How is everyone doing? Noticing anything unusual with the economy lately?

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I really hadn't thought about it because I was booked out nearly 4 months in advance but now I'm DEFINITELY noticing a pretty sharp downturn for remodeling bid requests in the last month or so.
I got a couple weeks left on this nightmare job and then was supposed to roll right into a repeat customers house for another 6 week multi room renovation. They just postponed till August when they'll be overseas so they don't have to deal with the mess.
That postponement woke me up to how few calls I've gotten lately.

 

[RodISHI]

Rod says its going to get pretty thin for the most part so buckle up it isn't getting any better for awhile.

 

[daveman]

I really hadn't thought about it because I was booked out nearly 4 months in advance but now I'm DEFINITELY noticing a pretty sharp downturn for remodeling bid requests in the last month or so.
I got a couple weeks left on this nightmare job and then was supposed to roll right into a repeat customers house for another 6 week multi room renovation. They just postponed till August when they'll be overseas so they don't have to deal with the mess.
That postponement woke me up to how few calls I've gotten lately.

Lumber prices got insane last year. How are lumber and other materials now?

 

[1srelluc]

I'm holding off till next year myself. If we hit recession next year like I suspect then I figure I can get what I want done a whole hell of a lot cheaper than I can now.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Lumber prices got insane last year. How are lumber and other materials now?

Pretty ridiculous.

Shit as simple as 8 ft 1x2 that I use as temp skirt boards has trippled in price.
Some high end grouts have doubled.
Tubs amazingly have only had modest increases but they're the exception

 

[Moonglow]

I really hadn't thought about it because I was booked out nearly 4 months in advance but now I'm DEFINITELY noticing a pretty sharp downturn for remodeling bid requests in the last month or so.
I got a couple weeks left on this nightmare job and then was supposed to roll right into a repeat customers house for another 6 week multi room renovation. They just postponed till August when they'll be overseas so they don't have to deal with the mess.
That postponement woke me up to how few calls I've gotten lately.

Come on down I have people begging me to do masonry jobs. NW Arkansas is hot, so hot they can't keep up.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Come on down I have people begging me to do masonry jobs. NW Arkansas is hot, so hot they can't keep up.

I don't lay bricks or pave sidewalks.

Although this year I will be rebuilding my chimney from just above the soffit to the top myself. When cleaning leaves from the gutters last fall I notice a lot of the north facing bricks were falling apart

 

[daveman]

Pretty ridiculous.

Shit as simple as 8 ft 1x2 that I use as temp skirt boards has trippled in price.
Some high end grouts have doubled.
Tubs amazingly have only had modest increases but they're the exception

Damn. A guy I work with does roofing and minor construction on the weekends. He said he was having trouble getting vinyl siding last year because the Texas plant that makes a component of the vinyl was damaged in the big ice storm last winter.

When I bought my house last year, I joked that I was going to part it out.

 

[Moonglow]

I don't lay bricks or pave sidewalks.

Although this year I will be rebuilding my chimney from just above the soffit to the top myself. When cleaning leaves from the gutters last fall I notice a lot of the north facing bricks were falling apart

Masonry includes tile, derpa.

 

[1srelluc]

Pretty ridiculous.

Shit as simple as 8 ft 1x2 that I use as temp skirt boards has trippled in price.
Some high end grouts have doubled.
Tubs amazingly have only had modest increases but they're the exception

The stuff I want done is labor intensive. Looking at the material costs for what I need done they are pretty steady. Labor is still way too high due to the demand in my area.....A good bout of recession will cure that problem in a hurry.

 

[Moonglow]

They are building the Walmart World Headquarters in Bentonville which is drawing in lots of people daily around 35 and there is a housing shortage along with a tornado that hit Springdale....Tons and tons of work.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Masonry includes tile, derpa.

I don't travel for work anymore. Did that for decades. Done with that shit. Hotel life/food sucks

 

[Moonglow]

I don't travel for work anymore. Did that for decades. Done with that shit. Hotel life/food sucks

I enjoyed the extended stay hotels.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I enjoyed the extended stay hotels.

I've done sooooo many Wal-Marts and military bases I NEVER want to do that shit again.

 

[Moonglow]

I've done sooooo many Wal-Marts and military bases I NEVER want to do that shit again.

You should try laying those twelve-inch blocks on a sunny day in August.

 

[eagle1462010]

Material is high and hard to get. Contracts are getting harder and harder. Bids are tight.

Recession coming.

 

[Missourian]

Freight seems to be moving and rates are high...but less trucks rolling. I think the farmers see profits in expanding the planting this year...and that in conjunction with sky high fuel prices has sent a lot of the part time truckers back to the home-20 either to work the land full time or grab a hopper bottom or walking floor.

Golfing Gator knows more about the farming side than I do...may confirm or deny my assessment.

 

[Missourian]

Lumber prices got insane last year. How are lumber and other materials now?

2x4x8 $9 apiece in S-field two weeks ago. Grabbed 2x3 instead...$5

4x8 sheets of anything were out of sight. 4x8x 7/16 OMD (chipboard) sheathing was $31 a sheet.

Seriously considering milling my own boards with a chainsaw mill.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Freight seems to be moving and rates are high...but less trucks rolling. I think the farmers see profits in expanding the planting this year...and that in conjunction with sky high fuel prices has sent a lot of the part time truckers back to the home-20 either to work the land full time or grab a hopper bottom or walking floor.

Golfing Gator knows more about the farming side than I do...may confirm or deny my assessment.

I think we will see a larger increase in soy this year so they can follow it up with wheat. Farmers are asking the USDA to ease the rules for planting on CRP land for this year and if they agree, which I think they will, we might be seeing record acres for corn and beans.

Not much has been planted here (mid-west) yet due to the late Easter. By the end of this month we should have a good idea how much of each is planned.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

We have a house being built, the "worst case" date was beginning of Oct. So far things are ahead of schedule and they have not had any supply issues so far