When we owned a bookstore, this nice but mentally-retarded guy (Wesley – I still see him around town) who loves cookbooks used to hang out in our store, and he’d always be talking to himself. And one of his favorite sayings was “I should’a stayed in bed today”. Just thinking about him makes me smile – a huge guy, he used to repair his sweat pants with duct tape!
Anyway, I was definitely feeling that way today. I knocked over a can of stain on a finished concrete patio (I got it cleaned up – and now I need to buy another can). I pocket-screwed and glued up a couple of boards for width, and then belt sanded, and hand-sanded, and it looked bee-yutiful (and that’s when I knocked the stain over)…only to find I had cut them too short! Duh!
Then I went and checked on another job where I hired a college kid who builds beautiful furniture in woodshop to do a simple cabinet modification – and it looks like fecal matter. Of course, I can re-do his work, and will, but man, that’s why I hired him! And (my bad, I know, don’t rub it in) I paid him already (don’t ask, please), it wasn’t much, but it was way more then the value of his work!
Not a home-run day for Huck. When does the learning end and the earning begin?
CaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
Edited 12/12/2008 12:49 am by Huck
Replies
When does the learning end and the earning begin?
I was hoping before I got to your age. I got a lot to look forward to.
"I should'a stayed in bed today".
Been saying that a lot lately. Snow, ice, wind chills below zero. Pretty much only got outside work right now.
Dan - I feel your pain
If it weren't for bad days, we might not fully appreciate the good days. Hope that helps.
Yeah, didn't help me one bit either. Oh well, there's always tomorrow. =)
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Bummer man; it'll be better tomorrow. I'll just remind you of your sig line:
"I love contracting. Even if I didn't make any money at it, I'd still do it. Which explains why I still do it!"
Says a lot about you.
Scott.
Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Me too.
Not work-related but kinda funny anyway:
Decided to make DH an egg and toast for breakfast. I keep the eggs in the "other" fridge, which is in the laundry room. Instead of bringing the entire carton of eggs, thought I'd just snag the one egg.
The washer next to the fridge was open with a freshly washed load...well, I'm sure you can see where this is going...
I set the egg on the bleach dispenser so it wouldn't roll away while I put the carton back. When I went to pick up the egg (only 1/2 cup of coffee, at this point) it slipped out my fingers. I was literally jostling and juggling that egg in the air for what seemed like 5 minutes...
Then drat! It landed in the washer...grrrr! (My Carhart jacket and vest were in that load, too!)
On the bright side, and quite amazingly, the yolk didn't break! I was able to scoop it out, before re-starting the washer...lol.
We all have bad days...
Well, the sun rose... in so many colours it nearly broke my heart... Worked me over like a work of art...and I'm all part of that...
That certainly is the hard way to make "egg wash"..............yuk, yuk!
Lol...good one!
Hey, you done drawing the names yet?
Well, the sun rose... in so many colours it nearly broke my heart... Worked me over like a work of art...and I'm all part of that...
Just started.
Only one egg and toast?was that just a teaser to get him ready for breakfast, or is he really able to survive on such a little bitty meal? LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
LOL. I was thinking the same, no wonder he's angry.
Just finished 4 eggs over easy, on 3 slices of toast, 2 liknks Andouille sausage and grits with Smoked Provolone cheese.
That'll hold me till noon, then we have homemade bread cooking with pot roast.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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I got out at five, did some firewood work, ran over to check a house for somebody ( pretty cold last night) then cam home and had four large scrambled, with a heap of salsa on top, honey, some black olives, toast, and my coffee.I just now finished my lunch - couple thick chicken sandwiches dripping with mayo, and homemade bread, and a saucer of pickles on the side.I think this talk of food is making me hungry - gotta go rustle up a snack to tide me over to dinner.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Damn son...that's eatin!!Got me some sourdough goin at the moment and I'm on a java break..I'm a mess, sanding the hallway right now, woodwork & spackle while listening to Beatles Abby Road.
I didn't know how wavy those walls were till I put up the chair rail & the shadow box's, then came the plaster then the spackle and I feel like taking Maxwell's silver hammer to the whole damned thing. So I act like Mean Mr Mustard to Her Majesty."Oh Darling". says the DW, "You are Something! You never give me your money so you're just gonna have to Carry That Weight."Joe is startin' to kick in and the bread is callin' so I'm back at it.The End...
That's all he wants during the week...the weekend is different tho. Made him a huge breaky both days.
And he hasn't thown a 4 ft ladder at me for several days.
Well, the sun rose... in so many colours it nearly broke my heart... Worked me over like a work of art...and I'm all part of that...
Well, he just wants a light breakfast during the week. Not sure what he has been doing for lunch, since he got bored with the sammiches I was making him.
