Stone Mason needed? (Portland, Bangor, Waterville: loan, new home, unemployment rate)

[Bassett]

My husband (the stone mason) is in Maine building a chimney for a friend. Well, he seems to really like the area. He's in Gardiner. He says it has all the best of everything...larger towns like Waterville but acres and acres of woodland to hike, bike, run the dogs and go hunting. It's not too far from saltwater beaches and offshore fishing. My question is this...Does the area need a stone mason? He does beautiful work and takes a lot of pride in it. But stonework is expensive and most people don't have the extra money for it.

Thanks in advance for any input

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by Bassett

My husband (the stone mason) is in Maine building a chimney for a friend. Well, he seems to really like the area. He's in Gardiner. He says it has all the best of everything...larger towns like Waterville but acres and acres of woodland to hike, bike, run the dogs and go hunting. It's not too far from saltwater beaches and offshore fishing. My question is this...Does the area need a stone mason? He does beautiful work and takes a lot of pride in it. But stonework is expensive and most people don't have the extra money for it.

Thanks in advance for any input

Finding a quality stone mason in Maine is usually left up to the GC. GC's usually know who does quality work within their area. Quality stonework is expensive but so beautiful to have. A few years ago during the bldg craze when lots of new construction was underway the guys we knew that did quality work were booked solid. In light of todays economy with less people bldg new homes or rehabbing older homes, it might be difficult to find work. IMHO, it would be hard to get established as a quality stone mason at this time. You could certainly advertise with a portfolio of his previous work, however most people will go with people they already know, and word of mouth seems to be the best form of advertising. Getting to know local contractors in the area would be a great way to get started so eventually when things turn around economically, banks start loaning money again and people start building again he might have an edge.
Best of luck to you in your research.

[Acadianlion]

I just closed down a granite quarrying business. Over the past five years we have cut dimensional stone for many different kinds of projects and numbered among our clients some of the best known landscape and stone masonry contractors along the coast. We cut stone and provided it for almost every purpose that stone can be used for except for building whole houses.

We completed our five year business plan and our employees were unable to purchase the business due to the business climate: last year the bottom simply fell out of the stone business entirely. There is a very well established mason contractor not far from us who is hanging on. Last year they told me that business was great but when three of four trucks are sitting in the yard most of every day, "great" isn't a word that passes the straight face test.

Stone work will follow general construction. When general construction is booming, so will demand for stonework of all types. Right now is the worst time possible to move to Maine for anyone expecting to get a job of any sort in the construction business. Right now 1000 people are leaving the state per month in search of work. That number came to me from my state representative.

Now, having said that, stonework always has a certain amount of demand. That demand will probably be in the wealthy areas of the state, particularly those "high end" towns along the coast. But those opportunities are going to be thin and few because even the wealthy are cutting back on the "extras".

I agree with your husband about the area that he is in, but I can also say that the general area that he is in simply does not have the wealth to support stone masonry as a mainline of work. It will take a very long time to "crack" the established contractors in the area. His best bet will be to talk to the established building and landscape contractors in areas like Portland, Camden and Bar Harbor. He may also want to contact the large marine contractors in Maine as stone is still the favored material for piers and large scale retaining walls where permanancy is desired and permitted by the DEP.

From my experience I believe that the age of stone in general construction is waning. Industry is developing new forms of materials that can be cast to look like stone, performs like stone under all conditions, and will have a service life equal to that of the structure that it is being used in, for one third the cost. This is especially true for exterior purposes and particularly so for large scale construction projects where stone would be beautiful but is simply not affordable.

If your husband can do other kinds of trades well, then he may find a place in a contracting company that can use him to do a variety of things. But stone masonry alone may prove to be very difficult to concentrate on and survive while waiting to become "accepted".

[Submariner]

I think that currently the downward spiral in business is being seen everywhere, not just here in Maine.

You DH is in Maine doing a job. I must assume that jobs are likewise getting scarce in Mass.

There are annual Home and Garden shows in Bangor. Where many specialists can exhibit their skills and make new contacts.

Whether you move now or not, I would recommend that he should get himself into being an exhibitor at those kinds of shows.

Moving is always scary. Moving during a time of businesses closing down and the market crashing is extra scary. But so is too, the idea of staying where you are [assuming that there is little work].

There is a stone mason school in Loring. Our youngest son is at that school now, though he is not enrolled in the masonry program. We did tour that program, they do some really nice work.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Take a deep breath folks. Instead of focusing on the 8% unemployment rate, focus on the 92% that are working. My father made a statement to me back during the 1953 recession:

"Back during the depression there were people riding around in Cadillacs, Packards and Deusenbergs. They were building big beautiful homes on the lakes. There will always be people with money." He was right. In my area there is one absolute top quality stone mason. He is booked for the next two years. We could use another good one.

Anecdote:
I had a guy who wanted to buy a piece of land for a camp, but there was a big old wall all across the roadside. I asked how wide an opening he wanted in the wall. He said about 20 feet would do. I told him that could happen for free. Then I called a local stone mason who wanted weathered granite stones for a fireplace. He was overjoyed to get that 20 feet of wall at no charge.

Did I get anything out of that deal? I got the land sold and built a lot of good will from the seller, the buyer, the stone mason and the folks who wanted the fireplace.

Meet the need. Carpe diem. Seize the day. You have to think outside the box in this economic climate.

[mainebrokerman]

i agree with nmlm, good stone masons are tough to come by, perhaps the demand isnt what it use to be,
but, one suggestion, ill give you (knowing gardiner very well) is to call steve mcgee construction, or visit them, talk with one of the bosses,
they are the biggest construction/build company in gardiner

[SportFury59]

In the fall of '08 I started building a detached garage (30"x48'). I'm a staunch diy'er but seeing the high cost of cement and having done my own house basement and garage floors a few years back, decided this time I would seek pro help to get better results. One of my son's friends is in the sand/gravel/stone hauling business and has a personal mason friend, so he was chosen.

This guy is a cement mason as well as a stone mason. 35 years experience. So when he's not doing stone work he's doing concrete. He is busy as heck and survives in this economy by being a one-man crew. He did my floor. I helped him every step of the way but he could of done it by himself easily. While he was doing my floor he was doing sidewalk/garden project and was also restoring the stone foundation in an old barn that was being restored.

So if your husband can do concrete work when stone work is not there I would think he would be busy. Put a little ad in those weekly shopper papers and after a few jobs, word of mouth will take over. Winter time work might be scarce though.

My floor turned out excellent, by the way. People who see it can't believe how that one mason could have handled the pouring of the cement by himself (and me) We had three trucks delivering.

[Bassett]

Wow!
Thanks for all the replys, advice, thoughts and ideas. I'm going to go with him next week to have a look around. I love the H&G idea, used to go to shows with a fishing company I used to work for, never thought about it for Ronnie's business.
Thanks for every comment.

[lenzo]

I am going to build my own firplace and stone chimney. What type of portland and what mix do you recommend. I live 100 miles north of New York City. No earthquakes.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

If it is an indoor fireplace use mortar just as you would with bricks.