Unemployment and Wages

According to Dare News and posts I read here and on other forums states there is severe unemployment here in Dare. I see many adds on Craig's list people advertising for work especially in the construction, home repair business. I have a lot of work but can't find any one qualified that I can afford. If people need work why would they not work for $15.00 -$20.00 an hour. My business is WAY DOWN and I can't pay $35.00 - $45.00 an hour. Seems the unemployed would give a break knowing we are all low on cash. May be more people would have work if they would adjust their wages. I contacted a gentleman about installing new duck work under my medium size home, he quoted me $7,000.00, I was floored. Another man said his hourly wage was $35.00 an hour to do some basic wood work. I can only think the unemployment check is to good to give up. Have any one else found this to be true or have you been able to find good workers at reasonable prices.

I agree -- we know the cost of materials is way down, yet the quotes we got for remodeling from 2 contractors are out-ofs-sight ! We even asked a local architect about the quotes, and he thought they were way off-base too.

I have heard this from several people. Plenty of work, remodeling and house repairs but "take you for ALL they can carpenters" STILL want a arm and a leg. Ifr I was sitting home with NO WORK I would gladly take $120.00 a day ($15.00 hr.)and be very thankful. Looking on Dare Co. Site I see most of the building permits are taken out by owner. Owners who MIGHT have hired some one for reasonable wadges.

Hope all the homeowners who are acting as their own contractor realize that the guys taking $15 an hour are probably not insured or paying taxes and if they hurt themselves at your house it's gonna be you taking care of them not worker's comp. The guy charging $35 per hour is most likely making $15 an hour after all his expenses are paid and tools maintained. Good luck passing your inspections!

Contractors wife wrote:

Hope all the homeowners who are acting as their own contractor realize that the guys taking $15 an hour are probably not insured or paying taxes and if they hurt themselves at your house it's gonna be you taking care of them not worker's comp. The guy charging $35 per hour is most likely making $15 an hour after all his expenses are paid and tools maintained. Good luck passing your inspections!

Couldnt agree more! Reputable businesses that have employees, have to pay taxes, insurance, advertising,auto expenses,etc. guess $15.00 an hour covers that! Consumers should do their homework!!

In the long run you would be much better off hiring a legit repair service. So many times work done by 'off season' carpenters is sub standard, not to code and not guaranteed. Many presume that anyone with a brain and a saw can do carpentry, so they place the craigslist ads. The other thing is insurance...if a craigslist carpenter does work and causes damage or gets injured, you are s.o.l. If he has no insurance. Regarding the duct work, make sure you get a quote from a licensed HVAC technician. We always do our work with the company on Bay Drive and 3rd in KDH. They guy they have there is a Master Carpenter and does outstanding work. They been in business for 30 years, on the beach. Pop's is the name.

What about jobs for women in Dare County? Most cannot do construction work. We are not only talking about wages and unemployment for "construction workers"... we are talking about jobs for everyone who has been unfortunately laid off from employers here who are not re-hiring or, alternatively "reorganizing" with a new name to make it look like they have new businesses here.

How about you don't mind hiring or working for 15/hr AND sign a notarized statement attesting to the fact that you will not seek damages for on the job injury/damage to property. etc. Only hire/work for recommended resources. Time for this area to come together instead of being so suspicious. Yes, the big companies will still get some jobs - but the rest of us will have quality work done by quality craftspersons who can't afford the high price tags.

The cost of what materials is down?

Not around here. And after contracting here for 10+ years I have learned you get what you pay for. Cheap guys do cheap work. If that's what you want, fine. Pay them in beer (or cervesa's) for all I care. Skilled labor is never cheap and rarely "Affordable".

When applied to any type of construction work, new construction, remodeling, is the BIGGEST UN TRUTH that has ever been uttered.You get what you pay for is true when purchasing products, dress, shoes et.
I had a big name company, full page telephone book add to install custom gutters $$$$$. They leaked, did not drain and ran water into the house. They promised for months to come and fix them. We finally hired Mid State Gutters to come, he had to take all the gutters down and put up new ones, excellent work and less money than the first company. Hired dry wall company to install dry wall, we choose the one with the highest bid as he said he could do smooth (no know down) we sanded for several months to get it right. I could go on and on. I guess out of a long line of licensed contractors I have only found a few that were worth the money as a matter of fact they were not good enough if they worked for free. I have watched million dollar only five years old being re sided becasue the BIG NAME Builder did not do it
correctly.
Big name and insurance does not make any one a CRAFTSMAN. Seems the days of pride in work is long gone.

"no know down"...and another guy needs "Duck" work done. TFF!

