What does your day look like?

slowmick

38-39"
First landing done, aside from one missing small joist. Landing sized around the composite timber board lengths (third of).





Should be strong enough. Temporary structure to come down in a few days.

Next landing & stair treads later this week.
Gotta love a big box of 14G Batten Screws. Our house is held together with them.

Even with all the work you have had to put in you still have a very cool house.
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
@fatboyonabike Thanks man! I'm building to the standard of "do it once, live here forever, never touch it again".

My builder mate works to a very high standard too, he sets me straight when I need advice. Plus there's a plethora of YT content of the highest order (RR Buildings/Matt Risinger et al) to learn from.

I've learnt that the average Australian build(er) isn't good enough, IMO. Lucky there are those out there who exceed expectations.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
@fatboyonabike Thanks man! I'm building to the standard of "do it once, live here forever, never touch it again".

My builder mate works to a very high standard too, he sets me straight when I need advice. Plus there's a plethora of YT content of the highest order (RR Buildings/Matt Risinger et al) to learn from.

I've learnt that the average Australian build(er) isn't good enough, IMO. Lucky there are those out there who exceed expectations.
It’s also hard to do quality work with a culture of cheapskate clients. A lot of people want something that looks quality but aren’t prepared to pay for it.
A few years ago I quoted a massive deck on a 3+ mil inner city property. These people had money.
can’t remember the size of the deck but it was huge. They wanted 140mm BlackButt boards. There was very little subfloor ventilation and I foresaw moisture being an issue so I tried to steer them to engineered boards but no go and quoted for screws not gun nails(of course, always!) and also for pre oiling the underside prior to fixing as Australian hardwood can move around a lot. They wanted me to nail the boards down which would’ve been a prick anyway as BB is hard and coil nailers can’t keep the same pressure so nails can go in too deep or too proud and only oil the top to save $$. I refused and didn’t get the job.
So even though these people had more money than sense they still wanted a substandard job and there’s always someone willing to do that. Ive unfortunately had many instances of butting heads with customers or builders because they actually want a substandard job.
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
It’s also hard to do quality work with a culture of cheapskate clients. A lot of people want something that looks quality but aren’t prepared to pay for it.
A few years ago I quoted a massive deck on a 3+ mil inner city property. These people had money.
can’t remember the size of the deck but it was huge. They wanted 140mm BlackButt boards. There was very little subfloor ventilation and I foresaw moisture being an issue so I tried to steer them to engineered boards but no go and quoted for screws not gun nails(of course, always!) and also for pre oiling the underside prior to fixing as Australian hardwood can move around a lot. They wanted me to nail the boards down which would’ve been a prick anyway as BB is hard and coil nailers can’t keep the same pressure so nails can go in too deep or too proud and only oil the top to save $$. I refused and didn’t get the job.
So even though these people had more money than sense they still wanted a substandard job and there’s always someone willing to do that. Ive unfortunately had many instances of butting heads with customers or builders because they actually want a substandard job.
All you can do it explain why something isn't a good idea, at least then you aren't coming across as money grabbing and you let your experience do the talking. If they still go for cheap then you walk on by.

It's a shit if you need the money but it will definitely cost you more in time, materials and reputation in the long run.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
All you can do it explain why something isn't a good idea, at least then you aren't coming across as money grabbing and you let your experience do the talking. If they still go for cheap then you walk on by.

It's a shit if you need the money but it will definitely cost you more in time, materials and reputation in the long run.
I always say see ya later in those instances and do so for a couple of reasons.
  1. I trade off my reputation. The vast majority of my work is word of mouth and doing a quality job is important to me. When customers get a great product with an easy experience to go a long with it they tell their friends and call you back next time they need something done.
  2. I like to sleep at night. I know if I do a substandard job at some point it will come back and bite me in the ass. Even if it’s just karma.
  3. Pride. I take a heap of pride in my work and even when I under quote a job which is often when everything you do is custom I can’t bring myself to cut corners.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
I always say see ya later in those instances and do so for a couple of reasons.
  1. I trade off my reputation. The vast majority of my work is word of mouth and doing a quality job is important to me. When customers get a great product with an easy experience to go a long with it they tell their friends and call you back next time they need something done.
  2. I like to sleep at night. I know if I do a substandard job at some point it will come back and bite me in the ass. Even if it’s just karma.
  3. Pride. I take a heap of pride in my work and even when I under quote a job which is often when everything you do is custom I can’t bring myself to cut corners.
4. People with lots of cash but unwilling to pay for a quality job are the most likely ones to complain when the finish / result is not to their high expectations.
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
4. People with lots of cash but unwilling to pay for a quality job are the most likely ones to complain when the finish / result is not to their high expectations.
Managing expectations before even quoting is the best way to avoid those types.. It’s also not just people with a lot of cash with this affliction..
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
.. It’s also not just people with a lot of cash with this affliction..
Yeah, it's also $100millon companies....

Fuckers whittle down geotech engineering quotes on major infrastructure projects to save $ 10k, then spend $500k + fighting liability suits when the job fails in the first 5 years...

Then go tits up when they loose and have to spend 5x their initial investment to remediate the job.

Been so long, I'm a rookie again.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
Managing expectations before even quoting is the best way to avoid those types.. It’s also not just people with a lot of cash with this affliction..
I have a basic checklist of questions I ask over the phone now before I even meet a client. Depending on the answers depends on how busy and unavailable I might suddenly be. I’ve become pretty good at sniffing people like that out now.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
I have a basic checklist of questions I ask over the phone now before I even meet a client. Depending on the answers depends on how busy and unavailable I might suddenly be. I’ve become pretty good at sniffing people like that out now.
Ha!
My wife is an architect ... you should see the builders / tradespeople twitch when they ask what she does. No one wants to work for an architect, they're so fussy, so I hear.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
Ha!
My wife is an architect ... you should see the builders / tradespeople twitch when they ask what she does. No one wants to work for an architect, they're so fussy, so I hear.
That’s how I learned to be so pernickety myself. My first 10-15 years of working life we’re working for boutique architectural builders.
The Architect would rock up for an inspection and look at EVERYTHING. Then would point at some architrave or ceiling juncture and say “that’s out of level”. I’d look at it and say no it ain’t. Architect- yes it is. Me-no it ain’t.
So in a huff I’d go off and get a level and throw it up there and stare at mr/ms archibloodytect expecting Ok mr chippy you’re right it’s spot on but no. He was right. It was out of plumb.
So after a few of those confrontations I just learned to make everything as perfect as possible and when an architect asks me to fit a square peg in a round hole I don’t grumble, I just do it. It’s easier.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
That’s how I learned to be so pernickety myself. My first 10-15 years of working life we’re working for boutique architectural builders.
The Architect would rock up for an inspection and look at EVERYTHING. Then would point at some architrave or ceiling juncture and say “that’s out of level”. I’d look at it and say no it ain’t. Architect- yes it is. Me-no it ain’t.
So in a huff I’d go off and get a level and throw it up there and stare at mr/ms archibloodytect expecting Ok mr chippy you’re right it’s spot on but no. He was right. It was out of plumb.
So after a few of those confrontations I just learned to make everything as perfect as possible and when an architect asks me to fit a square peg in a round hole I don’t grumble, I just do it. It’s easier.
Fuck I hate being proven wrong. Tough pill to swallow sometimes.
 
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