?'s for MI members

[CSnyder]

Well my wife and I have been discussing moving to the state of Michigan and I am curious about many things. I mostly want to know what sort of wages a skilled carpenter can make. We are looking at the north Detroit suburbs as my sister and her BF live in the area. Does anyone have any online sources for info on the area? I used to own and run my own business framing houses for MN's top builder and would love to do it again for a living. I currently own a hotshot trucking business with a GOOD contract but I am getting tired of driving everyday. Is there much local feight to be hauled in the Detroit area that I could be home every night until I can get established with construction again? I have very good references for both businesses. I wouldn't even mind working for an owner so as too rid myself of the headaches of owning the business... I hate paperwork and the IRS! Is there any members who would want to discuss a partnership in construction???? I'm open to ALL ideas any of you may have.

TIA, Chris

 

[I-6DZL]

I live about 2 hrs from the area you're considering so i'm not sure about anything you need to know.



I will offer a nice camper to stay in for a while if you want to come out and check into some things.



Probably doesn't help at all, but you're talking about detroit, anything can and will happen there.



Curtis

 

[R-N-R]

I live in Marysville, which is in the Port Huron Area, or about 30 miles NE of Detroit. What area are you looking to settle to?

 

[CSnyder]

I-6DSL, thank you very much for the offer of the camper but I have a sister in Sterling Heights I can stay with. She has been out there for about 10 years and works for Lear Corporation. Her BF owns a house in Romeo that he has remodeled and I am considering buying as it is the perfect size for my family. I am mostly interested in the wage brackets to expect in the north Detroit area since my sister is highly educated and seems to know next to nothing about labor jobs. I grew up on a large dairy farm and CANNOT stand to sit still at some corporate job and I have a good education also. I like to be active and work 12 to 16 hours a day. Keep the info coming guys! TIA, Chris

 

[DISPATCH]

chris,



i currentaly work mostly in the birmingham west bloomfield area building custom stair cases. i work for my boss and it is only him and I. i can ask around about wages seeing as i see guys everyday in differant trades. what exactly are you looking to do?? feel free to call me if you want 248 755 1599



drew

 

[IC Smoke]

Chris-



I cant help you out unless you want to get back on the farm. Here in Pittsford 49271 its a one blinking light and the construction trade has boomed with many factory jobs closing in the area (Bose heading to mexico #@$%! and Hillsdale Tool going outa town as well) so that has flooded the area with "contractors" that will do everything cheap. I was in lawn care & snow removal but now everyone with a pickup and mower has under-bid me or taken the job someother way. So I would stay clear of the southern central area of lower Mich.



I dont know where your located in Iowa but I went to Elma, Iowa to pick up my sport bumper/grille. Its a nice area especially over near Wisconson.



We all hope you come this way our tdr troll(under the bridge) group is pretty interesting buta blast as well!



Ian

 

[CSnyder]

Drew, I'm not real particular but I am very experienced as a rough carpenter such as framing houses. When I owned my own business in the twin cities my crew of 4 guys and myself could frame a 3500 sq ft home in 5 days and I kinda liked doing that but will consider all other jobs as long as I'm not treated like a 8 dollar an hour laborer. I have many carpentry skills and expect to be paid for them but I'm not greedy. Know what I mean?



Ian, I live very close to Elma. I am about 20 miles northeast of Decorah Iowa on a major river. Who did you happen to buy your bumper from? I wouldn't mind working a farm job either but I don't want to work with animals directly. . ie milking cows or pig work... I feel I am a better equipment operator or mechanic and my knees won't take any more milking... I've been there done that crap!



Keep the ideas coming guys and TIA, Chris

 

[CSnyder]

Also my wife is going to school right now to become a probation/parole officer so all you outlaws in Michigan better watch out if we come that way. :-laf :-laf :-laf ... Chris

 

[IC Smoke]

haha well if she can help with some speeding tickets that would be good :-laf



I dont remember the name but he had a 97 ext cab 12v 4x4 silver and was on www.dodgetrucks.org when I did my quest for the swap. I just remember going thru Spillville Iowa and thinking that I thought pittsford was small... well not compaired to Spillville!!



