I guess things are not that great out there

[Gravel Rat]

Talking to some of my friends in the excavation business and they said its slow. Asking me is there any openings where I work.

I thought things were picking up I guess not. These guys are a little worried with the un-employment insurance running out and no work out there.

Looks like I better keep my job by the sounds of it I'am lucky to be employeed.

Kinda felt bad asking these guys if they have been working. Pretty had to pay the bills when you work couple days a month. Thinks look like they have picked up I thought they would have something good to say.

Oh well I guess you can't say much but say it sucks to be in the construction and related industries.

I wish the B.C. gov't would do something instead of spending billions and trillions on the stupid winter olympics that isn't going to benefit anybody.

[DirtMerchant]

Well I'm no longer unemployed. We just hired another excavator operator a month ago, a backhoe guy in the last week. I was hired too dozer mostly. And we're looking for laborers at the moment. Next job we may take on more operators.

[Dirt Digger2]

we are busy down here...got a lot of work starting up...thank you stimulus money.....

[Dirtman2007]

we are busy down here...got a lot of work starting up...thank you stimulus money.....

I agree, 6 days a week here with no problems. But the heat is a killer now, dang its hot...

[RockSet N' Grade]

Gentlemen........count your blessings. Our work load (and most everyone else's in the construction field in this area) got turned off like a light switch. It happened one day that fast.....POOF!

[Skidsteerman]

It's been a rollercoaster ride in our area, a few customers are having equipment Repo'd - not good. Some guys are busy but don't have a ton of work on the books and are taking job types they normally don't do. Anything to stay above water.

I thought things were picking back up or so they appeared to be for the last couple months, now they seemed to be dying out again:confused:

I through my crystal ball away, got too fuzzy and cloudy to read anymore.

[YellowDogSVC]

things are slow but steady. Heat is a MAJOR factor down here. 44 days of 100+ and no rain. Dust bowl and fire danger. I've had to put off some grinding jobs in high grass because I just don't want the chance of a forest fire.
I'm starting my first mini ex job tomorrow ripping out a rock wall, small foundation, and some plumbing.
Phone isn't ringing off the hook but it's a drumbeat that I can work through. If it stays like this, the stress level will stay low and I can pay my bills indefinitely. Keeping the faith has a lot to do with it. It's strange how things tend to work out when you are positive.

[Junior M]

things are slow but steady. Heat is a MAJOR factor down here. 44 days of 100+ and no rain. Dust bowl and fire danger. I've had to put off some grinding jobs in high grass because I just don't want the chance of a forest fire.
I'm starting my first mini ex job tomorrow ripping out a rock wall, small foundation, and some plumbing.
Phone isn't ringing off the hook but it's a drumbeat that I can work through. If it stays like this, the stress level will stay low and I can pay my bills indefinitely. Keeping the faith has a lot to do with it. It's strange how things tend to work out when you are positive.
Everything depends on how you percieve it.. Have a positive look on life and things will be positive, just the opposite when looking at things negatively..

[AWJ Services]

Gentlemen........count your blessings. Our work load (and most everyone else's in the construction field in this area) got turned off like a light switch. It happened one day that fast.....POOF!

I think you guys out west are about 1 to 2 years behind us.
It died here and in most of the south in 2007 almost overnight.
Then in Georgia they announced a state wide watering ban that lasted till summer of 2008.
The new construction is gone or only 10% of what it was but for me things are off the charts.

We talk about diversification and that is what is getting me through this.
You have to be willing to do anything no matter what it is.

Guys like RSG will get through this.

Luckily here the idiots and high rollers are dropping like flys leaving nobodies like me still standing.:)

Most of the companies here that have been around for years have seen this before.It happens every 10 to 15 years or so and each time they think it is as bad as it has ever been or ever will be.When times are good companies pop up everywhere and everyone prospers.Then we hit an economic lull and most of the companies disappear and the market eventually stabilizes.

[ksss]

I think you guys out west are about 1 to 2 years behind us.
It died here and in most of the south in 2007 almost overnight.
Then in Georgia they announced a state wide watering ban that lasted till summer of 2008.
The new construction is gone or only 10% of what it was but for me things are off the charts.

We talk about diversification and that is what is getting me through this.
You have to be willing to do anything no matter what it is.

Guys like RSG will get through this.

Luckily here the idiots and high rollers are dropping like flys leaving nobodies like me still standing.:)

Most of the companies here that have been around for years have seen this before.It happens every 10 to 15 years or so and each time they think it is as bad as it has ever been or ever will be.When times are good companies pop up everywhere and everyone prospers.Then we hit an economic lull and most of the companies disappear and the market eventually stabilizes.


Hopefully a recovery is making its way this way. Like RSG, there is little happening. This is my 15th year and this is as slow as I have seen it in that time. I signed the contract on a demo project funded by Obama money today. I wish I had a couple more K into it, but of course would not have got it. Its week by week here. I sure wish someone would turn the light on at the end of the tunnel.:confused:

[Gravel Rat]

The work went poof here in 2007 it was like somebody pulled the plug.

