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Come on man, there's more than roofs out in the country.
What do you think, rural means hick? There's windows doors additions, decks, closet organizers, kitchens, baths, counters, fences, siding, gutters, drywall, plaster repair, barns-pole and the usual, ....................the list goes on.
A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Yes, but I'm looking for THE rural market. There's ussuslly less money in rural areas than in the city. I don't see a future doing a whole lot of trim out in the country.-T
Well then here's a novel idea.
Don't specialize.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
My thought ( and it worked for me for a lot of years) as well.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
It most certainly can work. Not a sprint-more like an endurance contest. The most self sustaining marketing is consistant high quality and a satisfied clientele.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
If we're gonna call "roofing" carpentry, then I suppose "painting" would come next. A better answer would depend on the demographics, economy, etc. Are we talking rural as in well-kept historic villages and scattered farmhouses, or twenty miles of open space between mobile home parks. New houses, old houses, people leaving or staying?
I have a book somewhere called "The Specialist" about a carpenter who built outhouses. Everything is relevant.
Calvin's right.
You chose to live in the country not for bigger profits... it's quality of life.
You need to network. You need to impress people with every job. Most of all, you need to work hard at networking and making every customer work for you.
Make friends...lots and lots of friends. Join every club, association and group.
Nudge your wife to join every group she can find also.
L
GardenStructure.com~Build for the Art of it! Decks Blog
If you live in the rural areas and want to make money, then get a map and find the roads to the city. That's how all the rural boys did it back in MI when I lived there.
Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
journeyman carpenterT,
I suspect-- if I was to move to a rural location--- I would approach the situation like I do back here in my neighborhood. As someone else implied----- you will have to be a man of the community---people will have to know you and your wife---you will have to be associated with a variety of groups in order to get your name out etc.---Frankly, I don't think I could succeed in that enviornment---there simply wouldn't be enough time in my remaining life to build up the contacts---seems like I would have to be born into the situation
Also--- i think of the situation my sister-in law is in. small town, immediately surrounded by countryside. town has a university, and a hospital------- so-- the folks with dependable money in the area are associated with the university, the hospital, the local government, and the local school system---and that is about it---everyone else lives pretty frugally.
sister-in-law-moved there as a college professor-----first she rented an apartment-then after a few years bought a house. Over time she has replaced a few windows, installed carpeting, replaced a roof, replaced a kitchen floor, remodeled a small bathroom, and is now contemplating remodeling the kitchen
same guy--has pretty much done ALL the projects.
sister-in law--tells me that this guy is highly coveted--in great demand-and most of her co-workers can't believe she has been able to get a slot among his clientelle-- he is word-of-mouth only--.
here is the hard truth---his work is---ok.-not bad-not great--ok( from what i have seen)
perhaps on more upscale houses he does a different caliber of work--but on hers--- I would say, just ok.
what makes him sought after is--- he is always busy--he returns phone calls, sets FIRM appointments---and when he does the job--he does a no-nonsense, plain jane job( again--this is just from what i observe on her house)
availability of materials and services is limmited---- for instance- no roof top delivery of roofing is available in the area--and the materials are pretty much limmited to whatever the local lumberyard commonly carries--- i imagine it would be difficult to do a truly high caliber kitchen for instance--in her enviornment
although her guy-can and does do computer generated kitchen designs----- the local competition seems to be of the " semi advanced handyman/former farmboy" caliber------your choices are gonna be vanilla or chocolate-----never " mocha carmel fudge nut cluster"
it would seem that primarily the bulk of potential customers are gonna be deciding based on price---but I guess the bulk of potential customers are like that everywhere.
