I think there are also many guys concern about it !

[happymrwilson]

Here's a question that I've been struggling with lately:

What is the REAL situation out there for stone fabricators? I visit some shops that tell me they're as busy as can be, and yet there seems to be very little work going. Others tell me they're "dead," and the shop seems to be bustling. I guess this is a two-part question:

A. How has the housing slowdown affected your business? Has it affected volume? Or have you simply leveled off?

B. How are you responding to the current business climate? Has it made you change your pricing? Are you still making machinery investments? Are you scaling back? Have you had to lay anyone off?

Thanks !

[Topshop]

I think it has to do with whether your shop is based on doing business with builders or business directly with home owners. All builders in my area are doing nothing. I have always avoided doing business with the type of people who give you a hard time getting paid so I will not cater to builders. The jobs may be fewer but it seems that those home owners with money still have money and the jobs are getting bigger in size with better profits. This may also have to do with building my reputation as a quality fabricator so I am trusted more with the bigger jobs and people are willing to wait for me to do their tops. I let the impatient and bottom line customers go away to my competition as they are usually the pita customers anyway. Let the local hacks have the pita customers - they will hire me to fix the mess and pay for it then. I want customers who know quality and are willing to pay for it.

I am a one man shop and have been for several years so no lay-offs for me. I am purchasing equipment as i need to. I have just bought a new trailer to install tops with - my last one was under rated for what I needed to carry so I got a heavier duty one. As far as in shop machinery - I may need some equipment this year but am trying to spend as little as I need to. I charge customers what I need to to make a living - If one of my competitors wants to under cut me and not make money - let them. I will stay home that day and work on my house. I will not work for nothing. Most of the material costs (stone and diamonds) have gone up so I charge accordingly.

[happymrwilson]

HI, TopStone

I think you are smart to have you own way to get the share of the stone industry marcket !

I do believe that you can live well ,
I also think that you are easy to be content ,and you are unambitious .
And this also leads that you could not build up a big career in life .
In fact just like me !

I just guess ,hope this may not offend you !

In fact I like someone's suggestion about it :

Ensure that you have a good blend. That is to say "do not put all your eggs in one basket". Spread your workload over various aspects of the market for example: 30% Commercial Contractors, 30% High-End New Builders, 20% Remodel and 20% Tract entry-level homes or Condos. Different aspects of the market are affected by different economic events. For example, we find that when the Stock Market goes flat the 500K to 1 million dollar market literally comes to a stop. Why? Because homeowners in this price point typically have a large chunk of their personal wealth invested in stocks and bonds. The starter homes continue to be built because these customers do not have the financial wherewithall to dabble in the market and the ultra high-end customer will carry on with their plans because only a low percentage of their great wealth is exposed to the Stock Market. Keep in mind that your "Blend" is not fixed. Manipulate or massage it depending on what is going on in the industry. (add more remodels reduce commercial percentage etc.)

Are we busy? Sure we're busy but it is a much different busy than one year ago. We are busy helping our existing customers market their inventory homes. We are busy chasing new markets and we are busy developing new marketing strategies. We are busy chasing new leads and we are busy trying to find innovative ways to continue to produce perfect countertops but at a lower cost because we, too, are facing tremendous price-driven competition(hope I can help anybody in this point ).

Slowdowns are not fun but they do tend to weed out the sick and the weak. Be good at what you do, charge a fair price and service your customer to death.

Many thanks !

Wilson