Seen any signs of work picking up?

[emahler]

My two best customers in the last few months have been taken away by outfits under bidding me by half with the idea of "trying to keep their guys busy". Both customers looked at my prices and asked why they are so high? My answer was I lowered my prices 20% due to the economic climate. My material costs have not gone down, insurance has not gone down, my taxes sure have not gone down, etc.

The only thing I can cut is my labor costs and my cost of living has not gone down. This race to the bottom to "keep my guys busy" stuff is not helping anyone. Please please! Hold the line on your prices!!!

So your saying that if the job cost is say, $10,000 for labor and materials, you usually charge $20,000? Did I understand that correctly? Then to boot, you were 20% greater than that? $24,000?

Not talking about you, or judging your comments at all, but if I did that, I would be out of business like really fast.................................

No Mule, he's saying that his price for the job was $10,000 total a little while ago....with say $2500 in material and $7500 in labor....recently his price for the job was $8500 (since he cut his labor rate by 20%)......and someone still came in and bid the job for $5000-6000, including material and labor....

that's what he's saying....

 

[ptonsparky]

these guys that are low bAlling the other contractors most likely wont be around at the end. You cant break even (change money) and stay in business operating costs will eventually catch up to you. I knew of some landscapers doing that fall of 08, yard clean ups, snow plowing and then spring clean ups, 2 went out of business by summer of 09.

Just now spring of 09', I think.

 

[RJohnsonMasterElectrician]

ok screwed up fall of 07 spring 08

 

[Mule]

My two best customers in the last few months have been taken away by outfits under bidding me by half with the idea of "trying to keep their guys busy". Both customers looked at my prices and asked why they are so high? My answer was I lowered my prices 20% due to the economic climate. My material costs have not gone down, insurance has not gone down, my taxes sure have not gone down, etc.

The only thing I can cut is my labor costs and my cost of living has not gone down. This race to the bottom to "keep my guys busy" stuff is not helping anyone. Please please! Hold the line on your prices!!!

No Mule, he's saying that his price for the job was $10,000 total a little while ago....with say $2500 in material and $7500 in labor....recently his price for the job was $8500 (since he cut his labor rate by 20%)......and someone still came in and bid the job for $5000-6000, including material and labor....

that's what he's saying....

May just be me....But I think we might be "reading into" his post, cuz that verbage isnt there......you might be right, but would like to hear it from him

 

[George Stolz]

Guys, a gentle reminder from the back of the room: The OP asked:

Seen any signs of work picking up?

Try to stay on this topic for this thread.

 

[ItsHot]

ton of work!

ton of work!

I've got a ton of work! Well...maybe not a ton, but I try to stay busy. Gotta get out and mingle and shake the bushes!:smile:

 

[RJohnsonMasterElectrician]

Guys, a gentle reminder from the back of the room: The OP asked:


Try to stay on this topic for this thread.

ok sorry.

no not really picking up, dont know where ill be in 2to 3 weeks

 

[Mule]

Sorry George......

as stated earlier.....We are picking up, a bit hit and miss, but we are seeing signs for sure.......

 

[Rewire]

We work for several Condominium complexes and this is usually when the boards start recieving their yearly assesment moneys from the owners and once the coffers are full they start letting the work we just started on a job replacing all the damaged UF cable for the walkwaylite should be work for a crew for the week. Just got another call from a board president that needs a proposal to present to the board at the April meeting. If it is like the last few years it will all hit at once I have started to interview for additional help.

 

[Rockyd]

I'm STILL working in Vegas and keep hearing horror stories, but, as a traveler, haven't received any indication that the locals need the travelers to leave. Just keep on marching through the kitchen(s) (about 500' of kitchen and prep area), and staying on track. Does the whole world hate kitchens so much that no one wants my job?

Everyone here keeps talking about the coming crash, and it does look ominous, but Alaska should be breaking for the season soon, so no matter which way I go....I win!

 

[greg y]

Got the inside scoop from a inspector on a job we are doing that they are finally cracking down on a lot of propertys in a town where everything has been " BOOTLEGED" in and now they are making these complex owners clean it up. This i know will translate into a lot of work for some companys and will hopefully clean out some of the " HACKERS". But it looks like things are turning around here in our area , we just got handed a 12 unit condo building just by going out there and talking with people . We already have several other big jobs on the table .

 

[Mule]

We have stayed very busy doing commercial, but resi has been limited to emergency work as folks have been holding onto their cash (no luxury install work)...This last week, we have picked up a kitchen remod, a mst bath remod, and a upscale patio lighting and fan install. These are indications to me that people are starting to let go of that luxury money and spending it.

We are trying to make the decision this weekend for my wife to come on board with me, she will be turning in her resignation at her job this week. She will be my helper on the days my other helper (son-in-law) is working as a fireman. The other days, she will function as secretary and book keeper.

These issues are a breath of fresh air to me, in all of this gloom and doom.

The latest news on the additional federal deficit levels still have me cautious...

 

[charlietuna]

Commercial jobs are on the increase, designers are loading up on government projects right now. Housing still dead!

 

[hillbilly1]

Residental is still dead, but it's mainly due to a glut of housing and banks are no longer loaning money to people they shouldn't have. It will also take a little longer to recover until banks get rid of their REO's. Commercial is taking a kinda wait and see attitude, Once congress gets through screwing up everything, they will then figure out how to get back in business. If you do government work, you will have no problems as it will be booming shortly. A lot of stuff we would not have bid before, because they are slow pay, and slow going jobs are schools and government projects.

 

[RJohnsonMasterElectrician]

just started one new school in chandler, other school coming soon in tempe and were bidding a 90% remodel at a VA hospital with only 4 companies bidding it. And a previous land lord of a 20+ high rise in down town phx wants a number to fix the place, can't complain to much getting 40hr a week right now

 

[iaov]

Just got another new house and an apartment building for the end of the summer. Will keep me eating for a while.:smile: