...how about where you are?
In business over 20 years in North Florida. Mostly boundary work. Work fell sharply after 2007, with last year's gross about 20% of 2007. One survey crew from 2008 on. How's your area of the country doing compared to 6 or 8 years ago?
I agree that things took a five or six year dip starting about '07. This, however, was a pretty good year. The best in the last five. Each year since then the workload and fees have increased. We are actually pretty busy.
However I hate to hear of folks that aren't doing what they could. It's a pox on the profession. Between dried up private development and local governments with budget problems, nobody is getting anything kicked-off in any kind of hurry.
Rockin' right along. When things get hectic, I send referrals to other guys. When things get too slow, I relax.
Not here...
Here (Christchurch, New Zealand) we are way busier than ever before - but then we do have an entire city to rebuild 🙁
Not here...
2012 was a lot better than the prior 4, 2013 ranked up there with the best years ever.
2014, if it keeps going just might be the best ever.
fingers crossed and knocking on wood.
Randy
I hear you Cow. However, ibeenrelaxing so long I had to come up with a completely new business model. I will be content to finish out my career doing things solo as I do not see things coming back in the time I have left. Interesting to see how different areas of the country are doing. From what I hear Georgia and Alabama are not doing as well as Florida(?). What area are you in?
Not here...
Randy,
Had 40 to 50 employees during 2002-2003. Now, just 1. 2010-2012 were twice what 2013 was. Can't get much worse. Good to know some are doing great.
130 miles from anywhere. Tulsa, Wichita, KC, Springfield Stay away from those places.
Focus on meeting the needs of smalltown USA and the rural areas. We are not prone to major flurries of activity so never get accustomed to the "glory years".
Not here...
Our area is pretty much the same as yours. The South has taken a hard hit over the last 4 or 5 years.
Those areas with oil work and pipelines are doing ok, but if you are into boundry, highway or military stuff, then the budget cuts are crippling.
Not here...
Ben,
Was not bragging, those 4 very horrible years just about put me out having 2 kids in college at that time, financed some expensive equipment just a year or two prior and had just built a new house.
I do feel for all of the surveying brotherhood struggling during these times.
It seems that Texas always been one of the last states to go downward, but one of the first to come out of it.
Good luck to all that are down right now.
Listening to certain news stations, you would get the idea that it is all a bed of roses right now and the train is picking up steam and all is good. Guess not.
Randy
The business was there and at the beginning of the year everything looked good.
Then it went downhill all year long.
If any more could go wrong, I'm not sure what it would be.
Whatever could be broken was broke by abuse and whatever the guys could lose was lost or just left in the woods.
Lightning hit the office and most hardware lost a board here and a board there shutting down 4 computers, hardwired router and network cards, tv, 3 monitors printers and a phone.
Teamwork fell short and nobody followed instructions in the field.
I am still revisiting jobs and collecting data that the crew just failed to record or locate at all with me on the sites.
A TS was reported to simply fall off the tripod onto pavement requiring new standards.
Total failure and loss of trust in my workers.
Sent them all home and never called them back.
After all that I am strictly solo.
Come next year I'll sign up for SS.
The work is out there, that is not the problem around here.
Everybody thinks they ahve one of those easy buttons in their pocket.
😐
Northeast Georgia appears to be in the same condition as you describe in Florida. I went from 12 full time employees to one part timer and me.
Wow. With all that to have happened, I'm sure solo made lots of sense. For me, solo is probably the best way to keep things from here on out. If/when the economy picks up again,I'll just be more picky about what work I choose to take.
ibenhavin
Busy since last year .. 2 crews running hard.
Stacy,
You in one of them fast growth counties in that ring around Atlanta?
2013 best year by far in a long time and 2014 is shapeing up to be even better. Just hired 6 new people and bought equipment for them.
I am turning down on average 4-6 jobs per week usually because they want it done in two to three weeks and I can't get to it in that time frame
No, we're a little too far away.
