Hello all, I’ve been out of work for 10 days now due to some unforseen circumstances with a few builders I’ve been working for.
I spent all last week calling builders, to no avail.
I was going to replace the carpet in my house with new laminate this week, but it went off sale at HD so no dice. I’m also running of of honey-do’s around the house. In other words, I’m going out of my mind!
How do you deal with situations like this? I’m personally considering going back to work as an employee just to kill the boredom.
Jason Pharez Construction
Framing Contractor
Replies
BT
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter
After a few years in business, you will have a list of "Whenever you can get a round tuit" type jobs
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I use the time to reflect on Sportcenter, and catch up on my TiVo list.
Like Piffin said, eventually things even out, and you will always have something to do. I have a couple jobs that are "when you get around to it", my problem is getting motivated when there is no deadline.
Speak the truth, or make your peace some other way.
I'm with dustin - no motivation without deadline.
Everyone is correct - little fill-in jobs.
X box.Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City
Hang out at titty bars.
lol. I always wondered who went to those "all you can eat" lunches they are advertising in the sports section.Speak the truth, or make your peace some other way.
DING DING DING................... We have a winner.
Funny as it may sound, When I had a partner and one or two guys on our crew, there was a lumber salesman who would always refer me for jobs. Anytime he had a job for me to look at, He wanted to meet for lunch at the tittie bar.
Took me a while to realize he was watching young girls gyrate, getting a framer lined up so he could get the lumber out the door, and writting the whole damn thing off.
Then I noticed that it wasn't just him. Seemed like he had told every salesman in the company his little gig.
A slow day at the tittie bar would often yeild a nice little addition to frame or a deck or something to fill the time.
The Problems start when a Dancer recognizes you in the mall. Wives don't always understand how a Go-Go bar lunch is a legitimate business expense.
Here's my suggestion, it has worked for me.
Perform some significant demo on the inside of your house. Rip off major chunks of sheetrock. Tear out insulation. Make it so that wires are hanging out of the walls. Hang up some plastic and tarps. Leave it like that for a few months, or longer. Then, when you're out of work, you'll have a project at home you can work on!
Seriously, a little of the above is true, but I have a couple of gigs I can go to as an employee trim guy. Hasn't happened recently, but I keep some avenues open. It can be great to go to someone else's job, do some finish work, let them worry about the money and the client and the architect and all that.
crappy luck Jason..happens to the best of us..
have you cleaned your tools recently? taken a complete tool inventory? with pics and serial numbers? how about your work truck...all the burger wrappers cleaned out? any jigs you need made? replace the 2x on the top of your sawhorse? changed fluids in your compressor?
ok..so this will take untill noon..but at least you'll get to play with your toys...er...tools.
my favorite downtime sport is to count all the nails in a #50 box of sinkers...I only make it to 76 before i go mental...then I troll breaktime
knowledge without experience is just information.... Mark Twain
http://www.cobrajem.com
Yah Charlie, that's what I normally do when I have a day or two off.
I redid the shelving in the trailer, fixed all the bad cords/hoses, dusted & cleaned the tools, updated my inventory list, built a new set of horses.
The next day I washed/waxed the truck & trailer, cleaned the inside of truck, and straightened the shed up.
The next day I cleaned house, washed clothes and dishes, and read Issue 178.
This morning I paid my taxes for the quarter, did my P&L, made the bed, and made a few misc. phone calls.
I thinked I've logged on to BT & JLC more in the past 10 days than I have in a lifetime!
I've got a few window sills to replace at my place...think I'll do that today and call my old boss this PM about a temp job.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing Contractor
Try volunteering some work. Old ladies always need something done even if it's changing light bulbs. Last couple of winters when it was slow we knew of someone who needed some projects done. I've always wanted help out at a Ronald McDonald House just fixing doors and what not. Seems like work always picks up after I have been helping out those in need.
Yo Jason - Nice to see ya posting again. Hope your Wife is back to normal. Man, I sure would love some down time. I have a million projects backed up. I could retire tomorrow and stay busy for the rest of my life. Have you looked into doing any volunteer work? Maybe not as far away as Mississippi - But how about at a local food pantry or something like that?It could be a good time to taek the Wife away for a weekend, if you can swing that. Or go visit some family or friends that you haven't seen for a long time. If you get some little ankle biters running around one of these days, you'll quickly be out of time and money for the next 20 years. Take advantage of some freedom while you have a chance.
