Considering closing er-up.

Mark Custis

Take a nap. It will be OK when you awake.

It always is for me.

This stuff is too fun. It will make an addict out of you. I try to not take the "they can not pay" jobs, but they need heat too.

Try, after a nap looking at getting into jobs with the folks that still have money. We are selling the wheels off on any job that could qualify for a tax credit.

Unknown

I`ve been at-it 25+ years and had many a good time, but man lately work is drying-up around my locale.
I live in a town with about 28K population, there are about 50 plumbers and about the same in unlicensed/unqualified heating guys.
Everyone is a DIY`r, and if I get called, no-one wants to pay-up,,, I`m running out of perseverance(& money).
I have a very small mortgage, but everything else is paid-for, I`m strongly thinking of moving-on somewhere else!

Perhaps I`m just venting, or is anyone else "stuck" in a similar mode?

Dave

Mad Dog_2

If you can afford to do it and feel good in your gut............

Then maybe it is time. It is nasty out there and going to get worse. The General Contractors that already do our work, the DIYer's, and now the laid off guys are cutting everyone's throats. Enforcement is generally a joke....that's because most EVERYONE is looking for a "deal"....yes, even the folks who are supposed to police these these things. We've had several subcontractors that can't afford and have dropped comp, and we have had a HARD time finding subs with it now. We just had a helper leave because he "couldn't make it on his salary and needed to take a few weeks off to do his own side jobs and make some real money." No license, no insurance, no comp, no pay taxes, English not his strong point, but people around here are willing to hire him. Good luck in whatever you decide, you've paid your dues, Dave. Mad Dog

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Unknown

Thanks Guys,

I really, really love what I do, but if people are only willing to support the others mentioned,, I`m thinking "whats the use"?
You`re right Matt,, no "policing", inspectors are a joke(but still want their permit$$), and subcontractors (sheesh), some want you to wait until the home sells!
I`m not in the real estate business!

Dave

bob young

a way of life

WOW , that reminds me of something. oh yeah, every day of my life for the past 35 years i have been a lic. plbg. contractor. tomorrow is always better....sometimes !! crack a corona & polish your wrenches . lol

billtwocase

vent on Dave

but hang in there. It will turn around. peace

Mad Dog_2

I have a saying......

If you don't love this business you WILL hate it. The business end of it is the worst part...the pipe...she is my friend. Perhaps you can segway in to another area of our trade if you are really ready to pack it in on the contracting end. If not, like Bob said, have a few pops, go to bed and wake up and do it again tommorow. Mad Dog

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Uni R_2

Tee Oh!

Dave, with your workmanship and style, you wouldn't have time to post here if you were established 3½ hours west of where you are.

Unknown

Its a great time to be

alive Dave. Life is just a series of events and no one gets out of here alive. We are in a win win situation here. Everyone is just holding their breath right now...waiting. If Obama pulls this off and brings us back from collapse then their will be plenty of jobs in this new high tech green economy, all this talk about carbon caps and credits means one thing...fuel is going to skyrocket, all types of fuel and we will be so busy we wont have enough time to do it all. Second scenario is society collapses and civil unrest sets in( This is why they are going to save GM no matter what and they are prepping a war with those evil North Koreans lol) This is great stuff, passe... but it always seems to work! Anyway if that happens the people that survive are going to need men with our skills to rebuild. Think how great that would be, money would be worthless and so would the money manipulators, only people with real skills and abilities would be valuable. So dont sweat the small stuff... and its all small stuff. Oh yea I almost forgot..I am slow too.. but I have a Motorcycle so I couldnt care less.

Mars_3

Dave please hang in there

Dave I can feel your pain, I have had to let 5 people go. It kills me the way that the market has shifted. But on a up note, I am in my target market seeing an upturn in the number of bids that are needed. As well as people who can no longer put off the repaires that are needed. The biggest change that I have seen in my market is that people no longer feel that the sky is falling on them, and there may be and end to this madness. I can only pray that this takes hold in other areas. By the way I am In the Denver CO. Area. God bless and good luck my friend. And as I tell myself and my lone employee " Endevor to persevere.

