Anyone else in construction seeing any recent downturn in business.

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  • ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    Hey a few years ago I posted a thread trying to compare notes. At the time we had the highest backlog in company history. Things have been chugging along since them with strong orders over the last 24 months.

    However this September is our slowest rate of booking in 4yrs.

    We do interior work usually for high end millwork companies.

    So anyone else in construction see any signs of softening in the market recently?
     

    willtill

    The Dude Abides
    MDS Supporter
    May 15, 2007
    24,312
    Could it be all of this rain, affecting business... in part?
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    Rain has been brutal and affecting business IMHO . We are doing better then we ever have , with less employees . Money making jobs .


    Us too. We decided not to add staff early in the year and turned down a lot of work at that time. We are more profitable right now than last year which is good. I also still have a very solid backlog.

    However if we are at the start of some change in the market I want to jump fast and make sure we are pricing aggressively.
     

    DoormanTNT

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 17, 2012
    1,844
    Glen Burnie
    My industry..(commercial door, frame and hardware suppliers) we as STUPID busy...have guys working 6 days a week to keep up....and just hired 2 new guys (small company..less than 15)...

    If I could only get material....my suppliers went from 4 to 6 weeks for stock to 8 weeks to "good luck "....

    The rain slowed some exterior masonary work, but interior, and fit out is exploding..
     

    mxrider

    Former MSI Treasurer
    Aug 20, 2012
    3,045
    Edgewater, MD
    Hey a few years ago I posted a thread trying to compare notes. At the time we had the highest backlog in company history. Things have been chugging along since them with strong orders over the last 24 months.

    However this September is our slowest rate of booking in 4yrs.

    We do interior work usually for high end millwork companies.

    So anyone else in construction see any signs of softening in the market recently?

    I am in a very similar industry as you (commercial foodservice millwork) and the 4th quarter is typically a slowdown to a slow 1st quarter. We are on pace this year to have our best and no shortage of work out there with number of competitors shrinking.

    Rain has been brutal and affecting business IMHO . We are doing better then we ever have , with less employees . Money making jobs .

    Weather doesn't affect us as we are generally the last one's in on the jobs. Profit margins appear to be increasing overall, however tarriff's are starting to hit us in the plywood markets. 5'x8' sheets of plywood were running us $45/sheet and now are around $60.
     

    welder516

    Deplorable Welder
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    27,297
    Underground Bunker
    With the price of steel and aluminum , stainless steel on the rise and more expensive then in past months has not slowed us yet . I do think people have more money in pockets and are willing to fix equipment which is a very large portion of what we do . I don't see it slowing down yet . I warn all my customers about prices of materials before work starts or before pricing is established .
    I also am renting some empty commercial spaces we have had for a couple months , my brothers and I have decided to have our property make us more money .
     

    -Mil-Surp-Phreak-

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 26, 2007
    2,187
    Gaithersburg
    We are having a record year at my Pro Desk and we are having a hard time keeping up with orders despite the bad run of weather as of late. Our store actually hired away a flat-bed driver from our 3rd Party partner and got our own truck just for the Pro Desk to keep up with the demand. He is going to be making 2-3 trips a day for the next week down to Rockville Town Center with around 100 pallets of Shingles and all the accompanying accoutrement. That being said our costs have gone up from our vendors but it also has at our competitors so demand hasn't slowed despite a bit higher prices.
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    Hey a few years ago I posted a thread trying to compare notes. At the time we had the highest backlog in company history. Things have been chugging along since them with strong orders over the last 24 months.

    However this September is our slowest rate of booking in 4yrs.

    We do interior work usually for high end millwork companies.

    So anyone else in construction see any signs of softening in the market recently?

    If you mainly do residential, the new home sales market is facing an overall downward trend thanks to higher mortgage rates (which are getting ready to be hiked again) and higher home prices.

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...les-rebound-but-trend-weakening-idUSKCN1M61Y0

    New home construction permits are on the downward trend.
     

    ROBAR35

    Living the farm life
    May 20, 2010
    1,838
    Howard Co.
    We are swamped. I weld. Miscellaneous metals. Stairs rails, all the odd

    I own a structural steel and Misc. metals company. I don’t want to say contractors are throwing money at us to do work but it’s damn close. I am booked into spring of next year right now.
     

    Cuttyfunk

    Active Member
    Dec 17, 2015
    157
    I work on the design side and it has been decreasing backlog on line n term projects but a ton of "do it now and I will pay for it". It will be an interesting year.
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,231
    Carroll County
    Plenty of work in home improvements/kitchens/baths, etc. I really think people find themselves with more money than they've had in years, and are taking on those home projects they've been wanting to do for years.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    I am in a very similar industry as you (commercial foodservice millwork) and the 4th quarter is typically a slowdown to a slow 1st quarter. We are on pace this year to have our best and no shortage of work out there with number of competitors shrinking.



    Weather doesn't affect us as we are generally the last one's in on the jobs. Profit margins appear to be increasing overall, however tarriff's are starting to hit us in the plywood markets. 5'x8' sheets of plywood were running us $45/sheet and now are around $60.


    You are right we are probably in very similar businesses. We do a lot of restaurants and bars. While they can be some of the most chaotic jobs we do I still find them some of the more interesting projects.

    Right now we too are having a record year on the billing side. We have two huge Jobs JHU and Ronald McDonald House which are both experiencing protracted delays. Had either one of those stayed on schedule we we too would be blowing the doors off of last years billing. Even with those delays Production is still strong right now too jobs are going out the door.

    I!m trying to gauge what the situation may look like 3 months from now.

    My blip could be just that, a blip. We are quoting more work than ever. If one.or two of those jobs hit in sept I probably wouldn’t be posting this. However the numbers are what they are so I felt compelled to get some more data.






    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     

    Virgil Co.C

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2018
    615
    In commercial construction and it is booming. Problem is getting decent help . Anybody that’s good has a job . We have work Jobs I am on usually run 8 months to couple years. Government work is drying up .Spent 7 years in a particular area doing work /bldg. Empty bldgs sitting there now. But we have a lot of state work . Material been tough to get sometimes and prices are up. I foresee any slow down for us any time soon.
     

    boothdoc

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 23, 2008
    5,133
    Frederick county
    We are very busy and have a backlog that hasn’t been this good in ten years.
    I see nothing drying up except good field workers. We are continually looking for good help and it is hard. Most all union trade benches are empty and they are recruiting like mad to try and keep up.
     

    ironpony

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    7,187
    Davidsonville
    Custom marine woodwork is down for me. Equestrian products are cyclical and normal. Paint shop in Annapolis says doing well but high end customers have become cheap, opting for lower quality.
    I have learned that the more money people have the tighter their wallet becomes. Family friends with Too much money still spend it like water. Tariffs are affecting new boat prices and therefore sales. Oil prices will take their toll on boats very soon. I’ll learn more at the boat shows.
     

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