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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 524
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...I don't know about other parts of Jersey,..but here in Northern NJ, primarily Bergen County.. it's dead...(for me anyway)
..this entire summer season I've had only one large contract job,(a 3300 SF house) and some service work.. and this is supposed to have been our busy season..
...Everything is cut-throat now,..the bidding process is a war zone.. a farce! people from Hudson County and Passaic County coming in and offering to do residential 200 amp. upgrades for $1200.00-$1500.00... how can you dare compete?
AFCI breakers alone are close to $40.00 each for single poles.. granted copper came down a bit from the insane prices of 5 years ago,..but where is the profit margin?
We're actually doing MORE work for less money and all I keep hearing is that "this is a recession,..if you don't want the work, I know 20 other guys that would love to have it".. this coming from GC's and homeowners that I've done plenty of work for in the past.
Don't get me wrong,..I LOVE my trade,..and all the BS that goes with it,..but until this economy is resuscitated, I fear the worst for the coming winter months..I may have to get a night job at Big Orange just to feed my family..and that just stinks..to think that I went thru all my training, jumping thru hoops to get my license to have to stock shelves in the electrical dept at Depot.
its disgusting
.."if it ain't fixed,don't break it...call a Licensed Electrician"
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,048 Likes: 38
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The only people I know around here who are doing well are doing some kind of retail/service work. New construction is dead.
Greg Fretwell
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 745
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It is still pretty flat here in the DC market. About the only money I've seen being spent is by government agencies. They kept us fairly busy through the summer, but it is now getting closer to reality. As much as I hate to say it, it is going to be a very long time before we as contractors are back at a point where we can breathe easily. I seriously doubt that we'll ever return to the levels of four years ago.
We are either going to have to diversify our offerings or just sit back and watch the world go by.
---Ed---
"But the guy at Home Depot said it would work."
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,048 Likes: 38
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The security gate business is booming
Greg Fretwell
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,413 Likes: 9
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This is from an inspectors point of view, as I closed shop as an EC in '07.
Twp I work in is at 3300 +/- permits for the year. Resi new is very quiet, but not dead. Resi renovations and additions is 'steady'. Resi solar is quieted down, comm solar is busy. Comm fit-ups seems to be reviving, with a few big tenants moving into vacant space.
Hopefully, it stays steady.
John
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Posts: 362
Joined: April 2003
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