Ahh again I cant help much again, majority of the farms are cows or pigs with some crops on the side. We have 3 Dutch "Megafarms" that are pretty close and maybe another in the works. The manure they haul out, pump into the ground, and spread is unreal.



Ian

 

[CSnyder]

Ian, Well my sisters ex husband is the Detroit courthouse computer programmer and maybe just maybe he could help you out... . :-laf :-laf :-laf



If you went thru Spillville you went thru one of Iowa's bigger towns also. You were only about 5 miles from the famous Goerands transmission shop too.



Musta been Shawn you bought the bumper from. He needs to get a membership on TDR and join us. He is a good guy. I almost bought that truck from my bank before he got it. The guy who had it didn't make the payments and they sold it for 6000.



What is a Dutch farm?



TIA, Chris

 

[IC Smoke]

haha any help would be appreciated. he (shawn) is a good guy we talked for a good couple hours. Is he still driving the concrete trucks?



Dutch owned... mexican employeed, 3000+ head dairy farm. As a senior biology project Chris Poling and I did a study on the PH levels in the local water near the farms and up to 20 miles away. The water IS way out of control for PH levels near the farms. They dont like it when you try to get water samples from the ditches near the farms though :-laf



Just type in "Michigan Mega Farms" in yahoo and you will be flooded with info and articles. Here is one of them:



http://www.detnews.com/2005/project/0508/14/Z03-275408.htm





Ian

 

[CSnyder]

Ian, I live in a mostly dairy county but we also have the mega farms coming in around here but they are the hog guys. IMHO... I would rather live near a dairy than a hog farm. Around here you either have to live in town or near a river to not worry if one will be built next to you. I live on the river.

Last I talked to Shawn he was still driving the cement truck. I need to get myself some time off and go visit him. I'm not too far from him but I drive all week long in my truck( average 500 miles a day) and the last thing I want to do on my days off is drive some more. In fact it's Sunday at 6:30 am and I have 2 loads to run over by Madison,WI today. I haven't had a day free since back in the middle of last month and to think this is my slowest part of the year. Can you understand my frustration and reasons for wanting to get out of here? The money is GOOD, but the headaches are more frequent!



Drew, have you had a chance to ask around about wages in carpentry work yet? Let me know if you have or maybe I will try giving you a call today.



Keep the info coming and thanks alot guys, Chris

 

[bmoeller]

Bummer to see you are thinking about moving. I do understand the 500 mile days, though. Done plenty of those. Even some 6-700miles days once in a while. When yuo get home, you don't really don't want to do anything else, but drop in a recliner, or go to bed.



From what I heard last week, Detroit has a 15% unemplyment rate.

 

[CSnyder]

Bryan, I talked to my sister there today and she said unemployment is at 8% right now but that is mostly right in Detroit. I am planning on living north of there a good ways to avoid some crime and maybe jump down onto 8 mile once and awhile and give them lowriders a soot bath. How's harvest coming for you and how is mom doing?



Chris

 

[bmoeller]

Harvest is coming along great. Beans have been done for a while, and about 850 acres of corn left. Should be done within 2 wks. Yields have been OK. Some pretty bad though. Beans were 30-60 bu/ac, corn 46-199bu/ac so far. Covering close to 90-100acres/day.



Mom is doing well. She came home Thursday. Still really sore, but is doing better every day.

 

[I-6DZL]

Chris know what safetyKleen is ? I can land you a job at the Mason MI branch. Just south of Lansing. Nice country area to the east about 15 minutes.





www.SafetyKleen.com



Curtis



Anybody else interrested let me know.....

 

[DISPATCH]

sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. a well experienced carpenter can make around 25 an hour maybe better. ill keep askin around



drew