So I lost my ass for the first time on a job...

[Aliate]

So in other words you are running a truck that is registered to the DMV to someone else? Cause there is no way in hell you could register it in your name without a title. In other words, your getting shafted coming and going. Might want to sit down and do some serious thinking

No the truck is registered in my company name, I have the title for the truck.

By paperwork I thought you meant some kind of loan contract.

 

[Turbo21835]

Well then if the truck is in your name, this guy has no right to take any money out of your pay. You pay him on your terms. Sounds like you need to find someone else to work for.

 

[Aliate]

yeah thats what Im trying to do, its been a rough 1.5 yrs for me.

 

[dynahoescott]

Hi aliate, I am glad to see you getting good advice from people on here it is my experience that there is a incredible wealth of knowledge on here that anybody would be foolish to pass on. I personally dont think you should ever attempt a job like that with 2 crews, in that unbelievably urban setting everyone has to be on the same page and very focused on theyre own responsibilities. The only gang that should be ahead is the saw cut crew. You really need top notch proffessionals on a job like that be it the laborers to the hoe operator to the loader operator, even the tandem driver has to be very aware, I know you know this already but I like everybody else on here we are only trying to help. To be honest with you I didnt understand why they instructed you to put the blacktop next to the trench and then load it with the loader later in the truck? If you had the room for the truck next to the trench you should load it in the truck and be done with it, I wasnt there so circumstances being what they were, I wouldnt even attempt to throw any stones. I would like to help if I can.

 

[Aliate]

Yeah I told their backhoe operator thats what I wanted to do but they work so disorganized it was unbelievable. The start time is 9am, I was there at 815am every day, over the span of 2 weeks there was one day that they were on time, every other time they were there at 930 or 10.

 

[Heavyduty]

This GC sounds like a lot of the crooks I know off. Waits till the last minute to get you set up for job and you end up working for nothing. I don't know the whole situation but I would really think hard about any future buisness dealings.

Not all GC are crooks. I'm just sayin watch out for the ones who offer gold but you get the lead.

 

[dynahoescott]

Yeah I told their backhoe operator thats what I wanted to do but they work so disorganized it was unbelievable. The start time is 9am, I was there at 815am every day, over the span of 2 weeks there was one day that they were on time, every other time they were there at 930 or 10.

Good luck to you my friend, it looks like you are in the hornets nest. exactly what street are you on there? I know down by newport mall but where exactly? I see 101 state street building in the picture.

 

[Aliate]

christopher columbus and marin blvd

 

[dynahoescott]

christopher columbus and marin blvd

yes I know the corner well, I worked at the path station 2 years ago ripiing out curb and sidewalk, well on the bright side there is a fantastic cigar shop on grove street up the street. I wish you well and think you should listen to the guys on here, they are truly knowledgable. If I am in the area tommorrow I will hook you up with a nice cup of coffee, my wife and I have to pick my mother in law up tommorrow she only lives up the street,:drinkup

 

[Buckethead]

Aliate, it sounds like that GC is taking advantage of you, maybe you could find others to do business with. Maybe do work for homeowners, it's gotta be easier to get your money that way, than for working for some developer or GC with a staff of lawyers working on how to screw you. Hope this helps.

 

[Aliate]

yes I know the corner well, I worked at the path station 2 years ago ripiing out curb and sidewalk, well on the bright side there is a fantastic cigar shop on grove street up the street. I wish you well and think you should listen to the guys on here, they are truly knowledgable. If I am in the area tommorrow I will hook you up with a nice cup of coffee, my wife and I have to pick my mother in law up tommorrow she only lives up the street,:drinkup

hah Im not on the job anymore theres the GC's crew on the job now. and yeah I want to do things the right way I know there is a lot of experience on this board, Im open to any advice.

 

[Speedpup]

He is not taking advantage of you. you are working to cheap and that is part of the game in business. The GC has spoon feed you to keep you alive for his use the past 1.5 years just enough not to kill the Golden Goose he has in you. Take jobs you know and grow slowly. If you take a job for 5,000 and lose 10% you lost 500 bucks. If you take a job for 500,000 and lose 10% you lose 50,000 bucks and you need deeper pockets.

