Work is good now. I’m staying quite busy and that might answer my question.
I have a favorite client that calls every few years or so with something. But this time it’s about doing some major repairs on the family cabin that’s over 100 years old and about as many miles away.
The log cabin she says has a Spanish tile roof? She says the tiles are so irregular that you need to I.D. each one so they’ll go back. Possible that with Oklahoma red clay soil they were pit fired on site as well as the logs gathered from nearby.
The floor needs some big repair due to termites. They have, since there discovery, kilt-em.
Question is, Would you go out of town, live on site, do this work knowing your 30 minutes from civilization with minimal comforts?
(spiders and snakes and ughie boogies)
I’m going up with them to assess the situation and create a scope of work for them at least. The obvious answer is, sure if they make it worth my while. But, at my age money isn’t the motivator it used to be and I’ve grown comfortable being home at night with my sweetie.
Is the better answer after helping them with the assessment to tell them no. That even a good contractor can’t always come through for you.
Replies
I think that when you said, "Money is not the motivator it used to be..." you put your finger right on it.
To some, a few days in the woods would be a mini-(working) vacation, for others, not worth the trouble. What's your gut saying?
Ya my guts saying, thanks but no.
"Question is, Would you go out of town, live on site, do this work knowing your 30 minutes from civilization with minimal comforts?"
NO, NO, NO! That would be too much like, well, a VACATION! ;-)
Livin' in the woods, doing what sounds like pretty fun work? AND gettin' paid for it?
In a heartbeat!
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Would you enjoy the work? Seems like that's one big part of the equation.
That dripping faucet sound is this old mule's slobbering.
"If" money were no object....although it still is for this pack mule......I'd do that job for free.....
That's my point though.....when the money from that job is not needed and you really aren't up to it....you won't be at your best and your best is why they want you....explain this to them....you pride yourself on quality workmanship and feel as though you would not be able to give them the same level of service you have in the past.
Now for me? I'd take my little filly with me and have the time of my life. Charge enough to go home one weekend and tour the area the next. Maybe work a couple of hours extra each day and take long weekends. Wow what a time of year to be off in the woods.......
Pedro the Mule
Make a part of your price... a good rv, and supplies.
Bid the job as normal. But demand the extras.
It's not your fault it is 100 miles away. You need a place to live, and that does not mean just barely. A good RV, (preferably one that you keep, afterward.), is a must.
And you need the regular supplies for livng. Water. Electricity. Food. That means they figure out a way to keep you supplied with potable water, food, and a generator, (and fuel for same), while you are there.
Make a part of your price... a good rv, and supplies
Very interesting idea. I have possible access to an RV to borrow but they could rent one for me for the week. At least there would be more comforts and no creepies in the bed unless they're invited.
Don't forget the water, food and electricity.Normally, you'd go home to your own house, water, food, and electricity. You can't do that here, so it IS fair to expect it to be provided.
Yeh... That'll work.
Luka, You forgot the dancing girls!! How could that have slipped by you?"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Oh yeah !I come home to dancing girls EVERY night.Mmmm hmmmm. Yup.;o)
Yeh... That'll work.
Luka, Well that would explain why they aren't at my house when I come home.
;-)"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Well the couple agreed that we will all go up to the cabin a week from today, Friday. My thinking is to take photos of all the problems of the cabin to help with the planning of the work to be done. But I thought I would dig this post up later and post them here as well.
If I do the work, while it's not fine woodworking and sounds more like Roy Underhill's labors, I'll keep a photo log of all the work. I think I should document it like an episode of This Old Cabin meets Survivor Woosie.
Another question...
How loud does a boom box have to be to scare the oogie-boogies out from under that cabins floor? And what type of music runs off Black Bear?
Teddy Bear's Picnic.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
If you can find a clear spot to stick the boombox into, raucous music is better than just booming. Rattlebang, grating, shreiking stuff.The best music to scare black bear...One of the very funniest moments in my life was first watching, and then listening to, a very big black bear that had been bravely and intrusively nosing around here for days... Run up the ridge and disappear over it. Bawling at first, then just silent, but breaking branches and small trees the entire way...The "music" I used for the performance was...I laid a roughly 3 foot square of metal roofing over a metal barrel that had been cut in half. (It was my burn barrel. And the intention was to keep the rain off of the barrel.)I used the flat of a machete to slap that thing as hard and fast as I could.The black bear was a LOT closer than I thought, when I started. S/he was being very aggressive compared to others I have encountered here. And it had actually moved pretty swiftly around my big building toward me. Apparently intending to ambush me. I knew it was near, and my 'spidey senses' were clanging to me that I'd better do something fast. I was near the burn barrel, and started slapping... By the bear's reaction, it must have sounded like bear armageddon to the bear...I don't know why I reacted as strongly as I did. Maybe the built up tension of a week of this bear stalking around and getting braver. But I very literally laughed so hard that I almost fell over.The bonus, of course, was that the bear was headed straight for the meth head's place as it ran...=0)
Yeh... That'll work.
