I just went through nine months of losses then about six weeks ago it was like someone threw a switch and the phone started ringing. I've been working 5-6 days a week since, but I have a lot of losses to put the business in the black. How's it going with you?

Sounds familiar. This past winter was a wash, business wise. Great for the personal life... up at a decent hour, eat a leisurely breakfast, work on my place, walk the dogs, etc., in between fits of panic about financial armageddon. Currently booked to Christmas but I can easily imagine it dying again right after that job is done.

It was about the same for me. I worked on some projects to bring in more business. They brought in enough work to pay for the project but not much more. I finally gave up and worked on home projects and several weeks later it got busy. I'm saving as much as I can since I don't know if winter is coming early again. June was a very good month but I need it to keep up over the summer at least to get back in the black.

We were very slow last fall and winter. I laid two employees off and set the rest of us up on Workshare... an alternative to lay-offs, where you reduce everyone's hours 20 - 40% and then everyone collects unemployment benefits for the hours they didn't work. Nifty program for a tight spot like we were in. But, I only had to use it one 2-week period and then we got busy enough again.

Right now my head is exploding, we're so busy. And yet I can't seem to say no to anything... because I do wonder what the winter will hold as well.

I've been pretty luck to stay pretty steady through all of it so far.

I just finished our last job with nothing on the schedule. I gave my last guy left a temporary layoff and hope that I can sign something soon.

I've got some small jobs for myself to do to keep the bills almost paid, but I'm almost back to where I started

My website leads are dying down I think I need to do something about my website to make it more appealling and more ... motiviating for potential clients to call?

Glad to hear some people are keeping busy though

Sorry to hear it Ryan. I wish I knew what to tell you about making it better. Having sales skills helps so when you finally run into someone who's buying you might upsell. I didn't sell anything but emergencies for month after month and had very few calls. People had very bad and dangerous wiring, but when I fixed their emergency and got things running again I got the boot to get out. I still don't know if it's over but I had five good contracts in June and hadn't had any since last August.

Been very steady all thru last winter and still now, although the rain over the past month is killing me. I've burned thru my little backlog of interior work and need a few solid days of sun so I can set-up outside and get back on track. I have 18 smaller 1-3 day jobs and a 3 bigger multi-week jobs on the books...could be working 7 days a week if I were so inclined.

I'm being picky and taking on only the stuff that I'll find interesting and/or higher profit...everything else I'm pushing off 'til the fall if they can wait. I'm politely turning down the work from people that assume all contractors are sitting on their thumbs and can start tomorrow for short money. Alot of guys folded-up shop around here and the ones that have weathered the storm are doing ok.

-Norm

Only getting one job at a time, but I haven't run dry yet.

There are a couple of really nice ones that i met with this past weekend and last night and if more than one goes ahead, I will finally take a deep breath.

Ed

I'm happy to hear that Ed.

As some old timers say, "Just Keep Pushing The Wheelbarrow".

One estimate at a time and keep on plugging away.

Last nights job was a beauty.

About 60 squares with half 8/12 and the rest 10/12 and just a one layer tear-off.

30 year architectural was $19,900.00 and 50 year was $22,200.00

I did a repair on this home in 1994 after it was brand new and leaked and that is why he called me, because he honest to God remembered that we do things "The Right Way".

The one other guy was at $17,600.00 but I included 30# felt, one solar powered attic vent and around 100 feet of Shingle Vent II Ridge Vent, which makes the comparison more on the same page, when those items are included to his estimate or deducted from mine, but the home owner liked the attention to his ventilation and under-layment needs that I provided.

I for sure though, am Not getting any more than a rare occurrence of a one call close these days.

Ed

I have not seen much of a slow down. I have a couple friends that are out of things to do (100% their own fault). I have been including a 5 year workmanship guarantee over the last 2 years. That has brought me quite a bit of work and much higher quality/paying jobs.

Its really pretty simple to stand behind something that long if you take all nessacary steps, use the right materials and take no short cuts.

I live in a small town and I dont advertise. I have a phone number on my truck, jobsite signs( which I always forget to put out, unless a customer reminds me). People stop me when I am working on something, come by my house and leave a note on the door or my truck. Seems to me that the people that seek you out are the one's you want to work for anyways.

Just do what you are supposed to do and keep people happy and it seems the work will always come.

Good luck guys.

selling pretty good recently booked out to middle of sept,looking at a big marvin window replacement job,we'll see

Well, I wound up signing that large job earlier today, so at least I have some breathing room now, for the next week or so to see if anyone else I gave a proposal to decides to follow through with doing things The Right Way.

Ed

The good guy's will prevail through these tough times Ed.