Seeing/hearing a lot of Tradies lately talking about hard to find work, layoffs


I wonder if Tradies are feeling the effects of charging stupid money for basic things


Tradies for some years now have been charging insane fees for stuff anyone can do.


I think they created a generation of YouTube handymen who facing insane prices went and looked up how to do things, and then seeing how easy things are, therefore becoming empowered to do most things on their own. therefore removing themselves from tradie customer base permanently.


Now that the economy is slowing Tradies need that customer base, but it's gone. They're on YouTube with harbor freight tools and they don't need you anymore.


Take the DIY subreddit for example:

"The r/DIY subreddit had approximately 4 million members in early 2019. By December 2019"
"As of May 2025, the r/DIY subreddit had grown to nearly 27 million subscribers"

Haven't heard this myself but everything is cyclic unless there are massive barriers to entry ex doctors, certain union jobs.

The last couple years if you were trying to bid a public infrastructure job right now, and were requiring it to be completed this spring, you'd get zero bidders, because everyone was already booked up through summer. The last few years, a lot of the contractors were booked up for the full year by March. This year, we have jobs out for bid that will be going in this spring/summer that are getting a lot of interest. I don't think it's really lean for them yet, but it's definitely slowed from where it's been in my area.

If you're a home owner and pay anyone to do basic jobs, you're a useless twat. Only thing I won't touch is plumbing - although I can fix a toilet easily - and electrical. Anything else is super easy to DIY.

But the amount of people entering trades is dropping fast as well, because it's actual hard work.

Been a tech (mechanic) for decades now. I see what the shops charge for even basic services. What shops pay is a joke, charging over $200/hr labor only paying the techs 20 something an hour for the work. I'll tell you one thing for sure, the shops are used to those profit margins and it's one of those things where the more you make, the more you want, so they won't drop their prices, they will just use slow business to further manipulate the workers. Although I'm a manager now, I'm thinking of starting my own shop here lately, start working at home since I have the space. I can charge half and still make twice as much money.

will you say the same when AI takes WFHcell jobs

I think this is right, it's slowed but not bad yet, but certain areas starting to feel it. I mean more of the contractor for homeowner type space, which I think is feeling it a little more. stuff like HVAC or building a fence, etc

true, the shortage of people entering may offset the homeowner DIY

that's what I never understood about mechanics. they get absolutely screwed but they don't go out on their own.

even just being a mobile mechanic, which I know not having a lift will suck, but being a mobile mechanic would go a long ways to getting started out on your own.

my local napa got bought out by some chain and it went from super nice family owned, reasonable prices, to wanting $800 for a front brake job. I know the previous owners who would do that for like $300 were making money, since they were in business for 30 years. Where's the extra $500 going?

I went and bought a floor jack and some jack stands from harbor freight and brakes and rotors off rockauto for $300 all in, did it instead of watching football one Sunday. $500 in the pocket. And then I had tools for the next time something went wrong.

bumping now that the Tradies are home from work