The poor economy and doom and gloom?

[electricmanscott]

I had my best month ever last month, this month is looking even better

Good for you. :smile:

I'm having a fantastic year but that in the grand scheme of things it does not mean squat.

 

[jmsbrush]

Another thing to consider is that economic conditions are highly regional. They can be worse or better from state to state and even from county to county. I happen to live in a state that has leading indicators which are mostly in the negative direction. There is still work out there, but it is coming in very slowly and there is no guarantee of a 6 month+ backlog like there used to be in this area.

Every area must be taken on an individual basis to really determine if it's truly "doom and gloom" or not. I'm not a doom & gloom guy myself, but I'm also very realistic about the trouble we are facing.

Why is that Pete?, I having been asking that question to some of my friends and nobody really has a good answer for me. Why are some states not hurting at all and in some states you can't even find a minimum wage job?
My cousin lives in OK and says he has a 6 month back log.
A friend in Indiana can't find work for nothing.
Here in FL, for get about it>

Wasn't the the greed on the housing market the same in every state?

 

[jmsbrush]

Good for you. :smile:

I'm having a fantastic year but that in the grand scheme of things it does not mean squat.

I see you live in Exile, where might that be?:smile:

 

[peter d]

Why is that Pete?

My own personal belief is that the condition of the economy is directly related to the amount of government regulation over business, tax structure, and overall gov't involvement is the business affairs of a state.

So, I would expect the "big government" states like California, New York State, and some of the New England states to be worse off economically. And they are.

Of course it is far more complex than that but governmental policies have much to do with the problem.

 

[growler]

Wasn't the the greed on the housing market the same in every state?

Not really, some areas experienced unbelievably high growth in the housing boom and it was all about the housing boom and nothing else. In the areas where the growth was highest they ( we) will feel it more as the housing market shuts down.

Think of it like this, if the big three auto makers shut down there are going to be certain areas of the country that will be devastated, other areas may actually experience growth as foreign competition opens new auto plants.

 

[jmsbrush]

My own personal belief is that the condition of the economy is directly related to the amount of government regulation over business, tax structure, and overall gov't involvement is the business affairs of a state.

So, I would expect the "big government" states like California, New York State, and some of the New England states to be worse off economically. And they are.

Of course it is far more complex than that but governmental policies have much to do with the problem.

Now with that being said, do you feel like the states that are in good standing will stay good or the bad economy in other states will just wipe out the good ones?

 

[growler]

So, I would expect the "big government" states like California, New York State, and some of the New England states to be worse off economically. And they are.

Get ready, the government is going to try to spend it's way out of debt again. I'm not sure how that works but as soon as I find out I'm on easy street.

 

[peter d]

Now with that being said, do you feel like the states that are in good standing will stay good or the bad economy in other states will just wipe out the good ones?

Time will tell. There is one New England state, New Hampshire, that has bucked the trends of the rest of New England and is extremely business friendly and tax friendly. I will keep my eyes on New Hampshire to see how they weather this storm.

 

[peter d]

'm not sure how that works but as soon as I find out I'm on easy street.

I'll be right there with you.

 

[jmsbrush]

I have never seen such a negative person,you need to stop watching Glen Beck

I have recently gotten so much work that I had to hire a guy 2 weeks ago.So far he has been great.He was laid off from sombody I kinda knew.If I am thinking about hiring a guy I ask who he was working for and I give that guy a call.It doesn't hurt to ask his former employer about him.

As for the other poster who said to call the union hall.Unless you have a huge commercial job I wouldn't bother,you wont be able to afford him.

There is nothing negative about his statement. He's just stating the simple truth, That young EC's like myself haven't experienced down times, where as seasoned EC's have. That right now the economy has put a strain on allot of American's and the whole world. IMO

 

[jmsbrush]

Hiring it tough right now. In the past, if an electrician was unemployed, there was a good reason for it; he is unfit. Lately, if an electrician is unemployed, he might be okay. Makes them harder to sort out. A friend of mine hires a guy for a one day trial first.

Marc that is very true, I personally know a couple of pple that work for my competitors that were there for 5 to 9 years that have gotten laid off.

