My Facetruck thread.

[special-K]

Just when I said laying hardwood is in my past. My older son snagged a hardwood floor job and yesterday morning called to see if my younger son and I could help him with it. So that's what I spent the last couple days doing. It was an apartment over a garage, which meant lug the bundles up the stairs. But you know what? I truly enjoyed these last couple days working with my boys. And by being there I landed installing the cabinets and some other trim work. I was a doing some moaning and groaning yesterday. Today was a short day, so not so much

[Boog]

Aging has that effect on us all Tim. Used to be soreness would show up the 2nd day after I did something more strenuous than normal. Now days, well it shows up a bit sooner than it used to. And it lasts a bit longer than it used to. An old doctor once told me a little pain can be a good thing. It lets us know we are still alive and maybe something needs some attention.
I hope you and your sons work well together. Father/son time together gets to be less and less as time goes by.

[davischevy]

I don't have current pictures. I couldn't get on the tile to take any. These are from Monday night. The light framing, electrical, drywall and tile is in place. The hardwood guy and cultered marble guy will be here the first of the week.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by special-K

Just when I said laying hardwood is in my past. My older son snagged a hardwood floor job and yesterday morning called to see if my younger son and I could help him with it. So that's what I spent the last couple days doing. It was an apartment over a garage, which meant lug the bundles up the stairs. But you know what? I truly enjoyed these last couple days working with my boys. And by being there I landed installing the cabinets and some other trim work. I was a doing some moaning and groaning yesterday. Today was a short day, so not so much

You let your son tell you to carry stuff upstairs!? Dood. Delegation is a tool you need to add to your box, unless you enjoy punishment. Maybe you consider it good exercise. If so, that's fine. Otherwise, let the young backs do the heavy lifting! I should talk. I just got done laying up and taping off some drywall. Well, I will admit that that is a ton easier than carrying floor tiles up the stairs. I sprayed some texture on it this afternoon, and will get to the painting tomorrow.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

You let your son tell you to carry stuff upstairs!? Dood. Delegation is a tool you need to add to your box, unless you enjoy punishment. Maybe you consider it good exercise. If so, that's fine. Otherwise, let the young backs do the heavy lifting! I should talk. I just got done laying up and taping off some drywall. Well, I will admit that that is a ton easier than carrying floor tiles up the stairs. I sprayed some texture on it this afternoon, and will get to the painting tomorrow.

It was my son's job to be doing the delegating. I don't think he told me. It was a large kitchen/dining/living room area and a long hallway with closets and doorways to the stairs. They racked out and laid the open areas and I did all the tedious stuff out ahead or behind, and did moist cutting. If one of us got stalled we'd go grab a bundle or two. It wasn't bad. I do all sorts of work all the time, alone. Jobs many younger guys would get help for. I'm in use it or lose it mode. And I work smart so I rarely strain myself.

I always operated my crews on a mutual basis, no totem pole. I taught helpers skills and one might be doing skilled work while I humped materials if that was the next thing needed done. The result was a very capable skilled crew that never had one guy waiting on the other. I got a lot more out of my helpers and they stuck around a long time because they felt like a piece of the rock rather than the grunt. I could stay on focus better not having to watch over the help to keep them busy or prevent mistakes.

[kingsolver72]

I’ve been working by myself for the last 10 or 12 years. Most of my help didn’t want to do flooring. If I would get a smart guy that caught on fast well, he go out on his own. I worked for a guy for about 2 years when I first started then went on my own. The guy that taught me pretty much retired when I left.
I’ve been doing lots of lvp,wp, laminate and vinyl with a smig of carpet, my next 3 weeks I’m covered up in floating floor work. I bought a D-Cut tile cutter. It was a nice investment. It enables me to make rip cuts on the plank and I can cut 24” carpet tiles with it.
I’ve done 600 sf of lvt, 50 yards of carpet tiles and about20 yards of vinyl. I tore out all the existing carpet and tile just this week.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by kingsolver72

I’ve been working by myself for the last 10 or 12 years. Most of my help didn’t want to do flooring. If I would get a smart guy that caught on fast well, he go out on his own. I worked for a guy for about 2 years when I first started then went on my own. The guy that taught me pretty much retired when I left.
I’ve been doing lots of lvp,wp, laminate and vinyl with a smig of carpet, my next 3 weeks I’m covered up in floating floor work. I bought a D-Cut tile cutter. It was a nice investment. It enables me to make rip cuts on the plank and I can cut 24” carpet tiles with it.
I’ve done 600 sf of lvt, 50 yards of carpet tiles and about20 yards of vinyl. I tore out all the existing carpet and tile just this week.

Nice job it looks good.

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Nice job it looks good.

It is a nice looking job, but he groans a lot.

Most of the floor installers, that have been around here for a while, work as equal partners, because of the "work a while and become your competitor" thing. All of them are around Kingsolvers age.

I was talking to a friend of mine that is in his mid seventies and has been in the flooring and appliance business for 50 years. He said he didn't know what was going to happen to flooring installation when these guys retire, because no young people are coming along to take over.

