I need to vent this somewhere

[werty]

So I work for my Dad's company. We build custom homes...err they're basically mansions.:p

Anyways, I've been doing this for along time now, worked my way up from the bottom. The way my jobs works is that I am in charge of making sure everyone does everything right. Ive learned alot over the past 2 years and I finally get respect from everyone that I see on the jobs. Which is great.

Anyways, its finally come time though for me to learn how to read plans. The easiest way to do this is for me to join a framing crew and help out. We'll as you know the markets for home building suck right now( sO I kinda learned home building backwards) and I basically wasnt able to get this job until monday. And it happened out of no where.

The forman asked my Dad monday if he could train me...So naturally I got signed up for this task. I started this morning and honestly guys...I just about passed out from the heat.

It was not cool at all...literally. Standing in the sun for 10 hrs lifting heavy wood beams, cutting nailing measuring etc. ONE 25 min lunch break...also in the sun. I was not preparred to do this. Im no pansy and I manned up. Pulled my weight easily, but then I start to notice the guys are all kinda crazy in the head. Basically theyve been doing this so long they have literally lost their marbles. Its kinda sad, but its all they know. So I pity them but at the same time, Im like "F this I gotta get out of this bs":p

So I get home about 45 min ago, im dead tired right now, and I know tomorrow is gonna be the same bull. Im mad, because I am not a laborer, Im the brains thats supposed to be in charge of laborers. I know I have to learn this, but I also dont want to be a slave to these guys.

Its just frustrating to be back at the bottom again. The only hope I have right now is I only have to do this for a few more weeks and then Ill be set and I can move on. CANT WAIT

uhhh, done venting....

[whiteballz]

Nice vent.

I can understand the anger, but its only temporary will.

[f6fhellcat13]

can the workers speak english?
lotsa water and such will help a lottle
In la its been in about the 90s for the past month, with a few notable exceptions, so i assume it's even worse in Ariz. srry bro. :)

[Niko_Fx]

CEOs of huge retailers start out as service clerks. It's part of the process, it makes you understand the business a lot better and the needs and points of view of your employees.

Next time one of your workers is tired after only a few hours of work you'll know that it is thanks to the damned Arizona heat and the kind of work that they undergo while making less money than you who are just delegating tasks out. They will also respect you a lot more if they know that you've been through the same.

[Roentgen]

CEOs of huge retailers start out as service clerks. It's part of the process, it makes you understand the business a lot better and the needs and points of view of your employees.

Next time one of your workers is tired after only a few hours of work you'll know that it is thanks to the damned Arizona heat and the kind of work that they undergo while making less money than you who are just delegating tasks out. They will also respect you a lot more if they know that you've been through the same.

Agreed. Sorry to hear, but good luck! It's for your own good!

[baddabang]

I started at the bottom too. Busing pizzas for a restaurant that my boss owns. Let me tell you delivering pizzas sucks major balls. I worked my way up slowly. got to know everyone, and kissed ass until my lips went numb. I've worked for the same man since I was 16 for 4 different businesses. Now I have mad respect from a majority of his company with the exception of a few old timers. I recently got put on salary and I'm still not sure how I feel about that, especially after I got shafted into working an 11hr day tomorrow. Working under a self made multi-millionaire entrepreneur is really something else though, considering he started at the bottom selling shitty used cars hardly any profit at all.

Good luck with it Werty. Hope all goes well and your dad can trade that Z06 for a ZR-1 :cool:

[cmcpokey]

i have to agree with Niko. It does suck, but you will have a much better appreciation of the work they are doing for you. it will also provide an excellent tool in your back pocket for dealing with guys coming to you complaining. "suck it up, i've been through worse." it will also give you some leverage with negotiating, especially when you are younger than a lot of the guys working for you.

[blingbling]

...i've worked at numerous labor-intensive factories before. you do what you do to pay the bills. man up, pansy :p.

[The_Canuck]

http://www.canadianmarketingblog.com/jfhe.jpg
This is a classic ^

[Zytek_Fan]

Oh, the primitive photo editing.

[f6fhellcat13]

lol æteez
that house appears to have a tropical storm emerging form its roof.

[digitalcraft]

Wow, that poster was in one of my classrooms in highschool. The cars didn't look so old then... :P

And as for werty. It'll put hair on your chest. You'll live.

[henk4]

just think of the people in China who work for you every day a life long for next to nothing. It will make seem your torture slightly more pleasant.......

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Working hard now gives you greater incentive to a) work hard to get out of your current situation and b) man up.

I understand it's a vent, but seriously, you knew what you were in for.

[clutch-monkey]

i reccomend two tablespoons of cement with every meal and harden the f*ck up princess.

