Does Anyone Else Here Hate New Construction?

DeanV

Man, I do not enjoy new construction work. I thought I would try a little more this year thinking it would be a good way to get enough work to run a smaller crew year round. But, I do not like spraying drywall primer, do not like all the dust, do not care for all the prep, it ruins my scheduling for my regular repaint work, more material bills to float while waiting for checks, etc.

I am done whining now.

STUMPFOOT

My loathing for NC has more to do with the bad experiances I have had with GC's then the work itself, But the work isnt much fun either.

kanadaeh

Not to mention:
Being told the house is ready for paint on Monday, but here it is Wednesday and it's still not ready. Dark colors that cheap contractors don't want to pay for but I'm sure they charge for. Call backs for touch ups. Not to mention thirty painters chasing the same dollar. I thought I would tackle some new construction this year so I would have steady work but I realized the grass isn't greener. When it's all said and done, the moneys just not there for me. My best jobs are the one and two day jobs. There easy to schedule, your in and out, and you grab the check on the way out the door. On the other hand, new construction did help feed me last winter

firemike

I'm with the others, new construction seems more about quick and cheap that about craftsmanship and results. I hate new construction too, give me a remodel anyday. Like kanadaeh said, my best money is the short 2 or 3 days jobs. In and out with a grand or two in your pocket, no waiting for draws, no waiting for other trades to finish so you can start.

__________________
-Mike-

chris n

I'm with the others, new construction seems more about quick and cheap that about craftsmanship and results.

Funny, i was in a new home yesterday where new granite counter tops with backsplash were just installed and every outlet was at a different height,which the backsplash just highlighted,makes you wonder if the builder even had a tape measure or knew how to use it.

Richard

I don't care about the spraying part
I don't care about the cheaper paint part
I don't care about the crappy pay schedule part
I don't care about the prep part

I absolutely HATE other trades. So many reasons to list. No respect...everyone walks around thinking they are gods...people blasting crappy music and spitting chew into their garbage can...

Ugg, I remember those days...never again

__________________
Rich

DeanV

One of my favorites it doing as large exterior of a new home last summer, every in side bend corner on the outside of the house, garage, front porch reeked of urine. Nothing like having to stand on top of someone else's piss while you are painting. Please note Sacrasm.

firemike

Sarcasm noted!

I had a plumber friend that had the same problem with his pipe stubs sticking out of the floor. Someone (nobody saw anyone do it) would cut the cap off them and they would immediatly become the "communal urinal." Naturally everyones aim wasn't that great so after a couple weeks, you could imagine the smell, especially after being closed up during a hot weekend. The owners really appreciated it too. (More sarcasm) And then having to work on it... yuck!

__________________
-Mike-

Workaholic

LOL yes all of those things can and do happen. I stopped doing remodel work quite a long time ago and have been doing new since. I have been fortunate to not have many of those problems. New is a different kind of animal is all, many can not take it. It is a balancing act of speed and quality. To make it in new, and to still feel good that you know you produce quality... Well lets just say i have hired many painters with so much experience that they should have no problems, yet they just can not keep up. And the prep has to be done at the top of your game with speed. So many are unable to handle that as well. I do resent the blow and go statements i here so much. I know they are all over the market but i am not one of them.
Bottom line is it is not for just anyone. I have been thinking of getting back into the remodel phase, dusting off my old numbers and getting back out there, but hell this is june i am busy. lol

__________________
Sean

thom

Ah the glories or remodels and repaints...

... 10 years worth of crap in the closets that must be moved, then moved back.

... The dog that the owner thinks is cute but when the owner isn't looking is nipping at your heals.

... The stain that "appeared" on the carpet while you were working there so it must by from you.

... The missing watch.

... That isn't the color I picked.

... You don't expect me to pay for the paint you washed out of your brush and roller do you?

... My sister's painter didn't charge for that.

... I could do it myself in half the time.

... You will need to park in the street down the block.

... Don't you have any clean tarps? These ones have paint on them already.

