In my opinion, there is a difference in Rig Welders that are a one or a two man operation and the small contractors like yourself (and us) in terms of what you can charge.
If we bid a job, whether it's stair erection or mechanical piping with an hourly rate of $75.00 we would get zero work. One of my business partners thinks we should use that rate.
I tend to use a 45-55 hr rate depending on how many high wage men will work the project. We try to go after work that most other contractors shy away from in our area like underground mechanical piping that requires RT but it has mostly dried up.
We get (got) most of our work at local military bases but after the recession the companies that would NEVER bid on gov. work have flocked here because non gov. commercial and light industrial work dried up. So now, if we team up with a contractor to bid a job, instead of eight companies bidding that job, there may be 25. Out of those 25 you can bet a few of those companies are waaay low but they get the work...and you don't. We have done quite a bit of rework in the last couple of years due to horrible work by the successful contractor but that is living on the crumbs instead of the main course. I have posted some of the pics of the shoddy work in other threads. Coming from the nuclear world it still amazes me that the quality (or rather the lack there of) if often allowed on these projects often by unqualified, low paid welders or illegal low paid welders. Either way, not a good recipe to stay busy and profitable in the current economy in my area.
I do weld inspections on base also and the craftsmanship is usually not good and sometimes horrible. But if they can get by with it they will.
You kind of have to play with the cards you have, If you have to travel 100 miles to a market that has plenty of qualified local contractors, your travel/per diem cost usually puts you over the top on what the market will pay.
If you are a rig welder or a small contractor that has the opportunity to get $75.00/hr for your wages I'm happy for you. I think you deserve it. It's just not possible for all rig welders and all small contractors to consistently get that rate no matter how good you are unless your target market and area will bear it.
In 1999 to 2001, I was a one man operation and did moment welds locally averaging $1000.00 per day. The next wave of moment weld design buildings were done by non English speaking stick welders that had porosity and slag inclusion on the cap and their rods were kept in their buckets with a shirt covering the top over the weekend... you know, just in case it rained. The UT/CWI must have been using the Farm Code.
>"BOB, WAKE UP ITS ALL ABOUT THE DOLLARS" its business, thats the way it runs<
Unfortunately true. We mostly make a living either being or teaming with the...wait fot it... low bidder.
I miss 1999 to 2001.
Marty,
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