Pond cleaning fiasco

[Brute 23]

It's true you never get to point where you should stop being open to learning.
Our mindset is that we want to maintain a good relationship with people, and show kindness whenever possible. We are not in a situation to literally pay a lot forward, though I am known to sometimes tip a little extra if it's possible when someone does work here. Sometimes we'll send some fresh eggs or garden produce home with somebody at the end of the day. My wife has fixed dinner for workers or we have picked up something in town for them to eat. It's kind of the rural way that I grew up with and I love being able to do those those small things.
Both my wife and I have recently been down with Corona, and mine went into pneumonia. Friends have been to the grocery for us, and a couple guys from church have went to the feed store for me and have mowed our yard. I'm really appreciative when people are willing to help, and always enjoy the opportunity to return the favor.

I agree 100%. I'm on both sides of the contracting deal. Lunch goes a long ways with me and I do the same for people I'm working for me. It doesn't have to be fancy but I'm a firm believer it a great tool to develope long term working relationships.

With every one I work for I have an expense account and I tell them up front there will be meals for people we are doing business with on it. 99% completely understand and encourage it. The other 1% are not people I want to work for because if they don't care about our contractors they don't care about me.

 

[callmefence]

I agree 100%. I'm on both sides of the contracting deal. Lunch goes a long ways with me and I do the same for people I'm working for me. It doesn't have to be fancy but I'm a firm believer it a great tool to develope long term working relationships.

With every one I work for I have an expense account and I tell them up front there will be meals for people we are doing business with on it. 99% completely understand and encourage it. The other 1% are not people I want to work for because if they don't care about our contractors they don't care about me.

Are we talking about going to work or a picnic. ? I'd rather get done and eat at the house.
Team player... I was running a commercial crew when I was 25 and I've been to plenty of meetings.
Lingo used by ps and pm to get subs to play to their agenda. When deadlines are on the horizon and the. Blame game starts everyone will forget about the politics and start turning on each other. Best spot to be in is done and somewhere else.

 

[Brute 23]

If

Are we talking about going to work or a picnic. ? I'd rather get done and eat at the house.
Team player... I was running a commercial crew when I was 25 and I've been to plenty of meetings.
Lingo used by ps and pm to get subs to play to their agenda. When deadlines are on the horizon and the. Blame game starts everyone will forget about the politics and start turning on each other. Best spot to be in is done and somewhere else.

I don't know what to tell you fence. It's the way I grew up as did a lot of other people.

When I was young the aunts or wives brought meals out to the men/ boys no matter if we were on the ranch or the rig.

In O&G a ton of business was done at breakfast at 6am or lunch at 11am. It was common to have large jobs catered as most were not able to go home and really appreciated a good meal.

Just last week I worked cows with a friend and one of the wives brought lunch for every one. They always stop and every eats and talks. They do it on most on jobs that go through lunch.

When we burn, some one always brings lunch out.

An older friend of mine tells some cool stories about working for a neighboring ranch as a kid. He and his brothers would leave the house before daylight with a string or horses and change of clothes to work cattle. They worked the cattle then cleaned up and changed. They were expected to sit with the family and eat supper, then do it again tomorrow. Every one in that family worked cattle, male female, young and old. Then they all cleaned up and put jackets and dresses on for a big meal. It was a formal deal. They had extra jackets for all the boys or any one else who didn't have one.

He considered it a huge honor to work for them. They expected a lot but paid the best by far and treated their people really good.

 

[Lucky]

Every contractor is different. The cowboys I use always like to work the cows then go to lunch and come back and work the calves. They like to have an enjoyable day and work their horses. Dirt guys usually like to just stay on the equipment all day and maybe take a short lunch in the truck, just don't get them talking or you'll be there all day. Carpenters are the worst, they work stop work stop all day. Metal building guys are always the same. They bust tail for a few days then might not show up for a few because material showed up for another job. Concrete guys don't have a choice but to stay busy. I like to get the job done and move on. Nothing is worse than a guy that wants to stop and talk about "it" for an hour. I called a fence builder I'd never met the other day and he kept me on the phone for 30 minutes. At the end of the talk all I knew was his equipment was in the shop for at least 10 more days, he was 7 weeks out and couldn't work until his tractor was fixed. I probably told him 10 times all the equipment you need is sitting here ready to go if you want to work until yours is fixed give me a price. He just kept talking in circles. Frustrating to say the least.

