so is everyone ready for a slow year?

[PAYTON]

from everyone ive talked to from east coast to the west coast work is suppose to be pretty slow this year. i know here in indiana alot of companies dont even have any new jobs opening up. only finishing up last years work.. this means alot of unemployed operators which isnt good. the more i think about it and look around i think ive made the correct choice to back out of operating slowly. im going from the operators seat to the site engineers seat. ill be back in class this year finishing up my degree. eventually id like to get more hands on in the bidding, site development asspects of the job. im not leaving the field of work just pushing my self to do more and gain more gound. for an adventure that ive been planning that will come later in life when ive got more experince and more contacts under my belt. hopefully things will work out. for those of you out there struggling to live best of luck. i hope this year dont hurt you to bad.

payton

[littledenny]

Gad Zooks, don't tell me that.

Brings up a serious question, though. Should I or not?

Been contemplating buying a JD 110 TLB, and starting on my own. Haven't jumped yet - seems like there's work to be had for a guy who does good work, the area is growing, but I see 20 guys hauling new skidsteers around behind new trucks, and it's not the same 20 guys this Spring as last Spring.

Think part of their problem is that, at least in my opinion, a skidsteer isn't the final answer to all the problems, but sure seems to be the piece that everyone buys first. I've plotted my niche, but I've hesitated to invest the coin, simply because I don't want to get into the situation of tying up alot of money, simply to gain the hassles of having to find the next job to pay the bank.

Afterall, I'm supposed to be retired - and I'm working with an established guy who gets jobs, but never lets me operate. He pays well, has good equipment and keeps me about as busy as I want to be - but it's not me in the seat, operating. Got a few big projects to do on my own land, and am holding off on them, in anticiaption of having my own equipment, rather than paying big bucks to rent something - but I'm not sure that it's enough to justify buying a TLB, without striving to employ it for profit.

Most guys here are pretty fly by night, no insurance, pretty loose on tax reporting, etc, and I'm just not comfortable with that environment - and it may be why many of the 20 are new this year.

Then again, maybe I should just convert my 20+ years of military trucking to a CDL, and drive a tanker hauling spring water a few days a week.

Guess I'm really ranting here, as opposed to seeking advice, as you guys cannot fully understand my dilemna from this tidbit. Still, I wonder how many others are comtemplating a similar situation - If I were 15 years younger, I know what I'd do; but at 51, maybe I'll just go to the Fire Academy, and be happy driving the fire truck.

Isn't life supposed to get easier as you get older?

[BKrois]

Not sure about your area, but around here things are booming. Some of my friends are going crazy that they can't start working yet, a lot of them are booked until June or later with work. The winter is the only thing holding them back from starting.

[Dwan Hall]

I am more in the service related end of the business, (plowing, sanding, removal, sweeping, striping, underground utilities, road booring, Grading, site prep. water/sewer lines, dump trucking, topsoil, and other materials supplier. My busness is going the way I had expected it to after 5 years, just that it took over 20 years to get there.
I was sanding parking lots last week and today I started sweeping them. Was hopeing for a bit of a brake between the switchover but it is not going to happen. Looks like a great year ahead, I hope to find time to take some time off and travel a bit. Would like to take in a few NASCAR races and maybe drive the haul road in Alaska.
Wish you all a prosperus year in 2005!!

[CT18fireman]

I am pretty much booked up through mid August. New work, add ons and maintenance. People seem to be ready to spend money here.

[2004F550]

Same for us, were starting a decent size job in Chesire soon and we'll be working with another local contractor on a large private school renovation in the next town over, not to mention our material processing divison that is booming like always, can't seem to keep stone around, gonna be even harder with a wet spring. :)

[woberlin]

Littledenny, if that is what you want too do, I would'nt hesitate. There will always be work for someone that does good work for a reasonable price-especially in the niche your considering. But, have you considered starting out with some decent used equipment. Older, well maintained equipment sells for a fraction of the cost of new. New equipment is great, but the payments are huge and you must keep it working just to stay alive. Older machines will do the same job, and if you don't have continuois work, won't eat you alive. They are also often much easier to work on, if you have that ability. And, if it does'nt work out for you, you ought to be able to at least get close to your investment back. Maybe even make a profit if you buy right, or clean it up and make minor repairs to it. Good luck!

[leadarrows]

I talked to one of the Hamilton Co. Indiana new home building inspectors a couple months ago and he had over 1400 homes on his list for this year already and he only did 750 last year. Were busy. I hope we stay that way. I just bought a sixty acre farm and the gypsum recycling is how I intend to pay for it. If we get slow this year I'M in big trouble. Three years from now I hope to be diversified enough that any one thing wont kill me but for now I need to keep hopping. :bouncegri

[littledenny]

Woberlin:

Yup, considering all that. Despite the recommendations from a few well intentioned guys here, I've decided that a small TLB with a blade and a few other goodies would best work for the majority of my needs. I've been looking out for a good, used JD 110 TLB, but they seem to be scarce, since they're realitively new, and those I've found all seem to be pretty close to a price I was quoted for a new one. (I've got experience with Deere, on bigger machines, but have rented a Kubota a few times, and like them, too.)