Made him great, huge breakfasts both days this weekend though (as rue-suall).
Well, the sun rose... in so many colours it nearly broke my heart... Worked me over like a work of art...and I'm all part of that...
"Not sure what he has been doing for lunch, since he got bored with the sammiches I was making him."Hmmm....is there one of those Hooter places near his job?;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
"When does the learning end and the earning begin?"
Been there and done that, so I know what you mean. I'm an Architect and get requests for recommendations for "a good contractor".
I put a lot of work into my drawings and make absolutely sure that I get the details right. One bad, lazy or dishonest contractor and I'm toast. And the repairs cost me money!
I have three lists I keep, to myself, of contractors and subs. A-list, the best. No problems, good communication, skilled. B-list, OK but a few issues, mostly on cutting corners that shouldn't be, but acceptable. C-list, if they bring me a project I'll work with them, get my fee and run (after I talk to the HO).
Without knowing it you probably have a similar list in your head. And obviously you want the A-list for each of your clients. Taking time to add to your A-list is a pain but you'll get a nice long list eventually and the earning will begin. And, yeah, there will be the occasional C and D and E lister sneek in...it happens.
Right now, given my dissatisfaction with far toooo many contractors I've decided that since I'm 'dirtyturk' already I'm going to formalize some partnerships with my A-list people and start doing A-list work myself. I find the clients, sell the package (me and my people), get out the tools and get to work.
What the heck! I can rough frame out a house, wire it, heat it, and finish it already so why not? Just going to use the best people I can find...and there is the rub.
Merry Christmas, here's hoping Santa brings you joy, contentment and a lot of projects to work on.
ciao, ted
your post is why it's rare i do any work for others... plan design build and own all my projects... i suck at everything... so the only work i can get is for myself...
i'd pay myself what i'm worth but i can't live on that
p:)
I'm a bit confused.
"plan design build and own all my projects... i suck at everything... so the only work i can get is for myself..."
If I understand what you said you are a one man firm? ( I would respectfully asked that you not describe your work as less than exceptional...i suck at everything...because if you do indeed continue to get projects you must be ------ good at everything!)
Hardest thing about any job, construction or otherwise, is knowing that when you tell someone what you want done that it will get done the way you expect it...to your standards.
I've taken to talking to the guys who are doing the work to find out if they were told what was expected. Kind of scary because a lot the time they don't! More than half the time they've not even looked at the drawings or given the chance!
If being the boss or super was easy any schmuck who can read would be in charge. {I started to write a seminar on project communication but it would be toooo long so.....}
I'm on this forum to learn from what I assume are skilled and talented craftsman who build only the best and add what I can from my prespective.
Merry Christmas, be well and prosper.
ciao, ted "I refuse to participate in any economic downturn."
I think he just means he's not good at production at a profitable pace, if he were to try to make a living charging others for his services.View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
The art/skill of getting someone to do what you want is a skill i have yet to aquire... i try and i am getting better...
it's a true joy so see work progress at a quality level of which you approve and not to personally have to do it...
I'm a great worker... I'm very good at knowing the natural order of things... I have a pretty good eye as to what needs to be where and to what proportion... what I'm not good at is getting it done without being hands on... and this is ok with me... i like touching things...
so what if i'm slow... there is a balance where you can toss money at it and be done... vs take your time do it right, find materials you like, and fit high quality materials in that you got for less than the cost of cheap...
I coined the phrase that i live by... "dos" design on site it lets me change things as materials find their way to me... last week i found travertine for under 60cents a sf... it was crated in 1996... I knew i'd find some i could afford... and i did...
i get projects only because i create them :)
p
Edited 12/14/2008 8:30 pm ET by ponytl
I truly understand your desire to do the job right....and to find creative ways to 'design on site'.
Having the confidence and opportunity to adapt to the materials that you have or find speaks volumes.
I would offer that most wouldn't try so hard and that's rare. Bravo.
What do you do? Finish/trim, GC, specialized custom work? Curious, pictures?
ciao, ted "You can have it fast, good or cheap. You can only have two of the three. Fast and good, it won't be cheap. Good and cheap, it won't be fast. Fast and cheap, it won't be good. Now, what's your choice?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnjGtprNE1M
the monkees!i was 12,first concert,man that was a long time ago.i had hair then.
last train to clarksville.............................if a man speaks in the forest,and there's not a woman to hear him,is he still wrong?
I had (I think I still do), their first 4 albums. I think they may have only done 5. My favorite of course was Mike because he was shown as the guitar player. I wonder if he ever really played.Boyce & Hart along with Carol King wrote many of their songs and some of them are actually quite good like Shades of Grey, and Sometime In The Morning.
I don't know if mike was playing then, I think he was, but he was the only on that actually had any musical skills, or so I'm told. Loved that show. I just have the best of album.