Best wishes,
stephen
rural areas are different to work in
i moved 25 miles from city in 73 , had very little money and not much ability , wife had job in fed govt
the old school house i bought was a barn , and was located in a small hamlet , the first and last place from the cross road
i was on unemployment ins at the time so i started renovating it on a 10 cent budget
local farmers came by asking me about doing work and so i started a business up working alone cheap it turned out
at this time i bought another old school house in the next village and i eeventually renovated it and sold it for a decent profit
in 75 i bought the 43 acres next to my home and eventially subdivided it into 38 lots which i am still selling ( http://www.foxfireridge.com)
the thing i learned was that being a specialist pays better per hr but its hard in a rural area to to get the volume of work reqd , while a generalist will often beat the competion in a rural area because the customers only have to deal with one person
also look for oppertunitys for investing in the local area that the locals missedin 75 lots here sold for 2000 , i just sold one of mine last week and had two parties wanting it , it went for 60 000 cdn and the nearest village is 4 miles away
not saying its easy in a rural area but it sure as hell has never been boring
one of the few things i learned alongthe way is if you have to be the cheapest worker or seller to make money you are already lossing and might as well quit while you still have something , have faith in yourself if you dont do some thing differently you will only get the same results as the people who are losing ; . )
I am changing my thinking. I used to worry about the big picture in the area where I lived. Then Mike Smith said something in a post about finding the best customers in my trade area. When I think about it, How many customers do I need? In my case twenty some customers is about all I can handle anyway. Who cares about the average customer in my area when I should be concerned with finding the best.
What I am finding is that most Carps around here are so used to having to cut corners, they have a hard time making more particular customers with better pocketbooks happy. Through a contact, I have worked for some of these people and I see the same people working on these jobs. For example the same tile guy seems to work for the same crowd. If you get a good rep, recommendations get you into a new group of customers.
Things aren't always what they seem. People in rural areas have attachments to a certain property, neighborhood etc. So, when they get to a point they are more financially comfortable, they will spend money on their existing house.
It may be that it could be better to work for the right customer with a $100,000 house than a broke customer with a $1,000,000 one.
Still learning.
There's ussuslly less money in rural areas than in the city.
Depends on the rural area. Live in an area with lots of hobby farms and weathy owner and you can do nothing but top notch work till the cows come home. Some of the most desolated areas of the rocky mountain states are full of great work for summer/vacation homes.
It's like fishing, you can catch fish anywhere, but you'll do better by choosing a stream that has a higher population.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
""It's like fishing, you can catch fish anywhere, but you'll do better by choosing a stream that has a higher population."" Or find the stream that has the bigger fish but less of them.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Yep, if you want big fish it makes it a lot easier if there are some in that particular streem. You gotta admire the guys who are hoping for a big one in a pond full of stockers.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
I think the only thing left out of the equation is creativity.
I know a guy booking 1 year out. Sure.. he is located in an area with about 10,000 wealthy young computer people in a population of 400,000.
He works part time as a teacher and runs 2 crews and a shop part time.
(can't think of many places that it is possible)... and if the wife's parents didn't live there I may be able to pursuade the wife to move head office there.
Anyhow.. this guy is not overly skilled. He has a good sense of proportion. He is equally creative when it comes to marketing. He works 2 hours a day marketing. Everyone he meets. Associates at work. Guys at the lumber yard. Other contractors. Every Builder in Town. Every single customer he has ever been in contact with is recruited to his marketing machine.
It is a matter of pride having this guy build for you in this small fish bowl.
Anyhow... Blows my mind how a self trained semi skilled builder can become a legend.
LGardenStructure.com~Build for the Art of it! Decks Blog
Hey T,
Just thought I'd add $0.02, as I ask myself this question on a daily basis...
From what I gather in my small town is that not much money is to be made on small handyman type stuff - everyone knows a carpenter that will do small jobs for cash. Specialty companies, roofing etc... exists but you have to service a very large surrounding area and that might not be what you want if you have a family.
Most guys and companies around here are generalists as others have stated. One area that I do see a demand in is concrete work. It seems that lots of DIY'ers around here will build houses, garages etc... but few want to tackle concrete.
Also, some guys here do a great deal of timber frame type work and that leads to alot of "trimber" frame makeovers and chunky furniture. If your background is in finish carpentry you may find yourself very well suited for this kind of business.
See you over at JLC,
Matt