Any of you guys got advice for a new (again) contractor?
My last day at Fine Homebuilding is March 4, then I’m right into a kitchen remodel, followed by a basement job.
Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig — Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Replies
....advice...
try to leave the roof jobs to the 22 year olds...
Oh yeah. I don't do roofs.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa???????
Did I miss an announcement, or is this the announcement?
Best of luck, and I hope you thrive with the change, Andy.
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."
~William Shakespeare, Mid-Summer Night's Dream, 1595
Bribe me with a hat and.......
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
I gotta FH hat, IMERC. You don't gotta hat?"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."~William Shakespeare, Mid-Summer Night's Dream, 1595
Nope
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
Bummer. But you prolly wouldn't look as cute in it as I do!"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."~William Shakespeare, Mid-Summer Night's Dream, 1595
No doubt....
Well I tried....
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
Just curious, what would make you want to leave such a cake gig?
rg
Nothing that anyone actually does is as easy as it appears to be from the outside. Seven years ago, when FHB hired me, I thought the guys who left voluntarily were crazy. Now I know that everything runs its course and the trick is to recognize the moment.
A big part of me has missed construction since I started here. I'm one of those guys who actually enjoys being ankle deep in mud, or toughing out a cold, windy day. I've framed at 28 below, and liked it. Are you self employed? Except for my time here, I've spent the majority of my career self employed. Yeah, some days it sucks. But for me, those pregnant days when a new job is starting and it's mine to make happen make the rest of it worthwhile. Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
I know what you mean Andy.
I had always wanted to be a photographer, then when I finally got to be one for a newspaper it wasn't long before I found myself driving by jobsites wishing that I was back framing. Everybody thought that I was nuts, here I had my dream job and all I could think about was strapping on the bags and swinging a hammer again.
I'm just now getting back into the self employment gig again myself, just got my lic reinstated and ready to rock-n-roll. :-) I do find alot of good info right here in BT, especially in the biz section. One of the best discussions I found was the one on business plans, it was really helpful for me as far as focusing on what I really wanted to do.
Good Luck, Dave
Well it seems this is the official announcement then. AndyE has voluntarily left his job at Taunton and is going back out into the field of self-employment.
Can I ask who the mantle is being passed to?
You can ask, but I don't know the answer. I'm sure my duties will be spread to my colleagues (sorry for that guys) until someone gets promoted and somebody else gets hired. If you mean my moderating duties, well, there are a couple of others here who do that too. And I'm pretty sure that I might have to actually threaten someone to get them to remove that little gavel by my name.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Andy,
That's not a gavel. It's a plumber's helper. Any fool can see that.
~Peter
Say it aint so! I've never even gotten to hit you up for a hat.Who Dares Wins.
Andy, I'm new to Breaktime, but subscribed to FHB for quite a while now, so I sure do recognize your name. Best of luck to you!!
Mike
Andy
I recently did the same as you. I left my contracting business to teach at the local junior college and build the sets for their plays.
When you say things run their course, that's so true. I constantly missed building my cabinets. Closing a big job, the hunt.
Friends are amazed that I would leave my job to go back into contracting but they don't see the day to day stuff.
Best advice I can give and advice that I'm taking myself this time around is "patience" and "courage" because the jobs will be slow to come back.You'll question your decision every time you don't have anything to do when you find yourself sitting at you desk giving support to another here at breaktime. Like for me now.
Everyone you know who used you before are going to be glad your back but that doesn't open their wallets for you, yet.
So.... patience and courage, friend
Bob
Bob, and Dave Mason: Some people thrive on self-employment, some thrive on 9 to 5. Neither group will ever really understand the other. What I know for sure is that I'm looking forward to speaking only for myself.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
wow.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Andy: I know you will be happy following your passion. I wish the best.
Andy,
My suggestion would be --------to make sure you steal a bunch of office supplies and stuff before you leave.Anything that will help with the self employment paperwork hassels.
those computers aren't chained down or anything--right?
andy.... the biggest thing to happen to me ( besides slowly accumulating experience ) was finding BT.... this forum gives you a great peer group network..
so..my advice is .. don't screw it up and get involved in any flame wars that would get you banned..
we know you love the down and dirty mud wrestling.. but try to exercise a little mature restraint...
and make sure you follow up on your RhodeFest attendance.. we'll have special counselors in attendance...to help your transition.. you know.. guys like Pete Draganic..... Andy Buildz...
i'm sure we can get your feet planted on the correct path.... hah, hah, hah
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Yeah- I've got some advice- stay in the cubicle.....lol.