 

[callmefence]

I think everyone would be better off if they spent more time working and less time eating. You'll be healthier and richer. Lol

 

[Brute 23]

I think everyone would be better off if they spent more time working and less time eating. You'll be healthier and richer. Lol

A man of your stature and knowledge has no reason to mingle with us common folk. The rest of us peasants out here still have work together and develope relationships to climb the ladder.

 

[callmefence]

A man of your stature and knowledge has no reason to mingle with us common folk. The rest of us peasants out here still have work together and develope relationships to climb the ladder.

Good to see you've got that figured out... ..but still you might try laying the sandwich down and picking up a tool

 

[Lucky]

Oh great now we can't eat food anymore....what's next no water. We got a guy at work who pretty much lives on ensure, yogurt, and peanut butter. He doesn't have energy to do much.

 

[Brute 23]

Good to see you've got that figured out... ..but still you might try laying the sandwich down and picking up a tool

I should mention I have successfully rebuilt and tuned 3 carbs now. I'm basically a certified, self proclaimed, youtube mechanic.

 

[callmefence]

Oh great now we can't eat food anymore....what's next no water. We got a guy at work who pretty much lives on ensure, yogurt, and peanut butter. He doesn't have energy to do much.

Bone in pork chop is a great lunch. Good cold, you can hold it with one hand and work with the other. Take one for your coworkers and work on your relationships...

 

[callmefence]

I really can't see

The 5k was for a scraper tractor and a 100hp dozer. D6 is running $160-180 around here now. It's about to the price were you are better off buying equipment and using for a year then selling it.

Back to the OP, I'm not at all surprised they did that to your road. Dang near every contractor I have out does something unbelievably stupid and then can't understand what they did wrong. I've got a few that I can trust but they are really pricey and stay booked. It's not just dirt or fence work either. We had a guy mowing our yard several years back. Our house has has 1,200 sqf of porches and he kept covering them in clippings. When I ask him about it he said he didn't have a blower to clean it off. I told him to make the first 3-4 rounds blowing grass away from the house, guess it made him mad because never came back. Sometimes I think it's gotta be me expecting too much

I really can't see how anyone can run a d6 at 160.00 a hour and not work themselves poor. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Peace]

Every contractor is different. The cowboys I use always like to work the cows then go to lunch and come back and work the calves. They like to have an enjoyable day and work their horses. Dirt guys usually like to just stay on the equipment all day and maybe take a short lunch in the truck, just don't get them talking or you'll be there all day. Carpenters are the worst, they work stop work stop all day. Metal building guys are always the same. They bust tail for a few days then might not show up for a few because material showed up for another job. Concrete guys don't have a choice but to stay busy. I like to get the job done and move on. Nothing is worse than a guy that wants to stop and talk about "it" for an hour. I called a fence builder I'd never met the other day and he kept me on the phone for 30 minutes. At the end of the talk all I knew was his equipment was in the shop for at least 10 more days, he was 7 weeks out and couldn't work until his tractor was fixed. I probably told him 10 times all the equipment you need is sitting here ready to go if you want to work until yours is fixed give me a price. He just kept talking in circles. Frustrating to say the least.

To me, this is the biggest problem with many people. They just don't want to listen, or if they do listen they don't hear the message or comprehend what is being told to them. It's just unbelievable how many times you can tell somebody the same thing and they just don't hear and comprehend a word of what you said. It works the other way too, you have to listen to what they want and hear their message. Sometimes their message to me is run, don't walk, just run far, far away.

 

[callmefence]

To me, this is the biggest problem with many people. They just don't want to listen, or if they do listen they don't hear the message or comprehend what is being told to them. It's just unbelievable how many times you can tell somebody the same thing and they just don't hear and comprehend a word of what you said. It works the other way too, you have to listen to what they want and hear their message. Sometimes their message to me is run, don't walk, just run far, far away.

It's very possible they are listening and comprehending...it has more to do with what they think of what they're hearing.

 

[Peace]

It's very possible they are listening and comprehending...it has more to do with what they think of what they're hearing.

Ignoring the message is the same as not listening or comprehending, at least it is in my mind. It's ok with me if they want to tell me to pound sand...but at least do me the favor of saying it directly instead of the passive aggressive ignore and do whatever the hell you want. If they tell me to pound sand, I at least know I need to take a new direction before they cause me new issues and usually hours of extra work.

 

[callmefence]

I should mention I have successfully rebuilt and tuned 3 carbs now. I'm basically a certified, self proclaimed, youtube mechanic.

What you working on hoss?...I learned a good tip for rebuilding carbs not long ago. Alot of them can be ordered off Amazon cheaper than the time it takes to mess with the old ones.

