Had To Share This

Tom M

I have a neighbor by by fathers house that wanted an add-a-level. We are all pretty friendly since the backyards connect and more than one occasion shared some beers. I thought I would get a shot on this bid but never did. I blurted out a number or ballpark I thought the project would come in at to him and either he didnt want to get involved with a neighbor or he just flat out got a cheap price he couldnt pass up. The job was due to start in MARCH and took till now to get under way cause the crew didnt realize what was involved in the permit process of zoning and variance stuff.
Anyway I am not a framer but can frame anything outside of a complex roof line. If this job were mine I would GC this thing and do some minor framing and finish work. I was watching the project unfold all week 1 rafter at a time. They got flooded twice and the owner was sweeping off water off the second floor at night after heavy thunderstorms. Well I couldnt understand why they were framing the roof off tall ladders hence the reason it took all week. Im like theres no cieling joist? It would make framing the roof easier, maybe its cathedral. I didnt walk over and poke around. I could only see from the opposite back yard but I thought it looked jiggly or ready to rack in the high winds of one of the thunderstorms we had. They were on the job till 9:30 last night trying to get ready for the roof today. All week Im wondering why no cieling joist or collar tie or no gable end studs. Well this morning my Dad calls me and says you got see this come by. I get there see 3/4 of the second floor walls and entire roof obliterated. My dad said 8 guys went on the roof to load shingles and he heard a loud creak and crash and saw guys jumping off the roof. Unbelievably no one got hurt. There were guys inside underneath too. Not to be a biggot but only 2 young inexperienced english speaking guys on that job the rest were spanish. We finish 12 weeks he keeps saying. I also lost another potential addition in the final planning stage this week cause the HO found a new house that was cheaper than adding on to his. He bought in 2000 for 189k and sold for 440k. The new house he found became available while helping sheetrock an addition with his friend (who is GCing it himself ) across the street. Now he wants me to look at the new home to see if its well built. This is just another sign of the times. Im losing jobs and slow to people like this.

joasis

Incredible...what is there to say about hacks? Can you imagine had one guy been hurt, OSHA would have been there, and you could drop a hint to your buddy about how much liability he is exposed to....I am insured at a million, and I wonder if that is enough.

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KentWhitten

Try not to think of it this way. You can't control what other people are gong to do. Sell what you have to offer them. Personally, I would not want to get into any type of paid work for a friend, neighbor, or relative. It's an argument waiting to happen.

Learn what you do well and you will keep busy. I have to fight off low wage immigrants myself for framing, yet I keep getting jobs, and I'm faster than them because I work smarter, not harder. Don't try to beat them at their game. You will lose.

mdshunk

I'd take some pictures and put in my porfolio, as an example of what a person might get if they take the low bidder.

Tom R

I'd have to ask the neighbor (while laughing loudly) "Do you feel you're getting exactly what you're paying for yet"??


Where are you in Jersey that it's so slow??

AtlanticWBConst

Reminds me of a deck job that I looked at yesterday. The HO had a guy that planned on doing it, then called 2 days before the start to say that he couldn't do it because he had gotten a ......"Fulltime" job...

Now, first off, what fulltime deck guy, would not be interested in doing a few small projects on the side for extra money?

Anyways, I get there and start discussing the project with the wife. I have samples of composite decking, pictures of our work, a 3-D depiction of the proposed deck (based on tele. discussion)...She says that the first guy was going to make the deck all one level off a certain door. I show her that, structurally, that would not work. That the deck joists themselves would also overlap the finished basement windows. She says: "The first guy never mentioned that". This goes on and on, and I'm getting a clear picture of yet another "Hack" trying to get work that they are not qualified to do...
We wrap it up with the most important point that I wanted to look into. She's got Wetlands in her backyard. Told her that I needed a plot map to just get the Ok from Town Hall on the placement of the deck and the methods for it. Of course the other guy never even thought about that...

"HACKS" - They're out there. Even more so with so many new home development laborers out of work (in this area)....

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- Build Well -

Tom M

Im in north jersey and one week im flooded with calls the next the phone dont ring. Either way not much work evoloving just spotty commiments all over.

MechanicalDVR

Low bidder / low rider ..kinda the same in NJ

no offense to mexicans born here.... oh yeah there aren't any

Tom M

Well its been a couple of weeks since the nightmare and still no rafters or roof. ITS BEEN HOT AND THERE WAS A HOLIDAY BUT GIVE ME BREAK. I was told they found time to sheetrock the kitchen though. No roof , the whole house tarped but that kitchen is rocked. Im stilled amazed at what decisions people make. Apparently he front ended a lot of money as well so I guess thats why this crew is there.

Magnettica

I feel you. But the guys are right. Don't try to compete with moron hacks. You are better than that and you need to sell that. Anyone can be a contractor. But an electrician, plumber, HVAC, or framer are professionally skilled laborers, not just contractors.

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