Best of luck, Andy- if you need any help setting up your estimating, give me a holler. Thanks for the hat, BTW!
Bob
Sure Andy, Step outdoors when all the flowers are starting to bloom...............
My advise is to find a niche in this industry that you Really look forward to getting up and going to work for.............Don't make a lateral move............
I think you should write a book on "Being a Moderator for Contractors"
"It is far better to aim high and miss
Than to aim at nothing in life and score a direct hit"
Good Luck to you and remember..............
"Bags full of sawdust are better than bags full of nails"
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
"Advice"? No, don't have any of that for you, Andy, but I would like to thank you publicly for how much you did for me these past few years.
Not only did you offer me the opportunity to write something for publication, you encouraged me to develop that interest. You waited patiently for past due work, held my hand through anxious times, and even managed to leave enough of my words and phrases in most things that I actually believed I wrote some of them.
Thank you for all that, and more. For lending an ear and addressing my concerns as your position changed at the magazine. You were always fair and straight forward with me - I can't remember ever thinking "bull crap" after talking with you.
All that and more, always with a smile and sense of fairness and goodwill.
I'd wish you luck, but I know you won't need it. You'll do fine. Guys like you are the salt of the earth and all too rare.
See you around - Jim
Thank you. Swinging hammers with you, Mark, Jon and John is one of my best memories of the job.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Don't know what to say - I'm stunned. Had no idea you were thinking of leaving your job.
Are ya still gonna hang around Breaktime? Or are ya sick of us ???
Beer Norm?
I remember that stuff. Better give me a tall one in case I like it.
What makes you think I'm any less addicted to Breaktime than you are? And finally, I get my chance to give the moderator a hard time.
I won't forget you've got an article proposal going. I'll make sure to get one of the guys to keep an eye on it.
Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Take Advil before you get sore.
Vitamin I, you mean? The editor's friend. Funny thing was when I left contracting, I thought a desk job was a way to avoid a sore back. My back has given me more trouble sitting at a desk than it ever did carpentering.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Mine too, no kidding.
I'll take the new layout with a smile but this is a down right revolting development! Sure wish you the very best of luck and look forward to a steady stream of "Andy in action" articles. :-)>
Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -
Hey Andy,
Good luck in your new career change.
Advice?
Wear eye protection!
and
Even if you love using tools, always remember that all sharp edged tools are really an evil beast in disguise, just waiting to taste your blood. Never forget it and never let your guard down.
how comes that flattened "B" ain't gushing the go juice out?..
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Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Indeed. I'll show you the permanent imprint of a 10 in. rip blade in the fingernail of my left driver's finger if we ever meet. Slow and careful. But not cheap.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Best of luck, Andy. My best advice for the self-employed ?
Fund that retirement plan ! ! ! It takes discipline, but the only person that will take care of the old man you will become is the young man you are today !
Come back and see us !
Greg
Hey fellow delaware river rat..enjoy it all. Where ya gonna call homebase?
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Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Delaware River Rat? You too? I grew up near Belvidere. Now, my shingle will hang in Roxbury, CT.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Thanks to you all for the good words. I can't tell you how much they mean. One of the things I find that I look forward to is participating here as a peer, a fellow contractor.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Hey Andy,
You did a great job with us maniacs.........
A fair wind in your sails mate.............On a hill by the harbour
Go get 'em tiger!
My kid is self employed, I hope your self employ isn't as stressfull to your parents as it is to me and DW sometimes <G>.
Thought of doing what you are doing in '78, wouldn't even consider trying now due to physical limitations, like roof phobia?
Take a few days off and WHAT???
The joys of self employment can't be beat.
A cubicle with heat AND air conditioning........sounds just like a truck without the wheels.
Good luck, enjoy.
Joe H
Sorry to be so late chiming in on this; I've been busy picking up fractured American tourists all last week--and AndyC was here all week and didn't even let me know, the bum.... Probably afraid I'd tie him into a patrol booger and send him down the mountain just to see where he wound up, LOL....
Andy, I will miss you on the mag. Accessible and honest ME's are rare in the biz, and you've been one of them. Thanks for the advice, the help, the kind words...and, of course, the pencils! If you want to climb up on a roof and see Mother Nature in all her glory, let me know. I still want to cook you up that pot of mussels.
