Economic downturn...

[kevmiles1]

Are there any other craftsmen out there who are finding it much quieter than normal, seems as though customers and authorities for that matter are not having work done unless it is essential. Normally we would be booked up for the whole year by now but we are finding it very quiet?

 

[biffvernon]

Not really, but I'm in such a small niche that I only need half a dozen good customers a year to keep me going. Recession hits people very unfairly - some lose their jobs while others see no change. What line of craft are you in, Kev?

P.S. I've just looked at your interesting website.

 

[kevmiles1]

Hi Biff, glad to hear you are still doing well, hopefully ours is just a temporary lull, don't want to have to lay off staff when things are hard enough for everyone. Snow isnt helping much either.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Hi Kev

I really like your website: wish I could ship you up here (South Lincs) and have you work on our house!

Unfortunately 2 of my husband's clients went bust last year, robbing him of 20k. It's so unfair! That money would have gone to local trade. So many of his friends are in the same boat too...
I wish you all luck and pray for more money this year.

 

[kevmiles1]

Hi Joce
Could do with getting away, south lincs seems as good a place as anywhere he he . Have you stripped off your render yet? What did you find?

Thanks for the comment on the website and I hope that both your husband and us dont have to experience this mini crisis for too long.

 

[biffvernon]

Indeed. But mini crisis? I think it wise to have a Plan B, just in case the mini crisis turns out to be a global depression that is deep and long lasting with the economy being knocked down again by energy costs every time the green shoots of recovery show their dainty heads.

There are folk (see for example James Lovelock in last week's New Scientist) who think that the world population may be only a tenth of it's current size by the end of the century.

 

[kevmiles1]

Hi biff
I have a planB not sure if it is a good plan, I own a house in Bulgaria go and do that up and sit out the crisis there, it is far cheaper to live than here. But would rather not, if anyone knows of a plan c would be glad to hear it

 

[middi]

Hi, anybody that own a small, medium or large company that employs staff is going to be hit to certain degree by the recession. I am in a similar position as Biff, I manage to do what I want when I want with the faithfull customers I have accumulated over the years. It must be heart breaking if you have to tell good employees that you have to let them go. I hope things work well for you.

As to " running" away to another country?, well, it may sound like a good idea in the short run but the truth is we are boxing ourselves in on our planet and eventually we will have nowhere to run.

Still, nothing last for ever ( the irony is that we appear to make sure that it b**dy doesn't)

Good luck

 

[Jon Maine]

Are there any other craftsmen out there who are finding it much quieter than normal, seems as though customers and authorities for that matter are not having work done unless it is essential. Normally we would be booked up for the whole year by now but we are finding it very quiet?

Same here in Somerset Kev, am hopeful of getting some awards for my work this year and possibly generate some more interest but currently its almost so slow its nearly going backwards.

 

[Flyfisher]

There are folk (see for example James Lovelock in last week's New Scientist) who think that the world population may be only a tenth of it's current size by the end of the century.

Yes, interesting article. Also, interesting that his general views are not more widely reported these days (in summary, it's not possible to stem climate change). He was the media's darling when his Gaia hypothesis was becoming popular all those years ago but now they don't seem to want to know about his doom-mongering.

 

[kevmiles1]

Oh well glad its not just me, thought for one horrible minute I had suddenly started doing something wrong.

 

[Juju]

So, from a different perspective, now might be a good time to get people in to do work on our house? Two years ago, I couldn't get a builder interested in even doing a quote because they were so busy. We were going to wait a few years for a new kitchen, remove external render, rebuild the lean-to, put in another bathroom, etc but maybe we'll bring that forward. Of course, spending all our savings (and looking for a loan) might not be such a good idea at this time! My line of work has traditionally been safe even in recession but you just never know nowadays...

 

[biffvernon]

Oh well glad its not just me, thought for one horrible minute I had suddenly started doing something wrong.

No it's not just you. Seems the President of the USA has noticed it might be serious:

President Barack Obama warned Thursday that the nation is facing a recession so deep that, without action, it could turn into one that "we may not be able to reverse." The threat of an irreversible recession that could "linger for years" is very real, Obama said, urging Congress to pass his economic recovery act.
"By now, it's clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression," Obama wrote.

source

And that's before you start thinking about Peak Oil and Global Warming.