[Boog]

I have made the same observations in regards to other types of work that today’s youth just don’t want to do. Somebody HAS to do the jobs no one wants to do. That demand could run the rates of those jobs up I imagine.

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by Boog

I have made the same observations in regards to other types of work that today’s youth just don’t want to do. Somebody HAS to do the jobs no one wants to do. That demand could run the rates of those jobs up I imagine.

Young people have never had such an opportunity. The one's with skills are going to have the upper hand soon.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by kingsolver72

I’ve been working by myself for the last 10 or 12 years. Most of my help didn’t want to do flooring. If I would get a smart guy that caught on fast well, he go out on his own. I worked for a guy for about 2 years when I first started then went on my own. The guy that taught me pretty much retired when I left.
I’ve been doing lots of lvp,wp, laminate and vinyl with a smig of carpet, my next 3 weeks I’m covered up in floating floor work. I bought a D-Cut tile cutter. It was a nice investment. It enables me to make rip cuts on the plank and I can cut 24” carpet tiles with it.
I’ve done 600 sf of lvt, 50 yards of carpet tiles and about20 yards of vinyl. I tore out all the existing carpet and tile just this week.

Same here. I decided I was better off working alone April '05 and have worked solo ever since, except on occasion I get one of my sons to help out. Either because I need another person or just to help them out when they need work.

[kingsolver72]

The good thing about working alone and if you have the house to yourself is that if you do groan no one hears it. So my question is, did you really groan?
I think its the same as snoring or when a tree falls in the forest.
I mentioned in another thread that someone told me that the average age of a carpet installer is 55.
Back in the early 90s I was doing some apartment work, on the side in Lawrence Ks. There were a couple of other crews and one of the crews were two females. I never looked at their work. I saw them just the one day, mostly because I was doing my thing. That’s the only time I’ve ever seen that. My brother would call them unicorns. I’ve never heard anyone else that knew female installers.

[davischevy]

My wife and I have been laughing at each other lately. If we sit for more than a few minutes, we start groaning when we get up.

If no one heard it , you didn't groan until you put it on the internet, so now you have it on the WWW, so we know It is true.

There is a female here that worked for the fire department and set tile on the side. She is retired from the fire department now, but is still a tile setter.

I have no windows in my shop for a couple of reasons. It's harder to break into and easier to heat and cool. I come in here a lot, pull my truck in and lock the doors. Nobody can prove I groan.

[Boog]

[so now you have it on the WWW, so we know It is true.]

Word!

[special-K]

I stopped snoring as soon as my wife left, but she still complains about it

Like I said, I'm fine when I'm moving. So usually don't moan or groan at work. But I do wince and sigh some

I tell you what. I hired a gal back around '89 as a siding cutter. She was the most reliable, loyal, steady help I ever hired. I figured she saw it as an opportunity to make a man's wage in the blue color world and the guys take such jobs for granted... gotta do something. She cut for two experienced hangers and bent up all the trim. She was a little thing, too. Cute as a button. She was on a woman's softball team. I went to a game once. Some looked right dyky (like the one that rode the Harley). Others... if they were that way it was a cryin' shame. I wanted to put together a crew of them. Wouldn't that be a sight, an all women siding crew? Talk about advertisement! I'd be well known and people wouldn't even know my company's name. "Hey John, Do you have the number of that all woman siding company that did your house?" Ring. Ring. "Hello?". "Is this that siding company with an all woman crew?"

[slomotion]

Sounds good Tim, - for ten years ago. Sadly in today's world some women's organization would bust you for exploiting women for your own advancement. Never mind you'd be paying them well, treating them with the upmost respect, and teaching them skills. Now, if you were a woman heading up that crew, you'd be touted as being a wonderful progressive outfit!
Go figure!

[special-K]

I see "A Woman Owned Company" on some company's vehicles and I think, "So what? We're all equal, right? I just need to know if you do a good job, no matter who you are".

I had a thing to say about discrimination, but nah! We're looking at fair weather all week. No storms, about to freezing nights and 45* days. I wish it was hunting season. How's the winter been for the rest of you so far?

[Steeveedee]

It was 80º here last Friday. Clear as a bell.

[Boog]

Eh, not too bad over here. 30s and 50s. Rain about every 3 days. Beats the hard cold I tell ya.

[davischevy]

I forgot to get pics, but the remodel is coming along. The tile is done, the hardwood guys will finish today, the shower and bath guy and painter are scheduled for Monday. The cabinet people will be the hold up. I hope they start building them next week. With any luck we will be done in month.

What got me thinking about this was a mention of cardio in another thread. There are 31 step risers from the basement where we are living, to the upstairs where we sleep. We will be in better shape when this is done.

I have learned to plan before I go up to bed or come down in the morning.

[Chevyland]

Top
?
Or
?
Bottom

[68Timber]

Spinners of course.

[davischevy]

Yep, spinners. Boy those things are hard to drive in traffic with one outside mirror.

[Chevyland]

Yeah

[Killer Bee]

sill question, factory 64 pmd spinners of course..

take good care of it for me