Idea! You're leaving on 4 march--take a couple weeks and come skiing before you get serious. I'll get you into a set of telemark gear and show you how to free your heels....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Last time I freed my heels, I broke my ankle. I've been keeping off the slopes since then. Thanks for the offer though. Maybe some summer?
Again, everyone, thanks for the kind words and good wishes. It's been fun, and will continue to be so.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Whatever you like better: I'm 60 feet from a lake with a NO MOTORBOATS law. Which also means NO SEA-DOOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The loudest noise you should hear around here is some children laughing--unless somebody's working on their chalet, of course, but somehow that never seems to bother me....
How did you manage to bust your ankle? XC boots or a new-school full-plastic Télé boot?
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Three-pin, ankle-high telemark boots. That was in 1985, and it's mainly stopped hurting.
Are you on that lake at the foot of Mont Tremblant? That's really nice. Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
You're describing the kind of tele boot I use for xc skiing now; for that it's like power steering. In 6" of powder I can tele-turn a pair of 215cm wood touring skis with no edges. But on hardpack, forget it. For that I use a full-blown parabolic alpine ski with a full-plastic telemark boot with enough beef to crank those edges into the nuke-proof boilerplate we now call 'snow'. You ought try it again; with the new gear it's a different world. The ski industry is maturing: which means that the artificially created conditions drive equipment development. Only a few years ago, most of us were happy skiing a combo leather/plastic boot with standard 200-210cm alpine skis. Now the shorter wider skis are too hard for the leather boot to crank, so we're all converting to full-plastic, except for going in the back country.
The lake I'm on is, happily, a good 10km from the base of the mountain, and it's on top of another smaller mountain, 1100 feet altitude. In the old days, I thought I would have liked to be right at the base of the slopes. But that was before Intrawest turned it into Disneyland North. Now I sometimes wish I were even farther away--but the 15-minute commute does make life easier even though it requires a 4x4 GMC King Cab on some mornings....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Or Andy could come out west, where the word boilerplate only means something in a factory, and snow is light, fluffy, and comes from heaven, not from hoses.
I've been out west. It's pretty, but the people are too friendly and open for my liking. And they talk so slowly it's as if time has no value. Get to work, would ya? Give me taciturn, frugal, driven New England.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Andy, you missed the whole damn middle of the country. What, too flat?Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
hey Andy you definately aient talking about SoCal..you shakes these folks hand you gotta check to see if you still have your watch and rings...:>)
Darkworksite4:
Gancho agarrador izquierdo americano pasado que la bandera antes de usted sale
HUH?
When I moved to Maine from Upstate New York, I was pleasently surprised by the Layed back Maine attitude.
Why Hurry thru life like you're late for everything?
Stop and smell the roses.
Do you live to work, or work to live?Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Remodeling Lead Carpenter w/ 20 years exp.
+ A Construction Engineering Degree
Located in Elmira, NY
Incessantly Whining Liberal
Sarcastic Smartass
Cunning Linguist
Family Man
Dog Lover (NOT THAT WAY YOU PREVERT!!!)
Yeah--you should see how we laugh at hot-shot western skiers when they swagger in here and fall on their a$$e$ about turn number 2....
Okay, okay, so I rarely need a snorkel to keep breathing when making a nice run, but not all the snow around here comes from HKDs and SnoMax. Took this pic of my little guy last Saturday about 10 minutes away from home.
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Adorable! How old is he? I'll be the first to say that eastern skiers are generally better skiers than westerners - we get lazy and don't have to know how to carve a turn. Plus, the places I ski are pretty uncrowded, so I don't need to turn to avoid people either. I can't even remember the last time I sharpened my skis, but I don't need them really sharp to ski the powder.
Congrats on choosing to hang your shingle out again! Hope you enjoy it as much as you think you will. Personally there's nothing else I would ever consider doing. Looking forward to you posting as one of us.
Sorry it took so long to catch this thread, been really busy lately.Greg
Werner Building & Remodeling
Huntingdon PA
He's five years old. Been skiing alpine since he was 1½. Started XC when he was 3 and did over 175 kilometers of XC between early Feb and late April of that first year--including 2 overnight backcountry winter camping trips, carrying a 6lb backpack (he weighed 30 lbs at the time!). He started doing telemark stop turns sometime that first XC season also, while wearing a kid's standard Rossi XC boot and skiing a Karhu Glade 120cm waxless, edgeless ski....
