General Contractors

[Floorist]

I have a question. Why do so many GCs seem to not know how to schedule? If the new house gets vinyl, it needs to be installed before the bath vanity and before the kitchen cabinets and the trim in those rooms.
And carpet should be the last thing installed before the cleaner comes in. I have installed carpet many times before the walls were painted, before the plumbers and electricians were done and before the HVAC was running. Heck, I have done some before the drywall was taped. When the HO is the GC, you know it will be screwed up. But when a professional GC does it, why? Am I missing something?

 

[rugaddict]

when people do the same stupid thing over and over again---as much as you dont want to come to this conclusion----they may be stupid

 

[Floorist]

when people do the same stupid thing over and over again---as much as you dont want to come to this conclusion----they may be stupid

And you can't fix stupid, but you can muffle the sound with duct tape.

 

[Incognito]

The answer couldn't be any simpler in my opinion. A large cost for any contractor is TIME. The costs of running the project each day, week or month extra is cutting into SOMEONE's bonus if he is a super and profit if he is the owner.

Getting subs who have a FIXED bid work on top of each other, out of sequence or even damaging each others work doesn't always cost them anything and on average when a sub can collect for damages and wasted time that cost is shifted to other subs-----not affecting the GCs profit or the superintendent or project manager's BONUS.

In my world I deal almost exclusively with management employees who work on salary with a BONUS being extremely critical to their middle class lifestyle. If they don't bring the jobs in AHEAD of schedule they don't make enough to justify all the long days and stress.

It's all about those BONUSES.

 

[Nick]

And getting drawls from the bank for completed work .

 

[Kyure]

Agree with Nick. Most work is planned out months in advance and pay day is the goal.
I've always thought it was due to weather delaying things. Working on top of other trades has become normal here.
Rare when we get the job site to ourselves and even then we got cleaners running up our back sides.
Oh and don't forget closing date. If any other trade lags and you have to start late. Completion by then becomes your problem.

 

[Nick]

I had Builder contracts . If i got to the site and everyone was there i go home and bill them $200.00 for a blowout . Only took the a few times before they came around to my way of doing business .

 

[Kyure]

Builders, we measure after it's framed. They schedule right then. If it's not ready we can't bill them, as if! the nerve!
Lowly flooring installers.

 

[Floorist]

I remember one house where they were pouring the driveway and sidewalk when we got there. The yard was all mud. My helper stepped into the yard and sunk into his ankle. They got mad when I left.

 

[Kyure]

If that only happened one time you're blessed.
Many times we have to park soo far away with no driveway trucks on their way and landscapers coating the street with dirt it's almost impossible to not do that.
Stucco going up scaffolds to walk under but whats the matter with you cpt guys!

 

[Nick]

They do it to you because you let them . Let them know you are running a Business to .

 

[DennisT]

Laying carpet before the drywall is taped or painted? Aren't drywallers the messiest trade there is with painters getting an honorable mention? Who gets the call when they're done?

 

[Ernesto]

I lock the door and tell them, no booties, can't come in.

 

[Ernesto]

My biggest beef is paint on the slab if I'm adhering anything like wood or tile. I tell them a roll of paper woulda saved you hundreds of dollars in prep work. No pay me, scrape it off yourself.

 

[Floorist]

I lock the door and tell them, no booties, can't come in.

You are assuming that the doors are installed?

 

[Jon]

My biggest beef is paint on the slab if I'm adhering anything like wood or tile. I tell them a roll of paper woulda saved you hundreds of dollars in prep work. No pay me, scrape it off yourself.

Have you ever done a moisture test of the concrete after the spray paint is scrapped off? Quite a few times here the slab is still wet as the paint stops the concrete drying out especially the time it takes to put a building up these days

 

[Ernesto]

Jon, I've done both before and after. Not much difference since most paint is around the perimeter of the rooms with light overspray in the center from spraying the ceilings.

 

[Jon]

Jon, I've done both before and after. Not much difference since most paint is around the perimeter of the rooms with light overspray in the center from spraying the ceilings.

You must have nice painters over there