... No, you can't wash out in my sink/yard.

... I forgot, my bridge club will be here this afternoon so you'll have to come back to paint that door tomorrow.

...

STUMPFOOT

And they all think they can do it better than you.

RCPainting

Well said! I tried to defend new construction on another thread. I don't have a lot of the problems I read about either. I have a good rapport with the supers and builders. Our license requirements are such that there are not a lot of painters "chasing the same dollar". Prices are pretty much the same, it is your quality,speed and dependability that keeps you on.

DeanV

The builders I have been working do not want blow and go, but I am finding I just am not enjoying it. The worst part is that it makes scheduling for my repaint customers much more difficult since the new construction has to take precedence in scheduling.

Around here, for prime and paint trim, prefinished windows, and top quality paint (Grahams Ceramic, Moore's Matte, or Duration, etc) pricing is 3.00/ sq ft. That is just the standard going rate. Some guys get upto 3.30/ sq ft.

Richard

Similar pricing here as well

__________________
Rich

steve-in-kville

heh, that reminds me of the days when I worked for a local electrical contractor. In three years, I only did two residential jobs. One was a rewire, the other was a case where we were doing some upgrades to his business (which was next door to the house) and they asked us to make some changes in the house after we wrapped up the business stuff.

Add... foot-prints on the carpet.

Use our bathroom?! No way!!

That ladder looks crusty... don't want it in my house!

Plus many others that I might think or later on...

steve

__________________

Dave Mac

did it for years, lived in red mud worked 70 hrs a week with huge crews made no money, was lied to by buiders, cheated out of many many thousands of change orders, I hate it, will not do it period,

kanadaeh

True, but as long as we are getting paid, I really don't mind. I met a garage door guy the other day and we had this same conversation. He said that since he started his bus 4 yrs ago, he will work for the end user only. He refuses to work for a middle man. When I asked why, he replied he doesn't have enough resources to sell wholesale to anyone. He has to charge retail prices. In order to sell wholesale, it would have to be huge volume. He seems to be doing alright with 10 employees. So this got me thinking. I can't make good money on NC because I don't do enough volume. I think if I could, I would rather do repaints in volume and charge full retail anyways.

Workaholic

I haver heard of this happening but have never been on a job where it did happen. Nasty freaks.

__________________
Sean

daArch

Gotta admit, in the mid 80's we were doing the exteriors a few spec homes in a new developement. Left our equip in the basement over the weekend. On the job early Monday AM and couldn't find the planks. We finally did, up with the plasterers' sh!t, COVERED with plaster (tell me how safe those turd mounds are to trip on). So we took one of their buckets and used it as a toilet all day, and I'm not talking just pee. We returned it to their area. We were off that house before they returned.

I find old construction has more surprises, maybe that's just in an area where there is too much crappy latex jumping off 50's lead. Did a wallcovering estimate a week ago. In one room HUGE sheets of vinyl latex were hanging off the window trim. The lead paint under had never seen a piece of sandpaper. I said to myself, "sure glad I don paint no mo"

At least with new, you know what to expect. But I love working DIRECTLY with the homeowner. Each has its pros and cons, IMO.

__________________
Wallcovering Installations by Bill Archibald|paperhanger|Eastern Mass|Greater Boston Area|Dover|Wellesley|Franklin|Sharon|MA

paint_booger

There is an art to doing new construction. If you come up with the sucesful formula, and repeat it over and over again ... it's magic, and you are mint.

If you struggle to long trying to find that perfect system ... it can wear you down, and make you quit.

I've been rocking and rolling on the wave of a good system for a few years now, and it's great.

You need to have a lot of patience, and love the game to make it work for you.

Spray and backroll with high energy metal and fine tune with easy listening music.

Change orders mean extras, and whip out that PDCA book on the builder. Leap frogging and stacking of trades, as well as out of sync scheduling is not tolarable! Make them know and respect that. Put their schedule together for them, and you will accomodate your own needs as well as make them gratefull for doing their job.