Wayco Wayne_2

The safest place

is working for yourself. You may have to re-configure but when you work for someone else, YOU could be the one getting laid off. I'm slow too and have the same thoughts about a change, so I am working on my music career. I'm sure that at 54 I can still be a Rock Superstar. I just got to get into those damn stretchy pants. D'oh!

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GW

> I _b_really, really love_/b_ what I do, but if

> people are only willing to support the others

> mentioned,, I`m thinking "whats the

> use"?_BR_You`re right Matt,, _b_no "policing",

> inspectors are a joke(but still want their

> permit$$)_/b_, and subcontractors (sheesh), some

> want you to wait until the home sells!_BR_I`m not

> in the _i_real estate_/i_ business!_BR__BR_Dave





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realolman

the replies

you guys gave to the OP is why I like coming here.

Absolutely decent bunch of people.

Rich Kontny_3

Words of Wisdom

Mad Dog you are right " The thrill of installing, the agony of collecting and paperwork"

When the fun goes out of it really is a burden instead of a joy. It is very hard right now to keep up the enthusiasm. Yet like the 5% of nasty customers that we use to define good customers, we will look back at these tough times to define the good times.

I have not experienced a complete slowdown like this in the 40 years I have been in the pipe wars. In the past we could shift gears and go after work in different areas (wood, heavy oil,sewage plants etc) This time there are projects that are being put on hold and sometimes scrapped altogether.

Dave, if you are serious about getting out do so gradually until your new gig is established.I went to work for a wholesaler two years ago only to be let go due to the economy. Now they are letting 30 year employees go.

Bottom line is the fact that we will get through this yet almost all of us will have to adjust. I know now that I will most likely be involved until I retire, it is what I do and what I enjoy. Working for the wholesaler for six months was the time I needed to recharge my batteries.

Best of luck Dave

Unknown

Re-invent yourself

I have seen many obstacles over the years and find you just have to grit it out and have faith. Faith in God, yourself, family and friends and it will all work out. In 1994 I was fat dumb and happy working for a gas utility, and in one day (black Tuesday) I was downsized and out of a job, I was home recovering from a heart attack when this happened. I was also pastoring a church (17 years) so I had a little income there (very little). Then within that same year some of my church leadership pulled the rug out from under me and forced me to resign. Now no job, no income and very little savings, 401K went down with the fall of the market back then. What do you do?

I looked around and found I had a lot of friends in this industry (always make friends not enemys), Honeywell was first, went to work for them as a subcontractor for five years and what spawned of that was Gas Appliance Service Training and Consulting and then the Gas Training Institute. Many friends along the way Gas Network, Dan Holohan, George Lanthier, Alan Mecurio have encouraged and helped me and I appreciate them very much. Thanks to all who post here and on Oiltechtalk who have used my services.

There have been rough times when no income was coming in but there always seems to be a rainbow after the storm. My faith in Jesus Christ has kept me more than anything and I have experienced many miracles over the years especially in business.

Hang in there brother's I will be praying for all of you for things to turn around. Look inside and see what you are made of and what hidden talents you may have.

