|
|
I am 21 and Self Employed. Im not gonna complain about the Economy. But I was just wondering how everybody was doing work wise? Its been real slow for me, nothing going on. I have been getting people contacting me about these wacky jobs, one guy needed 2 bolts welded together?? Havent got anything that is worth wild in a long time. Just wondering how everybody was doing, and if they have any advice to offer.Thanks Don.Some Blue , Some Red & Some GreyProverbs 16:2-3.2 "All a persons ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. 3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
Reply:doing good here lakes are low due to no rain when we needed it,,,, long hot summernow for the hard core fishing dudes (bass busters) lot of logs on pontoons a few skegs and one boat lift the fell... props are good(he he he ) bent an broke ones) alsoidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:Fair here. I'm not putting any money away, but I'm making enough to keep my helper employed and still covering the bills for now. I have no idea what I'm doing next month, but I've been lucky enough to get a call as soon as it looks like I won't have anything to do. As long as I stay this way I'm ok, but it won't take very long with out work to push me over the edge.People are holding tight to money. Most get sticker shock as soon as they realise how much the work they want done will end up costing. About 1/2 have done it to themselves. They've pushed off minor work for so long, now it's a major job to repair the damage..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Just moved to a smaller town, so it's been difficult getting the word out. Craigslist worked in the past, because I was getting clicks and my name was showing up in search engines. I think when people have a small job just tell them you have a minimum amount that you have to charge. A guy showed up early in June needing the mount for an electric motor welded at 5:00pm on Saturday. It took 10 minutes I charged him $40.00 my minimum charge to mig weld something. I went to a guys house welded two pieces back on his rod iron fence it took longer to unload than to actually weld I charged $75.00. I think most people understand why you have a minimum charge and will pay it for small jobs. I think the key is to keep your expenses down and try to have little or no debt.
Reply:I am actually picking up.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Slowing down here, hard to pay the rent.I stick to my min charge of $40 for shop work, but knock off $10 for the AARP gang. Sometimes boredom makes the **** jobs easier.Good Luck to ya all.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:This year started out pretty slow for me but right now I'm slammed. I can't get any of the big projects out for all the small and emergency jobs coming in everyday.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:i picked up a couple of co-ops and some condos i take care of their boiler welding and also their maintainance equipment its like having a sugar daddy so you can still do the jobs you like it sucks bidding for jobs but theres a lot of money out there you just got to know where to look this way i can still do mods on cars and trucks thats where my business started but we've been expandingLast edited by ed l; 09-04-2011 at 03:28 PM.
Reply:Right now my phone has blown up from people calling about emergency jobs. I also have a large amount of bridge welding work to do. So right now we are busy as crap. I can't say its been like that all year. Its been slow for parts of it. But we are rocking it while we can. Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:It's been pretty steady lately, but I'm not setting any records either.I "almost" need my helper back.. Hit up the farms & logging guys, they Always need stuff done.Are you portable? Start looking around town for rotted railings, Knock on the door & offer to fix them, especially on commercial properties.Hang in there & Good luck!Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:Don, I'm 22, and am in a similar boat as you. I recently opened a business doing mobile welding, and just recently (within the past couple weeks) I have been able to give full attention to it. Before that, I was very busy with finishing up school. But just like you, I haven't had luck getting any big jobs as of yet, only small things here and there. I have been going around town handing out flyer's and business cards, as well as spreading it by word of mouth to any close friends/fellow business owners. So hopefully something will come of all that. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, interesting replies so far, hopefully more to come!CraigMotorsportsandLeisure.com
Reply:Im actually too busy. 6 12 hour days a week. Its been so good, in fact, that I re-enrolled in school to finish up a couple of credits, and im fixing to sell the business to my right hand manGo Cards!!!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by Cliff LodesIm actually too busy. 6 12 hour days a week. Its been so good, in fact, that I re-enrolled in school to finish up a couple of credits, and im fixing to sell the business to my right hand man
Reply:Originally Posted by montgoc3Don, I'm 22, and am in a similar boat as you. I recently opened a business doing mobile welding, and just recently (within the past couple weeks) I have been able to give full attention to it. Before that, I was very busy with finishing up school. But just like you, I haven't had luck getting any big jobs as of yet, only small things here and there. I have been going around town handing out flyer's and business cards, as well as spreading it by word of mouth to any close friends/fellow business owners. So hopefully something will come of all that. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, interesting replies so far, hopefully more to come!CraigMotorsportsandLeisure.com
Reply:I have a regular day job and weld on the side. Welding work has been slow, very slow. We don't advertise as much as we should, so it's partially my own fault. It doesn't help that a few of our main clients have gone out or significantly downsized in the last few years.
