We have been slammed the first 2 months this year and currently have a 30 day backlog. Is everyone else busy? What are your thoughts on the rest of 2013?
We have been busy too. Not a 30 day backlog but enough not to worry.
Matt
We have been very busy as well. Shapeing up to be a great year.
Pretty busy here, too. I suspect 2013 will just as good as 2012 plus some.
It might just be my age...I have an enlarged cynical gland..but what I'm not looking forward to is a pick-up in the real estate industry.
While only one facet of the surveying industry that might bring an increase in work; it also brings in a new crop of inexperienced hired help and gold diggers (attornies and realtors) that we wind up educating.
Such things as, "No, I can't get to it before the closing tomorrow morning",
and "I'm sorry your boss thinks the survey should only cost $200, maybe he can do it himself for that amount."
or the perennial, "We need you to put OUR certification on your survey."
Yes!! About the same. Also keep seeing firms looking for help so that's good too!
I must be in the wrong part of Kentucky....no work for over a month, good thing I have a part time job making $8 sweeping up cigarette buts.....:-( should have stayed in Florida....
AHA!!!
So you do need my help Mr. Johnson..packing now!B-) 😉
Not busy in my area! I can't say as I know a surveyor within 500 miles that would say they are busy, starting year five of slowness in Central Oregon. Every year since about 2008 just seems to be slower, with what looks to be the slowest Q1 ever in 2013. I follow the transportation industry (truck and rail) pretty closely, they for the most part think we are still in the dumps nationwide too, I think there are pockets of activity around energy, etc., BUT overall we are pretty flat as a nation on growth.
I hope I am wrong, BUT 2013 so far looks to be just another year in a string of bad years for surveyors in my neck of the woods.
SHG
> Not busy in my area! I can't say as I know a surveyor within 500 miles that would say they are busy, starting year five of slowness in Central Oregon. Every year since about 2008 just seems to be slower, with what looks to be the slowest Q1 ever in 2013. I follow the transportation industry (truck and rail) pretty closely, they for the most part think we are still in the dumps nationwide too, I think there are pockets of activity around energy, etc., BUT overall we are pretty flat as a nation on growth.
>
> I hope I am wrong, BUT 2013 so far looks to be just another year in a string of bad years for surveyors in my neck of the woods.
>
> SHG
If that is your honest outlook then you need to abandon your plan and make a new one with success being the litmus test for what road to go down.
Believe me I have been looking at all options, many of them outside of the traditional surveying market, some of them "measurement" related, some of them nothing to do with surveying in any form. Most of the local firms here decided to ride it out in 2009, I don't think anyone anticipated we would still be in a down market four years later. I have been in this business since 1980 and on my own since 1995, until now there has never been a slump that lasted more than 18-24 months, what we have seen in my local market is unprecedented and I now believe will last even longer.
Seasonal Adjusted Unemployment (latest report)
USA = 7.8%
OR = 8.3%
My County = 13.3%
Local County NEW construction building permits Feb. 2013 a total of TWO
There is no amount of retooling a business that will cause it to be profitable where there is no demand from the local economy. Can I travel, yes, and I have, unfortunately the entire west coast is pretty slow. I have licenses in five states, ranked by their unemployment level out of 50 from lowest to highest:
ID = 18th
WA = 30th
OR = 39th
CA = 49th
NV = 50th
Overall there simply isn't a demand for surveying services on the west coast due to the overall economy of the region.
SHG
I would honestly think that slow, to no growth, is solid growth. There is the flip side of a slow economy where you become over run with refugees. http://c0022756.cdn1.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/pd_ed_013-web.mov&x=192&y=144&t=Force%20Of%20Gravit y">Which reminded me of maybe an economic fundamental.
AHA!!!
Come on down!!
Shelby,
Based on the full report hyper-linked in this article; you might want to consider adding Utah to you license list.
AMERICA'S GROWTH CORRIDORS: THE KEY TO A NATIONAL REVIVAL - A NEW REPORT
Yes it is. We are fielding 10-12 crews right now and just opened a Fort Worth branch last week.