Simple, Stipud, Costly Mistakes.

boardslinger

I had to sit through a b*tch session today after work today. On MY PERSONAL time. NO Pay. All because several of our "Journeyman" framers are making to many mistakes in the field.

One of our dental offices have come back to bite us in the tail pipe. This job was a nightmare to begin with. Wwe were held off on it for far to long and then, when we got the O.K. it was hurry, hurry.

It seems that the one of our journeyman, who ran the job had enough confidence in the crew to not double check, not only his own work, but the crews. I know this particular person very well, he is a friend of mine and I am not trying to bash him, and he is a damn good framer. But, knowing the level of skill of most of our framers, to allow anything to be walked away from without double and triple checking is completely absurd.

The biggest thing that is killing us on this job is that one of the radius soffits, has a VERY noticeable flat spot in it. It was framed that way, and I can see someone missing it. But not 9 guys. Then it was hung. The hangers didn't see it. Nothing was said about it until after it was taped, textured, and painted. Found mysteriously on the punch list.

Another preoblem on this job is the hanging on 1 particular soffit. A butt joint that stuck out about about a mile from the joint. Funny it was only hung with 1/4" rock. Hmmm, something not adding up here! Oh, I know what it is. The hangers got hte rock wet to make the 60' radius. Fearing that the 1/4 board would never make it around the 60' radius they used water to assist them in the job. DUH!!! It's 1/4" rock, Why the HELL, would anyone use water on 1/4" board. If I can hang 5/8" on a 4' radius inside and outside of the radius, without getting it wet, why the hell would someone use water on 1/4" board.

Now that I have pissed and moaned. I know that the majority of the younger generation has a hell of alot to learn about work ethics, but is this really so common that most don't even have the sense to know there butt from a hole in the ground. How could 9 framers, 6 hangers, 3 tapers, and 2 painters miss these 2 problems. I find that I get less and less done everyday, because I am constantly checking on the quality of my crew. If it aint right, they stop what they are doing and fix the problem. If I ask them if they know how to fix it and hear yes, then they had better fix it right. If I hear no, then I will tell them, but I never allow them to walk away without it being fixed. And if that means that we ALL, stay late until it is done, so be it. Am I the only one experiencing this, because, the company I work for is hiring less then desireable workers who are not quite as anal as I am about quality? Or are we a dying breed? I am nowhere near the age as the oldtimers that learned me this trade, but I DO keep there wisdom in my work. I am damn good at what I do because of them. Beacuse of my willingness to learn and their experience. And I am just not seeing it in alot of guys, whether they are 10 years or so older than me or 10 years younger, and I definatly do not see it in the kids that have been doing this a years or so, except for the cub they have given me. This kid is going to be running work within 2 years, I garauntee it. So am I the only one dealing with this or is this a real problem all around the trades?

O.K. I'm off my soapbox.

__________________
Bang it, Slam it, Screw it, Aaaaaaah Sheetrock.

Glasshousebltr

Welcome to the jungle Boardslinger, it's seems yuu have been here awhile but your just realizing it.

I've seen maggots do some dam stupit crap. I tell them, and I tell them, it drives me stinking insane. I know a lot of guys are not realy as smart as me but for crying out loud sometimes it seems the world is full of freakung idiots!

However I think there is a rainbow. It seems every so often you hire a fella that knows nothing but seems to be, what I call, Wood Smart. He picks up on the job real quick, He's always on time and it's a joy teach him. I can spot these guy quickly, they are the ones that take the time to ask the right questions, then make sure they fully understand the answer.

The whole dam thing's a trip.

Bob

Grumpy

I'm not a framer and I don't know my radius soffit's from my ass however from a management position I am experiencing similiar problems. We are in a transitional period right now. Our best foreman left us and our second best foreman is returning after being down for a year with a shattered leg (not a job injury). After our foreman left and before our 2nd best returned our crews were making alot of mistakes that didn't get caught until I or my boss showed up on the job site.

Now I will be the first to admit my hands on expeirence ended after two years so I will be the first to say I should never find a problem because these guys have far more hands on experience than I do. I'm glad Big Paul, our current foreman whohad the broken leg, is back in the swing of things.

boardslinger

Bob, I've never seem so many mistakes come out of one company before. Until I started at this outfit, I've worked with guys who have been doing this stuff for 20+ years. So this is pretty new to me. And the thing that really chaps my @$$ is that most of these yahoos are making journeymans wage.


Grumpy, a flat spot in a soffit is not real hard to find sometimes it can be missed because of shadows. But this thing was sticking out like a sore thumb, a blind man could have seen it. And then to have EVERYONE miss it, (framers, hangers, tapers, and painters), and no one reported it to the G.C. Oh yeah, he didn't see it either. Sometimes I feel like beating my head against the wall. But then I just use the guilty parties head. Less painfull and more satisfying.

__________________
Bang it, Slam it, Screw it, Aaaaaaah Sheetrock.