# How is everyone doing ??



## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Well, lets get an update on everyones status.

We are the slowest we have been in over 20 yrs. In the past 2 weeks, I spent 1 day digging garage footers. Tomorrow I have to place footer drain and stone in a basement and after that, I have nothing until they get the block laid up and house framed. We bid a house with sandmound for a guy for $20,000. He works 2nd shift at the prison. One of his co-workers does excavating during the day. He is $5,000 less. The HO wants us to do it, but is unsure if the other guy can do a good job. We told him go for the cheaper price, but do not call us to come fix it. 

Just submitted a bid for a development the other day. Haven't heard back from the developer. If we get that, we are golden, if not, I might become a greeter at Wal-mart. :sad:


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

slowing up for me too...had a decent spring, but summer is touch and go so far. Got the bids out, but people are taking their time deciding.


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## S.R.E. (Apr 8, 2010)

Yah, I'm not doing much either. Going to work (as an employee) for a big company on Prevailing Wage jobs for a while to pay bills starting in a couple of weeks. I keep wondering what I'm doing wrong and then I drive by a competitor who has been doing business for a long time in this area and all his Iron is just sitting in his yard so I don't feel so bad. If I could do some stuff on the weekends and evenings while working for this other guy it will help but, right now I'm not worried about fitting in work cause I don't have any.


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## Upchuck (Apr 7, 2009)

We've been steady for a while. Couple of septic systems, 1000' of forced sewer. On Mon. & Tues. we spread & raked loam for new lawn. Today stripped loam & started digging foundation.

The kicker is that for the 1st time we were shutting down for a week to go on vacation w/ my family, my parents & sisters family in Maine. Sure enough, 3 different clients are looking to start digging foundations. We've been working with these clients since April & only now do they decide to start. I know some will get pissed because nobody wants to wait. 

On todays job the HO failed to mention the yard had beed filled in so there was stumps that were covered that I had to remove. He acted surprised & asked if there was a problem with the stumps. I replied there would be no problem as long as I got paid for removal & disposal.:whistling


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

it's like this for me...i do NOT need the govt. to spend money....i need DEVELOPERS to.....there are a "few" HUGE jobs locally out of my bonding reach that are going on....being done from contractors 500 miles away...i've got 3 weeks work ahead of me...that's it...in my 30 yrs in biz, this has never happened....PLEASE....remember this in november...and remember one MORE thing...something my daddy told me years ago....NEVER begrudge somebody from making money, they're going to make it, and spend it, and you'll get some of it....funny....poor people never hire me.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

Anyone heard from denick?


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## Cole82 (Nov 22, 2008)

It's slowing down for us. This springs was booked, but this summer it has all but dried up. Did drain tile yesterday and have a geo thermal dig to do and that is it for the dirt movers.

Cole


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## buckz6319 (Apr 1, 2010)

Well fellas,I can say that for me and the other inspectors in our county we inspect for it has been busy.The permits were up this spring and first part of summer with residential new construction,stand alone mechanical,plumbing,electrical and basements renovations,detached garages,commercial buildings and just to throw into the mix some structures built without permits,that got STOP WORK ORDERS placed on the property

I can say that I deal with a lot of contractors on a daily basis and they all feel like the construction industry is slowly turning around.The guys know it will never be like it was 2-3 years ago, but are happy to get the jobs they have going now and hope for the best in the future
I hope this sheds a positive out look on construction but it will never be the same as it was


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

buckz6319 said:


> Well fellas,I can say that for me and the other inspectors in our county we inspect for it has been busy.The permits were up this spring and first part of summer with residential new construction,stand alone mechanical,plumbing,electrical and basements renovations,detached garages,commercial buildings and just to throw into the mix some structures built without permits,that got STOP WORK ORDERS placed on the property
> 
> I can say that I deal with a lot of contractors on a daily basis and they all feel like the construction industry is slowly turning around.The guys know it will never be like it was 2-3 years ago, but are happy to get the jobs they have going now and hope for the best in the future
> I hope this sheds a positive out look on construction but it will never be the same as it was


did you know that fannie mae spent over a BILLION dollars...yes, with a 'b'.....on mowing foreclosed properties last year? don't tell me this sheet is turning around...


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## Upchuck (Apr 7, 2009)

Gotta agree that this is not turning around yet. While I don't think we will bottom out any further I still feel we have a long way to go before developers start having any confidence.


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

denick who?