He now skis a 140cm touring ski with three-pin bindings, and we just 'inherited' a 20-year-old ankle-high leather tele boot made in Norway from a buddy who's one of the coaches of the Québec telemark team. And he's training with a 10lb pack for a week's hut-to-hut tour sometime this spring. Here he is with his brand-new MEC backpack loaded down with his sleeping bag, mattress pad, and miscellaneous spare gear....
(Sorry, Andy--not trying to hijack your thread, but you know me on the subject of my little hero. I'll shut up now, LOL....)
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Good reason to be proud.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
The best....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Nothing in my life has been more rewarding than watching my son's accomplishments. I see that is true in yours too. Great looking young man. DanT
So will I get to meet that kid next Presidents week?
I'll be back to "Club Tremblant" as usual....or can you recommend a better place?
I haven't booked yet but will soon.
Be snowed in!!!
andy
My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
If all goes well, you'll meet him at Rhode Fest this coming summer. He's gonna teach Mikey to speak French, but Mike doesn't know it yet....
As for where to stay up here during Washington's Week, that depends on how many you are, and what your tastes are. I've got a few friends that own B&B's if you want peace and quiet and real local colour. If you're into the bar and restaurant scene, you might as well stay on site at Tremblant where you can shop till you drop and melt your credit card without even breathing hard. Oh, yeah--and you can ski right there, too.... If you just want a nice country hotel with a good dining room, Club Tremblant and Gray Rocks are about the closest things to that that are left--all the others have been torn down in the last 10 years to make room for condos and shopping centers.... If you've been coming here for longer than that, you know what I mean.
Be an off-season tourist, and come in January--you'll have the whole place to yourself and learn how to ski wearing an electric blanket....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Dino
What you doing, making that kid carry that big backpack while all you got is a camera!
Great looking kid!
Doug
Whaddya mean 'make' him...? To convince him not to carry that pack, I have to start working on strategy a week in advance!
Besides, you should see my pack--I mean, someone's gotta carry the beer, and it I let him do it, I'd have to wait 3 hours after we stopped before I dared open one: he can't pass up a jump or whoop-de-doo without trying to get off the ground....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
wow.. they get much cuter than that it gets to be illegal ...
quite the trooperMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hey Mike
I think you better start asking for contributions for Rhode Fest hats.
Finehomebuilding hats? We dont want no stinkin' Finehomebuilding hats. We want Rhode Fest hats.
They shoulda paid Andy what he was worth and not let him go.......but then again.....I always thought he woulda been better on our side of the fence.
PS...He got out while the gettin was good.FHB is going down the tubes IMHO.
Be just another rag
andy
My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I found a supplier for berets on the 'net a while ago. We can get them for about a buck or two apiece in quantity. Baseball caps are passé, anyway. They ain't rainproof, they get crushed, and the peak is always getting in the way--so then you turn it around backwards and look like a caricature of a dumb construction worker....
Check it out: http://www.berets.com
Be a fashion leader in an all-natural beanie....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
How do you keep the sun out of your eyes with that thing?Kevin Halliburton
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon
Look the other way, LOL....Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Now these are hats worthy of a cornstruction worker...
http://www.shopping.com/xKW-sombrero/linkin_id-3030068/GS.htmlKevin Halliburton
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon
No apology needed -- Talking about me was getting tiresome, anyway.
Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
"Talking about me was getting tiresome, anyway"
Dang, Andy - You just make it TOO easy sometimes.....................(-:Go, and never darken my towels again.
how about an update?
Update: Both of last years championship teams are still in the hunt!
Rematch???!!!
Mr T
Happiness is a cold wet nose
Life is is never to busy to stop and pet the Doggies!!
GO ORANGEMEN!!!
Well not to go and jinx myself just yet, but Kansas looks likes it has a shot to get past the next two opponents.
only time will tell though..
a rematch would be sweet though..
You're starting to make me rethink my rule that my daughter has to be potty trained (at least partially) before she can ski. She wants to ski, so I'm hoping that will re-interest her in the topic (she trained herself, then decided she didn't want to be a big girl just yet). She's 2 1/2, and might give your guy a little competition in the cuteness scale.
Actually, if she's still in diapers, it'll save you some breathless dashes into the woods, LOL.
Little boys have an easier time of it, in a way...but kids' ski clothing manufacturers don't believe that anybody smaller than size 8-10 needs a fly in their trousers. So when nature calls, you have to start peeling off layers to get at the suspenders on the bib pants. This can be quite nerve-wracking the first couple of times, until you get used to it....Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
you teach him he can write his name while relieving himself yet??
