How busy are you guys?

Mad Dog_2

Doesn't mean some of those can't fall thru, but something else always comes in. My advice for when its slow.....regroup, reorganize, refocus...don't spend much time worrying about it. Before you know it, you are swamped again and you never got done what you should've when you had the time. It always nice to have $$$ set aside to do things when its slow, but that is usually not the case, so do thing that don't cost much. ALL the contractors that come here deserve to be busy year-round. For those who aren't, I am praying for the phone to start ring again. Mad Dog

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=210&Step=30">To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"</A>

Keith_8

How busy are you guy's?

I was speaking with Boiler rep the other day regarding sales.

He claims either guys are smokin busy or dead and waiting for the phone to ring. We have been insane for the last couple of months and are booked thru the winter(we were just holding our own from January thru May).

How about you guy's?

Keith

John MacGregor_2

Economy

Thru June we were down 32.5%, net profit down 131%!!
We have just started picking up again and see the fall and winter to be very busy, but it's doubtful that we will be very profitable for the year.
The economy is terrible in Michigan.

John MacGregor_2

Economy

Thru June we were down 32.5%, net profit down 131%!!
We have just started picking up again and see the fall and winter to be very busy, but it's doubtful that we will be very profitable for the year.
The economy is terrible in Michigan.

Al Corelli

We're backed up with boilers and heating work till October.
The plumbing (renovations, remodels)side of the house is booked till November.
A/C work is in a frenzy, as would be expected.
Plumbing service is not our major thrust here, but we keep a guy busy most days.
Drain Cleaning is very busy.

Now if we could only get paid from the contractors, we'd actually have money.

Jeff Elston

Very busy

> I was speaking with Boiler rep the other day

> regarding sales.

>

> He claims either guys are

> smokin busy or dead and waiting for the phone to

> ring. We have been insane for the last couple of

> months and are booked thru the winter(we were

> just holding our own from January thru

> May).

>

> How about you guy's?

>

> Keith



I dont have time to think.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Jeff Elston

Very busy

I don't have time to think. Our customer base consist of apartment building owners. We rarely do anything in the residential field. We do no plumbing, mostly boilers for heat, domestic boilers, HVAC systems, and a lot of sub-metering work. The fall is coming and is usually the most hectic last year we did something like 60+ boilers before the end of Jan. All of this above 150,000 BTUS. Not exactly very fun. but hey I am not complaining

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

S Ebels

Michigan

The Great Lakes State is nearing the point of......... "Will the last one out please turn off the lights". Nearly all the automotive manufacturing sector is being flushed down to China (imagine giant sucking noise here)

In Cadillac (20 miles away) the main employer is Four Winns boat company and they are laying off production people who have 10+ years of senority. Not good. The telling statistic in that scenario is that the line making their big boats, 32ft+ and over $200K, is still going strong. The rich will always have money.......The bulk of their production however is in the 20-28ft class and that line is dead in the water. No orders coming in from "normal" income folks. Lot's of those all over the USA are pulling in their horns and are not so bullish on the economic prospects of the near future.

I think they're wise because I see a trickle down effect from the high gas prices taking hold mid to late spring of 2007. Just a gut feeling but I've seen a few of these up and down cycles come and go in the business world.

AFA our business goes, we had an extremely slow spring with lot's of builders who normally do 5-10 houses per year just starting their first one right now. Our sales are down roughly 45% YTD. Profit isn't too bad, running about the same $$.$$ as last year because I've really been concentrating on selling up to equipment we can differentiate ourselves with. There are a select few customers that will listen when you tell them you actually ran a heat gain/loss on their house and the other guy is oversizing them by 30%. I've said it before and I still believe that we need $4.00/gallon fuel before people will seriously invest in efficiency.

There are a TON of hacks out there right now picking up jobs for material cost plus what they think is enough for labor. I ran across one a couple weeks ago that was gloating about picking up a forced air with A/C job by underbidding his competitor. He was installing all the duct, and 80K no name furnace along with a 3T A/C for $4,100 complete. This was going in a single story, full basement house with 3 bedrooms and two baths. Included in that price were the bath fans, dryer venting, W/H venting and misc gas pipe. Just add up your material and labor costs for that work and tell me how long he'll be around.....

I don't think I have ever seen as many houses up for sale as there are right now. And they don't seem to be moving at a very brisk clip.

