Does any know if the constrution job indusrty is booming here? (Gilbert: sales, homes)

[dvilleda832]

Hi me and my husband were planning on moving here from Texas. He has been to college for auto cad drafting and was looking to move arizona because were trying to get out of his parents house. He was helping them because they were in a bind. He also knows how to custom paint homes and commercial buildings. We were wondering if anyone knew how the construction jobs are so he can know weather or not to look for a constrution jobs or just start looking for jobs for drafting. Please help. i really do appreciate any one who replys . I thank you in advice.

[esselcue]

Housing is slow everywhere...commercial construction seems to be going on as usual, but you did not specify where in AZ you are interested in living.

[Master Shake]

It might be somewhat difficult, since there are a lot of people getting laid off or already laid off, due to the housing market correction. Doesn't hurt to look, though. Try checking some online job posting sites to get a feel of what's available.

[MotleyCrew]

We are not hiring draftsmen right now and we have received a few resumes from those recently layed off. I would not make the move at this time if I were in your shoes.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by MotleyCrew

We are not hiring draftsmen right now and we have received a few resumes from those recently layed off. I would not make the move at this time if I were in your shoes.

I agree. The number of engineering design jobs is way down and the clients who have projects can't find financing for them. The money guys are even pulling the rug out from under projects in progress or going bankrupt and can't deliver on their commitments. It's been worse, but it's still rough.

[djauto]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I agree. The number of engineering design jobs is way down and the clients who have projects can't find financing for them. The money guys are even pulling the rug out from under projects in progress or going bankrupt and can't deliver on their commitments. It's been worse, but it's still rough.

Ive never seen the economy this bad, but then Im a GenX dude.

dj

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by djauto

Ive never seen the economy this bad, but then Im a GenX dude.

dj

It was worse in the S&L crisis of the 80s/90s. Hundreds of banks went under including several in AZ. They were tossing developers in jail for fraud. Entire master planned developments like the Islands in Gilbert and Estrella in Goodyear went under or were taken over by the Feds in a bailout that cost billions and one we will be paying on for decades and decades. Today we see slow sales and only a few minor players going out of business. Prices on homes did not drop quite as far as they have today but then they were not wildly inflated at the start. Most people who had equity at the time the prices here surged around 2004 have not lost any of it. Indeed they even have a piece of the inflated equity left. Several national publications basically wrote our epitaph. Today, the mood is more "this too shall pass".

[drwnorth]

Impact from the underlying problems at hand haven't had enough time to sink in, give it another 6-12 months, it's going to get just as ugly as the S&L crisis of 80's/90's..

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by drwnorth

Impact from the underlying problems at hand haven't had enough time to sink in, give it another 6-12 months, it's going to get just as ugly as the S&L crisis of 80's/90's..

I disagree strongly.

[GilaMonster]

I tend to agree with drwnorth. The worst hasn't come yet.

There will be many more jobs lost in construction and related fields in AZ. Considering that at some time almost every 4th job in the state was in construction and related fields, I assume that there are tons of people here desperate for work in these fields. So if you are not here yet, don't come right now.

The crisis seems not only to affect the worker level alone, even the so called "white collar" level is severely affected. A friend of mine is an architect who recently moved his whole business to the Pacific Northwest because he said there was no hope in AZ. Another friend of mine owns a landscaping business that specialized in creating new landscaping, not in maintenance, he lately fired every single one of his employees. No business any more.