antagon
The Man
- Dec 6, 2009
- 3,572
- 295
- 48
frankly, the real headline is that all of the demographics in the OP have declined. everyone who expected a 180* turn-around have had those expectations shattered by the state of the economy. the poll will be repeated in november.
you bring up a good point about the half-jobs. of course every client i meet says the contractor hightailed it, but i suspect some of them may have deadbeat their contractors. i know i ran into some shady pay last summer and spring, mainly from failing businesses letting subcontracts. i dont get the impression that i've got a lot of competition, i'm bidding cushioned quotes for these finish-ups. not only is it a pain to follow on someone's work, but i couldn't afford to get stiffed by anyone at this point. there's a lot of work out here, and people are starting to ask that it get done. i'm just not accepting checks.
i've always found sharing work in building difficult. efficiency slumps real hard when guys think that there isn't another job 'round the corner. the antagon school of construction management holds that an overworked crew will be happier and more efficient than an underworked one, and that less heartbreak will be borne when things slow down to regular time, than if crew-cutbacks are made.
that said, i still had to cut a guy loose in november. i tried to look him back up, but he'd just given up on this town, i guess. i felt guilty until i hired a new face last week - an absolute machine, with plenty of experience with a former competitor.
you bring up a good point about the half-jobs. of course every client i meet says the contractor hightailed it, but i suspect some of them may have deadbeat their contractors. i know i ran into some shady pay last summer and spring, mainly from failing businesses letting subcontracts. i dont get the impression that i've got a lot of competition, i'm bidding cushioned quotes for these finish-ups. not only is it a pain to follow on someone's work, but i couldn't afford to get stiffed by anyone at this point. there's a lot of work out here, and people are starting to ask that it get done. i'm just not accepting checks.
i've always found sharing work in building difficult. efficiency slumps real hard when guys think that there isn't another job 'round the corner. the antagon school of construction management holds that an overworked crew will be happier and more efficient than an underworked one, and that less heartbreak will be borne when things slow down to regular time, than if crew-cutbacks are made.
that said, i still had to cut a guy loose in november. i tried to look him back up, but he'd just given up on this town, i guess. i felt guilty until i hired a new face last week - an absolute machine, with plenty of experience with a former competitor.