In my next life, I want to be a contractor

"Sure, Inky, we'll be there Monday morning between 8-9."

"Hey, we're running late this morning. We'll be there around 11."

"Sorry, we got hung up at the shop getting supplies." - 1 p.m.

"Well, looks like we'll need to go get some extra 2x4s. We'll be back in half an hour." - 1:45 p.m.

"Did the boss say this would be a one day job?" - 3:10 p.m.

"That's about all we can do for today. We'll be back tomorrow morning between 8-9." - 4:37 p.m.

 

Either that, or be a cable guy in your next life.

 

"We met about a week ago during a routine installation, but I feel like I've known him my whole life."

 

Inky,

I feel your pain, truly I do. But keep in mind that the logistics of getting 10 trucks to over 75 locations in one city in one day is quite a job (these are just my personal statistics.) So when one of my guys tells a customer they will be there between 10 and Noon, they really do have every intention of doing exactly that. But more often than not, the two houses in front of you had unavoidable problems. This happens every day when dealing with any sort of remodeling situation/installation service.

However, these two excuses: "Sorry, we got hung up at the shop getting supplies." and "Well, looks like we'll need to go get some extra 2x4s. We'll be back in half an hour." are never acceptable.

 

I'll decode this for you.

"Sure, Inky, we'll be there Monday morning between 8-9."
We overslept.



"Hey, we're running late this morning. We'll be there around 11."
Hey, we're gonna grab a quick bite to eat since we missed breakfast because we overslept."


"Sorry, we got hung up at the shop getting supplies." - 1 p.m.
Sorry, we decided to take a longer lunch. We deserved it since we had a rough start to the morning."


"Well, looks like we'll need to go get some extra 2x4s. We'll be back in half an hour." - 1:45 p.m.
We're going to run to 7-11 and get something to drink. It's been a tough workday."


"Did the boss say this would be a one day job?" - 3:10 p.m.
We have more lunches to take. Hopefully, you don't want us to do a great job.


"That's about all we can do for today. We'll be back tomorrow morning between 8-9." - 4:37 p.m.

Sorry, our union contract says we have to quit by 4 pm. But you already paid us all this money. We'll try to get here by 8-9 tomorrow."

 

Everyone understands about unforeseen delays. But he was told they'd be there between 8 and 9. That means he's one of the first jobs of the day, if not the first.

 

For my business, 8-9 is not the first job of the day, but rather the second.

I hear what you all are saying, honestly I do. But understand that unforeseen delays happen at a minimum of 50% of the jobs we have every day of the week.

I'm not saying that the above scenario doesn't happen. But it really is rare. At least in my company and the majority of the other companies that we work with.

It just upsets me to hear people say things like "I want to be a contractor" implying that they don't have to work and have it so easy. It would be the same as when people say that they want to get into sports journalism so that they can go to sporting events for free all the time. Or when they comment on how great it is that you get to see all the great sporting events for free.

I'm sorry that Inky had a bad experience with his contractors today. And the excuses they gave him are not valid. However, this is not the norm in the industry.

 

I know it's not the norm in the industry. One of my grandfathers was a contractor until he retired. So I know how the business works.

The GC has done work for me in the past. He's good. But this sub-contracting crew today freakin' sucked. I put in more time on the clock than they did today, and I never left the house.

 

And shit like this is why you pay by the job, not by the hour. Or do it yourself.

 

Many, if not most, contractors begin work between 6 and 7 a.m. ... as Liesl said (thanks for the heads up in the other thread!), it's not that unusual to get hung up.

 

Which is why I said, one of the first of the day.