how much to charge). Mike Smith's posts on this a couple of years ago got me to thinking and I took the leap...it did not even slow down my workload.
There is a book How Much Should I Charge?: Pricing Basics for Making Money Doing What You Love - Ellen Rohr
That is sold on Amazon among other places. Take a look at it.
john
Under Business, look at the hourly rate posts. These should give you a better idea, and one guy includes a worksheet (free download) that helps a lot.
John
Yeah, the recent hourly rate thread in the business section has been an interesting read.
Tomorrow I meet with my first major client (potentially, at least, as he's got a long list of things he wants me to do). My inclination is to first narrowly define just one project, and give him a price. The price would be based on materials and my best estimate on how long it will take me, without actually giving him an hourly rate.
I'm new at this, and used to working at my own leisurely DIY pace. So by establishing a set price, I hope to motivate myself to work more quickly and efficiently. And because my client knows this is essentially my first "paid" job, I think he'll be a lot more comfortable with a set amount (with allowances to cover unexpected problems).
If I get burned too badly on this first project, I'll re-evaluate. Meanwhile, I'll continue to read, read, read ... fill out spreadsheets ... and read some more.
By the way, thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. The stories have been motivational ... and reassuring as I make these first few steps toward a new life.
Allen
>>"By the way, thanks to all who have contributed to this thread."
Allen, thanks to you for starting it. Seeing a bunch of other guys who started a bit later and are doing well helps to quiet those "demons of doubt."
Lots of guys had an estwing along with the rattle in their crib, but that's not the only way to learn either. (I try to get those guys to teach me) ;-)
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
I have been at this 39 years full time and just reaching this age is a success all on its own.
I made the leap at 44 with the help from an employer that no longer needed my services - and my having 'had enough' of being jerked around in the corporate world.
I moved to Vermont and started a handyman/home improvement business just over a year ago, basically a one-man operation focused on the smaller projects. First 3 months were a little tight but once I got the first few jobs under my belt and gained some confidence (and the references) I've been too busy to look back.
On the odd days when I'm digging out a dirt basement and carrying 5 gallon pails up a stairway I wonder what the hell I'm doing... But, my trailer always has either my golf clubs or skis tucked in the corner and my ladder racks might have my kayak or bike on them.
Still working to be 'successful' in the long run but we don't 'want' for anything at home today. I'm not so driven by the last dollar on the table that I don't take an afternoon to enjoy the fun stuff outside of work - the career change has allowed me to do that.
Go for it! -Norm