how is the HVAC market in SF Bay Area

[cool_guy]

how is the HVAC market in SF Bay Area. I'm interested in working in this field, but I live in the SF Bay Area, and it doesn't get really that hot in the summer or cold in the winter. Anybody know?

[btuhack]

Yeah, i know. Depends on what type of work you do.

Comm'l/industrial work in the silicon valley is the most steady but still impacted by the economy. Construction is very slow, bids arrive doa. Service/repair work is more scrutinized(less likely to be approved). The vacancy rates (high) are directly relate to the need(low) for tradesmen.

Resi work is more temperature related which means you have only 4-5 months of steady employment. Last year, there were about 3-4 hot days so do the math. Plus the moonlighters and illegals are crawling out of the woodwork, killing this segment.

Guys on here from elsewhere were whining last summer about the heat and over abundance of work, boo hoo.

There are people with masters degrees working at walmart so adjust your expectations. If your skill set includes brown nosing and back stabbing, your odds for success are better.

Plumbers and electricians don't depend on the weather, so....

[maxster]

from there to Kalamazoooo your thinking of getting into it you have a ton of guys looking to hang onto there skills and jobs and that is with 20yrs in the trade.there are companies that if they don't bang the season in 2012 they will be out of business at the end...into fall.coming in as a helpr apprentice you could hump a 28' extesion laddr for 5 years doing filter changes at $15.50 and hour..ever take a 28' extension ladder off a 350 FORD when its 90F/80% RH...and thats 2" filters

[supertek65]

things are tough everywhere not just SF!

[cool_guy]

Yeah, i know. Depends on what type of work you do.

Comm'l/industrial work in the silicon valley is the most steady but still impacted by the economy. Construction is very slow, bids arrive doa. Service/repair work is more scrutinized(less likely to be approved). The vacancy rates (high) are directly relate to the need(low) for tradesmen.

Resi work is more temperature related which means you have only 4-5 months of steady employment. Last year, there were about 3-4 hot days so do the math. Plus the moonlighters and illegals are crawling out of the woodwork, killing this segment.

Guys on here from elsewhere were whining last summer about the heat and over abundance of work, boo hoo.

There are people with masters degrees working at walmart so adjust your expectations. If your skill set includes brown nosing and back stabbing, your odds for success are better.

Plumbers and electricians don't depend on the weather, so....

Do you think the demand for HVAC will get a lot better? Because it say's on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website that it will get better because a lot of old HVAC parts will need to get replaced in the future. But is that increase just in the east coast, or is it included in the west coast too, particularly, in the bay area?

[btuhack]

Labor statistics are too general for (mild) weather driven industries.

If you're talking about long term goals and outcomes, scratch any thoughts of resi work. You'll be quickly discouraged with the opportunities and be pigeon holed as "only" a resi guy by the comm'l/industrial contractors.

The plumbers union can clue you in to the C/I opportunities, good guys are getting grey hair/less hair.

If I could turn back the clock and make a career choice based on what I know now, I'd get into industrial automation/scada. In demand, increasing demand, specialized, little competition, not weather driven(mild climate). San Mateo CC has a good program and the military can give you a good skill set if you go down the right path. Plus, great money and easy on the back(long career). Check out ISA.ORG.