Anyone else in construction seeing any recent downturn in business.

pbharvey · Mar 19, 2020

44man said:
My metal stud framer just walked out of my trailer ranting that he had to call the supply house with his order, the place is on lockdown, someone inside gets the ticket, pulls it, sits it and the ticket on the dock then you load it yourself and sign then they come out and get the signed ticket

And they had track but no studs in the Guatemalan and length we needed because the trucks have been delivering late as of late

So it’s kinda starting now

We’re seeing some of the no touch delivery and pickup stuff. Also had one supplier who is temporarily not taking returns.

Stoveman · Mar 20, 2020

Just another thing to think about, the new law regarding FMLA goes into effect 2 April. Absolutely brutal for small businesses.

ToolAA · Mar 20, 2020

Stoveman said:
Just another thing to think about, the new law regarding FMLA goes into effect 2 April. Absolutely brutal for small businesses.

Almost totally unworkable. 2/3 average pay up to $200 per day max $10k per employee. If you have an employee making $20/hr who takes the full 12 weeks off (only weeks 3-12 are paid) thats about $5k.

I’m not really clear why the wrote provisions to grant a special exemption for businesses with fewer than 50 employees instead to simply exempting small businesses below 50 employees.

Who in their right mind thinks this will be allowed to sunset on 12/31/20. Zero chance.

Stoveman · Mar 28, 2020

Did a little research since the passing of the Stimulus bill and it looks like there are loans that turn into at least partial grants if you keep your employees.

Text of the actual Senate bill here:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th...8/text#toc-id32D8206FB15E48D3A20E3C67A1E60204

A list of SBA lenders in Maryland:

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/articles/BDO Lender Contacts_0.pdf

'04 Cummins · Apr 6, 2020

ToolAA · Sep 7, 2023

Bringing this thread back from the dead. Last postings were from COVID summer 2020.

2021 ,2022 and the first 4 months of 2023 were on fire. We couldn’t work enough. Our guys were working as much OT as they wanted. I hired a few guys, which was difficult. All of my staff got raises just to make sure I retained them.

Then in May of this year the bottom dropped out. I had a lot of work on the books that were supposed to be Q2-Q3 work, but those jobs seemed to be getting pushed back. I’ve had slower months before, so I shrugged it off as a little blip. June was down, July worse, and August even worse. I compared the 13 week period from June 1st to August 31st to our sales history and realized it hasn’t been this bad since 2015! Also the dip from the previous 3 month period was the second percentage largest drop in company history.

I’m now considering layoffs. I haven’t cut staff since 2010.

I’ve compared notes with some customers and suppliers who do confirm a similar degree of downturn. Some worse than others.

So, feel free to post what you are seeing in your respective construction industries. I’ll take all of the info there is to consider.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kev308] · Sep 7, 2023

Our last 3 weeks in August got sketchy. A couple days here and there finishing the day at 1 or 2:00pm. We mostly do service plumbing with 4 mechanics. No calls coming in over night but the schedule luckily would fill up during the day.

Still not out of the woods yet. We only have 2 days out scheduled.

tdt91 · Sep 7, 2023

It's slowing for sure. Lots of July was slow and some of Aug. This month I've not really seen any new opportunities. We are seeing the same as you, Homes that are supposed to get built are taking longer to get going or just not going to happen now. Inflation has caused strong pricing pressures and builders are starting to look for cost savings in all products.
What does seem to be on the somewhat strong side is the replacement window business.
Bidenomics is finally starting to hit our world, I honestly didn't think it would take this long.

Mark75H · Sep 7, 2023

Sidebar note: My brother's boat repair business is slowing more than seasonal. Several of his long time customers are putting their boats up for sale, others are starting to winterize early because they don't plan to use their boats again until next spring. Smoke signals from far off, but bad news.

dieselfarmboy · Sep 7, 2023

Junk removal has slowed up with the larger company I help part time. There is more competition in the area, but just feels like people are holding onto their money.

dontpanic · Sep 7, 2023

I'm doing commercial woodwork installations. We had about 3 months, June to August, when no new work came in. We caught up with almost everything and started getting nervous. In the past 2 weeks a ton of jobs came through and we're good through January.

No office space though. Mostly restaurants and senior living.

Mark75H · Sep 7, 2023

dontpanic said:
I'm doing commercial woodwork installations. We had about 3 months, June to August, when no new work came in. We caught up with almost everything and started getting nervous. In the past 2 weeks a ton of jobs came through and we're good through January.

