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I have been on my own since June, 1994. I do not have any formal construction training, nor have I EVER worked for anyone else doing any kind of construction.
As I am growing into bigger jobs, such as additions and whole house remodels, I find I am getting into somethings I have never done before. It’s kinda wierd, selling a job, maybe not being completly sure of all the details to get it done, and then finding a way of doing it.
After talking with a friend who has been remodeling for 20 years, he tells me he gets nervous at the start of his jobs, when he demos for additions.
Will I ever feel that “I know what I am doing” or do others feel that with new products and techniques, you never really know enough.
NOTE: This post is meant to discuss the constant change in the industry and how everyone got started. Please do not tell me I have no business being in business. BTW, the first addition I did, was a nice master bathroom, including stall shower w/steam, and whirlpool tub. I did this job, start to finish in 93 days.
Thanks for the input!
Barry
Replies
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Hey Barry,
It's not so much the constant change in the industry from my standpoint, it's more the constant change of what people can come up with to build. That's what I love about this job.
Rule #1: Don't ever pretend that you know what you're doing when you don't. That's the kiss of death. Research is not a dirty word.
Rule #2: Don't ever be afraid to admit that you don't know what you're doing when you don't. That's the sign of a good craftsman. Ask questions. Learn.
You can inspire confidence in your customers even though you don't know what you're doing by telling them that you'd be glad to get that done for them, but you want to bring someone else in that knows a bit more about it. They don't expect you to know everything, and will be more comfortable with you if they know you're not ashamed of not being the know-it-all. It's one thing to attempt the bastard valley roof flashing yourself, but if it leaks, you've got serious egg on your face big time and your customer will lose faith in ALL your abilities. Just swallow your pride and call the roofer.
My motto is, "If I can't do it, I know someone who can".
You will never learn it all, and to "know what you're doing" sometimes means knowing who to call.
I started out toting 2x4's for an apartment complex framing crew in 1974. When I started, I was the guy they sent looking for the sky hook and toe nails. I've been a carpenter everyday since then. All my training has been on-the-job. Now I own my own carpentry company. So far, so good. I've always heard that two heads are better than one. I will not hesitate asking anyone on our crew for advice. You'd be surprised what 20 heads can come up with. Some of these carpenters can come up with brilliant ideas from an angle that I might not see. Teamwork is not an dirty word either.
Sound to me that you're starting the way most of us did. One day at a time.
Good Luck,
Ed. Williams
*yes, i learn something new every day and i been earning my pay in construction since 1970..what scares me is continuing to make the same mistakes i made in the past...and yes, i get nervous.. especially diggin a foundation , or pouring concrete...always seems so final... anything else we can fix ourselves.. and often do....biggest problem.... always... thinking any two people have the same understanding of any problem and it's solution.....b but hey, whadda i no ?
*I started in Chicago in 1971 as a handyman. I had three 3 flats I owned and remodeled before I hung out my "Handyman" shingle. As I got busier I only hired the best I could find, be they carpenters or painters, and learned from them. I bought books & subscribed to trade magazines. Still learn every day. And like Ed said, was never too embarrassed to ask a pro how to do something, or to something better.When I got a large carpentry job, I told my carpenter employee that from 8-4:30, he was the boss, and I took orders from him. Ditto for a large painting job, or siding job. I also asked them to help me do the estimating on those projects & learn the time frames for each operation.
