Tell me about the area and job possibility for HVAC-R (Charlotte: apartments, renting)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are looking to move to the NC/SC area. All my family is from NC/VA-my parents relocated to NY back in 51. Possibly moving my almost 86 year old Mom with us so she can be nearer her family-they are mostly in Greensboro, Eden and Boone-but we liked this area. So also interested in assisted living situations too. By the time we get to move-we'll have only one living at home in middle school. So that's a concern. Also we aren't interested at all in HOA's-want some elbow room. Also would like to live near a body of water for fishing and boating. Is that a pricey prospect?
Looking to find out about the weather in that part of NC. I have concerns about heavy snow-fractured my ankle in 3 places and dislocated it here this past winter on black ice-not interested in doing that again. Lastly-spouse does HVAC-R. How's the outlook for that type job down there? He'd spent 21 years in Ready Mix Concrete as dispatcher/lab tech and it slowed down here and went a different route.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated greatly.
Thanks!
Well, let's start with moving grandma here. We have a lot of assisted living facilities in the area, as well as nursing homes. There is a really nice facility near me. The neighborhood I live in is older (built in the 80s and 90s) so we don't have HOA and the lots are at least 1/2 acre, with woods, and I have a creek in the back and mature trees. I am off Carmel Road.
You didn't say the price point you are thinking about for a house and that is gonna determine pretty much what neighborhood we could suggest. I mention mine b/c the Asstd. Living facility is nearby and I have visited it and really like it. Also, we are not near the lake but we are near all sorts of conveniences. You may want to look around Lake Wylie or Tega Cay if you want to be near water.
Or you might like Huntersville or Mooresville (I do). And there are facilities for your grandmother up that way, too. Boone is not bad to get to from anyplace with access to 485/85 or 1-77/421 . . . or you can always use 1-40 to 321 N. However, it would be easier to get to Eden if you lived North of Charlotte. So thought I would mention that Mooresville might be a really good location for you (or Concord or Cornelius) and you may be able to find larger lots or even some farmland up that way. I wasn't sure just how much land you wanted. The good thing about living in that region is you can choose something near Lake Norman. You might not find what you want right on the lake but there are communities with a shared boat launch, for instance.
I am not sure what to tell you about the HVAC jobs. I do know that with residential construction coming to a huge slowdown, a lot of folks have been laid off or have had their work hours cut. But that doesn't mean a company wouldn't grab up an experienced tech. There are some big companies in the area. Air Master out of Salisbury put in our new dual system two years ago. They have big contracts and brought a large crew out here. Now, I have no idea about their business in general or if they are hiring - just know they did a great job for us - very professional. Here is their website:
You might just give them a call and see if your hubby can talk to someone there about job possibilities. From what I ascertained, their employees live all over - not necessarily right there in Salisbury.
Good luck with your decisions! It seems to me that moving to NC is the logical thing to do with family in the state. If you can't find what you want right in Charlotte, there are many wonderful towns and areas surrounding Charlotte. Can you come down and check things out? If you do, let us know so we can give you some ideas on where to look.
Thanks for the great information. Mom has been very stubborn about relocating with us-but if I am armed with good information about an assisted living facility that would meet her needs-that may do the trick. Do you have any names I can check into?
I like a few of the areas you've mentioned-Mooresville has come up in my research quite a few times. We are probably looking to spend $250-300,000 on a home-less is better-we don't want a McMansion. I'd like to keep a nice nest egg from what we sell our home in NY for. Do you know which towns are around that area? I'll check out their webpages and county tourism sites too.
We are preferring a ranch one level style home due to-well age will creep up on us some day. I have trouble with stairs due to the ankle now and we've got two sets of them. We are on the look out for no more than a 3 bedroom-because we'll only have one child at home-middle school age-the others get the guest room for visits. Also what about schools there? Which would be good?
With the HVAC-R-hubby wants to work primarily in the refrigeration end of it. Local supermarkets, hotels, hospitals, food establishments all need that service. Or even A/C he's wanting to look into. Everyone has some sort of heating element for their homes, so he's got lots of different avenues to look into down there for work.
Definitely the best thing for us to come to NC. As my whole family says-I'm the only DamnYankee in the bunch. And it's one word according to them. My family on both sides in NC/VA has been their since the 1700's, so I am coming home finally when we move down there. Thanks for your help-lots to check out!
My family (both sides) have been here since the 1700s, too, so for all I know, we might be related, LOL!!! It really does sound like it would be a good move for you w/ other family here.
Mooresville itself is a small town. Lots of housing developments popping up but not a huge town itself! Troutman would be another small burg nearby. I have soft spot for Troutman b/c some of the nicest people you will ever meet live there, but I love Mooresville, too. Lots of shopping centers around Mooresville and good healthcare, as well - and right there at Lake Norman! I am not sure about asst'd living centers but I will ask around and see who makes some recommendations. Or maybe you will get lucky and someone else will post here w/ some names! Getting a good realtor's advice would really help with finding that one-story ranch type home. You should be able to find a decent selection in the area at your price point. You may even be able to find something a bit out w/ an acre or more of land.
You might want to check Cornelius and/or Concord, too. And then there are areas around Denver that might be exactly what you want. I honestly think once you come here to visit, you are gonna look around and just "know" what feels right. Each town has its own vibe and pros and cons, depending on your unique situation.
