Yesterday we got the go ahead on two new jobs. This books us into December. We haven't been this busy in over ten years. And many more jobs pending customer's fabric. Rose was trying to figure how we are going to get it all finished. So we made the decision to have the contractor hang the drywall in the new shop. That will free up a week and take a load off our minds.
For the folks in Houston, get ready. If its anything like what we went through in Charleston with hurricane Hugo you'll be inundated with work for the next two years. We did many antiques that sat in water for weeks. Also furniture covered in "Pluff" Mud. One poor lady who's Victorian settee needed to be stripped to the frame. Every joint was loose and it needed to be refinished. She broke down and cried when Rose gave her the estimate. There were also tons of futile insurance estimates.
I'm hoping everyone else is doing well also.
A lot of people got rich when Wall Street crashed in 1929.
I listened to a show that was about how the cars that were underwater from the hurricane will be shipped all over the country to be sold without the knowledge that they were in the hurricane. They were explaining the problems with cars like this and how to find out if a car you are going to buy has been baptized (full immersion, not just sprinkled).
You either hang the drywall up yourself or you do upholstery to pay for the drywall to be hung up by someone else. Your shop is looking great!
gene
I've had a couple of opportunities to experience "boom times". Always turned them down, because they would've required re-locating.
In the 80's, the Superconducting Super Collider project was under way about 75 miles from me. The town of Waxahachie, Texas was making big offers to most all skilled tradesmen, including upholsterers.
One investor offered to set me up with a shop, and guaranteed me minimum 50K per year (which seemed like a lot of money at the time). The project encountered many problems, and was eventually scrapped. The facility is now a ghost town.
I had a couple of similar offers during the oil booms that have came and went in west Texas.
I always chose to just stick with the "bird in the hand".
K-dog mentions the possible boom times ahead for upholstery shops in the areas affected by Harvey.
I'm wondering how many of those same shops were badly damaged or destroyed by Harvey.
This has been a strange year for us. We hit a downturn a month ago so we quickly scheduled a vacation ( first one in 2 years ) and spent a long weekend holed up at a resort and spa on the Atlantic in Daytona Beach.
We were planning on another slow summer which is typical but as soon as we got back we got pounded. It slowed down for 2 weeks and came right back up again. I am sure it is because our market is expanding and we are getting more work from other parts of our industry. We had a niche with the big bus crowd but now we are getting many orders from outside our traditional market.
Next year is going to be interesting. We are doubling our show schedule and I am booking more events out West. We will be going into new markets and making appearances at new association events. I am not looking forward to the extensive travel but we need to grow this company more before we retire.
Mojo
Houston is going to be a very long time in the re-making. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of materials needed for all this. Of course, people also lost people, which cannot be remade.
Irma looks to be coming for Florida. Folks out there- what is your plan?
Stay safe.
Quote from: 65Buick on September 05, 2017, 11:59:00 am
Irma looks to be coming for Florida. Folks out there- what is your plan?
I was just thinking the same thing.
Harvey is arguably the costliest hurricane in US history to date. But that could change by the weekend, as Irma looks to be much more powerful.
Chris, Paul, Ed, Mike, Rick, Ian, and probably some others here whose names escape me at the moment. it might be a good time for you guys to take a vacation.
I think out of all of us, Mike will be the one to really worry about. He is right on the Gulf Coast.
Rick, Paul, Ed and myself are all inland and away from storm surges. We may catch some wind and storms.
I am not sure where Ian is located.
Mojo
Havent experienced a storm as of yet. Might be the first one for us. They really don't know where it will be by the weekend. God knows they don't know if its raining out even. All kidding aside I'm sure we are prepared for it as best we can. Mike might want to get out of town if he can. So far were holding tight. Too much work to get out.
Yeah I was thinking Paul being in Florida. West coast, better than the east coast.
I'm way out in California so I'm fine.
Quote from: Mojo on September 05, 2017, 02:00:53 pm
Rick, Paul, Ed and myself are all inland and away from storm surges.
Are you still sure about that?
Not real sure. anything can happen still. We are like 6 miles in from the gulf and if the track were to change much more to the west it could be a big difference. As long as it stays like it is and runs up the center I am hoping we make it through this without too much damage. We will experience some.
We should be ok as long as we are on the west side of it... it looks like it is inching closer to the west coast going up the state, so we may catch some strong winds. As far as the gulf, when it goes north of us, the winds will swing around to the sw and then some coastal flooding could happen. Mike may catch it worse than anyone on here. I am thankful I am not on the coast in the northeast part of it when it comes ashore. That ne part with the eyewall is not the place to be. I am hoping that if it does go up the spine of Florida, the land will work over the eye. What is something we can do while electricity is on, is watch the progress of the eye with the different weather radars.
Stay safe...
Rick
Back to the original subject of the post:
I have been offered to bid on a quite large project for a local ranch. Excited, but nervous.
I know the feeling. It is nerve racking to bid on a large job or a type of job I have never done before. I'm getting ready to build two built in channel back, curved seats, on site for a home theater. Even though I have never done one before I'm sure I can get-er-done. But that old inner conscious likes to put doubt into my head.
We gotta see Kodydog. Fill us up with pics.
The project manager informed me that it won't be a bidding contract. Apparently if they get the project, which is a 'manor' complete with stables, etc, they will send me a price and ask me if I want to do it. Which, I kind of like better.
It's mostly dining chairs to be reupholstered with Kravet fabric.