When John Mobley is busy, he knows the economy is doing poorly.
Mobley, a 36-year-old freelance carpenter, has been working as a handyman in Sunset Park for six years. It has not made him wealthy, but it has kept him in demand. Mobley charges less than contracted carpenters, and so has found that his workload increases as the economy struggles.
His fees vary with his clients’ circumstances.
“I’ll go in and look at job, estimate how long it will take to do what needs to be done,” he says. “If it’s an old couple in an apartment like my parents, I’ll work with them if they can’t afford my price. If it’s a big Williamsburg loft, I’ll charge more.”
Mobley spends some his nights assisting his ailing parents in their Sunset Park apartment. He is considering living with them full-time to save rent money.
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