When 2008 rolled around it was slow I thought 2009 was showing some signs of recovery I guess its not.

I feel bad for these guys its been 1.5 years and the work is so so. One of the guys I worked with had to get rid of everything he owned to survive.

For myself if I stuck it out in the construction industry I would be like the rest of them sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.

Nobody thought it would be this bad I don't think anybody has seen it his bad. Like they say what goes up comes back down. The only problem is it rocketed back down at the speed of light.

All I can say is its pretty depressing to see what used to be full time employment is no employment.

Hope that 2010 is better if not the excavation/contruction industry will end up disapearing. If you can't make a living at it a person has to find another career.

A equipment operator isn't a career choice anymore it used to be a job for generations can't say that today.

Gotta stop now getting disgusted thinking how things went from good to bad and the gov't does give a crap.

What is a person in the 20-40 age range supposed to do for a job.

Like I said I have to stop thinking about it, it just pizzes you off good jobs are gone down the toilet.

[Scag48]

Getting our 40 very easily and some overtime here and there, 2-4 hours a week typically. Last week I had almost 60 hours, so when there's stuff to be done, we handle it. I will admit I am damn thankful to have ended up where I did, we are probably one of the busiest outfits around these parts. We're not crazy busy but enough to the point that crews are staying together and work seems to still be coming in, bidding jobs is just a lot tougher now with everyone else scrambling.

[bobcat_ron]

We are still busy here.

[RockSet N' Grade]

KSSS........the light is on at the end of the tunnel!!!! It is one humongous freight train headed right our way :) Ah heck, I am "diversifing" if that's what ya want to call it.......I call it grubbing and good salesmanship. I have negotiated with the pits and they are giving me super discounts on materials........building clients left and right running my rig and helping two other independants keep afloat. Still bidding, yet no big takers......just gotta keep casting the line out there..........I will be here next year when most will not.....that is the good news. Bad news would be to wait it out till next year and have nothing and no work.......may have to move in with Gravel Rat's folks :)

[Construct'O]

Still working on stuff that was too be done this spring and now we are into August.:laugh:

Weather has been more of a problem then having work too do.

Nothing like spinning your wheels.Between doing repairs on the equipment during wet weather and doing the work it has been a long year.

I'm actually doing work in standing crop ground, bean field was chest high where i was trenching last week.

Great crop here ,but there was a major hail storm(baseball size) that went through yesterday that completely destroyed the crops big area middle of the state!

Fall work looks to be packed.Just hoping for a nice fall.

Sorry to hear things are slow in places .Good luck everyone:usflag:

[stuvecorp]

The phone isn't ringing too much but am still throwing bids out. It kind of always drys up this time of year for me, after school starts it pick up usually. Little too soon to panic yet but this winter will be interesting. I'm more ticked about not being able to sell off stuff, I want to upgrade with some of the deals out there but there isn't too much interest right now.

[DirtMerchant]

I worked 13 hours today, going to bed now got to be up at 7am.
This weeks looking like I could work 73/74 hours. I'll be just under 70 at the least.
I should start taking pictures of my work you guys might like it.
We hired two laborers today, One has potential the other is going to be going home.
He's a whiner, and he's lazy.

[Scag48]

He's a whiner, and he's lazy.

Sounds like a couple truck drivers I work with. :laugh:

[DirtMerchant]

Sounds like a couple truck drivers I work with. :laugh:

ahahaha we have some truckers like that

[mow king]

Sounds like a couple truck drivers I work with. :laugh:

Sounds like most truck drivers from my experience.

[Bleed Green]

dirt merchant what kind of stuff do you do?

[Gravel Rat]

Not much work for truck drivers either.

I made the right choice and got out of the construction. I don't really like my full time job I would rather be in construction but I don't want to be un-employeed.

Landscaping is year round but you only make 10-12 dollars per hour working for somebody.

Not a chance of getting a job running a excavator right now many guys are sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.

[RockSet N' Grade]

On second thought.......Rat, I don't think I will be moving in with ya.......I am slow, granted.......but I am out hustling and promoting. I go between being positive to down right down hearted at times.......but, I refuse to let the negativity take hold. So, I may not be working as much, but I am being creative, meeting new contacts, promoting my trucking (and yes it is taking off!), and something will surface. It has got to surface 'cause I am stirring the pot so hard.

[stuvecorp]

On second thought.......Rat, I don't think I will be moving in with ya.......I am slow, granted.......but I am out hustling and promoting. I go between being positive to down right down hearted at times.......but, I refuse to let the negativity take hold. So, I may not be working as much, but I am being creative, meeting new contacts, promoting my trucking (and yes it is taking off!), and something will surface. It has got to surface 'cause I am stirring the pot so hard.

Thumbs Up

I remember the saying: 'If your ship doesn't come to you - swim out to it.'