I am busier than ever and can't keep up with the work. It seems something is in the air...just checked craigslist for cabinetmaker/woodworking/finish carpentry jobs...Tons of offerings. Just last year..zip to very little. Everyone I speak with in the business says they're busy too.why? What has happened? Is it a micro bubble in time? I'm in the SF Bay Area
From contributor Da
Same here in Wisconsin. Went from wondering if we could survive last fall to wondering how we're going to keep up now. Have no idea what's going on. Just riding the wave for now and trying to avoid the temptation to get to big.
From contributor Ke
Obama, duh!
From contributor La
Just another oscillation in the scheme of things. I'm sure there is pent-up demand from when a lot fewer things were being sold. Lets hope it doesn't go hog wild again, just sets up for a bigger fall.
We are very busy, looking for help also. Been getting call from other shops to make some of their work for them. No time! Have gone to running another 4 hour evening shift on the router. CAD guys are overloaded.
From contributor B.
We're the busiest we've been since Oct. 08. Others I talk to around New England are the same. Additionally I'm seeing the revival of some old accounts that have been out of the picture for a number of years.
A year ago at this time I was cautiously optimistic. Now I'm genuinely hopeful that this is finally more than just a temporary uptick in business.
BH Davis
From contributor ca
Since the economy is improving now is the time to invest more into cost containment.
This is a twofer because not only can you become more profitable intrinsically but the things you do to contain cost also can enhance capacity.
Very few new shops started up in the last 6-7 years so those who are in business now were around for the pre-apocalypse days. Now is the time to think back and remember all those things you wished you had in place back then and get them to happen now.
From contributor cc
I,m swamped with work too in NE Oklahoma.
I never missed any work or had to send my guys home through the slow down. I had a five or six week period the first of last year that all we had to do was maintenance and shop improvements, like finally finishing my showroom.
Most guys around here were hurting for work so I was fortunate.
I almost pulled the trigger on a cnc in 07 or so, I'm glad now I didnt have that payment to make the last few years. I'm seriously considering it again, if I only had a crystal ball.
From contributor Kr
We're swamped. December was pretty gloomy, then everything blew up on January 1st. Brought another guy in part time. We're booked through July, and we haven't gone to the homeshows yet. Looking good...
From contributor Ch
It's just goofy. Ever since I posted this, the phone calls are still coming in. Kitchen after kitchen, baths, builtins, etc. mostly coming from architects and designers. Hail Marys...whatever. Just thankful.
From contributor Ji
Different phase, but probably same market demographics: refurbishment was strong last year and getting sharply stronger Q1 this year. Although we did increase our on-line marketing presence late Q4 2013, it is too soon for those things to account for all the increase. More sniffers, more buyers too.
From contributor du
Still pretty dead for me in Los Angeles. A few lowballers looking for recession deals, but nothing except small jobs, maybe a day or two here and there at most. A lot of people in town are still willing to give away work w/o making a profit.
From contributor ch
Just thought I'd mention the calls are still coming in. Mostly major remodels and new houses. high to very high end projects.
relieved.
From contributor Ph
I'm in the south and we have been very slow the last month.But with in the next week or two we will have more than we can do.Wish this would level out.The past five years has been like a roller coaster. Hire six people and work them to dead for five to six month's and then lay them off.This has happen to me four times the last five years.
From contributor Pa
I think what we are seeing is that lending is occurring for the big projects but not so much for the small ones.
Money supply is astronomically high but that does not mean that credit is high. For those who are in the inner circle lending is good but not so much for the rest. That is why you see Rodeo Drive booming and the regular jobs languishing.