Not yet. I thought they taught that in school now, under the heading of 'self-valorization'....Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Well I guess we need to have a real, virtual going away party. Maybe this is it. I guess we need someone to to grab the mike and announce: "Please, young people . . . Andy has left the building."
Or maybe not, perhaps we should have a "welcome back to the real world of work" virtual party.
In either case, some graphics guru needs to whip us up a virtual cake decoration and maybe a virtual gold watch - or maybe a golden nail (perhaps we can just borrow one from the concession stand of Mel Gibson's latest flick...).
born an raised all 'round there. on the PA. side..evry where from New Hope to Port Jervis..Easton was close to you...IIRC. Conn. will be a good $ hole for ya..just gotta have the right bait !!
Good luck for sure..wanna spen some time in KY? Got's a lot work here..fresh air, no traffic, good tools..Hmm? Ya mite look around and decide to a Beef-a- lo farmer..<G>.
now chuck that silly gavel and get a real hammer.
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Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Between you and AndyBuildz.. he will never get to do any work for himself.
hard to get good help these days..Andy C is a heckuva lot closer tho'..I'd have a hard time luring him here..
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Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Easton, huh? That's where I was born. As an adult, I lived on both sides of the river. Upper Mt. Bethel Township PA and Columbia NJ. My father was actually born in a house overlooking the river in what was to become the DWG Nat'l Recreation Area. In the 70s, the Park Service moved that house down to Millbrook Village.
One of my vacations this summer is to be canoing with my sons and my Scout troop from Port Jervis to the Gap.
KY. I don't think so, although I'd like to visit some day. Even though I grew up in Jersey, New England is home. Did you ever move somewhere and it felt like you were coming home? That's me and my little town. Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Did you ever move somewhere and it felt like you were coming home?
Yes..when I left Pa..and moved to Western NC. That felt more like home than home did. When I went back to visit, it was unrecognizable..Soooo much development.
I remember when the Gov't removed all those houses and cabins up there..what I remember is that it was to be a Dam..Tocks Island? A budddy an I tore down a bunch for salvage and built one for him near Bushkill..( hey, now that is funny..bush-kill)..They never did build the dam..
My GP's owned a cabin rental place and a lake in Reeders..spent my summers on the lake or with my other GP's in Wildwood Crest..what more could a kid want?
Seems when I-78 went through tho' the area went to the dogs..more crime, more commuters to the Apple..not as serene as it was..that's why I got out..that and my property taxes going SKY high..Ky is now home..I'll be here awhile..as long as it dont get too crowded..View Image
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Good luck Andy. Can we look forward to a piece in the magazine on your move in afew months?
Ron
No, I doubt you'll see anything on my move. I do expect to write a few articles for the magazine though. Who knows? If I don't become a contributing editor, maybe I could even write for JLC?Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Good luck Andy.
Now I suppose Andy C & I will never get our well deserved hats!
You might, but you'll have to bug Jim or Brian for them.Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Best of luck, you can never have too much of that. Always thought of you as the "invisible" moderator, hope you pass that along to your predecessor. Weird, but for someone I've never met, I think of you as a friend. Thanks.
Hey, now you can oink with the rest of us<G> ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths
we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. George Carlin
Good luck on your change of jobs
BTW as an HO I think you've gotten some bad advice.
never charge for an estimate
quaote material at cost
don't charge for change orders
give lots of freebies
$15/hr is more that enough to charge you're customers
never charge for travel
I'm sure if you follow these rules you'll have more work that u can handle.
seriously, best wishsbobl Volo, non valeo
gud pts. bobl....... and he can make it up in volume...Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
It is depressing to go back. We have family in Belvidere and Stroudsburg, as well as in Newton in Sussex County. My wife goes there several times a year. I try to limit it to one visit, and even then I moan and complain. The one exception for me is the DWG Recreation Area, particularly the Jersey side. Could be the old family connection. Some of my father's side saw the Revolution from that vantage point. A bunch of my forbears would have been disinterred and moved if Tock's Island dam had happened. Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
OK, when's the internet retirement party?
This would have been one hell of a bash if we coulda all got together in person.
Woulda burnt the damn tavern down with our frivolity.
And now having to compete with another entering the trades, just glad I don't live in conn.
Best of luck.
Word of advice? Don't miss Rhodefest.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Don't promise more than you can deliver.
Be helpful and straight ahead honest. You can build a good reputation or a bad one quickly. You'll need the referals from the good ones.
