Constantly jobs get pushed for one reason or another. Sometimes a day, week or even a month. Surprises me when the PM (the guy in charge) has no clue of how construction sites actually work. We do High end Millwork installations in and around Boston, Ma. So much for background, here we go. This are all true!
Things PM's say to me:
I'll add new at the top to make it easy for you
* Call comes in: "I need people on site all weekend. No excuses!" I reach out and get the folks to do the deed. "Covered!" Now realize, people are giving up their weekend to make this happen by 'my' request, so my reputation is on the line here. Call comes in on Saturday.. "No need for Sunday!" Really... "I own Sunday for the people you requested! You wish to pay them to stay home or work the day?" Still haven't heard back.. The bill will be submitted.
* Call comes in: "Laminate is pealing off! Need you to get out there and address this!" Since when we did this the first time I told him it would not work. Told him give it 6 months tops and it will fail. You want us to proceed, it is without warranty. "How would you like us to proceed. Time & Material?" They just love it when that's said.. Sarcasm in case you didn't catch it.. "It's warranty work!" Oh my, I have to remind him.. "There wasn't one!" Just more of dealing with folks that 'believe' they know more than I and don't listen..
* Call comes in: "I need you to tell me when the project is done!" Okay, so you're the PM and have no idea what is happening on your job unless I tell you. "Okay, I'll call you." Really??? Your job is what???
* "What, I'm going to get charged for the guys for day because I canceled?" Ya, really! You do at the last minute and they have to take the day off.. What the heck do you expect?
No, we don't always get paid for the and the guys suffer... Why do they care..
* Email comes through. This is Saturday about 4pm.. DFCI is off for Monday. Really? "I hope not to be charged for the 4hr minimum for the guys" 4hr min... "No you won't, you'll be charged for the day!" WTF.. "I'll get back to you." Have I mentioned I hear that a lot?
* Call comes in: "You guys mis-cut the Corian top and now the sink doesn't line up correctly! You'll be charged for the replacement!" So of course I call my guys to find out what happened. Sink was 1 3/8" off and after cutting 3/8" off the wall side the sink is now 1" off. I explain this to the PM. "If they knew it was wrong, why did they put it in?" I reply "You told them to!" He "I'll get back to you." I hear this a lot!!!
* The emails flew! "You have to be done and off the job Tuesday!" Well today is Friday following and we presented the list of things they (The GC) needs to do for us to complete. We're off the job as of Monday with no idea when we'll return. No response as of yet... Ya, you know what needs to happen..
Notice in the picture the background of open studs still. That's where more of our work goes.
* The call comes in to push a project from next Monday to next Tuesday. This being Thursday, okay I have time to recover and replace the slot with other work for the guys.
I'll add new at the top to make it easy for you
* Call comes in: "I need people on site all weekend. No excuses!" I reach out and get the folks to do the deed. "Covered!" Now realize, people are giving up their weekend to make this happen by 'my' request, so my reputation is on the line here. Call comes in on Saturday.. "No need for Sunday!" Really... "I own Sunday for the people you requested! You wish to pay them to stay home or work the day?" Still haven't heard back.. The bill will be submitted.
* Call comes in: "Laminate is pealing off! Need you to get out there and address this!" Since when we did this the first time I told him it would not work. Told him give it 6 months tops and it will fail. You want us to proceed, it is without warranty. "How would you like us to proceed. Time & Material?" They just love it when that's said.. Sarcasm in case you didn't catch it.. "It's warranty work!" Oh my, I have to remind him.. "There wasn't one!" Just more of dealing with folks that 'believe' they know more than I and don't listen..
* Call comes in: "I need you to tell me when the project is done!" Okay, so you're the PM and have no idea what is happening on your job unless I tell you. "Okay, I'll call you." Really??? Your job is what???
* Call comes in: "I need you guys Saturday at XXX (to protect the innocent though there are none.)" "Sure I respond, T&M?" "What you own the work!" Typical response and it's supposed to scare me into doing it.. "No, actually we don't. I sent a Change order, you sign it and I'll schedule it" Love this one as well.. "Just do it on slipped we'll catch up later." Me.. "Since the last time we did this and you still refuse to pay us for the time, NO. Sign the slip and I'll schedule it." Ready for it?? "I'll get back to you."
* Call comes in: "Super says your Guys are pulling there tools!" I respond, "He's correct! We are." Here it comes.. "Your under contract to be there and get this done! I insist people be there tomorrow." Love it when they have no clue and insist. "You either, get the super to get his site ready, or send goods for the areas that are. At this point I see neither is happening. I'll be sending a bill for 8hrs downtime for today. Would you like another for tomorrow?" The known response.. "I'll get back to you." No, I'm not waiting, I've moved on.
