More rust, more rust - always more Rust!
- Thread starter chromebumpers
- Start date
crazy, I can’t take a picture of the page, too big
www.lmctruck.com
Fleetside Bed Steel Repair Panels
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I don’t have a brake and I don’t think a welder is required. I will find the pieces I need, it‘s just a matter of how much effort I can put towards the hunt. Besides, I’m not so sure saving $300 is worth the time and trouble. I‘m already stretched too thin with a dozen or more things going now.
Just curious, what state do you live? I’m not trying to be a wise ass, but you have to know where I’m at to understand how things are here. This region is somewhat affluent. Parents here in general don’t raise their children to be bricklayers, mechanics or just tradesmen in any respect. There’s much more demand for services than there are people that do the work. There’s very little competition it seems that every business around here constantly tests what they can charge and stipulate their demands and if you don’t like it - they don’t care. I’m a member of the County Chamber of Commerce and 3 months out of the year they collect statistics on members and non members alike for what are considered “average“ charges for their services. When we submit this data to the State and Federal commerce committiees we can see a map of the US and listings by zip code. My area consistently shows us at 87.9% higher than the national average for service providers and contractors and the stats vary greatly throughout the state.
Ok, that’s my rant for the week. Welders in my area charge a minimum of $150/hr. Plus materials, supplies and waste disposal and they typically have a 2 hr minimum. one shop near me is $300/hr. No minimum and if he comes to you it’s 4 hr charge plus materials. Most places have help wanted signs but you can get a job without experience because the employers will train you. That typically leads to longer lead times longer wait for appointments and scheduling. And you guessed it, frequent errors and poor quality. You can’t even trust contractors for their commitments to come return. If you have a difficult job God help you. The contractor will take a scheduling deposit but if by the time he said he would start the job someone hired him for a better job, you will get pushed back. They don’t care what you say either.
“inquire at a machine shop?” LOL!
Btw:
If you have a hard time believing the lead times and shop charges please look on the internet or randomly call a shop around here - phone calls are virtually free right?
yeah, cost for skilled labor vary wildly in many areas, many skilled laborer's and managers/ people charge outrageous fees simply because they know that some people, in affluent areas have the financially deep pockets that will throw cash, without doing comparison shopping, simply to have a problem solved even if most of the locals would laugh at the absurd over charges,
if theres enough of those deep pockets you get some business specialize in seeking out the few deep pocket clientele
if theres enough of those deep pockets you get some business specialize in seeking out the few deep pocket clientele
Around here when you call a contractor the secrete is not to provide too much information over the phone. One little undesirable aspect of the job and they won’t come out, on a phone message and they won’t call you back. The companies like Mr. Handyman are better ways to go but they are insanely expensive. They have enough diversity in their employ that they can do most anything however they are rarely efficient with the time it takes them to do a job and they work by the hour. Simple stuff they tell the homeowners it’s $175 per hour per man plus materials and cleanup, other jobs they may not want to tell homeowners so maybe 6 hrs and 3 guys to repair a walkway, or rebuild part of a deck so a flat rate of $3,600 plus materials is what you get.
A funny but true story, when I was in my 20s I started a business that was ahead of its time. It was a Mr Fixit type repair service at $50/hr plus materials. People would bitch about the cost - “$50 an hour? I don’t even make that much!”
It survived a year or so before I gave up. The last job I did was for a Nationally known home builder and I was doing their punch list work for the first year warranty. They had me running all day, six days a week doing everything you can think of but in the end it just wasn’t paying enough. The problem was the times we were in, yes lots of work but there was competition all over and homeowners could still shop everyone around. Now you have unemployable people that can’t hold a job with anyone else but they half-ass work on their own and they get hired because they are all there is.
There’s virtually nothing I can’t do in construction, that’s never going away, I‘m just physically limited and it sucks. I only wish
I could have passed my knowledge onto someone that was reliable and cared. I was doing quite good flipping properties and I’m sooo pissed I had to miss decades of lost opportunities. Not too thrilled either that I couldn’t have just one kid that listened to me.
A funny but true story, when I was in my 20s I started a business that was ahead of its time. It was a Mr Fixit type repair service at $50/hr plus materials. People would bitch about the cost - “$50 an hour? I don’t even make that much!”
It survived a year or so before I gave up. The last job I did was for a Nationally known home builder and I was doing their punch list work for the first year warranty. They had me running all day, six days a week doing everything you can think of but in the end it just wasn’t paying enough. The problem was the times we were in, yes lots of work but there was competition all over and homeowners could still shop everyone around. Now you have unemployable people that can’t hold a job with anyone else but they half-ass work on their own and they get hired because they are all there is.
There’s virtually nothing I can’t do in construction, that’s never going away, I‘m just physically limited and it sucks. I only wish
I could have passed my knowledge onto someone that was reliable and cared. I was doing quite good flipping properties and I’m sooo pissed I had to miss decades of lost opportunities. Not too thrilled either that I couldn’t have just one kid that listened to me.
No, more like That’s just the way it is these days.
The greedy people are all those that stole millions of dollars buying anything from Rolex watches and cars to vacation homes from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) funds the Feds gave away a couple years ago.
Seems like 90% of the 953 billion went to people that didn’t need any help. Now they are stating to go to jail - finally!
The greedy people are all those that stole millions of dollars buying anything from Rolex watches and cars to vacation homes from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) funds the Feds gave away a couple years ago.
Seems like 90% of the 953 billion went to people that didn’t need any help. Now they are stating to go to jail - finally!