How are others managing ?

ProDave · May 2, 2020

Progress here.

On Monday the local independent builders merchant re opens. Also on Monday Howdens re opens for telephone orders and contactless collection.

I will be phoning Jewsons on Monday to see if they are open, if so I will be asking when the hell am I going to get my multipanel that's been sat in their depo for 7 weeks now. If they are not open I will be ordering it from the independent BM and will tell them to stuff it when they are ready.

And I have found a sawmill that is open for telephone orders and contactless collection as well.

On another subject, I only did 4 jobs last month. None booked at the moment. I wonder how it will go after all this is done? I don't advertise all my work comes word of mouth.

I see 2 possibilities. Either there will be a huge backlog and I will be rushed off my feet and the end of year "silly season" will be even more mental than usual. OR everyone will have forgotten me and there will be no work.

How are others feeling?

kerching · May 2, 2020

My phone has t rung since march 19th apart from one job I didn't consider important enough

when all,this kerfuffle dies down I honestly do not know what will happen work wise. I am using the time as a 'taster session' for what retirement will be like

Murdoch · May 2, 2020

Well, I did a few call outs in April plus some planned work in empty properties. Made enough money to cover my overheads for 2 months.

around here the sparks outlets are open but not much else.

like others my phone / inbox have been extremely quiet since early March but I do have a months work on hold.

what I do know is that getting up early 5 days a week and working full days is going to be really tough once things start moving again.

As for the rest of the year, I think this will depend on the media - if they keep ramming negative news at us all the time, people won’t start spending .....

ProDave · May 2, 2020

I plan to retire in 3 years anyway. If the phone doesn't ring I would be happy just to live off SWMBO's wages, She might not think that a fair arrangement.

Andy™ · May 2, 2020

starting to get busy again here. never stopped really. most routine work put on hold but still 3-6 urgent jobs per week

Phoenix · May 3, 2020

Our firm is seeing small increases, and are gradually bringing folk back of furlough, its going to be a while before everyone is back, but its moving in the right direction. I think contracting works will look more normal quicker than reactive/small works, although I do reckon there will be a bit of a jump in that mid June when the 12 week sheltering reccomendation is over and likely the assisted living places we look after will no longer be limited to urgent and esstential jobs only. I've been one of the lucky ones who has kept going throughout this, so I've kept a sense of normality, which is good, and tbh, I've logged quite a bit of overtime lately so things must definatly be picking up