[drakkie]

Come on man, don't complain ! You are like 20 now right ? So you work for just 2 years now.. ? I've been working since the age of 12 and since my 14th had to give 50% to my parents for the household.

Not all jobs are easy and some people just are not so priviledged to have the brains or the luck to come higher up. I don't mind some heavy work at times, I won't complain about it even though i may not like it. I have done some shitty jobs myself. Think of cutting frozen cucumber into pieces in -7 degree Celsius conditions with nothing more than rubber gloves to keep your hands from cutting and freezing. Everyday about 70 crates of 25 kilo went through my hands. I hated it allready after 3 days or so but served out my 3 months contract, some colleagues with me on this same time were all unable to serve it out due to health problems or lost fingers !!!

The morale of the story, don't complain and work. If it's not nice work, then try and make the fun yourself by means of good jokes and stuff, as long as it doesnt delays the job.

[Wouter Melissen]

The morale of the story, don't complain and work. If it's not nice work, then try and make the fun yourself by means of good jokes and stuff, as long as it doesnt delays the job.

Please tell me a good joke.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

His wit is beyond compare.

As is his grasp of Irony.

[Clivey]

Please tell me a good joke.

My house is made of wood...and my car? Well, it's also made of wood. Mahogany, actually. Yeah...the added lightness makes it a killer around the 'ring.

[my porsche]

My dad also builds houses (probably averages about $400-450/sf) that sound similar to your dad's, and I work for him in the summers. I do similar stuff, go pick up say two pallets of tile (~2500lbs) in my truck and deliver it (unloading it by hand), pick up/deliver lumber, lights, cut down trees etc. I started with pure shit work, digging stuff, moving around lumber, cleaning up trash on the job sites, mostly the worker's disgusting trash, moving stone and tile etc, gradually I've gotten up to more delivery guy, even done some engineering and materials coordinating etc. Basically, if your dad is anything like my dad, eventually it will get better, actually it sounds like you'll probably only have to do this until you know how to do it well, so it seems like it will be up to you as to how long you spend doing this. You think you have it bad in Arizona? Add in 90% humidity while doing that work, early in the summer I averaged 30 minutes until my shirt was completely drenched in sweat. :p

I bet the housing market sucks in Arizona though, there, California and Florida are where most of "those" houses were/are that caused this slump. :p Your dad could always move here and set up shop, the market is still good here. :D

[Rockefella]

Back in my day we built this city by ourselves..





on rock and roll.

[Niko_Fx]

I started at the bottom too. Busing pizzas for a restaurant that my boss owns. Let me tell you delivering pizzas sucks major balls. I worked my way up slowly. got to know everyone, and kissed ass until my lips went numb. I've worked for the same man since I was 16 for 4 different businesses. Now I have mad respect from a majority of his company with the exception of a few old timers. I recently got put on salary and I'm still not sure how I feel about that, especially after I got shafted into working an 11hr day tomorrow. Working under a self made multi-millionaire entrepreneur is really something else though, considering he started at the bottom selling shitty used cars hardly any profit at all.

Good luck with it Werty. Hope all goes well and your dad can trade that Z06 for a ZR-1 :cool:

I'm on salary, my paycheck states that I work 44hrs/week.... While I never work less than 60. Salary FTL, my hourly Assistant Managers can easily make more money than me if they find their way around 10hrs of overtime (Basically 50hrs/week and they're making more money).

[baddabang]

I'm on salary, my paycheck states that I work 44hrs/week.... While I never work less than 60. Salary FTL, my hourly Assistant Managers can easily make more money than me if they find their way around 10hrs of overtime (Basically 50hrs/week and they're making more money).

Indeed. Salary wouldn't be a bad thing if you had set schedules, and hours. A teacher or government worker for example. It all depends on what field your in. My primary location is at a hotel (largest in town). Its fine during non-peak times of the year. However you can get reservations come in by truckloads very quickly and on short notice. When you have no vacancy's in a 110 room hotel and you just happen to be permanently short staffed, you can easily put in 90hrs/week.

[Zytek_Fan]

Back in my day we built this city by ourselves..





on rock and roll.

YouTube - We Built This City (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxGGckAc1rs)

[cmcpokey]

if you had set schedules, and hours.... government worker for example.

umm, not all govt workers. on the ship i could work 70+ hours while not underway. significantly more while underway.

now, while i am at school right now. for the next 2 years. im getting paid really well to have a normal courseload, and nothing more. last week i had a few classes that were cancelled, and i figured out that i was paid over 100 dollars for every hour i was in class. life is good.