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## tnmtn (Dec 15, 2006)

well for me the problems started last year. my timing on starting this bussiness couldn't have been worse. we made it throught he winter with the hope things would change in the spring. they did and i had a very busy 6 week period then it's like the valve was closed. the time frame between jobs started to spread out to equal not enough work for full time. I am back offshore now but working less than before. even schedule 1 month on 1 month off. i have some work to do during my off time and will continue trying to work things on a part time basis. i'm sure i will loose some work but when things slow down this winter i will be better able to stand it. one of the guys that worked with me is still doing smaller jobs while i am away. it's not ideal by any means but i feel lucky to be able to fall back on the offshore thing to rebuild the nestegg and invest further into the bussiness. at this point i feel better investing in equipment than the stock market. still maintaining the hope things will slowly get better and i can try to go full time again then. or get debt free and get by on less work. my wife is going back to school so that will help as well taking some of the breadwinning responsibilty from me when she is done. good luck to everyone,


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## WC&T (Feb 22, 2010)

I guess I am one of the lucky few. Just finished up a large site work project as a sub for a new jail last week. Still have about 8 months of site work as a sub for a good sized USACE job. Picked up a sports complex (2 baseball/2 softball fields) as a GC today. Only 3 bidders on that project. Two more smaller ($300k) projects bidding tomorrow and friday. both had manditory prebids, only 3 other generals at the pre bid. Also bidding 2 more USACE projects (new modified record fire range and two shoppette expansions) as a sub mid July. Projects are averaging 5 bidders instead of 15 the last month or so. Glad I have been holding out from getting work for cheap for the last two months and kept grinding on the work I had. Seems like we just had a good cleansing that got rid of alot of dirt contractors that got in over their head and hopefully things will level out so we can make some decent money. That is as long as the state/federal checks don't bounce .


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## Williams Ex Co (Dec 25, 2007)

I had a decent Spring with plenty of work but most of it as small potatoes type stuff even for me... And Im a small tater kind of guy! At present I have 3 septics to do and a small concrete walk-bridge demo to do... A wet basement to look into.... Not much else. Defineately nothing that will make a terrible bunch of money. Dug up bushes for local cemetary yesterday and today.... I usually see a slow down in the middle of the summer but not generally until mid/late July. Been slowed down for a few weeks now.


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## user49169 (Jun 20, 2009)

Super slow for me here in OKlahoma. I have not even started my iron since February I think. That was for snow removal. I had a great winter for snow removal, made some decent bucks. But the contractors I worked for last summer have not called at all. I have been beating the bushes to shake anything I can. I have been painting, power washing, walking dogs and panhandling at the casino...LOL I have contacted every single fence contractor in the phone book and came up with one promising bid. Bad thing is it is in Galveston..LOL Oh well whatever it takes right? I hate that my equipment has been sitting since February but I have not had any luck with anything. I couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a banjo right now. I am lucky in the fact that I don't have much overhead. I have a FABULOUS partner that works her fanny off. We manage on what she makes, but it sure would help the ego if I could bring something in too. I hope it turns around soon, I might have to start selling this stuff. They make horrible yard ornaments. :laughing:


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## [email protected] (Apr 26, 2008)

I made it through May taking on 50% of my bids and now June and have not landed one of them..... I am also beginning to wonder what is going on...


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

I'm busy. I had a good spring and will have a good summer. BUT I have ran my ass off to get this. I am on my phone none stop. I follow up with everyone I meet constantly. I am constrantly networking with other people. Honestly, I am kind of just stepping in ****. I don't think this will last so ofcourse I am not spending any money myself.

I do alot of different things and that is what keeps me busy. I did a big hardscape job this spring. Today I did a small planting job. Tomorrow I have a shed pad to build. Saturday i start a patio. Next job is a 22x22 detached garage. I have a 20k drainage job after that. So its a big mix of projects that keeps me busy.


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## buckz6319 (Apr 1, 2010)

ruskent said:


> I'm busy. I had a good spring and will have a good summer. BUT I have ran my ass off to get this. I am on my phone none stop. I follow up with everyone I meet constantly. I am constrantly networking with other people. Honestly, I am kind of just stepping in ****. I don't think this will last so ofcourse I am not spending any money myself.
> 
> I do alot of different things and that is what keeps me busy. I did a big hardscape job this spring. Today I did a small planting job. Tomorrow I have a shed pad to build. Saturday i start a patio. Next job is a 22x22 detached garage. I have a 20k drainage job after that. So its a big mix of projects that keeps me busy.


good to know that someone else is busy other than us Government inspectors and the contractors in my area of inspecting.


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## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

rino1494 said:


> Well, lets get an update on everyones status....


My mom always told me, if you can't say something nice....................


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## ctkiteboarding (Jul 10, 2006)

hot and cold here, working on a new house with a long time client,, worked 7 days a week for 9 weeks this spring with the march wind storm and tree work/stumps etc, now its slowed down alot , no new calls in the last week or two, in the middle of a fill job moving 1000yds from the front of a home to the rear with my old track loader, lol , feel like im 21 again when im on the old girl, getting it done , maybe 3 more days and we will see what shows up, winter looks rough


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