Now I see that Kubota has come out with the L39, and looks to undershoot Deere by a good bit of pocket change. Have several dealers, both brands, within 50 miles, so I may just go negotiating a bit.

I'm good friends with the local rental guy, and may approach him with buying his Kubota rental, when he replaces it. (He often sends me jobs where someone wants to rent a piece of equipment, trys for an hour and screws up, then asks him if he knows an operator - pretty sweet deal for me!!!!) Not keen on buying a formal rental unit, but I've rented this one several times, and can pretty much quote it's history. I'd feel better with his, than buying someone else's rental simply because I know where this one has been.

Guess the biggest question in my mind is whether or not to start competing with the guy I presently work with - He knows I want to go out on my own, and frankly, is surprised that I haven't done so, already. He's been darn good to me, pays pretty well, we can throw a dirt clod at each other and then smile, and he keeps me as busy as I want to be. (Which means I can do a few side jobs on rented equipment, or take time to do other things.) I'd really hate to ruin this union, and get myself tied down with having to work, simply to pay for a piece of equipment. Right now, I'm working because I want to, not because I have to. Interesting development is that since I griped about never getting to operate in an earlier post, he's taken to letting me play in the seat some this week. (Karma at work?)

If I were 15 years younger, and had to feed a family, I would simply go for it. But I'm 85% comfortable in my present situation, thus I'm not racing to buy my own. I figure that, if the stars are right, sooner or later I'll luck into a good piece of equipment, at a good price, and the little birdy on my shoulder will tell me what to do.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement.

[Dozerboy]

Just move out here with me. We got so much work I can't to one job for more than a week, be fore I have to go to another and put out a fire. As for jobs I came out here from TX the owner came and hired me and ended up have 4 guys from TX come to work for him. I left that co. and the same day I had a new job making a lot more $$$.

[glsahl]

SLOW YEAR?You don't want to know what I'd do for a SLOW MONTH.I'v got 5 guys trying to keep 36 machines,and 12 trucks pulling 60 hour weeks.The owner has kept me in "panic maintenance" mode for 2 straight years,been thinking about doing my trencher maintenance on Sundays.If I had to worry about fixing the 8 rental pieces we added last week,or the three expected Monday,I'd never see my family.Luckily,all I need for them is a cel phone.

[Dwan Hall]

I am more in the service related end of the business, (plowing, sanding, removal, sweeping, striping, underground utilities, road booring, Grading, site prep. water/sewer lines, dump trucking, topsoil, and other materials supplier. My busness is going the way I had expected it to after 5 years, just that it took over 20 years to get there.
I was sanding parking lots last week and today I started sweeping them. Was hopeing for a bit of a brake between the switchover but it is not going to happen. Looks like a great year ahead, I hope to find time to take some time off and travel a bit. Would like to take in a few NASCAR races and maybe drive the haul road in Alaska.
Wish you all a prosperus year in 2005!!

Well 2005 was the best year I have had in the 24 years I have been in business. 2006 looks better already. I already have more work lined up then I want and don't have to buy any aditional equipment to do it. Looks like uncle sam is going to make a lot off me in 2006. And all I want to do is take it easy and travel a bit.

[tylermckee]

Gonna be a busy summer for me. this week i'll be diging the last 3 foundation holes in one of our developments, then back to one of the new developments to start running utilities. then we'll be starting on another housing development thats gonna be 47 houses all on a big ol' rock. and a few custom homes and commercial buildings in between.

[hillrancher]

Around the woods I live in a lot of work. We are about to quit house site and sewer and water to houses. We are mainly roads and streets, pads, air-strips pressure sewer systems for small sub-divisions and some farm work.

Property has triplied in the last 4 years. Restriction are coming to slow down thing some, may-not people coming are already dealing with them.

I have never been out of work. Closest was down to 5 days left to do in 87. We're booked through November now.

I also want to come home either sell the land I live on or keep baling hay and hauling it out in the winter.

[dayexco]

we're busier than pee wee herman at a double feature

[CascadeScaper]

We're going to get hammered this year. Landscaping services have gone through the roof out here, real estate is booming. Maybe in a couple of years my old man will realize that we need a tandem axle and a 12 ton excavator. I'm just waiting for that, by then I'll be out of college and ready to go.

[rino1494]

We have some finishing up to do with one development we did and have 180 acre development to start in the fall. As far as houses go, we are booked up until April and there will always be calls flooding in.