Question for the pros... are you busy?

[Mitchell Andrus]

I usually get to kick back a bit in July and August. I'm in the middle of my busiest summer in 12 years... not that I'm complaining... but.... I've cancelled a week off - twice.

Times are supposed to be tough, anybody else notice a change from years past?

[Craig McCormick]

We have two businesses. Home repair and a vintage travel trailer sales lot. With the home repair business we are busier than we have been in the last two years. With the vintage trailer sales we are having our best year out of five.

Did someone say recession? he he he! Not here.

Craig & Jill McCormick

[Stan Urbas]

I had one new kitchen job put on hold "for a while". This involves selling an existing house and building a new one, where my kitchen would go. However, other jobs are popping up, so I can;t complain (yet).

[Jeff Duncan]

I had my busiest spring ever for new business, then nothing. Usually I'll get about 80% or more of the work I bid, over the summer less than 50%. Right now it's starting to bounce back a bit, but I know from talking with the delivery guys a lot of shops are hurting and/or closing.
If your doing well as a small shop consider yourself lucky, there's going to be a lot less of us at the end of this slowdown (or whatever it's called now) then there was at the beginning. The only upside is if your in the market to upgrade your equipment, it's definitely a buyers market.
good luck,
JeffD

[John Eaton]

Back when I was a general contractor I noticed 2 things when the economy was questionable:
1. Economy good: lot's of work doing new construction
2. Economy bad: lot's of work doing remodeling

I guess it makes sense that when the economy is bad people hang on to what they have and fix things up for the long haul. In either case I was still busy though.

-- John

[Neal Clayton]

Back when I was a general contractor I noticed 2 things when the economy was questionable:
1. Economy good: lot's of work doing new construction
2. Economy bad: lot's of work doing remodeling

I guess it makes sense that when the economy is bad people hang on to what they have and fix things up for the long haul. In either case I was still busy though.

-- John


i was gonna say the same thing. i see the same thing around town here. not as much buying and selling but lots of hammers being swung nonetheless ;).

[Mike Keers]

I build custom furniture in southern Arizona, both commissioned work and spec studio furniture for gallery sales. I also do a large outdoor fine arts show every year in the Fall that draws 18,000 people, and I offer a line of affordable artsy-rustic Santa Fe style pieces, plus I stick a dozen spec pieces of fine furniture, mostly A&C style out there--it almost never leads to direct sales of the high end stuff, but always draws commissions. Last Fall at the show my business was terrible, down 30%, and I had no sales until near the end of the two-day show to the bargain hunters, and 75% of my gross sales was the cheaper (...excuse me, 'affordable' :p) rustic stuff, and that went to one client after closing who was just going nuts buying up all sorts of stuff to furnish a new home. The other 25% was a single commission from a repeat client, and I would have gotten that without the show, as he came just to discuss the piece he had in mind.

In speaking after the show with other vendors in various fields (metal art, metal furniture, other woodworkers and furniture makers), every one said the same number, down 30%.

Gallery sales have been flat, only one low priced hall table going in the past year. Commissioned work has been slow but steady, I have a six to eight week backlog, but they are relatively modest jobs. Enough to put in a few hours daily in the shop.

I agree with Mr. Eaton. I too was a GC, and noticed the same thing bout remodeling versus new construction. And I see it now with the furniture in a slightly different fashion. Two or three years ago I was receiving commissions for entire bedroom sets in the $10k and up range, this year, people are commissioning lower priced items, a table or nightstand, or usually just a bed without the casework extras. I've had three beds in a row so far this year, running from $3500 to $6800.

I'm thinking many people can't even afford to remodel but need 'something', and since many are spending more time at home, they will go for the bed as it represents an affordable change or upgrade. Most will buy a new mattress to go with the new bed too.