Deliver more quality than you promise, quality is a great road to reputation, enjoyment of your job by you and your client.
Don't negotiate your profit and self worth away - quaility costs money, poor quality costs more in the long run.
I've had good luck and bad. Plan conservatively (for the bad). Enjoy the good.
Hey, you might as well try to enjoy the work.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Best of luck to a great guy!
Wassa Matta?
Lowes cleaning out the dead wood?
:)
Seriously, Measure once, cut 'til you need another board!
Welcome back too the nitty-gritty.
When can I move into my/your office?
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Remodeling Lead Carpenter w/ 20 years exp.
+ A Construction Engineering Degree
Located in Elmira, NY
Incessantly Whining Liberal
Sarcastic Smartass
Cunning Linguist
Family Man
Dog Lover (NOT THAT WAY YOU PREVERT!!!)
Well Andy ya need to stretch a little cuz after sitting in the desk as long as ya did the ol muscles gonna need some work..But I hope you still hang here and like Blodgett said thank you for all your hard work (and patience) you done here.
Darkworksite4:
Gancho agarrador izquierdo americano pasado que la bandera antes de usted sale
Who's gonna buy lunch when we visit Taunton next time?
Congrats on what must have been a soul searching and tough decision.
How can we give advice to one who's seen it all? I would definitely get a subscription to Fine Home Building magazine. I see where it caters to beginners and DIY'ers and the old eyes of born again carpenters can sure benefit from the extra white space, large print, simple sentences and detailed photos.
Make sure you stock up on all those Taunton books you've been surrounded by all those years. Pick up an extra case or two to distribute at Rhodefest. (Some hats, too, for the newbies). Got any FHB carpenter pencils? No excuses for missing this bash. Self-employed people can always knock off work for a few days for important educational functions in order to improve their offerings to future customers.
I think it would be a good idea for you to give the building seminar at Rodefest so we can legitimately call it a business expense. Your topic will be........................
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.BATHROOM REMODELING!
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.I ESPECIALLY WANT TO SEE THE PICS ON THIS JOB.........it is finished by now, right??
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View Image
Edited 2/20/2004 7:03:43 PM ET by Ralph Wicklund
Andy,
That is absolutely unbelievable for me! That would have been a bet I would have lost hands down. Well. . . I wish you and your family the best in your new/old line of work and we might actually be able to be "better" friends now ;-).
Andy,
Best of luck.
Fortune favors the prepared, some old Roman said, and I do believe you are are prepared as they come. So maybe I should say, best of success.
It's been great working with you.
Advice? Find yourself a good electrical sub!
Oh, yea--about the contracting, if you need a small fill-in job, I know a nice lady in Roxbury who needs a dining room trimmed out!
Cliff
Andy, Best of Luck!
Don't forget to put some aside for Uncle Sam ( always has his hand out). " Yes the Grass is Greener on the other side, but only around the Septic!"
Dude!
wow ...
I'd say ... have "former Fine Home Building Editor" plastered all over the biz cards and van ....
hope this doesn't mean you'll be too poor and too busy to hit Mike's Fest.
Does the wife know yet?
I always thought Taunton to be like the Playboy empire ...
this mean ya gotta turn in the company Jag and move the family outta the Taunton Mansion?
Hope it all goes well for ya ....
Betting it does.
So how long off is the first book?
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
"I always thought Taunton to be like the Playboy empire ..."
Jeff,
Funny, I'm in the process of reading a book called "Glory Days" by Jim Wangers, who with John DeLorien got Pontiac on track in the sixties. It's an autobiographical memoir/ diatribe about merchandising. Great reading.
Anyway, here's a cut and paste quote from chapter one after he had been working for Esquire magazine in the fifties.....and was being asked to relocate from Chicago to NYC.
"We had worked in the same small office with our desks crammed back-to-back for about six months. He was a scrawny guy, very morose, very quite, and difficult to talk with. If you asked him to lunch he always had something else to do. It seemed like he was purposefully aloof. When he did talk, it was mostly about his wife, and it was rarely positive. Frankly, he never had much nice to say about anything.
We were both invited to go to New York. Management made a big point out of calling us up to their office to tell us. On the way back down this guy finally opens up. "Go to New York with those ####? Are they nuts? And you shouldn't either." He told me. "I'm gonna make you an offer you can't turn down. Why don't you stay here in Chicago with me, I know what you can do," he went on. "I've read your stuff. I'm going to start another magazine and teach these guys how to reach young American men. Esquire is a piece of crap."