A good friend of mine from high school owns and operates a moving business in Cadillac. He told me that his business is booming with people moving out of the state by the drove. His problem however is that he can't find any return loads and has had to resort to hauling regular freight when he can find a load coming back into the state. A word to the wise............

Josh_10

Ouch! I don't care where you are $4,100 isn't anything! I don't even know how he got his material costs that low! Sorry to hear things are slowing down over there Steve.

Things are always booming here in the greater Puget Sound area here in Washington State. Alot of spec. house builders are dropping their prices $50K at a time though. Could be a foreshadowing of a slowing economy. Or perhaps we are way to inflated. Last I heard the average cost of a home around here is around $450K. $325K for a 1200 Sq Ft starter home...

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Keith_8

Those with the big money will always

buy and maintain the big boats. My buddy in Florida tells me the marina he works at is having their best year ever. Thay are an established Bertram dealer. But exactly as you said the mid to small boats aren't moving.

We service the light to mid size commercial market. Apparently they are getting the message about the high fuel costs. All of the equipment we are changing is still operating and not nearly dead in the water. If I even thought about talking about replacing this equipment 3 years ago they would have laughed in my face. Now that its apparent that high fuel costs are here to stay they are stepping up to modernize. Who sold the project? Common sense sold the project. Position yourself guys they will come aknocking.

Keith

Steamhead (in transit)

Steady

which isn't bad considering our company is less than a year old. We've done a couple boiler replacements this summer, have bid on several more and are looking at others- all of which were oversized- and some steam system upgrades (main vents, insulation etc) too. Plus we're piping a small addition, which isn't our main line but it's my next-door neighbor's house- how could I refuse ;-)

Steve, we're starting to see people upgrading for efficiency's sake already. Didn't have to get to $4.00/gallon oil for this to happen, though as prices rise we all know we'll get more of this work.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Rich_18

LI

I'm out on Long Island NY , It does in fact seem as though your either swamped or dead .I think my goose is cooked

KAG

The fish

Have I told you of the 25lbs small mouth bass i caught today. I have learned one thing in this consturtion business every one is straight out even in slow times. Our business is driven by the REAL estate market, you can build but is any one buying? Things are slowing down in MA because of INTEREST rates set by the FED to slow down inflation. This is were the fly by nighters go under and take many good honest people with them. Companys are starting to lay off workers and people are putting off jobs. I know "chicken little" but I won't get caught with my check book flapping in the wind.

Ragu_4

In Downeast Maine...

I'm ahead of last year from Jan.-June. July was dead and nothing signed at the moment. Several of the builders who used to have a 3 year waiting list are out of houses to build. There is more spec house activity than in the past, but the builders want VERY CHEAP heating systems, so I'm not going there.

Steve, I see the same hack activity around here. They are killing themselves trying to make ends meet by installing junk; there is just no margin there.

I haven't seen any upgrades for the sake of efficiency, and I fear that the 4 dollar rule may well apply.

Radiant has been moving, but it has gotten into the hands of the wrong people. Lots of Ultra Fin, lots of Insultarp and lots of 3 way tempering valves. Hardly any outdoor reset going on. Absolutely zero radiant training going on. Sad.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Tony_23

Not too bad

I positioned myself in the upper end efficiency market 5-6 years ago. Sacrificed for a while, paying off now

I don't fight the lowballers anymore. I ask what their objectives are, quality or price first, and go from there. If everybody in a 20 mile radius is bidding, I generally stay away. I know if I was a larger company, this wouldn't probably work.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Unknown

If response to training seminars

is any indicator then things are not good. Last year was my best year ever. So far this year looks like the worst since I went on my own in 1994.

When things are slow trades people start tightening their belts and training dollars becomes something they are very careful with.

It means my going back on the road with training I am afraid as the old saying goes if they will not come to you then go to them.

I am truly trusting in God to, as He always has, take care of my business.

Geo_17

Slow down

Going into the summer I was booked two months out,I had to make a dozon calls today just to get work thru wednesday.But I keep pacing back and forth saying to myself,there all on vacation,there all on vacation!.And a bad time for yellow page guy to keep calling,he's probly in the same boat as me.

