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I normally don’t post in this particular section. Those of you who know me from the tavern are aware that I am an electrical engineer who was laid off and have been struggling to start my own custom carpentry, home improvement & repair business while still being wet behind the ears in the industry. I normally just lurk on this board and soak up the wisdom that people like Sonny Lykos and many others have been willing to share openly.
It is this willingness to help that I am posting about now. I have been working on an 1860’s restoration job the last couple months. It has been a good job that I landed through a friend.
We had been going to this new diner on the corner for breakfast every now and then and got talking to the owner. It turns out that he had bought the restaraunt from the money he made from being a remodeling contractor for 30+ years. he got out of the remodeling business because of some injuries from an accident that made the work to painful.
Anyway today we were talking and he asked me how things were going. I told him that it was tough because I was having a hard time breaking in against all the well known names in the area. (I live in Robesonia, PA near Lancaster and Lebanon where there are literally thousands of Amish and Mennonites who are skilled craftsman or at least contractors (Just Kidding Guys))
I’ve been advertising in the merchandiser, had my truck lettered, got yards signs. I tell everyone I know and give out lots of cards. but nothing really coming my way.
He proceeded to sit down and give me list of his old clients who were still calling for him to jobs for them. and then he gave me the golden nugget. As I had mentioned earlier, I’m real new to this industry so I haven’t got a good feel for estimating and pricing yet. Not until now, he started giving me numbers for different things based on square footage and such or going rates for linear feet of trim, or masonry work, or plumbing, etc. and then he said that he’d be willing to help answer questions for me if I got stuck.
This I what I wanted to say thank you for. to him and all of the rest of you who are not about just yourselfs but the willingness to help all, new and old in this line.
Thank You.
I’m sorry if I appeared to be babbling but I really wanted to say that.
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I normally don't post in this particular section. Those of you who know me from the tavern are aware that I am an electrical engineer who was laid off and have been struggling to start my own custom carpentry, home improvement & repair business while still being wet behind the ears in the industry. I normally just lurk on this board and soak up the wisdom that people like Sonny Lykos and many others have been willing to share openly.
It is this willingness to help that I am posting about now. I have been working on an 1860's restoration job the last couple months. It has been a good job that I landed through a friend.
We had been going to this new diner on the corner for breakfast every now and then and got talking to the owner. It turns out that he had bought the restaraunt from the money he made from being a remodeling contractor for 30+ years. he got out of the remodeling business because of some injuries from an accident that made the work to painful.
Anyway today we were talking and he asked me how things were going. I told him that it was tough because I was having a hard time breaking in against all the well known names in the area. (I live in Robesonia, PA near Lancaster and Lebanon where there are literally thousands of Amish and Mennonites who are skilled craftsman or at least contractors (Just Kidding Guys))
I've been advertising in the merchandiser, had my truck lettered, got yards signs. I tell everyone I know and give out lots of cards. but nothing really coming my way.
He proceeded to sit down and give me list of his old clients who were still calling for him to jobs for them. and then he gave me the golden nugget. As I had mentioned earlier, I'm real new to this industry so I haven't got a good feel for estimating and pricing yet. Not until now, he started giving me numbers for different things based on square footage and such or going rates for linear feet of trim, or masonry work, or plumbing, etc. and then he said that he'd be willing to help answer questions for me if I got stuck.
This I what I wanted to say thank you for. to him and all of the rest of you who are not about just yourselfs but the willingness to help all, new and old in this line.
Thank You.
I'm sorry if I appeared to be babbling but I really wanted to say that.