Best Cities for Carpenters

[brooklyn67]

My girlfriend is finally sick of New York City and we are looking at moving, researching other smaller, more laid back cities on the eastern seaboard, in the midwest or possibly northwest. There are plenty of "Best Cities for Business" and "Best Cities to Live In" lists, does anyone know of a list of the best cities for carpenters or builders?

Some lists talk about housing growth, but I do fairly fancy pants residential and small commercial work (boutique retail shops, small ad agency offices, etc., usually overdesigned and underdrawn but at least challenging) and would hate to get stuck somewhere running miles of tract home baseboard every day in a "booming housing market."

Thanks.

[JohnNYCT]

Some lists talk about housing growth, but I do fairly fancy pants residential and small commercial work (boutique retail shops, small ad agency offices, etc., usually overdesigned and underdrawn but at least challenging) and would hate to get stuck somewhere running miles of tract home baseboard every day in a "booming housing market."

Thanks.

Why not not just move out to the burbs. There's plently of fancy pants stuff going on in Westchester and Fairfield counties and if you still want small cities you've got White Plains & Stamford.

[tgrahamcm]

Lots of fine carpentry going on down here. A whole bunch of your old neighbors are around telling us how it's done up there. LOL. Seriously, I know a high end carpentry sub always looking for good help. Let me know if you want his phone number.

[Tracy Gordon]

You might want to check out bendbulletin.com, Bend, Oregon's local gab sheet. Qualified trim guys seem to be in constant demand, especially for custom and semi-custom work. The hourly peanut rate may be less than you're accustomed to, but the cost of living is less also. Besides, there's no sales tax in Oregon and housing is still fairly affordable for working stiffs. I escaped the insanity of Los Angeles for Southern Oregon about a year ago and haven't looked back, with one exception; my bailiwick is terminally pizza-challenged...insufficient cause to return to L.A. except, perhaps for the occasional pie joint raid.

[Drew4thgen]

I second going to Fairfield county. LOTS of money and BIG project going on there, havn't had a job down there in a long time (try to stay withing a 15 miles radius of our shop) Plenty of really nice towns down there to live in as well.

[Lavrans]

You'll probably find that every city out there has a place for a good finish carpenter. There's hoity toity goin on everywhere. Portland has some. Seattle has a good amount, close to Redmond and other microsoft based cities. You'll have to get used to mountains and such if you end up out here though.

Taos and Santa Fe? The Texas Alps have been hopping for a while now.

[Allan Edwards]

Taos and Santa Fe? The Texas Alps have been hopping for a while now.

The Texas Alps? I like that!

[Lavrans]

Thought you might. I'm surprised you haven't heard the term- seems like some of your customers might have a chalet up there already.

[Adam_T]

Brooklyn, The market here in Minneapolis is still pretty good. The union even has a decent share of the residential market, they get paid a little less though. Try contacting the hall through mncarpenter dot org

[Bob Kovacs]

my bailiwick is terminally pizza-challenged...insufficient cause to return to L.A. except, perhaps for the occasional pie joint raid.

Why in God's name would you return to LA for pizza- they've got the worst tomatos on cardboard crap I've ever tasted. The west coast and it's bordering states don't know what real pizza is- the stuff at Dominos, Pizza Hut and Little Caesars is better than the stuff you call pizza out there, and it's not too good....lol.

If you want real pizza, you'd better head out here to the NJ/NYC area :)

Bob

[carpenter]

Why in God's name would you return to LA for pizza- they've got the worst tomatos on cardboard crap I've ever tasted. The west coast and it's bordering states don't know what real pizza is- the stuff at Dominos, Pizza Hut and Little Caesars is better than the stuff you call pizza out there, and it's not too good....lol.

If you want real pizza, you'd better head out here to the NJ/NYC area :)

Bob

Pizza is like sex. When it is good, it is REAL GOOD. When it's not, it's not that bad.

Woody Allen

[hdrider_chgo]

Why in God's name would you return to LA for pizza- they've got the worst tomatos on cardboard crap I've ever tasted. The west coast and it's bordering states don't know what real pizza is- the stuff at Dominos, Pizza Hut and Little Caesars is better than the stuff you call pizza out there, and it's not too good....lol.

If you want real pizza, you'd better head out here to the NJ/NYC area :)

Bob

Uh, excuse me, "real" pizza only comes from Chicago.

[RJCarney]

You tell 'em hdrider.

Great pizza places like Lou Malnati's, Uno's.

If you guys want to try them, Lou Malnati's has a dry ice frozen fed ex anyplace, pizza service. Website or call 1-800-Lou-to-Go.

RJC

[Kowboy]

Brooklyn:

Avoid Michigan at all costs.

Kowboy

[Cornerstone Tim]

Uh, excuse me, "real" pizza only comes from Chicago.

As soon as Pizza got mentioned I knew where it was going....

It's kind of funny here in the land of a Pizzaria on every corner, they opened up a California Pizza Kitchen. I drove by there a couple of nights ago and the place was packed!

I've had great pizza on each coast and I love Chicago style...but my doctor won't let me near it!