 

[Lucky]

I really can't see

I really can't see how anyone can run a d6 at 160.00 a hour and not work themselves poor. Maybe I'm missing something.

You can do it by buying a $60-80,000 D6 instead of a $350,000 brand new one. It also helps to have an old Mack hual truck instead of a fancy Peterbilt with a day cab. I really think they are just making a living. Tend to the dirt in the summer and cattle in the winter.

 

[Lucky]

Ignoring the message is the same as not listening or comprehending, at least it is in my mind. It's ok with me if they want to tell me to pound sand...but at least do me the favor of saying it directly instead of the passive aggressive ignore and do whatever the hell you want. If they tell me to pound sand, I at least know I need to take a new direction before they cause me new issues and usually hours of extra work.

One of the things I always hear contractors say is " He's got more money the sense" or " Another stupid rich person". It seems they think anyone that can afford to hire a person is automatically rich. It's one thing to recommend something when you feel the customer is in the wrong or not understanding how things work and another to just be bull headed and do things because you think it'd be better when your spending someone elses money.

I hate to get on here and just bash contractors because there are some really good ones out there. I'd never tell Pedro how to pour concrete, the guys at TYC how to build a building, Riverbend how to build fence, Yoder how to do dirt work, CC how to build a house, Texas doors how to put in an OH door, or JPP how to fix a gas pump. The problem is for every good one There's 3 bad ones that talk a good game but don't know what they're doing or only want to do things their way.

My current fence project is to fence off 60 acres around my house. Everyone that sees what I'm doing thinks WTF and says I'd just make a 100 acres and use the existing cross fences. I've got several good reasons for wanting the fence there none of which I should have to explain to someone that knows nothing about my operation. Makes you want to tell them it's my money and I'll waste it how I want.

 

[greybeard]

Oh great now we can't eat food anymore....what's next no water. We got a guy at work who pretty much lives on ensure, yogurt, and peanut butter. He doesn't have energy to do much.

Didn't you eat just yesterday?

Stamina and drive, will whup energy's ass every day and 1/2 day Sunday..

Keep complaining,.....you'll get pizz and punk for 3 days..

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

I'm a General Contractor for the last 37 years specializing in all types of concrete construction. The shoe is on the other foot for me. Sometimes I have to tell people sorry I can't and won't do it like that, it's wrong. I won't argue either, sorry, see yah!

 

[Ky hills]

I'm in agreement with @Lucky there are good contractors and then there are p poor ones that can sometimes make you think they are good. It's kind of like a changing of the guard all at once around here, in that the older standbys that we knew to call for certain jobs have retired or passed. We have had quite a few projects going recently and dealing with a lot of people working. It's been like starting over from scratch and finding new people. Everybody and their brother now has a shingle on their truck and are the best at what they do.
When we were looking to find someone to clean the pond, my first choice bulldozer man had retired, and somebody gave us a name of a guy that I had heard lots of good things over the years about his work. So the problem came out n that I am almost totally deaf now, the only thing I really hear is a constant nonstop ringing in my ears. My wife has to really talk loud to tell me anything and I don't want to burden her with repeating a lot, so I don't ask as many questions as I should. She called the man that was highly recommended, but had also called another with the same last name. The second guy got back with us and I understood he had was the other, so I was in favor of him doing the job. I did not find out that he was not the contractor or associated with him until days after we hired him.
I was expecting an older man and when the young man showed up I figured he was a son or related some way.
Anyways kid talked good, and thought he sounded like he had the equipment to do the work and some experience with construction equipment on jobs like that.
Then that young man passes the job off to another guy even younger and greener than him.
We made a bad hire on a paint and flooring job a while back too, and let the guy go.
We've also had issues with a roofing contractor that is kind of in with the insurance company we are insured through. Wife says that guy is so slimy she just feels gross after talking with him.
All that being said there are quite a few contractors and workers that we really appreciate and recommend.
We know of a real good plumbing outfit.
Have a fencing contractor that has done work for us for years, and also we buy hay from him every year.
Have a friend that is the brother of a former tenant, that we met while they lived in our rental house. If we need any work done on or in the houses or non insurance roofing then he is the go to.
The small company that put up new gutters did a great job.
A contractor put a hand rail down our basement steps and put a wrought iron fence railing around the basement stairwell, he did a great job on that.
I think in a lot of cases like someone else said, some people see property owners that are doing a project as having plenty of money and they don't really respect us, and think they can tell us anything they want too and we'll buy into it.