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Old 06-16-2014, 08:01 PM
 
Location: Upstate NY
3 posts, read 3,569 times
Reputation: 18

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Looking for any information ….here's the 'lowdown' Late 40's early 50's couple with grown kids looking to move to Colorado and relocate small excavating business. Have been in upstate NY far too long. Need I really say what the problem is …NY Taxes, short work season and a whole lot of rain! We are looking into taking a risk and heading west and starting a small business as that's the only occupation my husband has ever had. His reputation is wonderful and business is there, but due to the aforementioned problems it's hard to actually be able to do jobs. Fast forward to present time. We are looking for a place in Colorado that has a longer work season and the demand for experienced, creative excavating work. We are familiar with Grand Junction and Palisade area. And thought that would be lucrative if the demand is there. Our daughter is in Denver and we have considered some areas north of there i.e. Boulder, Longmont, Ft Collins. And even some southwest of Denver. Visited Durango this past winter for a couple days and noticed a lot of building, but it was a fairly mild winter I think. We also need a place that we can buy a small house and some land to store equipment. I would say maybe 2 acres. I know there are some that will shoot holes through some of our ideas…but just looking for honest opinions of those that live in some of these communities or others that we haven't considered. We were lucky enough to purchase a small winter home in Gold Canyon, AZ, that has been a saving grace for us these last 3 years to get away from the horrid weather here. We would like to continue to spend a couple months there, but looking to be able to work outside from April- Dec in some sunshine!! Thanks
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Old 06-16-2014, 09:52 PM
 
Location: Evergreen
403 posts, read 757,497 times
Reputation: 485
Have you considered the foothills just west of Denver? That way you can be close to your daughter and still have the ability to run the business that your husband has been used to. You'll get the acreage that you are looking for to store your equipment and there's a good need for excellent excavators. Custom home builds, landscaping, septic systems, etc.

The areas that might work for you are Evergreen, Conifer, Pine, Morrison, Indian Hills, Mountain Littleton. Good Luck!
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Old 06-17-2014, 07:15 AM
 
3,490 posts, read 6,084,500 times
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Great advice by alliern. The weather out here would certainly make it possible to work outside in those months most years. It won't be possible every day in those months, as we can get a cold snap in December that would derail working outside for 2 or 3 days, but otherwise it is possible throughout much of the year. I think we usually average 3 days of hitting 60 in January. Of course, we also have a few days with highs below 15.
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Old 06-17-2014, 09:03 AM
 
8,456 posts, read 8,691,448 times
Reputation: 5664
Namesandnumbers.com says there are 23 excavating companies in Grand Junction. Thebluebook.com says there 288 in Colorado. Old census data suggests total excavating revenue is almost as high as NY. There might be county level revenue data available from feds or CO Dept. of Revenue but I did not immediately see it.
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Old 06-17-2014, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Upstate NY
3 posts, read 3,569 times
Reputation: 18
Thank you so much for commenting! Yes, alliern and lurtsman, I've been thinking the same thing on those areas, but wasn't sure of the demand for this work. We don't need to advertise here as we have such a great relationship with builders and communities. But if all finances fall into place and we go out with no debt, we can afford some time to develop things. NW Crow, never knew of those websites but will def give them a good look. We are hoping to get out there early August to take a look around, but it's a 2 year plan. If you think of anything else or any ideas/connections I would love to hear them.
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Old 06-17-2014, 08:18 PM
 
8,317 posts, read 29,423,158 times
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Good equipment operators are hard to find anywhere in Colorado, but those that are around have to compete with about ten thousand clowns who don't know what they are doing, but will underbid the people who do. There is a constant supply of the "clowns" to make business miserable for the reputable contractors.

The knowledgeable people, especially in the rural areas, know who the reputable contractors are, and many of those reputable outfits are multi-generational operations who not only know the business, but they know the geography and geology of where they work--the latter being something the you don't know and wouldn't know without years of experience.

Do any work in the mountains of Colorado and you will come away with a whole new definition of "short work season." Then, of course, you will also get "sticker shock" when you look at real estate prices in the mountain areas or in rural areas near the mountains. And, too, when Colorado's bubblelated real estate market busts again--and it will--about a third or more of any of the contractors associated with construction either go broke or leave the state to find work. That cycle has repeated itself many times over the decades.

Short story--that type of business is very difficult to sustain in Colorado. The ones who do--and I do know some--have to work harder and smarter to make a living than they would most anywhere else.
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Old 06-18-2014, 07:22 AM
 
Location: Upstate NY
3 posts, read 3,569 times
Reputation: 18
Appreciate your thoughts, jazzlover, although I would say that a lot of what you mentioned holds true here as well. The 'clowns', knowledge of the area, multi-generational businesses and short work season. My husband is 2nd generation and is incredibly knowledgeable about his work and terrain here. We are in the Adirondack Mountains certainly not to compare them to the Rockies, but with that brings different issues as well. Our work season is April- Dec, but I guess it's not so much the number of months, but the weather conditions. The mere fact that that part of the country gets so much more sunshine and less precipitation than where we are is more desirable.

As far as 'sticker-shock', we have some property here that is comparable with some of the mountain homes out there. We are looking to downsize, simplify and live a more quality life. Quite honestly, we are tired of the northeast. I guess there's no perfect place, but all is a trade-off and depends on where you are and where you want to be.

So all things considered, it's a tough business all the way around wherever we are, but if that's the only thing to keep financially afloat, then we have to look into where we can be the most content doing it.
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Old 06-21-2014, 07:58 AM
 
Location: Black Forest, CO
50 posts, read 75,930 times
Reputation: 43
Consider Colorado Springs. A lot of growth and as for excavating etc..., as you head south to Pueblo, there is a longer season and less snow than anywhere along the Front Range. If you are tired of high NY taxes, I think you will notice a big difference anywhere out here in property taxes -- but especially El Paso county.
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Old 06-21-2014, 08:00 PM
 
Location: Littleton, CO
3,158 posts, read 6,106,859 times
Reputation: 5619
You might look also at the southern end of the metro area along Santa Fe Drive (US-85) around Louviers and Sedalia. There are a number of businesses related to that type of work in the area -- from landscaping to heavy equipment, etc. There is a lot of custom home building being done around there as well.
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