Death and taxes are unsolved engineering problems [Romana Machado]
YOU TOO,
I have been working around the house for the last 2 weeks myself.I have been knocking out a few small jobs and today got a fence job I will start on Monday.
Going racing at Road Atlanta this weekend my way of getting a paid vacation.
I have had the best luck in soliciting jobs from the Porsche club. I joined about 8 years ago and it was a good fit for me as a lot of the members are affluent and looking for somebody they can trust to do work on their properties, and after spending a weekend together they become very comfortable with me and this ussually forms a long term bond.
So I recommend an activity you enjoy that helps you network with a good group of people and also gives you an outlet from the rigors of work.
Just wait in a couple of weeks people will be getting their IRS returns and this will kick everything into high gear.
This is also a good time to just show up at mom's or friends and say that your tired of looking at that eyesore and lets fix it now.
ANDYSZ2I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
Remodeler/Punchout
Before I got addicted to BT, I would catch up on reading, "putter" around doing the odd jobs that never get done 'cause they're too small to be remembered, clean the workshop, that sort of stuff.
One other suggestion is to enjoy it as much as you can. While not having jobs lined up one after the other is stressful, a little downtime will likely be a rare luxury soon enough.
Today my better half took the day off, so were just sort of hanging out together (though she gets a little pizzed when I spend too much time here).
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
go fishing...
read a book...
take the DW/GF out fer a day or two...
go fishing..
sleep late...
live a sunrise..
go fishing...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Build Furniture
Sketchup
Clean stuff. Like you did. Trailer, garage, whatever
Lots of Pizza.
Pound on doors
Bug suppliers. They love it when you call just to yap about nothing. Half the time they throw work at you just to get you to go away again
Spend dollars. Nothing like a lull in the action to be able to look over those catalogs and see all the things you should have had already.
"Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think -- there are no little things" - Bruce Barton
Hey thanks for the posts, guys.
I did actually replace the two sills I spoke of earlier, that's a start LOL.
The past couple of days it's been hard to get out of bed...I haven't been this lazy since I was on summer vacation in seventh grade. I've actually got several projects around the house left, but I've gotten so lame I don't even wanna bother!
I wish sometimes I could enjoy being lazy and having time off, but I don't enjoy that nearly as much as working hard all day. To me, carpentry's a career, hobbie, and pastime. Not to mention I've worked so hard to accrue and maintain this fine arsenal of tools that currently sits stationary in my driveway.
I guess I'll be calling my mentor shortly to see about a temporary position. If I don't feel a saw or nail gun soon, I'm gonna forget what it feels like LOL!Jason Pharez Construction
Framing Contractor
Work is fun! Loafing is misery!
are you sure you haven't got that backwards...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Jason, I remember the days when I couldn't relax when I had time off.
Now, I could goof off for days/weeks at a time and never feel the need to be productive. Life is good.
When you get old, you'll figure all this out. In the meantime, quite making excuses and get that Honeydo list done. You'll be back to work sooner than you think, then you'll regret that you didn't finish it.
It's okay to complete a project. Repeat after me: it's okay to complete a project.
Maybe I better do those paint touchups that have been waiting for me....
blue
We have a load of nice little ole ladies around this area who always need something done. Always good for plenty of cookies and lots of chat but makes you feel good at the end of the day.
I had little use for Carter as president but I support the local Habitat chapter here and they can always use a day or 5s labor. A nice way to meet local folks and maybe even get a job lead every now and then.
I once considered starting a local "Studs R Us" buisness which is and exercise and entertainment program for 'stay at home' housewives.
I think David hit the nail on the head. Start a MAJOR demo. Not sumin piddly like a kitchen or a half bath. I mean something BIG! Wifes out. She'll come home to 2nd floor demoed. Big pile of demo in the front yard.
Phone will ring before 500 pm. Probably rain too
About 30 years ago I fell while hiking and dislocated my shoulder. This resulted in the paralysis of my left arm which though it recovered resulted in my being out of work for six months. Fortunately my expenses were very small at the time and my savings could easily carry me through the period.