Ragu_4

Hey, Tony and Tim

Tony, great post. I think your proactive approach to the high end efficiency market puts you in a good drivers seat. I'm partway through the "sacrificing" stage now. It makes complete sense to specialize in high quality, high efficiency equipment.

Tim, do not despair. You have a wonderful reputation as a knowledgeable teacher and that will carry through in the long haul. I've worked locally for years but I've started looking at projects a bit further away. I guess we all have to make adjustments when neccessary.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Keith_8

Why let geography get in the way of business?

We go where the work is. If you can cover the travel expenses and get the work performed why not?

It doesn't matter where the work is, the technology is the same. You need to figure out how business is handled in the new area.

My work is within a 100 mile circle. Last year it was in a 50 mile circle. Next year it may go back, who knows?

Be in a position to grab the profitable work where ever and when ever you can.

Ran into a former work associate today. He ventured off on his own a year ago. Say's he isn't as busy as he would like. We trade business cards, he does strictly domestic plumbing? Why? People associate with contractors who can handle and deliver comfort. Between Pl- Htg & AC he only handles 1/3 of it? Seems short sighted to me.

Keith

Jeff Lawrence_25

Busy as

...well, you know what.

Our last 3 years haven't been real warm during the summer or real cold during the winter. One radio forecaster said that a particular day temp was the hottest in 3 years. Since I'm in the South, summer is our busy season and what sets the pace for the rest of the year. We had several high temps recently that have tied or nearly tied the previous record.

This heat wave we're still in the middle of is really separating people that have had service done from the people that think "We don't need anyone out." So far, we have been to ONE house that we did spring service on, and that was for a blown capacitor I'm guessing was caused by a lightening strike.

People are angry when they're told that it may be 2-3 days to get to them and fix their AC and even unhappier when we tell them their 20 year old AC (that never had a regular maintenance) is shot.

I have 2 proposals sitting on my desk that are a 'go,' but the customer has to figure out how to pay for it. I am about to submit a contract to another customer that will take 4-5 days to complete all the work. We have another one that just needs to be 'topped out' so we can turn on the gas to the furnace in the attic and get paid.

Yeah, we've been busy.

swanmech_2

always enjoyed slow summer.

> ...well, you know what.

>

> Our last 3 years

> haven't been real warm during the summer or real

> cold during the winter. One radio forecaster

> said that a particular day temp was the hottest

> in 3 years. Since I'm in the South, summer is

> our busy season and what sets the pace for the

> rest of the year. We had several high temps

> recently that have tied or nearly tied the

> previous record.

>

> This heat wave we're still

> in the middle of is really separating people that

> have had service done from the people that think

> "We don't need anyone out." So far, we have been

> to ONE house that we did spring service on, and

> that was for a blown capacitor I'm guessing was

> caused by a lightening strike.

>

> People are

> angry when they're told that it may be 2-3 days

> to get to them and fix their AC and even

> unhappier when we tell them their 20 year old AC

> (that never had a regular maintenance) is

> shot.

>

> I have 2 proposals sitting on my desk

> that are a 'go,' but the customer has to figure

> out how to pay for it. I am about to submit a

> contract to another customer that will take 4-5

> days to complete all the work. We have another

> one that just needs to be 'topped out' so we can

> turn on the gas to the furnace in the attic and

> get paid.

>

> Yeah, we've been busy.



Most of our work is mid-high end boilers/radiant systems/plumbing (no a/c). 1st. quarter of This year was our best ever, started slowing down around late may, Lost a few nice bids for summer, but filled in with small repairs & jobs, Let guys have long weekends & holidays. But come sept. Will be booked for 3-4months. Being a small
company has it perks!

swanmech_2

always enjoyed slow summer.

Most of our work is mid-high end boilers/radiant systems/plumbing (no a/c). 1st. quarter of This year was our best ever, started slowing down around late may, Lost a few nice bids for summer, but filled in with small repairs & jobs, Let guys have long weekends & holidays. But come sept. Will be booked for 3-4months. Being a small
company has it perks!

Fred Campbell

Busy

My small installation company is booked into November and I've got six sets of prints to work on. At least three are mine for the taking but I'm careful not to bite off more than I can chew. I'm doing more duct systems than I would care to but there's enough steam and HW work to keep my interest piqued. This heat is killing us. Short work days along with the occasional service call are stretching out the jobs.
Gotta' make hay when the sun shines"

TG