Surprised as I listened to his ground floor offer, I decided to pass.As a result, I went to New York.................while Hugh Hefner stayed in Chicago to start his own magazine. He called it Playboy. And he did in fact show them. So chalk that up to one of the worst career choices I ever made............."
Jon
andy... just reading a newsletter from the Motley Fool.. they were interviewing Patrick Byrne.. and he started talking about Warren Buffet, the Sage from Omaha..
it was so appropos of this discussion.. i'll repeat it here..
Buffet on things to live by..
<<<Two things. One, is act like what you are going to do is going to end up on the front page of The Washington Post because by the time a man is 60, he has the reputation he deserves. That is one of them, it sounds sort of corny and midwestern, but it is a good way to live.
Secondly, think of yourself as you go through life as standing at the plate and people throwing you pitches. It is a very special baseball game. There is no one calling the balls and strikes and you can stand there forever. You have got all these people in the bleachers saying, "Hey, swing you bum!" on every second pitch. You just have to learn to ignore them and when a pitch comes along and it is straight but it is a little high inside, you let it pass. Another one comes along and it is a little low outside. Every once in a while a pitch comes along that looks like the sweetest, juiciest, fattest pitch you are ever going to see. And when it does, you swing from your heels on it. You come out of your shoes on it. That is how you go through life. And you are only going to get about ten swings like that, maybe five swings. That is what you wait for. Too many people go through life batting at every other pitch. So just wait for your opportunities and when they come you swing from your heels.>>>
BTW.. Berkshire Hathaway is up 21% from last yearMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Like others, I wish you the best.
It is and has been an honor to think of you as a cyber friend for the years that I have been here at BT. Your success as the forum moderator speaks volumes about your character.
If you have time to contribute to the discussions here, you need not hide behind screen name. Just zeroe out your number of post before you leave,..... we can't let you have an unfair advantage at trying to catch up to piffen :-)
Dave
( Berkshire Hathaway up 21% from last year)
Of course my S&P 500 index fund is up 28.31 % the last year----so which 12 months we are talking about becomes relevant.
I do have some Berkshire Hathaway "B " shares on the things to buy list this spring ,however. ( The B shares ARE the ones I can afford , right?
BTW, the Warren Buffet story is an excellent life lesson. Notice how often 2 people will see the same opportunity---one thinks it's an incredible opportunity---the other guy thinks its a insane risk.
I know ,for me ,it's a lot easier to spot the opportunities in the rearview mirror than it is to see them through the windshield.
Hey Andy if you leave whose gonna take the pictures?????
Darkworksite4:
Gancho agarrador izquierdo americano pasado que la bandera antes de usted sale
stephen... i can buy any amount of "A" or "B" BRK for zero commission... i can buy $1 worth or $1000 worth..matter of fact ... i own 0.03904 of one share of BRK.A
i have some S&P, some qqq... spy , iwm, right now i'm holding 12 stocks.. down from about 60 in three portfolios.. i got rid of the dogs ( at least they were dogs while i held them... naturally , they went thru the roof as soon as i sold them)
the annual fee is $199 ..for that i can trade and hold up to 50 stocks in a portfolio i can trade at 11am or 2pm every day for no additional charges... any fractional amont of shares... any dollar value..
i've been with them since Oct. of '01...
https://www.foliofn.com/content/retailcontent/about_basic.shtml
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Andy,
Wow! Congratulations on the decision! Glad to hear that you will still be around here at Breaktime!
You ARE still coming to RhodeFest, right? Steal plenty of pencils and bring them to the Fest.
I have one request: before you leave Taunton, do whatever it takes to get them to send a rep to RhodeFest. Tell them we DEMAND it, or that we humbly request the honor of their presence...whatever you think will work. We need to maintain some kind of contact...
Oh, and please don't warn whoever might be coming about the dangers of exiting the port-a-john. You don't want them to get off easy, do you??
I'm sorry you're leaving before I know enough about something to submit an article and use my "connections".
I can't imagine that you will need it, but best of luck. See you at the Fest!
Rich Beckman
Momentarily confused all of the time
Dangit Andy, I told ya not to do it.
Now all of nature is out of whack.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
Just look at what is already happening...
Posting at Breaktime should not be a full contact sport.
quittintime
God Luka.....you are so funny
A big part of me has missed construction since I started here. I'm one of those guys who actually enjoys being ankle deep in mud, or toughing out a cold, windy day. I've framed at 28 below, and liked it.