I wish I knew more about the refrigeration side of things, but I don't. It would stand to reason, tho, that this would be a very needed job skill for the region. I hope someone will provide you some names of companies.
If you find something you are interested in, don't hesitate to post questions. Just look on a map at Iredell and Cabarrus Counties. Also, don't rule out Denver and areas over that way. But the biggest way to figure out what appeals to you is if you could visit! :-)
HVAC jobs are actually really good here. You see postings for them for alot of companies including 4 alone just in CMS. (charlotte mecklenburg schools)
The others posts are more informative as to where to live.
Thanks for the great information. Mom has been very stubborn about relocating with us-but if I am armed with good information about an assisted living facility that would meet her needs-that may do the trick. Do you have any names I can check into?
I like a few of the areas you've mentioned-Mooresville has come up in my research quite a few times. We are probably looking to spend $250-300,000 on a home-less is better-we don't want a McMansion. I'd like to keep a nice nest egg from what we sell our home in NY for. Do you know which towns are around that area? I'll check out their webpages and county tourism sites too.
We are preferring a ranch one level style home due to-well age will creep up on us some day. I have trouble with stairs due to the ankle now and we've got two sets of them. We are on the look out for no more than a 3 bedroom-because we'll only have one child at home-middle school age-the others get the guest room for visits. Also what about schools there? Which would be good?
With the HVAC-R-hubby wants to work primarily in the refrigeration end of it. Local supermarkets, hotels, hospitals, food establishments all need that service. Or even A/C he's wanting to look into. Everyone has some sort of heating element for their homes, so he's got lots of different avenues to look into down there for work.
Definitely the best thing for us to come to NC. As my whole family says-I'm the only DamnYankee in the bunch. And it's one word according to them. My family on both sides in NC/VA has been their since the 1700's, so I am coming home finally when we move down there. Thanks for your help-lots to check out!
It's mostly heat-pumps down here for residential. Job stability would be better in refrigeration or commercial.
My family (both sides) have been here since the 1700s, too, so for all I know, we might be related, LOL!!! It really does sound like it would be a good move for you w/ other family here.
Mooresville itself is a small town. Lots of housing developments popping up but not a huge town itself! Troutman would be another small burg nearby. I have soft spot for Troutman b/c some of the nicest people you will ever meet live there, but I love Mooresville, too. Lots of shopping centers around Mooresville and good healthcare, as well - and right there at Lake Norman! I am not sure about asst'd living centers but I will ask around and see who makes some recommendations. Or maybe you will get lucky and someone else will post here w/ some names! Getting a good realtor's advice would really help with finding that one-story ranch type home. You should be able to find a decent selection in the area at your price point. You may even be able to find something a bit out w/ an acre or more of land.
You might want to check Cornelius and/or Concord, too. And then there are areas around Denver that might be exactly what you want. I honestly think once you come here to visit, you are gonna look around and just "know" what feels right. Each town has its own vibe and pros and cons, depending on your unique situation.
I wish I knew more about the refrigeration side of things, but I don't. It would stand to reason, tho, that this would be a very needed job skill for the region. I hope someone will provide you some names of companies.
If you find something you are interested in, don't hesitate to post questions. Just look on a map at Iredell and Cabarrus Counties. Also, don't rule out Denver and areas over that way. But the biggest way to figure out what appeals to you is if you could visit! :-)
Thanks for all your great suggestions! We have family in Cornelius. Course we have family in Boone too-my family started the Bassett Furniture company, lol Can you tell me about the weather on that part of the state? Is it a heavy snow area during the winter or is it more ice? I know it's not like here in upstate NY where -30 below wind chills happen every Jan-Feb.
Which school systems in the area are good? I am hoping for one that has a good reputation for their academics and honestly-one that has field hockey.
It's mostly heat-pumps down here for residential. Job stability would be better in refrigeration or commercial.
Huh? By far, and it's not even close, the vast majority of homes in Charlotte have gas heat with an AC. In any case a heat pump is simply an air conditioner that runs in reverse for heating purposes.
I am thinking there is a big need for people with these skills because Charlotte is full of subdivisions that have been built 10+ years ago that are needing replacements now. The builder's models that get put in don't last that long.
Like I said there are more heat pumps than any other combination in NC and in fact in the SE of the US. Sorry you're having a hard time with that... I said nothing about the extra 2 or more stages of heat. Those could be electrical or fossil fuel type. Although a heat pump is an air conditioner is reverse it's not that simple. That's why if you pass the NATE certification for heat pumps you get both the A/C and HP certifications. There is quiet a bit more on the technical side than it just reverses.
Besides that if you're in residential you're not only going to be working on just peoples homes. Mecklenberg has a requirement that newly installed equipment requires a permit. That goes for apartments, condos and individual homes. You'll see a pretty decent pickup in the future for when a compressor goes out in the residential renting side of things that the entire system will need to be replaced or at least the evaporator coil certified for use with R-410. The same permiting requirements go for water heaters too. But hey I can only speak for Concord, Cornelius, Huntersville, Denver, Lincolnton, Salisbury and Charlotte. I suppose as an electrical engineer you have visited as many homes I have to repair their HVAC systems?
Last edited by BigJon3475; 10-25-2009 at 03:01 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Do you know which towns are around that area? I'll check out their webpages and county tourism sites too.