If you look elsewhere the next GC may not be so kind and if you have a contract you will not be walking away easy. I guess things seem like a ton of money till you start and then it goes bad. Like a block wall is it a mile long and 4' high or 4' wide and a mile high?

You seem to be biting off more than you can chew for your experience, equipment, and capital. You are better not trying to knock the ball out of the park immediately and take jobs with less risk. If he oay's you on time then the rest is your responsibility and most GC's will not look out for you only themselves.

If your father sold the GC the business you need to involve him more in your business dealings and pricing. To use a cut off saw to cut 1600 feet of road is crazy if I read that correctly above.

Good Luck and be careful it is a cruel world out there and many don't make it.

 

[zhkent]

Aliate,
Chin up.
The only way you don't make mistakes is by not doing anything.

 

[Stump Knocker]

Company Lost Their Ass on a Job

The layout for the whole job was wrong.
The whole site was as screwed up as a Soup Sandwich!



Stump Knocker

 

[RTSmith]

Soup Sandwich. Now there's a new one, that I don't think I want to try...!

My little bit of advice follows most of what I read. I'd hang with him just long enough to get my truck paid for & get a clear title. Then get the heck out, on nice terms of course. Just tell him you are branching out. If he wants you again, negotiate carefully. As has been said- its a small world & ugly references travel fast.

 

[dynahoescott]

hah Im not on the job anymore theres the GC's crew on the job now. and yeah I want to do things the right way I know there is a lot of experience on this board, Im open to any advice.

you could have said thanks for the coffee offer anyway,ointhead

 

[Aliate]

you could have said thanks for the coffee offer anyway,ointhead

lol the coffee would have been nice, if you did go down that way though Id like to know if theres a crew of black guys working on the job, because if so then the other contractor lied to me, which I think he did. So many people are nice to your face but they throw you right under the bus as soon as they get the chance.

About the saw, it was one of those big target walk behind saws with a 36in blade, but the guy running it was so bad at it.

My plan is to eventually get away from this GC because he is keeping me in business but just barely. I suspect that hes making a ton of money off me because no matter what town or state im in its always 30$ a foot. My dad says the job is worth 60$ to 100$++ a foot. Ive worked in stamford CT, NJ and in brooklyn NY, doing trenches and its always 30$ a foot regardless of the conditions. I think the GC is greedy. He definitely did help me get on my feet though I just wish he wouldnt treat me like I have one foot out the door. Its funny, its a self fulfilling prophecy. He believes I have one foot out the door, treats me as so, and so I do.

It all comes down to the fact that I have no financial power. My father was a sub contractor for the man who my current GC was an employee of. My fathers GC passed away, so GC number 2 bought out my fathers company back in 2000. 2008 came around and I wanted to get into the business so my father helped me get started with his experience, not so much financially. I think the GC has a vendetta against my father, because he was the top dog back in the day and now the tables have turned.

 

[hammerdwn20]

Ive never seen a saw cut like that before. Those road saws can be a pain if the pavement is uneven but from what i can tell in the photos that wasnt the case.

 

[Reuben]

This is a perfect example of where "tuff luv" comes into play. The name of the game is to make money. If you are not SURE you are going to make money dont do it. If you dont own a piece of equipment and you need it go rent it. There are tons and tons of company's out there that dont even own a piece of equipment,they rent and lease as needed. We Always have a formal contract on everything we do even trucking,it protects both parties involved. also in my opinion there was to much laborers and not enough equipment on that job. labor has its place but work smart not hard.

This sounds harsh but to say this is the first time you have lost your ass in two years is NOT something to brag about!! We have been in business 33 years and never ever lost money. And many many business's are the same.

 

[Speedpup]

If you father says 60-100 per ft and you took it for 30 ointhead how would you expect to make money?:beatsme

I would get $12-15 per sq ft for 8" block and I know i would rather do that than the trench you did,