Re: SB: Building times

[Willy Williams <TheRedDragon@earthlink.net>]

On 1/10/2002 at 12:50 AM, waterlady Frommer wrote:
>>         As a builder of homes and commercial structures, and with a
>>flaming tyrant for a business owner, I concur wholeheartedly with BroJones'
>>comments.  I would hasten to add that if you subcontract parts of the
>>structure out, be prepared for even more delays, with and without good
>>reason.  Subs seem to always have reasons to be somewhere else when you
>>need them the most.  Then again, you might have the "Country Club (name
>>your trade)s" that arrive between 9 and 9:30, having stopped twice for
>>coffee and potty breaks before even reaching your site, and who take 90
>>minutes for lunch and/or siesta, and who subsequently leave at 2:30 or 3 to
>>avoid the traffic, and then have the temerity to bill you for a full 8
>>hours of work.  I'd suggest that if you are the GC, it would be proper to
>>include a statement in the contract to the effect that "time spent off-site
>>will not be subject to payment".
>>         The prominence of Murphy's Law cannot be overemphasized.  Be
>>prepared to instruct subs as to how to create things like lookouts and
>>birdsmouths, especially when their expertise is in apartment building.  Buy
>>a good 4' level and a good 18" level (Stabila comes to mind), learn how to
>>use both to cross-check the work of subs.  Remember that "plumb" has two
>>dimensions.
>...........and then again, you could have the experience we had where our 
>subs showed up when they said they'd be there, worked the full day hard, 
>and did a nice professional job.  There are good folks out there and I 
>think the attitude of the person acting as the GC can influence the kind 
>of work and respect you get from your subs.
>susan

Waterlady,
         You're so right in all respects.  Unfortunately, that kind of sub 
is a rare commodity in the region in which I currently live and work.  When 
one gets away from here and out into the provinces, the kind of sub you 
address is far more likely to appear.  And you're absolutely correct that 
the GC's attitude toward and treatment of the subs makes all the difference 
in the world.  Always going for the lowest bid, regardless of a potential 
sub's reputation for quality and timeliness, is a sorry way of doing 
business.  The subs that show up as low-ballers are far more likely to do 
shabby work and have repeated call-backs to get things approaching 
right-ness.

Willy Williams
TheRedDragon@earthlink.net 


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