[Dave Tinley]

My buisiness was really good in the spring, but has fallen flat the last two months. I still see lots of new houses being built in this area so I have to wonder how much of this down turn is media driven ?????:confused:

On a side note, I talked to a consignment furniture store, (a rather big one), that I sell stuff in, just to get a pulse on his buisiness. He said they were doing great. I asked if it was alot of stuff coming in for sale and not much going out ?? His reply was "its just the opposite", lots of buyers, and inventory getting thin. In fact he mentioned he went to las vegas for a furniture show and bought two hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of bedroom sets, dining sets, some reproduction stuff etc.

I asked what is a hot seller right now and he said anything dark, and slate top pieces, people love em. Glass top stuff is dead, nothing doing.
So thats what is the story in my area.

[Mark J Bachler]

Just the opposite for me. down to my last 2 kitchens. If I don't pick up a couple more by Thanksgiving I'll be punching a time clock by winter

[Peter Quinn]

I just started back at my job at a cabinet shop after a year off staying home with my new son and working part time out of my own shop. I get more requests than I can handle for my own shop, and at work they are so busy they are juggling jobs back and forth to meet dead lines and handle small jobs in between. Very busy there. Most of our work is for really expensive weekend homes in the multi million dollar range, so it is likely that this is not representative of the economy as a whole. I guess the people affected by sub primes aren't the ones booking $100,000 kitchens for the weekend cottage?

I find that the slowest time traditionally here in CT is just after Christmas until the end of February. End of the summer is usually busy, but people who are spending all want things in for the fall Holiday season or to finish construction begun in the spring.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I'm a part time pro, retired from another business. I build decks in a cabin community in northern Arizona in the summer months. Last year was slow. This year is dead.

[John Keeton]

It seems the "recession", "correction", or whatever term one may want to use varies considerably by region. My daughter lives in the Dallas -FW area, and things seem to be booming there. There are houses going up everywhere, and money doesn't seem tight at all. In KY, just the opposite. Woodworking is a hobby for me, but I know a lot of people that are in the construction trades, and the related woodworking trades (cabinets, etc.) and they are really struggling for work. Hopefully, things turn soon.

As Mark commented, a lot of them will be "punching a clock." Trouble is, there are fewer clocks to punch. It is sad to see some of these talented people having trouble.

[Matt Ocel]

I'm a GC in MN. I'm booked through Thanksgiving. Turned away a deck and garage yesterday. (man - i hate doin that!)

[Jerry Olexa]

I think in difficult times like this, people tend to stay put and remodel rather than buy new...We are.

[Steve Clardy]

Still busy here. Have several months of work yet.

Calls for new work/jobs have dropped off though.

[jason lambert]

Was busy 2 months ago, not now. But I haven't been looking trying to enjoy my summer and new baby.

[glen box]

It seems the "recession", "correction", or whatever term one may want to use varies considerably by region. My daughter lives in the Dallas -FW area, and things seem to be booming there. There are houses going up everywhere, and money doesn't seem tight at all. In KY, just the opposite. Woodworking is a hobby for me, but I know a lot of people that are in the construction trades, and the related woodworking trades (cabinets, etc.) and they are really struggling for work. Hopefully, things turn soon.

As Mark commented, a lot of them will be "punching a clock." Trouble is, there are fewer clocks to punch. It is sad to see some of these talented people having trouble.


The problem in dfw is that people are indeed trying to have new homes built but the deal falls though shortly before the new home is complete because the buyers can't sell there existing home in time. Right now there are litteraly thousands of forclosuer homes on the market selling for below market value. Thanks to all of the "creative financing" that took place a few years ago. This is causing all prices to drop. People can't sell there existing homes for enough to cover the principal they have left on thier note. If you are a first time buyer dfw is the place to buy right now.

[Karl Brogger]

Dead slow. Last year was rockin' this year has been slow slow slow. We haven't done anything in a month. I wanted to put up a new building this year too.:( Lots of talk for this fall and winter.

Matt Ocel- Do you build cabinets? shoot me an email if you need a bid on something. sogncab (at) yahoo (dot) com, or 507.301.9019