One more story if I may in 1972 when working as a service man for the gas company they stopped all of our overtime. many of us depended on that extra 10 or sometimes 20 hours at time and a half. It made it difficult, so I got my lawn mower out and went door to door cutting lawns to make extra, my son and daughter went with me (child labor). One day while cutting a mans yard he asked me what else I did , I told him I was a service tech at the gas company. he just happened to own a restaurant and needed some service done. I went to my boss at the gas company and asked if I could do that kind of thing on the side. he gave me the okay as the gas company no longer did that service. That was what birthed Gas Applince Service and for nine years I ran that business until I was promoted into management at the gas company. Were there is a will there is a way. Sorry to bore you with all of my life history but maybe it will help.

bob young

soldier on , Dave

when i call it quits i wonder if i can sell on E-BAY thirty five years worth of FREE estimates. i got enough to fill up a railroad box car. i would like to dig up the guy who invented free estimates tar & feather him , hang him & bury him again.endless hours going over plans & doing take-offs & never even having a shot at a good percentage of the value shopper projects. but i still love the action & i will prevail. i guess i just like working for free-----but only sometimes !! lol

nicholas bonham-carter

value-added services

would it be time to diversify, and use those spare hours to do heat surveys for the locals? an I R camera, and your experience, would enable you to cut heat-loss, find faulty wiring, and many other things.

it may be easier to say than to make work, but i like to hear dan say "just because they are holding a recession doesn't mean we have to attend!"--nbc

Unknown

I just want to say,,,

a BIG THANKS to everyone that posted!
Times sure are tough for everyone, but I can`t escape the feeling "its just me"!
Most know I say the wrong things from time to time, but everyone`s input on my dilemma has made me decide to stick-it out awhile longer.
To be honest, I never realized the understanding & friends I have here!

BTW- realolman ,, I could`nt agree with you more!

Thanks Again!!

Dave

Jim Bennett

Hang in there Dave....

Things have to start getting better.

we're here for ya Brother,

Jim

Unknown

Thanks to you Jim,

old friend, you`ve bailed me-out of alot of my stupidities, I`ll never forget-it!

Dave

Mark Custis

It is Mondyay

in a few hours.

See you then.

Mark

realolman

I hope

What I've attatched isn't some copyright problem, but I thought of this thread when I saw it yesterday.

Mad Dog_2

in my area the inspectors are on our side

And they generally do their best to stop illegal installs and unlicensed guys...its the people above them and higher I am talking about. In any case, if I were you just sit tight....keep costs down and plug along....you never know when this will turn around...you don't wanna get caught unawares...your business may be all you have to rely on. Mad dog

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Mad Dog_2

Priceless,,,,,Dik Brown was a personal friend of my Grandpop

thru his prodigious pen. He even,made a handmade water color of Hagar for Pops Old Brooklyn club, The Vikings...it will hang in my Pub in The Barn someday. Amen, I LOVE That...I also loved the term the "pipe wars" Mad Dog

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mtfallsmikey

I've had

A lot of those moments over the years...finally crashed and burned, had been on my own and with Dad for a total of 24 yrs, went into the commercial building engineer mode 11 yrs. ago, have never looked back. I miss the old, good customers most of all, the timely payers, the ones who gave me good referrals, who wanted quality not crap. I used to do the kind of jobs no one else wanted. My best wishes and hopes for you whichever path you choose.

Steve Ebels_3

Value...........?

You mean tire kickers, price shoppers and other assorted take advantage of whatever they can get types.

To quote a very rich man........."Price is what you pay, value is what you get."

Price and value are two very different things in most cases.

Steve Ebels_3

Dave

I would suggest moving to Michigan for a few months and try to do business here. It will give you new perspective on the word BAD and the real meaning of the term NO WORK. It's tough up here in the northern part of the state but from what I hear the southern part is absolute carnage. Locally our unemployment is running over 20% and going up every month.

I guess what I'm saying is that you are not alone.

bob young

molson rules

he is not gonna pack it in. he is having too much fun. its past noon , he probably working on his second molson ale !! lol

hot_rod

Comes a time

when closing shop IS the best thing to do. If you are weary and sick of the business both the work and the paper shuffle, guess what.

Waiting for a better economy, or frequent pep talks, won't change those feelings, and reality.

Do some soul searching and determine what you REALLY want to do. Then make it happen.

It's not too late to switch gears. What would your perfect day look like. Write it down and figure out what you need to do to make it happen.

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