Like many remodelers, Bill Gozzo spends a fair amount of time on the phone with his suppliers — every other day, by his estimate — making orders, checking on prices, and scheduling deliveries. But the owner of Gozzo Building & Renovation in East Granby, Conn., uses those conversations to gauge the pulse of the industry around him.
Specifically, he'll ask the lumberyard or the window supplier how busy they are. Sometimes, he can get a delivery the next morning, while other times he might have to wait three days. It's the former that gets him worrying: If the suppliers and the yards aren't busy, it means that local builders aren't calling because they don't have many clients. When that's the case, Gozzo takes note to keep an eye on business during the upcoming weeks.
When a delivery has to wait, it's a bit more reassuring. “That means everyone is putting something in the ground,” Gozzo says.