Hiring a crew - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

outsidethelines · 03-01-2008, 12:08 AM

I read on here somewhere someone saying that all of a sudden things are picking up quickly. I am surprised to find that it is the same here all of a sudden. Monday I have to be in too many places at one time and I remember having this problem last year as well. I need to have a few jobs running at one time. Plus I have estimates to go to. Last year there were some problems with guys working slow when I'm not there, or work being done wrong and having to be redone or whatever. I want to be better than that. I want to be able to maintain the same level of quality that I did when it was just me doing the work. How do you find painters that you can trust and that are qualified. Where do you find them? Do you run ads? I prefer to find painters that are referred by someone else. Otherwise there is the backround checking and drug testing, blah, blah, blah... There has got to be an easier way.

Jonesey · 03-01-2008, 10:03 AM

There isn't an easier way. You can expect a competent painter to do half as much as you could do in the same amount of time if you leave him alone. If you babysit him, you'll probably get about 3/4 of what you can do in a day out of him. I've tried everything from incentives to instilling fear and nothing works over the long run better than a good attitude from the start.

Your best bet is to hire for attitude and train to competency. Keep them happy and rested and work right beside them every minute you can. They'll work better if they see you working the same way they do. Paperwork, bidding and talking to clients might be work, but it's not what they do. If you won't get your hands dirty, they won't respect you. Their output is tied to their respect for you. If they have little respect for you, they won't take your jobs seriously.

Pick the right foreman and train him to lead. He has to be the best at everything your crew does, the fastest, and the most mature. Best of luck here. Finding a good foreman is like panning for a good sized gold nugget. You'll know right away when you find him, but getting rid of all the crap he comes with might take a while. And for Pete's sake pay him well. There's nothing worse than training a competitor.

plazaman · 03-01-2008, 10:33 AM

jones i agree with you, but not the part where they have to see you working before they respect you. Supposed outsidethelines, wants to be an out of the bucket guy?

Outside, we face the samething right now, the guys cannot be trusted to go out on their own to do a job. me or dad has to be present. Ive been reading up on this topic, and yes i agree, hire on attitude from the begining. Im also leanings towards paying per sq.ft with bonuses vs. hourly. An hourly guy doesnt care how much he paints because he knows his money is good. A sq.ft guy is opposite.

Sir Mixalot · 03-01-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonesey

There isn't an easier way. You can expect a competent painter to do half as much as you could do in the same amount of time if you leave him alone. If you babysit him, you'll probably get about 3/4 of what you can do in a day out of him. I've tried everything from incentives to instilling fear and nothing works over the long run better than a good attitude from the start.

Your best bet is to hire for attitude and train to competency. Keep them happy and rested and work right beside them every minute you can. They'll work better if they see you working the same way they do. Paperwork, bidding and talking to clients might be work, but it's not what they do. If you won't get your hands dirty, they won't respect you. Their output is tied to their respect for you. If they have little respect for you, they won't take your jobs seriously.

Pick the right foreman and train him to lead. He has to be the best at everything your crew does, the fastest, and the most mature. Best of luck here. Finding a good foreman is like panning for a good sized gold nugget. You'll know right away when you find him, but getting rid of all the crap he comes with might take a while. And for Pete's sake pay him well. There's nothing worse than training a competitor.

Spot on Jonesey. You must have been doing this biz for awhile. Because that is the way it is.