Boredom was not a problem. I was able to do things that I would not have had time to do while working. I took a course in accounting. I coached kids at a variety of sports. I read many books. I wrote many letters. I walked many miles on the beautiful trails of the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks. I spent time with my parents and friends.
I wouldn't mind having that free time now but I remember that period now with fondness.
I spent the last three months of last year 10-12 hrs/7 days a week. Old fast. Feb/March have been skimpy, and you know what? I enjoyed it. I'm with Dustin, no deadline, no motivation. Lounge around, attend to tool needs, catch up with stuff I promised folks, but was too small to generate the paperwork. For friends, mainly.
Now, I have more work than I can handle and am jacking up the rates so they'll maybe say no to a job I have no desire to do anyway.
Ebbs and flows, droughts and floods, that's the biz, baby. You'll be awash again soon enough, then you'll just sigh thinking about the spare time you had...
You can tell it's spring, everyone is popping out of their holes, and realizing the old hole is about to cave in. So who you gonna call?
Good luck, and take care.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
I love down time, cant get enough. I've always got a project going around the house
Play with the kids mom
or a nieghbor..Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
eitherway
What about our favorites - realtors? One of my buddys gets to know a few of them (usually the cute ones) and they throw him a job now and then. When someone is selling a house and the buyer gets an inspection, there's usually a list of things - bigger than your average honey-do, but not enough to drown in. Or a spruce up with intent to sell. Spring's almost here.
Maybe go and get "licensed" as a home inspector. Decent money for a few hours work. And you can sell to the same cute realtors.
Call some folks you don't work with and find out why not. Get'em to want to hire you. When I started my company about 3 years ago, we made a minimum of 5 calls a day looking for work - in addition to the the actual work, the billing, the accounting, the babysitting (employees ya know)....Now, it's 11:30 at night and I'm just getting done with work. Too successful at selling this week :)
Realtors = BAD
Vacation = GOOD
Relax, dude, don't go for the temp job.
Change the oil in your compressor and pressure washer again, and again if you have to.............and don't forget the lawnmower.
I'm not a big fan of wasted time inbetween billable hours. If you want time off take a vacation. Otherwise, do those things that either bring in new or better work, do something for yourself that makes you a better businessman, or anything else that will make you money in the long run.
Having said that, if you aren't making money maybe working for someone else for a short time is a good idea. The builders I've worked for, and myself, have had great results hiring good carpenters for short periods of time during their slow times. We've hired both employees of other companies and independant subs for as short as a day or as long as a few months.
I enjoy hiring friends so we can work together and get caught up on the latest news. I usually pay $28/hr. for full carps with tools and insurance.
If it were me I'd simply call every custom builder you know and let them know that you have a few free days and could help with misc. projects as a sub. You'd be surprised how often an extra hand would be appreciated. Heck, this is spring break and we're short handed until next week.
At least with the guys I'm used to working with and for, it's not looked down on to fill slow times by doing good work for others. Whatever you do, don't take on crappy jobs that aren't up to your usual standards. You won't feel good doing it and you won't gain anything other than a check.
Cheers,
Don
I agree with the last post. Although fishin' an' huntin' and hangin' out at titty bars is great fun, it will not help your business. Think about all the things that are important to the structure of your business such as marketing, maintaining contacts, office systems foe estimating and bookkeeping etc.
I am not saying never work on your house or hang out at the titty bar during your down time(although talk about hemmoraging money, and you not bringing any in!!). But use those slow times to work on the structure of your business. If your structure is already solid then you are in better shape than me as it never seams to be where I want it. Good luck and make the plan and work the plan.
Loy
Thanks again guys.
I happened to run into a few old friends (and customers) yesterday while out piddling...in the course of conversation I explained the current situation. Their various replies basically equalled: It's not your fault, we know you do a good job; must just be a slow time." And it is, sort of. Either way, for some reason that cheered me up.
I went back out to work with my old boss today, and you know, it was kinda nice...no babysitting, no worrying about what's next; just do what I know I'm supposed to. Heck, the first thing he does is sends me out to four houses (in various stages of completion) to finish his punchlist, then I joined back up with the group to stand walls on the next house--we put the three guys next door to us to shame! They must have recut the same valley jack 15 times, and they still weren't correct.
Other than working harder than I have in 2 weeks (and too much Taco Bell for dinner last night), today was a good day.
Jason Pharez Construction
Framing Contractor