I go skiing up in canada and come back and look what I find......I can't even go away for one week without some serious changes back here at home.
Hey, if you want to take the ferry across for a cpl of weeks, I have some serious mud (two acres of it, at least ankle deep) and a real ol' house you can help me with. I'm up to the second floor framing and the Crlyle wide plank flooring is coming next week for the living room..... and I'm looking to hire a cpl of guys in a week or two.
Sure would be fun to have you around for a bit. I could "re" break you in...lol.
Personally I think it'd be more fun having you on our side of the fence now than from your cubicle at Taunton.
And speaking of 28 below.....woke up saturday morning in Tremblant and it was 20 below (F) cept I was going skiing not building anything other than snow men at the summit.
OK.....well if you don't want to give me a cpl of weeks than if you get the urge to shoot up to Hunter for a day or so Email me.....I can't wait to pound the slopes again (already).
Not gonna wish you luck because I know you don't need any. Just going to say that I wish you well and happiness in your new/old endevour.
Once a carp, always a carp!
I'm not going to feel the same now when I read FHB.oh well.
Hope to see you at Rhodefest.
BE happy
andy
My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
PS
Can't wait to see your profile once your done unpacking boxes.
My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Andy,
First, congratulations,I'm sure it was a big decision for you and your family,but life changes and you have to go where your heart takes you.
You've been a large part of this community,kind of the glue that held us together on many occasions, you know, we know one of the editors at FHB kind of thing.It was kind of like we know somebody at headquarters,it made us little guys in the industry feel special,we found our voice so to speak.
I wish you the best of luck,price yourself what you're worth,try not to worry about what the other guys price is when you bid,you're better off not getting some jobs then losing money just to have work.
If you need help with anything, tools, extra hands or just someone to vent on ,don't hesitate to get in touch.
Vince Carbone
Well said Vince.
I would often tell people that I have a close personal friend that works at FHB, or if I found an article written by one of you guys I would tell them "Ya, I know that guy. We talk all the time."
Dave
"Any of you guys got advice for a new (again) contractor?"
Sure.
Get in touch with a bunch of guys who could contribute but don't read breaktime. Tell them you want them to do a an article. All they have to do is fly out to MA and give you some photo opportunites on the realistic job site "mock up". Make sure the real residents don't come home at the wrong time.
Hire your nephew to follow them around with a camera, snapping away (film is not required) and making notes every once in a while.
Make sure they finish the job, give them a hat and send them back home.
I figure you could get maybe 6 months of free sub work out of this racket. Maybe more...
Think big.
Seriously though, I hope it goes better than you could expect.
Jon Blakemore
Good luck and Best wishes in your new-again career move, guys like you don't really need luck though...
What prompted the change?
He's tired of reading my tag line/novella.
Hey CAG, SU Finally won again!
Macnamara for 3 with .03 on the clock!
I hope Billy Edelin gets his problems straight before tourney time.Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Remodeling Lead Carpenter w/ 20 years exp.
+ A Construction Engineering Degree
Located in Elmira, NY
Incessantly Whining Liberal
Sarcastic Smartass
Cunning Linguist
Family Man
Dog Lover (NOT THAT WAY YOU PREVERT!!!)
Best of luck for you and the whole family.
Tool Donations Sought
I'm matching tool donors to a church mission to Haiti - we're shipping a bus converted to a medical facility in (now it looks like) April and can fill it with clothes, tools and all sorts of stuff needed in that poorest of all countries. A few hand tools or power tools can provide a livelihood for an otherwise destitute family. Please email me if you have tools to donate.
Thanks to Jeff and David and Jim and Rich and Steven and Mark and Jason and Shep and Jen and Mike and Joe and Bill and Ken for their offers!
Several donations have arrived! Thanks and God bless!
Good luck, Andy. I know you will do well.
Andy,
Congrats on the new (or revisited) career endeavor!
I know exactly what you mean. After 14 years, I left the hammer-swinging aspect of the business to pursue the field of teaching it. I have since transitioned into working for the local building department and its the best decision I've ever made.
Sure, I miss the aspects of being outdoors and doing the physical work but the new road has been just as rewarding.
I think we all need to do what we think is the best course at the time. If you've given it consideration and weighed your options, than don't look back! As we all do things like this, I think it makes life more fulfilling and our experience base more broad. And as long as we don't burn bridges along the way, folks from our past are always ready to welcome us back in some form or another.
Best of luck to you, Andy!
Mike Rimoldi