 

[satcom]

I have never seen such a negative person,you need to stop watching Glen Beck

I have recently gotten so much work that I had to hire a guy 2 weeks ago.So far he has been great.He was laid off from sombody I kinda knew.If I am thinking about hiring a guy I ask who he was working for and I give that guy a call.It doesn't hurt to ask his former employer about him.

As for the other poster who said to call the union hall.Unless you have a huge commercial job I wouldn't bother,you wont be able to afford him.

Me negative? you no nothing about me, I am far from negative when it comes to business.
A far a getting work, that is not an indcation of what conditions may be in the future.

 

[Sparky555]

There is nothing negative about his statement. He's just stating the simple truth, That young EC's like myself haven't experienced down times, where as seasoned EC's have. That right now the economy has put a strain on allot of American's and the whole world. IMO

Satcom was in business in the early 1980s when mortgage interest rates were around 15%, homes weren't selling, GCs were going bankrupt & taking their subs down with them. Unemployment was high & I was one of them. We survived, so you can learn from our experience or call it doom & gloom.

While it's nice to hear that some of us are as busy as ever the reality is that unemployment is rising. Stores are closing because they can't supply inventory for the holiday season which represents a major time of sales. Home foreclosures are higher than at any time since the 1930s.

Winter is a typical time of layoffs in the trades in the northern states. We're looking at the winter of a very bad economy. I hope you saved some money for this rainy day.

 

[ohm]

Tony, because of the way tax and other laws are constructed, if you're operating under a sole proprietorship now your whole world will get more complicated with just one employee. Quarterly, taxes, workmen's comp., missing or broken tools, missing stock, late starts, early quits, runny nose=no show etc.

I wish there was a legal way to pay a helper on a 1099.

But, employees are the only way to grow. Good Luck!

 

[jmsbrush]

Satcom was in business in the early 1980s when mortgage interest rates were around 15%, homes weren't selling, GCs were going bankrupt & taking their subs down with them. Unemployment was high & I was one of them. We survived, so you can learn from our experience or call it doom & gloom.

While it's nice to hear that some of us are as busy as ever the reality is that unemployment is rising. Stores are closing because they can't supply inventory for the holiday season which represents a major time of sales. Home foreclosures are higher than at any time since the 1930s.

Winter is a typical time of layoffs in the trades in the northern states. We're looking at the winter of a very bad economy. I hope you saved some money for this rainy day.

Yes I realize that, I was trying to state to ROBWIRE, that Satcom is not negative, but he defended self.
We can all learn from Satcom's Experiences.
I'm thankful having the pleasures of learning from the great minds here.
I don't know what happen to my post but I thought it was going to show Satcom and ROBWIRES thread at the same time.

 

[celtic]

As for the other poster who said to call the union hall.Unless you have a huge commercial job I wouldn't bother,you wont be able to afford him.

Do you have any idea what the union resi. rate is compared with yours?

 

[iwire]

Me negative? you no nothing about me, I am far from negative when it comes to business.

Dude I just can't ignore this, you see the bad in every possible situation.

Anything bad that can possibly happen seems to have happened to either you or one of your friends. Falls, shocks, law suits, fires, thefts, insurance problems, acts of God, you name it and I will find a post where you brought it up.

Not saying it is not true only that you are the last person I would consider 'not negative'.

 

[khixxx]

now that everyone has their panties in a bunch. IMO the bottom line is to look at the facts in your area, and your industry. Project what might happen in the next 2, 4, 6 years. I would plan for that. It wasn't rocket science that some areas would be singing the blues as others would be ok. Not sure if any industry will be singing rock-n-roll except for companies that build schools and roads, they won't be singing for a few months, but will the government wave the Davis Bacon Act? Again IMO they will.

Anyone that doesn't think hard/challenging times are coming I suggest they go get tested for drugs.

 

[electricmanscott]

I see you live in Exile, where might that be?:smile:

With Jack Bauer.

Really Massachusetts. Now don't tell anyone.

 

[electricmanscott]

Anyone that doesn't think hard/challenging times are coming I suggest they go get tested for drugs.

I think they are here.