Any chance you guys can set up a check point and make this site strickly for Licensed/Insured REAL Contractors?
When i came to this site that is what I thought it was all about... Ultimately (for me) its begining to look like a freelancer forum for individuals probing pros for information on how to start a business...
Send them to the SBA or a journey school kk thank...
There is a checkpoint. It's called User Registration.
Unfortunately, the information provided by new users cannot be verified. So if a new user flat-out lies, there's no way to know it until they expose themselves in the forum.
There is a checkpoint. It's called User Registration.
Unfortunately, the information provided by new users cannot be verified. So if a new user flat-out lies, there's no way to know it until they expose themselves in the forum.
I only wish there had been something
like this (or even an interweb) when
I started out.
If you don't want to offer advice to
young guys.....you don't have to.
As far as "screening" goes, that has
been hashed, and re-hashed and discussed
to death, since long before I got here.
No one has come up with any really
good ideas (or new ones.)
Nathan's system seems to be doing
very well thank you.
I truly believe this site works as well as it possibly can simply because the moderators here do an incredible job.
And to all the moderators, who perform a necessary, yet thankless, job, I say "THANK YOU"!!!:thumbup:
In the short time I've been here, it's pretty obvious you folks are doing an awesome job! I gotta say - the traffic alone here is enough to make your head spin.
As different individuals have dif. levels of tolerance for what might be a DIY question vs. what might just be a noob question, we leave it up to the individual.
You have two options -
1. click the red "!" button under the user name or
2. Click on the user name, click on User Lists, click on "Add to Ignore List"
The third option is to request a full refund for all monies paid for your membership here....now where did I put that receipt book?
As different individuals have dif. levels of tolerance for what might be a DIY question vs. what might just be a noob question, we leave it up to the individual.
You have two options -
1. click the red "!" button under the user name or
2. Click on the user name, click on User Lists, click on "Add to Ignore List"
The third option is to request a full refund for all monies paid for your membership here....now where did I put that receipt book?
I have no problem helping another contractor out, heck even an EXPERIANCED person starting out for the first time - i have absolutely no problem with that what so ever.. I enjoy helping out a fellow contractor. We learn a lot from eachother.. Product knowledge, equip, marketing stories etc etc..
My headache comes from seeing requests for information from individuals who obviously have no damn clue what their doing. I dont think anyone who has to ask questions about the basic principles of contruction belongs.. And in turn really have no business marketing themselves in the business world as a professional contractor.
The same people showing up here asking how to paint a gdamn fence are the ones out there lowballing and hacking up the contracting industry.
I guess my point is... If you have to come here to ask the most idiotic simple basic stuff.. you simply dont belong here - go to the DIY or HO forums to learn a tradeskill!
Another part of me is just pissed off b/c of the economy.. i was doing so well.. I thought this yr was going to be a good kick off and recovery from the real crap we all went through, but yet again the media is brain washing everyone and it is getting even worse than last yr!
so yeah, my frustration is coming from two angles...
Well, all I have to say is that everybody was a newb at some point in their career. You didn't all of a sudden get a download and badabing you were a contractor with all of the knowledge of everything.
And for someone with a whopping 285 posts you seem to have a pretty strong opinion of how things should be run around here.
It just contractor helping new contractors out. You don't have to reply.
I am new ( been in business for 3 years) and sometimes I ask for help to understand how contractor business works so I can learn from it.
Well, I DO have a personal view on this. (Don't I always?) Our various specialities, and our industry as a whole, will die out if new blood isn't indoctrinated on an ongoing basis. These new, younger guys and gals are often NOT bonafide, licensed contractors. Hell, we're not stupid; we recognize that.
But if they present themselves sensibly and demonstrate an obvious desire to want to learn and try to make it in this difficult business....... I'm all for welcoming them. "No, go away till you've earned the right to be here!", just doesn't seem like a smart approach to me.
I'll often give them just as hard a good-natured time as they would experience on a job somewhere, but I will also bend over backward to help.
So, are you the self appointed, all-knowing, gatekeeper of the realm of "real" contractors?
Laws vary so much across the country, how can you divide the unwashed from the clean o' wise one?
Hey man, you are a painter and drywall hanger, not exactly an area that requires years of education and study. Don't take yourself so seriously, I know I don't.
To the OP I hear ya and I do believe our mods are great at weeding out the real HOs and DIYs.