 

[Jon Maine]

So, from a different perspective, now might be a good time to get people in to do work on our house? Two years ago, I couldn't get a builder interested in even doing a quote because they were so busy. We were going to wait a few years for a new kitchen, remove external render, rebuild the lean-to, put in another bathroom, etc but maybe we'll bring that forward. Of course, spending all our savings (and looking for a loan) might not be such a good idea at this time! My line of work has traditionally been safe even in recession but you just never know nowadays...

Probably would be a good time, mortgages if you are on the right side with equity are cheaper than ever.

Builders like me will be having to seriously consider how much we can charge out jobs for too.

 

[vicky whitworth]

Hi Kev, sorry to hear things have gone quiet for you. We're close to where you are - we're near Axminster. I know our builder has just taken on a lime specialist who had to be 'let go' by his employer who is one of the areas 'known' cob and lime builders because he had no work for him so you are not alone. Our builder seems to be still getting loads of work but is planning on it going quiet this time next year. He says people are starting to delay projects.
I wonder if there is something you can do about pitching your services for people who can't afford to move but can afford to rennovate/repair/restore.
The funny thing is I still hear people around here all the time saying they can't get people to come and do minor work on their homes so perhaps you chaps need to shout louder about what you do and how good you are.
Loved the website too. I do hope things pick up for you.
Vicky

 

[Bitstreams]

The funny thing is I still hear people around here all the time saying they can't get people to come and do minor work on their homes so perhaps you chaps need to shout louder about what you do and how good you are.

I run a small business so I know what it's like at the moment. But I'm just trying to get quotes for some work in the house that I can't do myself and nothing seems to have changed. I want the kitchen fitted which involves plastering, joinery and electrics plus the fit itself. I've spec'd out the job and given detailed plans to two recommended firms - and it's now 3 weeks and still no quote. I've not tried to beat anyone down on the price and I'm as the kitchen units are on order I'm hardly wasting anyone's time.

Are these jobs just too small? - the kitchen fit's upwards of 4K I expect. If this was an enquiry to my business I'd be turning that quote in 24hrs

Simon

 

[kevmiles1]

Hi Vicky
I am sure it is just a little blip (well i hope so) got enough to keep ticking over. Thanks for the comments on the website

 

[Pford75]

I run a small business so I know what it's like at the moment. But I'm just trying to get quotes for some work in the house that I can't do myself and nothing seems to have changed. I want the kitchen fitted which involves plastering, joinery and electrics plus the fit itself. I've spec'd out the job and given detailed plans to two recommended firms - and it's now 3 weeks and still no quote. I've not tried to beat anyone down on the price and I'm as the kitchen units are on order I'm hardly wasting anyone's time.

I have to say that my experiences are very similar. I don't dispute that there are some very capable craftsmen/women out there or that there are many advantages to using a local, self-employed trade....but sometimes they really don't make it easy to do business with them.

Countless trades have failed to turn-up for pre-arranged appts, or been massively late.....all very frustrating when some of us are trying to juggle around a day job. Then there's the poor communications, failure to quote etc. There just seems to be a lack of 'customer care' in so many cases, that when you find someone who has it, they really stand out.

We used a builder for an emergency leaking roof a while back.....he not only used dust sheets on the stairs, he vacuumed up after finishing. My wife almost fainted when he asked to borrow a dust-pan and brush. Since then, we wouldn't use anyone else.

 

[Flyfisher]

The thing that surprises me is when someone doesn't quote for the job, even after numerous phone calls chasing them up during which they insist they are working on the quote and will "get it out this week".

I fully understand they might not want a less-than-straightforward job on an old property, in which case why not just say so?

 

[JoceAndChris]

I fully understand they might not want a less-than-straightforward job on an old property, in which case why not just say so?

I suspect they like to keep jobs up their sleeve rather than turn people down directly, so they'll take it if nothing better comes up. It's frustrating, and has happened to us over and over (a lot less in Lincs than in London though).