Get what you pay for wrote:

When applied to any type of construction work, new construction, remodeling, is the BIGGEST UN TRUTH that has ever been uttered.You get what you pay for is true when purchasing products, dress, shoes et.
I had a big name company, full page telephone book add to install custom gutters $$$$$. They leaked, did not drain and ran water into the house. They promised for months to come and fix them. We finally hired Mid State Gutters to come, he had to take all the gutters down and put up new ones, excellent work and less money than the first company. Hired dry wall company to install dry wall, we choose the one with the highest bid as he said he could do smooth (no know down) we sanded for several months to get it right. I could go on and on. I guess out of a long line of licensed contractors I have only found a few that were worth the money as a matter of fact they were not good enough if they worked for free. I have watched million dollar only five years old being re sided becasue the BIG NAME Builder did not do it
correctly.
Big name and insurance does not make any one a CRAFTSMAN. Seems the days of pride in work is long gone.

Try putting a sentence together correctly. Might wanna brush up on that spelling to make your point......

I am a Contractor who has enjoyed 40/hr plus 15% for years I have never paid a carpenter more than 25/hr. I have been adjusting my wages for the past 2 years to where now I bid and estimate jobs hoping to get 15/hr. I always have had insurance and still do. My clients still get the same product/service as always.
I have been working steady because I have adjusted my wages. I am very happy also to make 15/hr as I don't think it's going to get better any time soon.

Seasaw you sound like the kind of Contractor we would all love to have. The fact that you are still working steady proves that being fair and pricing according to the economy works. More than pricing "My clients still get the same product/service as always" this statement// is most likely the key to your success, giving your best whether you make $1.00 or a $1000.00. One good thing the slow economy will do is weed out the Jack legs and the best will still be standing.
Good Luck Seasaw and may you get all the work you need and more.

To One of a kind- Thank you! You made my day!

"seasaw" You are welcome. I am sure that over the years you have seen work and big prices that make the Home Owner wonder what happen to workers that take pride in their work. My Father in Law was a carpenter and of course he needed to make money, but the most important thing to him was doing a good job. Having his name on shoddy work was not acceptable. Even now years after his passing his name still stands as being a honest craftsman
I for one have been ripped off so many times I Like "You get what you pay" don't agree with the saying you get what you pay for. I paid top dollar to have Hardi installed and guess what they failed to flash the windows among other things. After paying top dollar I had to pay another crew to go back and flash the windows.

You still did not answer my question (if this is your answer below). Women need jobs too, not just contractors and construction workers.

abc wrote:

How about you don't mind hiring or working for 15/hr AND sign a notarized statement attesting to the fact that you will not seek damages for on the job injury/damage to property. etc. Only hire/work for recommended resources. Time for this area to come together instead of being so suspicious. Yes, the big companies will still get some jobs - but the rest of us will have quality work done by quality craftspersons who can't afford the high price tags.

Womenforwages wrote:

What about jobs for women in Dare County? Most cannot do construction work. We are not only talking about wages and unemployment for "construction workers"... we are talking about jobs for everyone who has been unfortunately laid off from employers here who are not re-hiring or, alternatively "reorganizing" with a new name to make it look like they have new businesses here.

The Answer to your question. I don't know how we could come up with Jobs for women. I notice a lot of jobs here on Southern beaches are filled with people from other locations. I do wish that the ones with work would give it to people that live here year round, but they are looking for a cheap deal.

Think about this " when people need work done and would like to have a decent job,at an affordable price, they are blasted for being "cheap" and get the same old speech about Insurance, B UT When we go looking for work NO ONE Wants to pay us more than $10.00 an hour IF THAT. Every thing is just all out of whack.

Yes, it is true that there are some companies who are slow and try to hit a home run on job pricing to make up for lack of work, but not all companies operate that way. I am a general contractor who has been in business on the OBX for 25 years, and we have been very fortunate to stay busy the last 2 years. We went to all our trades and asked them to adjust their pricing and we did as well, we charge a fair price and get our share of work. What I have found over the last 2 years is that since the economy is down, many homeowners feel we should work for about half what we used to be paid. Fact is, there was never that much profit in the jobs. We have overhead including staff, insurance, trucks, cells phones, etc. that cost money and we need to make some profit to stay in business. Yes, you can save money by hiring the $15/hr guy, but 3 months or 6 months down the road, is he still going to come back to address your issues? Bottom line, check references and hire a reputable company or person. I have gone behind many of these cheaper guys and fixed their work because it wasn't done correctly or they would not come back. As said above, you get what you pay for.

Wish I knew wrote:

<quoted text>
The Answer to your question. I don't know how we could come up with Jobs for women. I notice a lot of jobs here on Southern beaches are filled with people from other locations. I do wish that the ones with work would give it to people that live here year round, but they are looking for a cheap deal.
Think about this " when people need work done and would like to have a decent job,at an affordable price, they are blasted for being "cheap" and get the same old speech about Insurance, B UT When we go looking for work NO ONE Wants to pay us more than $10.00 an hour IF THAT. Every thing is just all out of whack.

You absolutely hit it on the head with the words ..."everything is all out of whack."

Sad.

We used to be a pull-together kind of community around here, but in the last ten-t0-fifteen years, though...kinda sucks right now for so many people.