[Zytek_Fan]

I just had to
YouTube - Loverboy - Working for the weekend (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGOPQrf1yvI)

[werty]

I think some of you mis-understood what I was saying, and I dont expect most of you to understand

basically, I was at the top right next to the main boss aka my dad

I was in charge of everything and everyone

but before I can take over on my own I needed to learn the jist of framing, but because housing went downhill/timing of our other projects... I havent been able to get this particular job until right now...so while Ive learned everything else from bottom up, Im now back at the bottom for a few weeks

It would be like a ceo having to do secretary work all of the sudden. I manned up and did the bs work 2 yrs ago. Im not complaining about the job so much as timing of it.

and for the record we are not in any way responsible for debt in America, we ONLY build homes for people that have this kind of cash securely in the bank.

Of course it could be worse, couldve happened in july...

[Zytek_Fan]

My uncle was the vice president of a home remodeling and building business, and as soon as the housing market went bye bye, so did the company.

[70cuda88]

im currently building a house with a class. Were way past framing though. I do know what you mean because we had a professional crew next door while we were framing, they finished the house before we roofed ours. Those guys are truly nuts.

[Dumbscout]

i have to agree with Niko. It does suck, but you will have a much better appreciation of the work they are doing for you. it will also provide an excellent tool in your back pocket for dealing with guys coming to you complaining. "suck it up, i've been through worse." it will also give you some leverage with negotiating, especially when you are younger than a lot of the guys working for you.

yeah, because as an officer you have done a lot of hard manual labor... ;)


I agree with the sentiment about being able to empathize with your employees, but it does suck being one of those guys, and knowing that you are getting paid less to do more work. Everyone should see both sides of the fence at some point, just be glad your not having to worry about having crap blow up on you while you're doing it.

Plus, it should help that someday it'll probably be your company, that should ease the pain a bit. :D

[cmcpokey]

yeah, because as an officer you have done a lot of hard manual labor... ;)

maybe not as much as my guys, but when i would get down next to them and work beside them. just as hard as them, and usually with better results, it added to my cachet.

if you can tell your guys to do something shitty, you can get down beside them and do it yourself.

[Dumbscout]

ok, I'll give you that one. I've just never had an officer that would do that, lol. That's what the NCO's are for.

[Matra et Alpine]

It would be like a ceo having to do secretary work all of the sudden. I manned up and did the bs work 2 yrs ago. Im not complaining about the job so much as timing of it.
Go read about how Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard built the HP company !!
Willingness to do exactly that and to "open door" at all times is what made the company great. It's a shame that US CEOs saw the lure of $$$$ more than of valuable businesses :(
[/quote]and for the record we are not in any way responsible for debt in America, we ONLY build homes for people that have this kind of cash securely in the bank.[/quote]
How about if you built them at lower cost ? Lower debt, less credit-crunch etc.
First cut would be the moaning boss's son who swans around and moans every time he's asked to get his hands dirty !!!!
:)

[Matra et Alpine]

umm, not all govt workers. on the ship i could work 70+ hours while not underway. significantly more while underway.
Auto workers get paid per hour for building cars.
Armed forces surely are paid for FIGHTING.
So in reality you guys do less than an hour a day on average when deployed ! And only deploy cyclicly every 10 years and do a few tours.
So probably in reality you "fight" for about a month in your whole career :)

And you get to cruise around the seas when not fighting ... cost me a fortune to go on a cruise !!!


:) k you know I'm pulling your chain :)

[dydzi]

I think some of you mis-understood what I was saying, and I dont expect most of you to understand

basically, I was at the top right next to the main boss aka my dad

I was in charge of everything and everyone

but before I can take over on my own I needed to learn the jist of framing, but because housing went downhill/timing of our other projects... I havent been able to get this particular job until right now...so while Ive learned everything else from bottom up, Im now back at the bottom for a few weeks

It would be like a ceo having to do secretary work all of the sudden. I manned up and did the bs work 2 yrs ago. Im not complaining about the job so much as timing of it.

and for the record we are not in any way responsible for debt in America, we ONLY build homes for people that have this kind of cash securely in the bank.

Of course it could be worse, couldve happened in july...

so now you can see how hard can life be and how hard it is for some. you should still think you're fortunate with what you do and in what situation you are

[cmcpokey]

Auto workers get paid per hour for building cars.
Armed forces surely are paid for FIGHTING.
So in reality you guys do less than an hour a day on average when deployed ! And only deploy cyclicly every 10 years and do a few tours.
So probably in reality you "fight" for about a month in your whole career :)

And you get to cruise around the seas when not fighting ... cost me a fortune to go on a cruise !!!


:) k you know I'm pulling your chain :)

not sure where to even begin with that one.

talking specifically about the navy here: we typically deploy for 6 months out of every 18. stand watch for about 8 hours a day, work for about another 4-6 per day. not simutaneously. and it's actually very rare that we enter into in a fight of any sort (the benefit of being in the navy).