But even us licensed insured people sometimes become DIYs and most are HOs that need advice for our own home.
Show me a person that is an expert in every aspect of construction, I would like to pick their brain for days.
I do understand what your sayin, sometimes it seems like there are alot of posts that obviously dont belong,
but mods have lifes and can't babysit 24/7 and they are pretty good at staying on top. We just need to live in harmony I guess....LOL
To Jayincville the OP asked a good question everyone has an opinion and I disagree with your comment about painters and drywallers.
It may not take years of education but it still takes time to learn it, and skill to be good at it. Just sayin, cause your post kinda came off as harsh.
I think "Contractor Talk" is a great name, but I think "Tradesman Talk" is more appropriate to the intent of the site. I love this forum, it's a place for us who are knowledgeable (sp) about construction to sharpen each other. We all need to grow the depth and breadth of our skills (business and trade) to prosper in the current market.
Many of us who were exclusively in the new construction field are learning the basics of other trades to better serve the renovation market. For instance, I have never had to patch a hole in drywall (except for my own home where time is not an issue) until a month ago when I put a hole in a HO's wall. There is a thread up today about D-wall patching, this is very helpful to me. It's probably amateur hour for painters and drywall guys.
If a customer asks you to set a vanity or install some crown after you paint, should we run you out of the finish carpentry forum since you're not a pro carpenter?
Being that we are here to sharpen each other it is appropriate to tolerate even basic questions from OTHER CONTRACTORS OR PROFESSIONAL TRADESMEN
Same here in NH, My wife has to practically go through Homeland security (J/K)
to renew her license every few years, where as I need to do nothing as far as licensing goes, makes absolutely no sense, though there are some rumblings in the state house about licensing builders.:thumbup:
I'll stop asking stupid questions and stop saying stupid things to prove that I'm fo real. But if I did that I wouldn't no what to do with myself all day long. I don't think a day goes by where ten dumb things don't come out of my mouth.
Why don't we make a rule that we have to include and post all our insurance information to become a members here. (since licensing varies so thats no good) That way we can prove we're legit. That way the people without insurance can steal that info to use as their info to make them seem legit. Wait, I think I just started saying stupid stuff.
speaking of stupid, the office is on, the worlds greatest boss, micheal scott is my hero. I'd love to hang out but........ I've never worked in an office.
Seriously, what's with the posts lately complaining about the types of questions or lack of experienced posters?
I'm starting to be offended. Sh!t, I'm up til 2-3am CDT watching for the late night shenanigans to nip it in the bud. Most of the East Coast mods are on the job by 6am EDT. We use smart phones during the day while working.
Seriously, what's with the posts lately complaining about the types of questions or lack of experienced posters?
I'm starting to be offended. Sh!t, I'm up til 2-3am CDT watching for the late night shenanigans to nip it in the bud. Most of the East Coast mods are on the job by 6am EDT. We use smart phones during the day while working.
WTF else do we have to do??????
Maybe I need to find more time in my 14 hr days to find and delete every post that bothers any one member so everyone is happy all the time. Yeah thats it.
Oh wait, that might annoy the person that posted it. It's always something.
We'll never make every poster at CT happy 100% of the time.
It's an impossibility.
We'll keep shooting for that anyway. :thumbsup:
Our goal is to make a pleasant atmosphere for all the regular posters here. There are MANY MANY things you don't see behind the scenes, and/or because they are removed from view so quickly here and discussed before any action is taken.
As Leo stated above, the posters who don't belong here are recognized pretty quickly and removed quickly.
The only thing asked is that when you see something questionable, hit that report button. We'll keep this place as clean as we can for all of you.
This might sound silly and I have no idea how much work would be involved (servers,payment, etc. ) Have you guys ever discussed making this a pay site?
Maybe keep reading for the general public but no posting until you pay that fee?
Might let other contractors see what they were paying for and wan't to join while even a small fee might make HO's hesitate when they wanted a quick answer to some simple ?.
P.S. Aren't a lot of us HO's ? I have some ?'s I would like to ask other trades here about my own house. Don't you guys talk to other trades in the field?. I have people ask me things and I ask them things. Never seen an attitude. Must be an internet thing. Maybe I'm just easy going... I am part Hippie.
If you have a problem with this place you know where the door is. If you'd like to make a monthly donation I'm sure the administrator won't mind at all.....
Keep your damn socks to yourself, I want nothing to do with Warner socks....
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