Horse Trading

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480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Along the lines of the tool-loaning thread, how much horse trading do you do with other trades?

For instance: On a large commercial job, I had the need to dig about 60 foot of trench, and started to think about the cost of getting the company trencher out on the site (we were 180 miles from the shop). I knew the plumbers still had their equipment on site, so I asked them if I could do something as a favor for them if they would dig & backfill the trench I needed. All they wanted was power strung to their construction trailer. I said "Sure!" I actually had less labor wiring their trailer than I would have if I trenched.

So I'm just kinda curious how much of this type of 'trading' goes on, and whether your company approves of it, just looks the other way, or says "No Way!".
 
tkb

tkb

Senior Member
Location
MA
I used to do it all the time on the large projects.
One hand washes the other.
It always promoted harmony between the trades if we worked together and not be enemy's.

Sometimes it is amazing what you can get for a hat or t-shirt or even a case of beer that you can't get for money. Crane lifts were my favorite.

The last large job I did that lasted 3 years, all the trades kicked in money every week for meat for a cookout and most brought in food to share. We each had an apprentice alternate cooking each week and when the food was ready we all ate together. The GC wasn't sure if he liked it or not, but all the trades got along, union and open shop.

I don't think it was approved by the office, but it was done anyways. I made the job run smoother and saved money in the long run.
 
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J

jnsane84

Senior Member
Location
Virginia Beach, Va.
I work for a very structured corporate entity now so it's not done a lot. Of course by working within the maintenance department it does happen just not on a large scale. In the past when I worked construction I cant recall any instances where this happened other than us doing small favors that really didnt amount to much. Do I personally see an issue with it.....NO. I think in situations such as yours it makes for a better relationship between trades and a better working environment for everyone. That's just my $.02
 
raider1

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
or even a case of beer that you can't get for money.
Click to expand...

I once get to use a brick masons forklift to unload a couple of bunkers of 3" EMT on a job for a case of beer.:) Much better than unloading it by hand.;)

Chris
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
raider1 said:
I once get to use a brick masons forklift to unload a couple of bunkers of 3" EMT on a job for a case of beer.:) Much better than unloading it by hand.;)

Chris
Click to expand...

You spend too much... a dozen doughnuts are much less. And you can give them to the brickies while they're still on the site.
kakurell.gif
 
J

jnsane84

Senior Member
Location
Virginia Beach, Va.
I've hooked the guys in our machine shop up with cases of beer to do side projects for me and it works out pretty good. It's not wide spread through the facility but it keeps an opening in the machine shop when I have a hot project that requires a bit of milling or lathing.:D
 
tkb

tkb

Senior Member
Location
MA
raider1 said:
I once get to use a brick masons forklift to unload a couple of bunkers of 3" EMT on a job for a case of beer.:) Much better than unloading it by hand.;)

Chris
Click to expand...

I always hooked up the masons brick saw no problem, he had the lull and would unload our trucks for us.
 
electricalperson

electricalperson

Senior Member
Location
massachusetts
i got audited by the IRS and had an accountant take care of it for me. instead of paying her she had me install a light in her kitchen. taken about an hour and i used about 8 feet of 14/2 and a old work fan box kit
 
I

ITO

Senior Member
Location
Texas
I do it all the time, everybody scratches everyone else back. There is a line but I am a sure it gets crossed a lot and I still have more lessons to learn with my skytrak.

Being on the only sub on the job with a skytrak and/or a back hoe gets you lots of favors, and its rare I buy any fuel for my equipment.
 
JacksonburgFarmer

JacksonburgFarmer

Senior Member
Location
Butler County Ohio
Last fall, while wiring a hog barn, 4 hrs from home, short on help, we were trying to pull the service feeders in. We were one man short, so I "comandeered" one of the Amish carpenters to help us pull wire. He helped one of my apprentices do the pulling end of the job, while I and another soaped and fed. (hog barns are like trying to do industrial pipe and wire work in a house when it comes to the service) We had two runs of (3) 4/0 XHHW-2 and (1) #2 XHHW-2 aluminum through 2 1/2" PVC. (400 amp service). When we were done, I asked what I owed him, to which he wouldnt give answer.....so.....(I had always been curious about this) I went to the closest gas station (10 miles) and got a case of Budweiser. Came back and gave to the Amishman at the end of the next day. Anyone ever see a pack of dogs on a three legged cat??? I mean to tell you, those guys (3 of them and their driver) polished that case of beer off in about 15 minuates. Half snookered amishmen is quite a sight to see.......very funny stuff...I tried to think of other favors so I could buy them a gallon of Jim Beam......
 
B

billdozier

Senior Member
Location
gulf coast
We were on a job about a month ago Had a largeditch to dig for feeders Started handdigging while the other crew went to finish a job Plumbers showed up with trenchinq equipment had a ditch where i was at just not as far Needless to say a case of beer was offered up and bam ditch was dug. 2nd crew returned to job and couldnt understand how I dug a ditch that fast. Plumbers were on other side of job. I said beer goes a long way and we had a good laugh. Boss still doesnt know how we did it in a day nor will he
 
F

frenchelectrican

Senior Member
Location
Nord'est Wisconsin et Paris France
I done that quite few time and it almost pretty common to do that more than you think.,,,:cool:

The last jobsite I was working that time I have my bucket truck set up to get ready to hook up the post luminaires and the other subcontractor did have a crane truck on site and I asked him if he can run the crane truck for me and he say sure to return his favour I have one guy from that compay used my bucket truck for short while due thier rig brokedown.

The other time I need something real quick I got ahold of millwright guys and make a peice what I need and they asked me to set up a tempory power for their machine it work out good.

Merci,marc
 
O

ohm

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, AL
Around here the POCO hires out locals to dig the trenches and lay the wire. For $40 I can usually get them to drop phone and cable (probably even dead bodies) in the trench before they cover it up.
 
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