What About You? What About the Downturn?

[SEO]

After reading some of these post i am glad with the small company i am with we are busy and getting busier everyday with new jobs coming in.

Where are you located?

 

[greg y]

Denver, Colo.

 

[electricalperson]

its slow in south eastern MA too. enough work to barely keep busy. no new houses being built either

 

[wawireguy]

So Florida is the hot spot? I'd be there in a heartbeat if I thought I could make a living. The fishing sounds incredible there!

 

[Cow]

i am going to bet that a lot of tradesmen are going to have to find employment outside of their trade, at least for some period of time.

I hope not, our shop has been busy the last 4-5 months, now we've slowed down to steady. It's just right. My boss is worried it's eventually going to hit us, so he's bidding everything in sight, and not taking any chances.

 

[peter d]

So Florida is the hot spot? I'd be there in a heartbeat if I thought I could make a living. The fishing sounds incredible there!

Florida is not the hot spot for residential. By all accounts residential is just as dead in Florida as it is in most of the rest of the country.

 

[Rewire]

It's funny that based on the current hot topic, (sports, weather, economy etc) everybody becomes an expert. Guess what, you don't know what you are talking about that's why your thoughts go no farther than an internet meassage board. (see new siganture) :grin: Not pointed at anyone specific just an observation.

Pete, if you have a good idea if where you want to go I say go for it.

Everybody else, hold your prices, continue business as usual.

definition of an expert an ex is a has been and a spert is a drip under pressure.

 

[billdozier]

I dont know about all of Florida but northwest/gulfcoast area is slowing to a crawl. We just let our shop guy go and im waiting for the other shoe to drop. As im lowman on the totem pole. 2 years ago we were 40 strong were down to 6. Good thing is there are some commercial jobs coming out of the ground. I figure ill be hitting these up hoping for 3 monthes of work. Then ill be out of my lease and heading for Texas or Colorado. Anyone looking for a decent light comm resi guy.

 

[George Stolz]

Then ill be out of my lease and heading for Texas or Colorado. Anyone looking for a decent light comm resi guy.

Have you thought of sliding over to New Orleans? I heard they are still short staffed over there. I heard third-hand that my less-than-sterling former employer actually submitted and won a bid for work down there, supposedly complete with the price of a van or two included.

Of course, I view that as a threadbare excuse for not having a truck on the road in the neighborhood and selling off their service fleet, but that's just me.

 

[billdozier]

No actually I hadent I figured nawlins had to be close to done. If the 2nd shoe drops I might have to take a ride over there. Just give me a heads up on your former employers name. Is this the one u did piece for?

 

[George Stolz]

Sure is.

 

[76nemo]

Work is about wasted here in upstate NY. I just got back from NC, (Winston area), and work seems wasted there. When I was living there, maintenance electrician jobs were in every newspaper. I still have all the needs to set up a bench, but with electronics going so cheap, who wants to repair anything????

Been laid off since mid-November, and it's no fun. I have had a saw and a tape in my hands more than a meter since then.

It's getting very depressing. I chose the field for a reason as it is my passion. I am looking everyday

I hope things will change sometime soon.

 

[adamants]

we're slow too

we're slow too

but i just put my prices up by 10%, it's made no difference to getting jobs, but hopefully will help us through, and no ones complained yet!

 

[chris kennedy]

Florida is not the hot spot for residential. By all accounts residential is just as dead in Florida as it is in most of the rest of the country.

Very true. We are still doing some high-end resi stuff but thats about it.

 

[mxslick]

It has hit me very hard, and the budget situation in this state has put my only major bid for this year on indefinite hold.

I am seeking other work but no luck so far.

 

[quogueelectric]

This downturn will make oportunities for streamlined shops with little overhead and no waste to really have the upper hand to the big bloated 800# gorillas in this industry. This is where I can really kick some butt. I cant wait.

 

[boboelectric]

I couldn't count on all my fingers and toes how many times I wanted to kick myself in the butt for getting into the trade. Reminds me of an old boss I had about 10, 12 odd years ago. His favorite question to new arrivals on site was, "are you a electician, or are you a dumbass?". My response was "I'm a dumbass for being an electrician". But for nearly 20 years it has put food on the table and paid the bills. Lots of good times, but lots of bad ones, too. Just roll with the punches, but at the end of the day you got to do what you got to do.

I wouldn't work for a jerk with a negative view of my trade like his.He only wanted to hire you to make him $Money.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Personally, I enjoy being an electrician very much. I get to take parts and pieces and build a system that will allow for someone to have a better life. I don't have to deal with the general public that much. People are usually glad to see me (even more happy to see me leave,{because I'm finished}).

My problem is I've let myself get pretty FAT and now my age (56) combined with being overweight is making it physically difficult to work hard and fast.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with being an electrician.



(This is a response to Mr. Wizard)

 

[electricmanscott]

I wouldn't work for a jerk with a negative view of my trade like his.He only wanted to hire you to make him $Money.

How dare he!
Why else would he hire someone?

 

[iwire]

How dare he!
Why else would he hire someone?

I was wondering the same thing.:-?