Running a Black Bear into the woods...
cost one machete and a metal barrel
Running the bear straight for the meth head's place ...
Priceless
LOL!
Only a week you say? I’m with the general consensus... in fact I want to do it... except for the tile part, which sounds like the main part. Other than that it sounds great.
If I were a younger man I would love to do it to. The main problem is I did this sort of thing as a younger man in the early 70's.
My father and I traveled western Oklahoma up into the panhandle late one winter building about a half dozen Post Office's for the Gov. They were little 24' square pill boxes, a lot of concrete and block walls with a simple truss roof. Oklahoma was a dry state back then. When we found ourselves west of Beaver in the middle of February and 30 miles to drive for a pool table and a beer we finally called it quits. Besides after a year of closeness we needed a divorce.
Granted this may be only a weeks work. I'll know next Friday when we pile into their car and go up to look.
The RV sounds good but another friend suggested short stints like 3-4 day work cycles, whatever might make the job comfortable.
Another close friend offered to hand roll some er a, aroma therapy sticks that I could burn when ever I needed to get my mellow going...
I told him that would only prolong the job and 'cause me to fall of my junk food wagon.
Jag-
You need to follow your heart, but boy, it sounds like fun here. I could even enjoy a week in the woods alone (without the DW).
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
" I'll know next Friday when we pile into their car and go up to look."
I think that's the key. Once you see the place you're response could be anywhere between "WOW" and "You must be joking".
If you and your DW are gettign along well, it could be great having her up ther to help, cook meals, and do some recreation.
I hope you'll let us know what you decide. And maybe post some pics.
The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated. [William James]
The wife is already planning her own retreat with me gone.
jagwah,
It sounds like you don't want to,, do yourself a favor and instead of turning them down have them turn you down..
Very important!
Have them turn you down!
That way they will still use you for work in town and provide referances and recommendations etc... another words you won't upset the apple cart..
Here's the way I'd handle it..
I'd carefully explain why you may not be the best person for the job, explain how your usual sources for materials and subs would be so expensive to deliver that you're sure a local could do it far cheaper, plus a local won't have the living expenses that you'd encure and naturally have to pass on etc..
However I would compromise a bit offer to check whatever contractor they use and ensure he's doing good quality work for them. Tell them you'll do it for a nominal fee if you can do according to your time schedule.. just the cost of driving there and back plus travel expenses.. figure out what your time is, and then multiply the round trip miles by 50 cents and suggest that as a per visit cost.. that way they will begin to understand why they shouldn't use you there but still keep you for local work..
Sounds good but when ever I agree hoping my pricing will mativate a "nevermind" they say OK! But something to think on with the oversight.
Well, I went up to the clients cabin this weekend with them. They drove and brought a nick picnic basket. Never said they weren't great people.
Anyway the place doesn't look bad. The cabin is only 10 miles from town and a well stocked lumberyard.
Like many things when you first here about it you think the worst. This cabin actually has a modern albeit 70's kitchen, city water and plenty of electricity.
But like any cabin it is overrun with critters, spyders, snakes, birds and an assortment of waspes's.
Here's a photo of the place. As for the work needed the fireplace rooms floor is collapsing and needing replacement. The back porch tile roof is leaking and may need to come off and be redone. These tiles are marked made in 1906 but it seems I may be still able to get them and all their extras.
Well if we come to an agreement it looks like I'll be going up in Nov. to do the repairs. If so I plan on doing a little photo blog and will repost then. This photo log would be more for the process and discovery of ughie-boogies in a 100 year old log cabin while doing remedies to sustain it more than improve it, as the owners aren't interested in doing a grand modernization.
View Image
Edited 10/8/2007 10:15 am by jagwah
Arachnids and insects all die quite quickly if you hit them with brake cleaner. Wasps and hornets come out of the air like they have a brick taped to them. And, unless you keep saturating things with it, it doesn't hurt most finishes.
You might want to have them go up a week early and bug bomb the place, set out some mouse traps and decon, etc.
Didn't know about the break cleaner, very interesting! Actually I intend to bug bomb under the floor before I tear into it from above.
When I was walking around the place the ground started moving big time. When I looked down I saw several large wolf spiders hauling as*. There are a lot of the prettier yellow and black garden types around the porch and crab spyders out the wazoo.
It will be an interesting experience if they go for my projection of cost. I'll know in a couple of days.