No office space though. Mostly restaurants and senior living.

I hope the restaurants can pay their bills when they come due.

ToolAA · Sep 7, 2023

dontpanic said:
I'm doing commercial woodwork installations. We had about 3 months, June to August, when no new work came in. We caught up with almost everything and started getting nervous. In the past 2 weeks a ton of jobs came through and we're good through January.

No office space though. Mostly restaurants and senior living.

I have 4 big restaurants with about $200k in countertops combined. This year we have had a good chunk if restaurant work. There is big money being dumped into restaurants. However I’ve got 30 employees and $200k is 2 weeks of work.

It certainly is very sketchy right now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

dieselfarmboy · Sep 7, 2023

ToolAA said:
I have 4 big restaurants with about $200k in countertops combined. This year we have had a good chunk if restaurant work. There is big money being dumped into restaurants. However I’ve got 30 employees and $200k is 2 weeks of work.

It certainly is very sketchy right now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So odd restaurants are being built. Other then chain locations, and I only know of only one of them, I dont know of any new restaurants in the works here. But winter is right around the corner so im sure the beach towns will have a turn over of them.

ToolAA · Sep 7, 2023

dieselfarmboy said:
So odd restaurants are being built. Other then chain locations, and I only know of only one of them, I dont know of any new restaurants in the works here. But winter is right around the corner so im sure the beach towns will have a turn over of them.

Here is the thing, a modestly sized establishment in a good location can sell $150-250K per weekend. Even a crappy
Applebees in a good location can make a decent profit.

I’m still shocked at the amount of money being dumped into new restaurants.

I just did a massive bar/restaurant across the street from Nationals stadium in DC. The owners were an investor group from Miami and they reportedly spent $15M on building the place. Our contract just for the bar countertops was $100k.

They expect to serve between 4500-5500 drinks on a typical home weekend game. They said their target was $15-20 Million revenue year 1. My guess is they turn about 20% profit and could payoff their investment in 5 years.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

dontpanic · Sep 7, 2023

ToolAA said:
I have 4 big restaurants with about $200k in countertops combined. This year we have had a good chunk if restaurant work. There is big money being dumped into restaurants. However I’ve got 30 employees and $200k is 2 weeks of work.

It certainly is very sketchy right now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't envy you. 20 years ago I had 50 employees. The pressure made me break out in hives and I couldn't sleep more than 3 hours straight.
I ended up working for someone else until the past year or so. Now it's basically 3 of us and we borrow extra labor when we need it.
BTW I was in the restaurant business. You couldn't force me back in that business

dontpanic · Sep 7, 2023

Mark75H said:
I hope the restaurants can pay their bills when they come due.

Me too.

chuck · Sep 8, 2023

Are you guys still having problems getting supplies?

I put some home renovations on hold due to materials cost and availability. The type of door we wanted was "temporary" not being manufactured for 2 years now. Cabinet prices have been dropping a little, I assume they will only drop more.

jaredm1 · Sep 8, 2023

Hmm I wouldn’t know. My backyard has been a construction zone for about 2 months now and my contractor can hardly bother to return my calls. Something must be keeping him busy with better money coming in.

Should be back on site “next week”.

Allium · Sep 8, 2023

I see a couple issues in construction right now.
First is bad habit by employees learned during covid. Hard to find good people who will show up on time and wanting to work. Many still think they should be getting the freebies the govt handed out when they could get paid sitting on their asses. Salary requirements seem to have jumped, the whole living wage myth. Simple labor wondering why they dont start at 20 bucks an hour. And dont get me started on the legal pot. I dont care what you do on off time but doesnt always seem to limit them to just after work.

The second is prices. Many times I hear sticker shock on bids. You always get that excuse in sales but people dont seem to realize the HUGE jump in things like 2x4s has a trickle effect. Or the doubling of gas prices. Or distributors cutting back on what products they have available.

All that has the effect on nonessential work. Roof leaks you got to suck it up and do it. You want a deck, maybe hold off til things get better.

Anyone else in construction seeing any recent downturn in business.

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Habitual Testifier

TV Personality

Ultimate Member

TV Personality

Defenestrator

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

I will miss you my friend

MD Wear&Carry Instructor

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

MD Wear&Carry Instructor

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Senior Keyboard Operator

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics