Replies

1. 
   Allyson_Stiles | Feb 26, 2001 03:19am | #1

   *
   We left PA (Northwestern) back in '94 to move to Charlotte, NC. Big building boom there. We moved back closer to home (D.C.) are about one year ago. We are staying here. The reason we moved from Charlotte is because we were too far from any family (we have 4 children also). The Maryland/ D.C./ Virginia area is booming quite well too. We do custom high end work and we can't find good help. We could have 3 or 4 times the work we have now if we had the subs and employees. And all the other contractors in the area are in the same bind.

1. 
   Allyson_Stiles | Feb 26, 2001 03:21am | #2

   *What part of PA are you from?Billy

1. 
   RJT_ | Feb 26, 2001 03:25am | #3

   *Las Vegas Nevada is the fastest growing metro area in the country.

1. 
   Tommy_B. | Feb 26, 2001 03:59am | #4

   *Hey Billy,I'm in central pa. We're doing well here, In fact I've Done progressively better every year over the last ten years. This year I doubled my gross. I lived and worked in the balt/d.c. area before and I know its doing well. Wouldn't mind jumping into a bigger pond is all. This one's overcrowded with small fish.I've heard that about vegas. Anyone out there living in vegas now?

1. 
   Chris_Robb | Feb 26, 2001 04:33am | #5

   *Phoenix Arizona! No end in sight. Company I work for is contracted almost ten years out. Many companys/builders are the same position. All trades working.

2. 
   Allyson_Stiles | Feb 26, 2001 05:28am | #6

   *Tommy, Where in central PA? I'm from Bradford but met my wife in the DuBois/ Punxsutawney area and have done some work there.

3. 
   L._Siders | Feb 26, 2001 06:28am | #7

   *I have heard that there is a demand strong demand for affordable homes in most areas. That is the 1,100 to 1,800 square foot homes. The problem is there are not enough lots available due to developement costs and little tax encentive for developers to launch a developement. We are running out of clients for the big homes where some bigger money can be made.

4. 
   Tom_Moller | Feb 26, 2001 06:12pm | #8

   *The building in the Denver area right now is enough to boggle the mind. No high-rise offices... just lots of shopping malls, restaraunts, and THOUSANDS of homes. There are developments consisting of 50 to 200 homes, and they're 4,000 sq ft plus full basements! Custom homes too. Like that one on the back cover of FHB #137...That's right here in Denver's back yard.I guess I should say the building isn't right IN Denver so much. It's the subburbburbbs to the north and south. Superior. Broomfield. Arvada. Golden. Highland Ranch....Wow!

5. 
   Scott_Hitchcock | Feb 26, 2001 06:48pm | #9

   *Seattle, WAJust my observation from the outside looking in.I saw the stats on building permits, last year was a record year for the number of housing permits issued. High end is booming even with the dot.com bust. Commercial is very strong as well, vacancy rates for office space are at 1.5 to 2% depending upon the area = lots of new construction to meet demand.

6. 
   Carl_Shaw | Feb 27, 2001 02:41am | #10

   *I am in PA also. Philadelphia suburbs. There is PLENTY of building and rehab work going on around here. Philadelphia's population is down about 1 million or so from its peak. All those people are moving out of the city and into the burbs. Got to build' em a two car garage. Oh by the way Tom M. speaking of Denver's back yard, how's Boulder doing these days?

7. 
   GACC_DAllas | Feb 27, 2001 05:40am | #11

   *Tommy B.,Las Vegas. I hear they're going 24/7.Ed. Williams

8. 
   HWC | Feb 27, 2001 07:01am | #12

   *GREAT question Tommy. I was wondering the same thing but with a little twist to it. I'm a small spec, & custom builder in Ottawa Ont. CANADA ( the great - not so great- white north) and I'm looking to get out before taxes, snow,a home building industry with no concern for quality a trade that is no longer a trade but filled with nothing more then nailers and installers ( guys can not even site build stairs anymore) I learned my TRADE from my dad started in the shop with the broom, moved up to the bench and sandpaper before long my 1st tabletop, and mouldings, not anymore i've got to price against guys with MBA's not union cards just can not do it any longer and the cherry on top goes to goverment with no vision just raise taxes last year corp, taxes 50% pull profit out of the company other 50% I have to get out before I go crazy. My wife and I have been thinking about a major move, she is a social worker with a great degree and loads of experiance, I've been building for 20 years and am licensed and cerfit. in two provinces as both a builder and carpenter, we have one child, a 6 year old little girl ( the apple of my eye) and I was wondering if anyone out there has any advice on were we should look ( Mass. N.C. Florida.) and how to go about becoming legal. All advice is welcome I would truly love to work in the U.S. Thanks

9. 
   Frenchy_Dampier | Feb 27, 2001 05:20pm | #13

   *HWC, That's a great question, How does one become legal? I honestly don't know. But I do know that it's worthy of an answer. Could you please post On the woodshed tavern. I think it would be appropriate, and I know you'd get response.

10. 
    Buck_Rural | Feb 27, 2001 05:24pm | #14

    *Tom M. Sounds like you work for the Home Builders Assc. Do you live in the area? I'm north of Denver (wouldn't live in the city) and I love it! Being from Fla. I enjoy the lack of humidity.

11. 
    Ryan_C | Feb 27, 2001 06:29pm | #15

    *My wife's sister just move back to NJ from the Denver area. According to her, there's more construction work than anybody can keep up with.I've actually considered driving my truck out there, she said she could find me a place to crash for a couple of nights (with her 20 yr old friends...isn't that enough reason to go?) and spend the winter there mailing my check's home.I haven't checked it out myself but she says I could get hired the day I arrived and work as many hours as I wanted as pay rates not heard of here in S. Jersey.

12. 
    PDF | Feb 28, 2001 12:52am | #16

    *I'll hire ya, come on out to Colorado. We're building a log home and we pretty much figure we'll be doing a lot of the work ourselves simply because everyone is so busy. You have to practically offer a signing bonus just to get someone to give you a bid! ha ha ha! Just imagine working on a log home in the mountains with views of 14,000 ft peaks....nice cool summer temps.....are you convinced yet? The craftspeople here are building trophy homes and the rest of us are stuck with the guy who worked on a framing crew for a month and now has a truck, a nailgun and a business card calling himself a master carpenter. Okay, slight exaggeration, but the market is insane as others have mentioned, and from my observations of people's new homes, the quality of work may be suffering. So why don't you all pack your bags and come on out. I can't promise a house full of 20 year olds, but I make a great breakfast burrito and always stock my fridge with microbrews. LOL!

13. 
    Mike_Willms | Feb 28, 2001 04:14am | #17

    *HWC,Have you considered Alberta? Lower taxes (they promise), good economy. Calgary's market's great.

14. 
    HWC | Feb 28, 2001 04:49am | #18

    *Mike,I thought about Calgary, but still have the CLOWNS in Ottawa to live with and the Quebec issue that will never go away. Not to mention the snow, we got it bad this winter, I've been trying to a brick layer in for a few thousand brick they are all hiding indoors of down south. So much for delivery.But you are right Alberta is most likely the best place in the country to be in,that seems to be where the best guys have all moved to. I will keep the rockies in mind Thanks.

15. 
    Adrian_Wilson | Feb 28, 2001 05:07am | #19

    *I thought Ottawa was booming?; I have people telling me to move back (been in Nova Scotia five years now).We had a big news story a while back....the number of new permits pulled had DOUBLED. Turned out, they counted the same six permits twice. They said at the time that was for the year, but I think they're messed up and that was for a quarter. Still and all, no boom town here.Someone tell me how you can book a house ten years out....a year or two, maybe....ten? nuts.

16. 
    HWC | Feb 28, 2001 06:57am | #20

    *Adrien,Ottawa is busy with cookie cutter- spec units. The few big boys in town (maybe 6) are doing well- The main problem is the local fees, greenbelt lands, and a master development plan that can't change with the times. 33 foot wide lots are normal, one sud-div. has 2 foot side set-backs on lots that are 40'x 88', you have delopers building homes who have no idea what to do with a hammer or a nail, and that same mind set filters down throughtout the industry. Put the unit up, let the warranty run out and don't look back.The trade is full of guys that went to Home Depot bought a belt and a $10.00 hammer and the all important chain saw and call themselves carpenters.These guys hire on with some crew at $9.00 an hour and pretend to build homes. I ran an ad for a carpenter the guys that showed up were a jock, one was a male nurse looking to work outside for the summer, one guy was in hvac, roofing, painting, and a carpenter- must be good- one guy was a cook, needless to say they all left the same way they came in-unemployed. It is not a bad town, but not a town that likes change. I do not know what is like elsewhere, but it hurts to see a crew frame a 3,000sq.ft. house with an air gun & chain saw. level or square mean so very little, I had one city inspector tell me of a tract builders framing crew that took six city inspections before the house passed and was o.k. to insl. Try to work with those kind of clowns. Not to mention to clowns on the "HILL", who make more $$$ per house then I do.

17. 
    josh | Feb 28, 2001 06:33pm | #21

    *it is one thing to go to where there might be a hot market that keeps you busy, it can be another to make a decent living.Are you someone that cam just bang them out, you can probabally find work.Do you take pride in your work, will it be appreciated, will you be paid enough for it ?I've seen our town become a hot market. Then all the big megga builders from out of town showed up ,buy the vacant lots. use their out of town labor working for far less money, putting up houses that look pretty and cost is mid range. then the next thing you know the "locals" are looking for work and hot markets to move to to survive.Or the out of towners show up, build crap for less, people get burned and of course it is ALL the contractors that are crooks.Reminds me when I lived in the south and theri were companies that just folowed disasters around, blew into town did crap work, charged a lot, left town and problems behind I am not saying to not follow your dreams, dreams and income are hand in hand Remebr the pasture is always greener on the other side of the fence. Just be careful what you land in when you cross the fence.

18. 
    Buck_Rural | Mar 01, 2001 03:15am | #22

    *PDF, tell everybody about the views, the peaks, BUT not our microbrews. Honestly guys CO. is a great place to work outside. This has been my worst year for framing, had 6 snow days.

19. 
    GACC_DAllas | Mar 01, 2001 05:44am | #23

    *I always wonder why you guys put up with that COLD weather...........Then we get to July in Texas............And I wonder why I stay in this hell hole.My Respects,Ed.

20. 
    Jack_Pahl | Mar 03, 2001 10:12am | #24

    *First time to post. I landed in Colorado about 20 months ago. Definitely a boom town. Building in every direction you look. Problem is cost. Land prices are inflated. Builders are charging premium price for a so-so product. Everyone looking to get their piece of the promised land before it's gone. I've done this for over 25 years now, and about every five years I have left the wife and kids back at the ranch to chase the dollar. Making 40 bucks an hour with a custom builder doing timber frames and, I can't wait to get out of here. $1200 a month for a flee bag. Greed is good. I'll bank what I can and then bail in the fall, to get back to the ranch... Have hammer, won't travel any more.

21. 
    Tom_Moller | Mar 04, 2001 10:24pm | #25

    *Carl,Boulder is resisting urban sprawl. There is quite a bit of teardown and rebuild going on in the older part of town. And a lot of remodeling. There is some new construction along I36, but they're really trying to limit it.If you get up on the mountain and look down, you can see right where the county line is because that's where the building stops. Cows in Boulder County/ Houses in the next county.

22. 
    Tom_Moller | Mar 04, 2001 10:39pm | #26

    *Buck,Ha! No, I don't work for the home builders assoc. I just do a lot of remodel mostly basements and bathrooms...with a few redwood decks thrown in for variety. Did I sound like I was trying to sell houses?I grew up in southern California and watched the merging of LA county, Orange County, and San Diego county into one continuous mega population. The growth rate there was amazing. What I see here around Denver is remarkably similar. I expect that within twenty years all of the Front Range towns along I25 from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs will grow until they bump into each other and we can call it the Front Range Megalopolis...or the worst traffic jam in recorded history.

23. 
    Patti_Takahshi | Mar 06, 2001 08:11am | #27

    *Greater Sacrament has had consistent growth since 1994 or so. 2 hours to San Francisco, 2 hours to Lake Tahoe. Afford able housing (53% of the people living here can afford to buy a home), decent wages. Plans for adding 20,000 homes in the next few years. I'm working for a community that has built 1500 homes out of a planned 5200. Lots of planned greenbelts. Delta breezes in the summer to cool the evenings. Snow capped mountains 90 miles away. Not cosmopolitan like SC, but a good place to raise kids.

24. 
    Scott_Hitchcock | Mar 07, 2001 12:52am | #28

    *Well Seattle has some earthquake damage that needs fixin'.

25. 
    Mike_Maines_ | Mar 09, 2001 05:54am | #29

    *Nantucket Mass. has a lot of building going on. I just worked out there, mostly on one house, for over a year, and it seemed like every third house was either new or being remodeled. Penske, the racing guy, is building a 20,000+ sf house that is keeping a lot of people busy, and Kathie Lee Gifford I heard is going around to jobs offering people twice whatever they are making to work on her house. The problem for carpenters is housing. You can pretty much name your price, but they fly out 200-400 guys every day from Cape Cod to supply labor, they just can't afford to live on island. My brother is out there, he hooked up with a contractor who got them a house through the summer (when rents can reach $10,000 a week!) to renovate a couple of buildings with a crew. I might go help him, just for the change of scenery from beautiful Somerville, Mass (just outside of Boston, ALL 3-family houses). It gets pretty claustrophobic in summer, though, with all those college girls getting drunk in the bars every night...MM

2. 
   Tommy_B. | Mar 09, 2001 05:54am | #30

   *
   How about it?

   Florida, Texas, Nevada, Colorado?

   People are leaving my state (PA), maybe its time to jump ship.

   Tom