Going with the flow

[ivsenroute]

I was hired to "mop up" after a handyman did some wiring for an apartment being renovated. At first while looking at all the work that I had to do to straighten out his mess I became a little angry and was starting to get the "F-this" attitude. This was because very little was done right and a lot of it had to be done completely over.

Then I simply changed my attitude and realized that I am here because someone else is incompetent and I am being paid for my services so smile and keep on working. So what if I have to add more circuits and fish wires even though drywall was just put on. So what if I have to take apart the sub panel and rewire it. so what if I have to ground every single metal box. So what if I have to permanently mark every white because he used 12/2 on every lighting switch as the loop. I really don't care. I just keep buying material and charging my time for as long as this lasts.

It is amazing how changing your own attitude makes a big difference on how you feel about your work.

 

[peter d]

Ummmmm....amen?

 

[480sparky]

I find it amazing how many like to complain about not being able to do something the 'quick and easy' way.

If work it difficult, don't complain. It's work. And that means you have a job. And that job is a means to support yourself, feed and cloth your family, put a roof over your heads.......

 

[peter d]

Other than roughing a new tract house, I can't think of much else that is quick and easy in this trade. And as they say, if it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

 

[alfiesauce]

Over here we refer this type of work as junk trunkin'.
But you are right- it is what it is, and bill it out.
Just pray the homeowner doesn't freak out about what a real electrical job costs.

 

[growler]

It is amazing how changing your own attitude makes a big difference on how you feel about your work.

The bad attitude normally starts when you explain to the owner how much work there is to be done, all the faults that need correcting and they start to put the brakes on the job ( no, no, no, can't afford that).

So long as they are willing to keep you on the clock then your attitude stays good, it's all money.

 

[480sparky]

Other than roughing a new tract house, I can't think of much else that is quick and easy in this trade. And as they say, if it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

And that is what many complain about. They'd rather rope new homes, day after day, mindlessly repeating the same motions over and over.

Make 'em think about how to fish one circuit in an existing house, and they seem unable to summon the brainpower to do it.

 

[cadpoint]

It's always refreshing to hear that's its just work!

:wink:

 

[Sparky555]

Ripping out & replacing carpenter's electrical work is one of my favorite jobs.

 

[wireguru]

i used to get all upset when i had to fix other's messes, then one day i realized (hay! im making twice as much as i would have if i just did this originally) one time several years ago it was SO good, i actually sent a gift basket to the guy I replaced (he was not amused)

 

[220/221]

I find it amazing how many like to complain about not being able to do something the 'quick and easy' way.

You have just described me to a tee.

Simple job, easy money.

Remove fixture and replace with recessed can.

They COULD have drilled the fixture mounting holes anywhere but chose to drill them 1/4" away from a gusset on the canopy so only someone with tiny fingers coule install the cap nut.

One of the mounting clips fell off and lodged itself above the lamp socket. Crap design so I have to take out the guts which is OK because the paper thin reflector part was bent and the lamp would have been crooked anyway.

Then the recessed trim springs that have to be attached to the holes in the reflector/socket part. It could be so easy with attachment points that are accessible.

The lamp screwed in nicely though


Then a simple 4way tshoot where they used red as neutral and B&W as travelers.

I complain about this stuff all day long. I can't seem to change my attitude without some kind of chemical influence.

 

[George Stolz]

Others mistakes irritate me somewhat. Shoddy workmanship (at least the items that I think matter) annoy me.

The mistakes that irritate me the most are my own.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Then I simply changed my attitude and realized that I am here because someone else is incompetent and I am being paid for my services so smile and keep on working. So what if I have to add more circuits and fish wires even though drywall was just put on. So what if I have to take apart the sub panel and rewire it. so what if I have to ground every single metal box. So what if I have to permanently mark every white because he used 12/2 on every lighting switch as the loop. I really don't care. I just keep buying material and charging my time for as long as this lasts.

it helps if i remember not to help the homeowner remember how
screwed up it is. rubbing salt in his wounds is not considered
rehabilitation or therapy.

i had one homeowner have a cow how much i charged to fix all
the electrical in a house... it all worked when i left, and that is
more than you can say for the guy who came before me. i think
i was the fourth electrician to work on this fine dwelling.

electricians are sometimes like waffles... the first one never is
that good....

i've been a second waffle for a while now. it's ok... it's all money.

randy

 

[JohnJ0906]

The mistakes that irritate me the most are my own.