*Dallas just about said it all. I might add, that when taking on something unfamiliar don't expect to overcharge the customer while you OJT the job. You don't charge 25 or more dollars an hour and take more time than you should, taint fair.I learned the usual helter skelter way and brass balled a lot of jobs while reading a how-to book in my truck at lunch, but I forgot about time altogether and did it right, plus if it wasn't right I tore it out and started over. Profit always takes second place behind craftsmanship. When in doubt, sub it out. Don't do electrical, you could kill someone, call the plumber and save yourself grief. Even today I sub mechanicals and stick to carpentry where I'm comfortable.www.jjwalters.com
*Hi Barry, All good stuff so far, these folks are spot on.This business is dynamic..ever changing that is. I either learn every day or tweak what I think I know. Its important to know what you know, and more important to know what you don't know. It can be a real challenge at times. ALWAYS find out what you need to know. It'll cost you in time and money if you don't. After a while you won't have to look at everything two or three times! Be well, do good work, Dan-O
*In another twenty years you will still come across situations that have you stumped, but by then you will have the confidence to know that you can find a way to make it work.A few years ago we had an addition that required a block firewall on the end of the existing house. The wall was about 40 ft long and 40 ft high. It was in the middle of a very cold (subzero) December and we had to get it built right away. I called up a mason friend of mine who has been in the business for over forty years. He strolled around for ten minutes mumbling to himself and then said he would be there the next day to begin. One day of scaffolding and tarping, three days of laying block and one day to remove the tent and he was finished. Not to mention someone stopping by every six hours to fuel the salamanders. I am sure that when he came that first day he had no idea what he would do but he did know that he could figure it out and that each step that he took would take him onto the next phase. It only took him ten minutes to be confident of that. My goal is to develop that kind of confidence. Every day it gets nearer.
*EVERY day.James DuHamel
*I'm learning alot...and know that feeling of impending doom too! Never get's as bad as I'll try to make it the night before! I have the luxery of helping my Dad from a very early age, then obtaining formal training to back that up. The formal training just sorta cleaned the thought process up. Most of my difficult or odd situations are remedied by using something I'd run into while working with my Dad. My Dad and I have worked on some nasty old buildings for a friend of his that owns alot of rental properties in an old mill town. As he always said....if we could straighten those places out....and even make them pretty....we could build anything...anywhere. My motto as late....nothing scares me, I've seen worse! And, as other have said...I tell them it may take a little while longer to ask around and look it up...but I'll do it right instead of just a temp fix. I recently had an experienced carpenter/owner marvel at how easily I fixed an ancient double hung.....I had to laugh....that was one of my first "specialities" at the age of about 10 or 12! Jeff
*Yes I constantly learn new things. I've read books during lunch and when I am in doubt either I don't do the job or I get the info I need before I accept it. There are set ways to do things, codes to follow and craftmanship issues to pay attention to. Despite all these there are always new ways of doing things and new problems that come up. The most important thing is courage tempered with wisdom. Knowing that after you take a saw to wall for a new window, you can get that window in place, seal it and finish it and not leave a parallelegram hole(or worse)in somebody's house. Remember there is always help, sometimes its free and sometimes you have to pay for it...Case in point I have found electrical work to be quite straightforward. I've put in cans, halogens, run romex, three and four way switches all on my own, learning from books and following code. But the above remark about "don't do electrical you could kill someone" made me feel a little uneasy. I know I followed it to a T. I know I did it right. Some of its been up for years. But in the back of my mind I can't help to wonder if it as good a job as an electrician. Likewise for plumbing. The answer is confidence. You think a surgeon does a perfect job all the time? Hell no! They take off the wrong limb or leave snips in people all the time. Its part of working with your hands and being human. Strive to keep getting better and always learn from your mistakes. t
*Barry, the cliche "learn something new everyday" is a wonderfully warm fuzzy idea, but in reality, there is a finite amount of learning on some routine aspects of our trades. Your situation is different since you are contracting a wide variety of trades and skills. I'm quite sure that it will take more than 7 years to feel the calm of knowing that you've already been there, done that.For me, affter more than two decades of framing, I light up like a little kid when I learn something new about framing a house. It doesn't happen every day. At this point in my career, I actually make a very big deal out of it if I actually learn something new. And then I start chuckling about how stupid I've been for so many years for not knowing that, which immediatly becomes quite obvious. Sometimes the naiveitivity of a rookie is the inspiration of a new idea. They do things, without any knowledge of how I have done it and presto, a new way emerges. You obviously are discovering one of the trade secrets: most capable tradesmen don't know exactly how something is going to be done, until they are doing it. It's not really a mystery. It's kinda a second nature that occurs because a good foundation had