Do You Have a Secret to Getting People to Take Your Money?

[AKA-None]

I’m going to have to say it’s every where
I have the same problem getting people to even tell you they are too busy
Even for jobs that’ll be for multiple thousands or multiple tens of thousands
This is not recent either

[donradcliffe]

I hear you. I've spent the last 3 weeks at the local boatbuilders refurbishing a 46 year old boat. He is over 60, has health issues, and has turned down 15 jobs in that time frame. He let us in the queue because we were old friends and he likes our stories, we are doing most of the work ourselves with his guidance and tools, and we bring the whiskey for after we drop the tools.

He says he sees the landing lights ahead, but has never developed an apprentice to buy the business. Same for our local sparmaker, metal fabricator, and fiberglass guru. In 5 years we are going to be S.O.L.

[Lake-Effect]

As I read all this, it seems that what could work is some sort of boat co-op yard, or an offshoot of a yacht-club, where there's a workshop available, and members help each other with projects (with some sort of tracking for hours and materials), and they could maintain relationships with outside suppliers, which would be more efficient than every owner having to track down competent help by themselves. Almost like a hacker-space for boats.

We have almost that arrangement at our yacht club - we have a workshop, we share info and tips, and we often help each other out. About the only missing ingredient is insurance; if I helped rewire someone's boat and it goes sideways and burns to the waterline... who's on the hook for that?

Anyway... a hacker-space (yard) for boats... that would be cool.

[sailmc]

If you are talking about a custom fabricated metal part check out YRM in Ft Lauderdale. They are expensive but the work is the best available. Other than that if you Google custom metal fabricators in Ft Lauderdale you’ll get lots of hits.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I agree! If I could do this myself I would in a second. However, my stainless steel and aluminum welding skills are not up to par. Nor do I have any of the equipment. Nor would it even make sense to buy all of that equipment and figure out how to do all of the welding. This is something everyone outsources when they build a boat. Unless they are building a metal boat to begin with.

I don’t think there’s any place in my post that I said I was trying to get a cheap deal. I’m trying to get it done.

Funny thing about the immigrants taking the jobs. There is some more simple welding that I needed done on my truck. All of these usual suspects around here couldn’t bring themselves to do that either. So the only people I found that could do it were a Mexican shop where they actually have a work ethic. Luckily, at least that is getting done. I was very glad to find them. But they didn’t want to work in the materials needed for the boat shop. They just wanted to do the simple welding I had for my truck. Which is great. I’m glad they are around.

It sounds like an easy job inn your mind. As I understand it you want someone to also come to your boat. That means travel time and boat work. Boat work means boat yard prices and some expertise in doing this job. You probably need to find a yard that cAn do this kind of work and PAY the GOING RATE. My guess is in FL its around $150 an hour. There are 3 things that make up a business deal. PRICE, SERVICE AND QUALITY. Pick two!

[StoneCrab]

Sourcing the materials is the biggest pain in the ass for any project. It often takes more time than the fabrication.

You say that you have drawings and a bill of materials. Go buy the materials, put them in your truck or trailer and drive to some fabrication shops or trade schools. At that point you are only needing the cutting, bending and welding done.

Also buy the welding supplies that are appropriate for your project. Normal fabrication is carbon steel, not stainless or aluminum.

The perspective that I have on your situation is that fabricators consider boat owners fussy, impatient, unrealistic about costs and have very unusual projects which represent a high level of risk to them. Those projects require parts and materials not normally in the fabricators pipeline and possibly techniques they don't normally use. If you source all the materials and offer to be on hand to answer questions, so in effect the job is liability free, then the fabricator is only functioning as your hands in the creation of your project.

One of my own projects that comes to mind was my jacketed stainless exhaust system. I had drawings too and met with resistance. I don't think studying my drawings was worth the mental effort...but when I bought the pipe and offered to direct the fabrication, it was done after hours in about an hour. The guys simply bent the pipe per my verbal instructions and welded it up. When it was done they commented that it was a cool design and they had no idea what I was blathering about or showing on the drawings. Basically by my buying the material and being there, I purchased the skills I needed for fabrication and kept their liability and stress to a minimum.

Usually on big projects you have foremen who translate the drawings, make the patterns and jigs for the guys, buy the materials etc. If you are willing to be the foreman, you will find the tradesman with the skills you need.

Another thought is to go to car shows. You will meet guys with skills who are used to challenges and have a network of fabrication buddies.

[mcon12000]

Contact a Tuna Tower or T Top fabricator in the area.

[Nyaminyami]

Tipping follows the work. I think you're referring to a bribe.

[Martinini]

These guys are only taking the jobs that make them big paychecks! If it's a smaller job they don't want to take it because it makes them so little. With all the storms last couple of years there are a lot of damaged boats in the $500,000 dollar range. And owners with deep pockets. If you get lucky someone will hit a slow month and than they will get to you! If your boat has a working engine the Marina shouldn't care if the mast is up.

[rsementi]

I think the problem is indicative of when a society transitions further in to socialism. Brain drains, skilled labor drains are the consequences. When our government spends 8.5 Trilluon dollars over 5 years, it’s like creating a whole other nation of beauracracy, bigger than many nations put together.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by rsementi

I think the problem is indicative of when a society transitions further in to socialism. Brain drains, skilled labor drains are the consequences. When our government spends 8.5 Trilluon dollars over 5 years, it’s like creating a whole other nation of beauracracy, bigger than many nations put together.

Thanks for the belly laugh. Socialism ...?? seriously . If anything, the issues faced by the OP are driven by capitalism operating as intended. Supply/demand, businesses prioritizing maximum profit over all other values.

Yup... capitalism at it's finest (and I'm a proud capitalist ).

[GopherBaroque]

I agree with the several posts mentioning:
a) assemble all the parts/materials/simple drawings (not necessarily consumables, those tend to be personal preference)
b) present the work to them at their location

My experience is that a shop/person that does any small work (shops that just do production work don't give the time of day) will see it easier to just do it than to talk about it. My approach is to set the parts out, "I have a problem, can you help?" Be ready to pay in cash off the books - frequently my little weld or whatever is just lunch money to them.

[womensetsail]

Maybe a long shot but you might try MacsMetal.com. They are stainless fabricators in Port Charlotte FL. They do excellent stainless welding work and aluminum too. They do stainless fly bridges and created a gorgeous stainless fireplace surround for our home.

Worth a call.

[rsementi]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Thanks for the belly laugh. Socialism ...?? seriously . If anything, the issues faced by the OP are driven by capitalism operating as intended. Supply/demand, businesses prioritizing maximum profit over all other values.

Yup... capitalism at it's finest (and I'm a proud capitalist ).

I’m a big fan of the virtues of capitalism too. Probably more than you are.

But we really don’t have capitalism in the US anymore. I’d estimate that today, we are mostly a socialist economy. More than ever. The supply of dollars are incredibly inflated over the supply of goods and services. Supply vs Demand are fundamental realities that occur in any system of economics. In a free capitalist system, like Hong Kong once was up until recently, shows the beauty of Supply and Demand when it’s not interfered with or coerced by government. Prices become lower, supplies become larger, on every level. Prosperity and human flourishing grows.

But if you look at the pattern of any economy that moves in the direction of socialism, it always faces the consequences all goods and services declining or draining by the demand of the population. And it never catches up. The more severe the implementation of socialism, the longer are the lines of people waiting to buy gas, food or skilled labor. This happens before the collapse of a nation’s currency. You’ll see.

[jalmberg]

Ha! It’s Florida.