I agree.
I just try to learn from them. BUT, it is still better to learn from others mistakes.... :wink:

 

[wbalsam1]

I was hired to "mop up" after a handyman did some wiring for an apartment being renovated. .................

Then I simply changed my attitude and realized that I am here because someone else is incompetent and I am being paid for my services so smile and keep on working. ...................It is amazing how changing your own attitude makes a big difference on how you feel about your work.

This always held true when I was conducting electrical inspections, too. I hated to have to write out the "red tags" because it was a lot of extra work, it embarrased the worker, created all kinds of paperwork.....but then I realized that it meant a re-inspection which meant more $$$$$!

If it was something simple, I would wait while the electrician fixed it, otherwise a return stop and a fee.

But I must admit, no matter how much $$ the re-inspection generated, I hated the "trunk-slammer" jobs.

 

[tonyou812]

I find it amazing how many like to complain about not being able to do something the 'quick and easy' way.

If work it difficult, don't complain. It's work. And that means you have a job. And that job is a means to support yourself, feed and cloth your family, put a roof over your heads.......

Those are usually the guys that have trucks without any real material. You know the type that buys only for the job.

 

[mdshunk]

Those are usually the guys that have trucks without any real material. You know the type that buys only for the job.

I always get a chuckle when I see other electrical contractors returning some fittings and leftover boxes and so on at the supply house. Seems like if they were at all busy, they'd use that stuff soon enough.

 

[480sparky]

I always get a chuckle when I see other electrical contractors returning some fittings and leftover boxes and so on at the supply house. Seems like if they were at all busy, they'd use that stuff soon enough.

Some outfits just don't want to 'stock' stuff. Maybe have some 12thhn & romex, 189s and ?" and ?" emt stuff around for service calls. But some see no reason to pay for a half-dozen 3" couplers and have them sit on the shelf for years until the next project that can use them comes along.

Charging for the left-overs becomes problematic as well. Say you're wrapping up a large comm job (30-bay strip mall), and you've got several boxes of EMT connectors left. If you keep them, 1. you pay for them and 2. you need to account for them before you submit your final bill. It's a whole lot easier to take 'em back to the supply house and let them count them instead of paying an apprentice to do so.

 

[mattsilkwood]

I find it amazing how many like to complain about not being able to do something the 'quick and easy' way.

If work it difficult, don't complain. It's work. And that means you have a job. And that job is a means to support yourself, feed and cloth your family, put a roof over your heads.......

you are so right but i have to remind myself of that from time to time. just got done with a job where they wanted to add/change some stuff. should have took abuot a half a day, but they diddnt call untill the rock was finished. took two days. its jobs like that that make me grit my teeth but like you said the longer im there the more i get paid.

 

[mdshunk]

Some outfits just don't want to 'stock' stuff. Maybe have some 12thhn & romex, 189s and ?" and ?" emt stuff around for service calls. But some see no reason to pay for a half-dozen 3" couplers and have them sit on the shelf for years until the next project that can use them comes along.

Charging for the left-overs becomes problematic as well. Say you're wrapping up a large comm job (30-bay strip mall), and you've got several boxes of EMT connectors left. If you keep them, 1. you pay for them and 2. you need to account for them before you submit your final bill. It's a whole lot easier to take 'em back to the supply house and let them count them instead of paying an apprentice to do so.

Charge for all of them, since you're not itemizing anyhow (or shouldn't be) and then you'll have some free one's to charge for the next time you use them.