Len
Senior Member
- Location
- Bucks County
Just wanted to see if anyone notices work picking up. I sure don't
Economy & Work
- Thread starter Len
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mcclary's electrical
Senior Member
- Location
- VA
I downsized a few guys when all this mess started. I'm now completely slammed. I've got work on the books thru january, without taking on anything else. I haven't been three months out in a while. I bid four other houses in the last 3 weeks that I did not get. Had I won those bids, I would be subbing it out. It's a good feeling, and it seems to be slowly but surely getting better.
Rewire
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
It is very slow not much work on the horizon. I laid off everyone and closed the office and moved back to the house. I did one service call today bid a small one day job which I got and have two service calls for tommorrow.I have about a weeks worth of work changing out 15 window AC to combo heat A/C units.Lost more bids than I care to count I guess the cheap guys are working .
GUNNING
Senior Member
- Location
- Gainesville, Florida
Its picking up here but expect it to drop off just before christmas then backup again by april 15.
honker down gentlemen!!!! it is going to get far worse in the next few month's. if the stock market rallys to 15,000 today and stays there, (which it won't) it would still take 3 months for the effects to filter down through the economy as a whole. like many others our workload picks up for for about 3 to 4 weeks and i think this could be the start of something. then i wake up from my afternoon "in office nap" and realize this was just a short term spike. it just seems like every day something comes across my desk which makes me think we got a long way to go from here. SORRY TO BE THE PROPHET OF DOOM; BUT LIKE A BASEBALL UMPIRE, I CALL'UM THE WAY I SEE'UM.
Len
Senior Member
- Location
- Bucks County
I will agree, I also think things are going to get much worse. I do not forsee things picking back up for about a year on commercial and close to 2 for resi.
This I am sad to say. Unless you want to work for a loss then you can be very busy....
This I am sad to say. Unless you want to work for a loss then you can be very busy....
jmsbrush
Senior Member
- Location
- Central Florida
ultramegabob
Senior Member
- Location
- Indiana
I have had an increase in work the last few weeks.
For those working at a loss, there is no reason to work at a loss, take on any other work that pays, when things were bad the last recession, I parked the van's and did what ever it took to feed the family, I Cleaned tiolets , scrubbed floors, delivered newspapers, delivered packages part time, kitchen help, pumped gas, whatever it took to bring in money. Some of the guys that stood in there, and took a bath, ended up loosing everything, and some even lost their family, the stress was just too much for everyone, so don't wait to get in a jam, move fordward as quick as you can, waiting for this economy to turm can take some time.
that is the right attitude!! do what you have to to feed the family,waiting for this to turn around is not a good idea.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
I'm doing a job for a decent sized structural steel fabrication business. I'm friends with the owner and he was telling me about the job he just took at a loss. The GC's played the numbers game with him and after cutting out everything he could (and then some) he won the job. He said "I can either lose $5,000 on this job or lose $20,000 in overhead with no work at all." The job is simply to keep his men working for 2 weeks.
He is faced with the prospect of virtually no work at the moment, and said he is taking it month by month. The outlook for the rest of the year is so bleak he said he's considering shutting the shop down completely for the rest of the year unless he wins some more bids.
Anyway, when the structural steel business is this slow you know things are bad. Obviously steel orders set the precedent for commercial construction and there just isn't much of it right now. As an aside he said that the "stimulus package" is totally worthless to him as he does mostly private sector jobs.
He is faced with the prospect of virtually no work at the moment, and said he is taking it month by month. The outlook for the rest of the year is so bleak he said he's considering shutting the shop down completely for the rest of the year unless he wins some more bids.
Anyway, when the structural steel business is this slow you know things are bad. Obviously steel orders set the precedent for commercial construction and there just isn't much of it right now. As an aside he said that the "stimulus package" is totally worthless to him as he does mostly private sector jobs.
RonPecinaJr
Senior Member
- Location
- Rahway, NJ
I'm drowning in the water with 1 whole $500 dollar job next week and maybe an exhaust fan install next Thursday.
okeefe
Member
- Location
- Albany New York
I bid on jobs and don't win them, I do see electrical contractors working for less. The residential service work keeps me busy but it is week to week now.
It's never good to try to keep men on when your loosing money, unless it is just to bridge to a large project comming in, if you don't have a pile of signed contracts or study accounts that provide long term work, cut your looses and get out before it gets worse.
I think many EC went in Business without base contracts, and were hoping for new work.
We had a good number of guys in our area start out a new business this past year, some left study work to venture on their own, now there a only a few still trying, and they may not have long to go, the sad part is they had good jobs, and left to make what they thought was the big bucks their boss was making. I guess they figured out those nice new trucks their boss had all came from his wifes income, and so did the nice home he lived in.
Rewire
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
Just landed a small job connecting the drive thru Christmas display maybe three days work
- Location
- Massachusetts
Yeah ........ screw any loyalty.:roll:
Why try to help those that helped you when times where good?:roll:
I hear you iwire, I used to think the same way as an employee. But Loyalty don't pay the bills.
When the bank is handing you the eviction notice to take the house you put up as colateral to keep employees busy and the wife and kids are crying..those same employees are collecting unemployment or a paycheck from someone else.
i know when times were good my employees were paid well and treated good, 3 weeks vacation /year paid holidays, health ins etc...
Where are they now ? collecting unemployment and doing sidework while I am paying the price for keeping them busy for an extra 6 months instead of laying them off.
Main difference of employer and employee is that when stuff hits the fan employees can just walk away and find a new job, employers don't have that luxury
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
Well said Rich!
- Location
- Massachusetts
Rich I understand how business works ...
That is not what we were talking about though is it?
Here is what I was talking about.
Satcom said:
How are we measuring 'loosing money'? When the business is closed for the night it is 'loosing money'.
No you can't loose money indefinitely, thats bad for the entire business and the rest of the employees to. Anyone, including myself understands that.
But Satcoms comment sounds like condemnation of an employer that is making an effort to take care of those that work for them. And it really strikes a cord in me like he treats employees more like tools then people. That may not be the truth but it sure how his comment comes across to me.
A risk that comes with opening a business. (and why I would never)
Now I have to run to work or become part of the unemployment line.
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