Reply:Originally Posted by DieselDon16Yes, I handed out 500 business cards, shook hands and kissed babies, I only get wackos calling if I can do stupid stuff, like weld 2 bolts together. I said sure I'll weld them together, I said, your an hour drive for me, The going rate for welders around here is $75.00 an hour, This would have been the most expensive bolt he ever held. He says I was gonna give you like 20 bucks. Thats the people that call me. But Craig I think if we stay positive everything will work out for the best. Thanks Don.
Reply:We are busy! Been picking up all year! 90% Of my work is container repair.You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. Albert Einstein
Reply:Originally Posted by DieselDon16Yes, I handed out 500 business cards, shook hands and kissed babies, I only get wackos calling if I can do stupid stuff, like weld 2 bolts together. I said sure I'll weld them together, I said, your an hour drive for me, The going rate for welders around here is $75.00 an hour, This would have been the most expensive bolt he ever held. He says I was gonna give you like 20 bucks. Thats the people that call me. But Craig I think if we stay positive everything will work out for the best. Thanks Don.
Reply:You guys with your crazy minimums crack me up.I had 6 small walk-in $20.00 repairs Friday, that I fit in between my "real" work. (None of them took more than 10 minutes apiece.) 2 of them came from shops with "minimum 1 hour" fees.They will ALL be back.The term "No job Too small" has kept my my family fed for years...Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:Montgoc3- we do erection, custom fab, railings, pipe and tubing. Basically, if it's any kind of metal, we do it. I love welding with a passion, but the job offer I got was too good to pass up. And they are Paying me to go back to school and finish my degree, and they are gonna relocate me and my dogs. I couldnt lay off all my guys, and my right hand man asked about buying everything, made me the right offer, and now it is in the hand of the lawyers, bankers, and accountants.Go Cards!!!!!
Reply:Doesn't matter how many times I watch it, it's always good for a chuckle...lol[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLnN-hqgfxY[/ame]Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:"If you don't like the way I do it, I'll even let you try it."......lol.Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:drop the min. charges they'll make you go hungry small walk ins have brought me many new accounts my wife works for home depot and the safe broke they don't make parts for it any more i made up a small bracket for $20. bucks and gain not only one but three more accounts for safe companies what i'm getting at is sometimes the walk ins that seem small can lead to much larger things word of mouth beats out business cards and fliers any day
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineYou guys with your crazy minimums crack me up.I had 6 small walk-in $20.00 repairs Friday, that I fit in between my "real" work. (None of them took more than 10 minutes apiece.) 2 of them came from shops with "minimum 1 hour" fees.They will ALL be back.The term "No job Too small" has kept my my family fed for years...
Reply:Agreed on the minimums. Heck some of those small jobs should be done free. Think of it as a investment in the future. At my slowest I stay busy. Admittedly those small jobs don't always bring in the big bucks but they do bring in customers.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htmMinimums are a must for on-site guys. Sure, if I had a walk in shop I would be glad to get ten $20 jobs a day.
Reply:Seems like a lot of your guys minimum charge are way too low. I have a 6 hour minimum in the field. 4 hours on site and 2 hours travel. Rates start at $85 and up depending on what it is. Do I loose some work because of this yes. But it keeps those BS jobs down to a minimum. Prime example, a week ago, I got a panic phone call. Seems a man hole cover steel retainer ring got broken during a night paving job. I told the guy what it would cost him. He said GET HERE ASAP!!!!!!! It was a hour away. Showed up, burned two 5/32" 7018 to hold the cover to what was left of the retainer ring. Got in truck and left. Total time on job site was 20 minutes, which 10 where filing out the time sheet for the customer to sign. Two days later had a check in hand and a thank you note for saving their butts. Even my shop I have a two hour minimum. Again keeps those PITA stupid jobs down to a minimum. Now I do some jobs for free now and then vs charging a minimum. But those are for very good customers. Recently made a tool for a superintendent of a good customer. He asked what he owed me, I told him to get the hell out of my shop. That his boss spends enough damn money with me, I wasn't worried about it. A few days later I was out fixing stupid stuff they could have done in house for that same superintendent for my customer. Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:Electrical and welding work has stayed steady, that is to say, slow. But then a few realtors got my number and the electrical service work picked up a bit. But I learned how to repair air conditioners this summer, and am working with/for a friend who has been doing that for quite some time. Now I have been super busy during these heat waves. It doesn't matter how broke someone is, they find money when their air conditioner has to be fixed. When they realize that you can actually FIX them instead of telling them it has to be replaced, your name really gets around, too.
Reply:Originally Posted by BlueArcMinimums are a must for on-site guys. Sure, if I had a walk in shop I would be glad to get ten $20 jobs a day. |
|
发表于 2021-9-1 00:10:15