been laid (knowledge and confidence). In my earlier years, I felt a need to contemplate all the details prior to commencing a project. I'd drive myself crazy trying to solve potential problems in theory and on paper, that are now solved in a few seconds of on-site decision making. I prefer my current method of "crossing that bridge when I come to it", safe in the knowledge that my experience and training will bail me out of every conceivable situation. That said, I rcognize the need for ongoing training that is required to install new products. I certainly am not afraid to tell a builder that I've never installed something, and am not afraid to request a meeting with the manufacturer's reps. These guys are very willing to come on-site and give a seminar because they often need to justify their work day to their superiors and they view these mini seminars as client building opportunities. I just need to know the right way to do things and gladly take the shortcut and tap the experts knowledge banks.I remember the days that I would get butterflies before a job, but those days seem to be far and few in between lately. It might be time to take on more variety or more challenging jobs for me personally.blue
*(I have a feeling this will be a long one)I am a fairly new member of this “Owning my own company thing”. I worked for my father (a painting contractor) for a couple of years before I went into business with him and my brother for 4 years. I was the hammer and nail guy for the company (we branched out from painting). Those 4 years were a HUGE learning experience. I went solo in 1999 and everyday I learn something. I mostly learn how to correct my mistakes and I am constantly learning how to listen to what my customer wants!The 2 rules from Ed were right on target, as were most of the comments made. I continually ask other tradesmen that work for me questions almost to the point of pestering them. I have said to them time and time again to "Explain it to me as if I was a third grader". This might sound strange, but if you don't understand something, how can you explain it to your client? You will be the go to guy that will get the hard questions. I drive my wife crazy by watching HGTV around the clock. I spend what seems to be hundreds of dollars on books and magazines on the trades. I can't go to the store without buying a Handyman or Better Homes and Gardens or Decorating Today or This Old House magazines. I subscribe to many publications as well. I received gift certificates from a couple of people this past Christmas to Lowe’s and Home Depot. I used all of them on books (my favorites have to be the ones that say “For Pros/By Pros” at the top, I forget the publishing company) The first thing I do with a new magazine is grab a Mt. Dew and my high-lighter and paper clips. I have to say that I have made more mistakes than I would like to admit. But, I have learned a lot too. I hope that my employees can say about me that I taught them something and learned as much as I have taught. I ask them every day if they have learned something today ... and what it was. I have few days when they do not have an answer for me.Side note: This forum (Breaktime) has become my most anticipated part of my day since I found it 2 weeks ago. The information given here by the pro's is priceless. People pay hundreds of dollars to learn from these guys and we get it for free. I have read dozens of postings and agree with some and disagree with some. I respect the opinions here from all of the fella's and when I give my opinion, I hope it is received as my professional opinion and respected as well. There is much to learn from all of the diverse prospectives given, most of the time I tell myself "Man ... I didn't even think about that"! These guys have paid their dues and I am honored to be a part of this group of tradesmen. If I haven't told you all in my responses yet, I'll say it here again. Thank you all. I'm a young home improvement contractor and I can't tell you how much you have helped my business and me. I would love to thank you personally if I could. Perhaps someday I'll get the chance.Sincerely,David "Splinky" Polston
*If your not learning, you're not moving forward. I learn something new daily. At first it was in the trade, now it is in the office. In the trade I was comfortable. Nothing feels better than going into a situation with out an answer other than we'll take care of it and completing it without any problems. Then when you look back and realize this was in part due to time in the trade, the feeling is great(we've all been there). I tell all of my foreman, I've got enough faith in you to put you here, that means that I have trust in your judgement. When all else fails, there is fix for everything. I trust that the mistakes won't be to costly and if so I was the one at fault. In the end, it can still be made right and chances are, it won't happen again.
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I have been on my own since June, 1994. I do not have any formal construction training, nor have I EVER worked for anyone else doing any kind of construction.
As I am growing into bigger jobs, such as additions and whole house remodels, I find I am getting into somethings I have never done before. It's kinda wierd, selling a job, maybe not being completly sure of all the details to get it done, and then finding a way of doing it.
After talking with a friend who has been remodeling for 20 years, he tells me he gets nervous at the start of his jobs, when he demos for additions.
Will I ever feel that "I know what I am doing" or do others feel that with new products and techniques, you never really know enough.
NOTE: This post is meant to discuss the constant change in the industry and how everyone got started. Please do not tell me I have no business being in business. BTW, the first addition I did, was a nice master bathroom, including stall shower w/steam, and whirlpool tub. I did this job, start to finish in 93 days.
Thanks for the input!
Barry