* Call comes in: "Super says your Guys are pulling there tools!" I respond, "He's correct! We are." Here it comes.. "Your under contract to be there and get this done! I insist people be there tomorrow." Love it when they have no clue and insist. "You either, get the super to get his site ready, or send goods for the areas that are. At this point I see neither is happening. I'll be sending a bill for 8hrs downtime for today. Would you like another for tomorrow?" The known response.. "I'll get back to you." No, I'm not waiting, I've moved on.
* Sent the guys to yet another start of a really nice project. Driver calls and says he's right around the corner. A Van shows up in the loading dock. Doors open and there's 2 pieces of plywood and 4 brackets for it. Four men, expecting a half day off-load and starting the project.. Ya, I got a call...
* "What, I'm going to get charged for the guys for day because I canceled?" Ya, really! You do at the last minute and they have to take the day off.. What the heck do you expect?
No, we don't always get paid for the and the guys suffer... Why do they care..
* Call comes in: "You guys mis-cut the Corian top and now the sink doesn't line up correctly! You'll be charged for the replacement!" So of course I call my guys to find out what happened. Sink was 1 3/8" off and after cutting 3/8" off the wall side the sink is now 1" off. I explain this to the PM. "If they knew it was wrong, why did they put it in?" I reply "You told them to!" He "I'll get back to you." I hear this a lot!!!
* The emails flew! "You have to be done and off the job Tuesday!" Well today is Friday following and we presented the list of things they (The GC) needs to do for us to complete. We're off the job as of Monday with no idea when we'll return. No response as of yet... Ya, you know what needs to happen..
Notice in the picture the background of open studs still. That's where more of our work goes.
* The call comes in to push a project from next Monday to next Tuesday. This being Thursday, okay I have time to recover and replace the slot with other work for the guys.
"So what's the issue?" I ask. "We don't have our permit yet." He responds. So get this, 500sqft re-hab that needs to be demo'd, cleaned, framed, wired and plumbed, inspected, HVAC re-done, inspected and he says push it a day..
"Dude, you looking at a week at least!" I say. "No, we're going through the weekend."
Even if he did so, the inspectors don't work the weekend and if you've ever tried to get an inspector in Boston within a week of your call, you're lucky..
"No, we'll be ready!" Ya right... I'll await his call next week.
* Call comes in from a PM. "Your guys installed the hold open device upside down! I want this fixed today!" I explained that that device meant to be installed that way because it's directional. On the opposite handed door it would be as you believe. "You're wrong and I want this taken care of!" So I offered him this: I will send a man, but you must also send your Job Supervisor so we can show him how this device works. If your correct I will not charge you for anytime involved and pick up the charge of your Supervisor. He reluctantly agreed.
The following day it happened. The Supervisor was shocked when he couldn't open the door when we installed it they requested and has us put it back on as we had it.
Next call.. "Next time you send a man there, be sure he has a clue what he is doing!"I asked if he spoke to his Supervisor to which he said yes, but didn't even believe him. He further stated that the manufacturer said we did it wrong. So of course I sent him the 'cut-sheets' on the device that shows proper install, like we did.
"I want this fixed tomorrow!" He says. The next deal was for him and the company Rep to be there and of course, I'll pay for everyone if wrong, but you will own yet another day. Again he reluctantly agreed.
That day came. Both He and the Company Rep we're in shock that we we're right. Imagine that, we were right.
All said and done $3800 of charges paid because no one looked at the cut-sheets and had no clue what they bought. Including the Sales Rep of his own product.
* Call comes in. "Why did your guys install the cabinets like that? They're at the wrong height! I want guys there tomorrow to fix this!" My response, "Look at your plans.. That's what you drew."
"Oh.. I'll get back to you.."
* Call comes in: "Your supposed to be done today! I want your men staying as late as it takes to make it happen!" Love these calls.. "Your framer staying to build the wall? The electrician & plumber to finish their work, you have the inspector on call so the drywalled & painter can finish?"
"I'll get back to you..." I really don't believe they even walk their sites any longer to see were it's at.
* Call comes in: "Why did your guys install those cabinets! They're the wrong color!" Really? How the hell would we know this? "You built them, shipped them and we installed them. Did you want us to call you and ask if their right?"
* Call comes in: "Why are your guys on site?" "Let's see, talked to you yesterday and you said go." He responds with "Well the sites not ready!" I slowly think and respond "You supposed to know this.."
* Call comes in: "Where are your guys? There supposed to be there installing!" "Their on site installing." "The Super can't find them." "Is he on the right site?" Can't help myself at times..
2 hours later.. "He found them. All is good." "So, was he on the right site?" No response..
* Call comes in: "I need that elevation installed today! No excuses!" I ask "Is it on site?" Response "I'll check.." It wasn't on site, the Millshop hadn't even built it yet.. He had no clue.
* Call comes in: "I need this done tomorrow!" I get a lot of these, no advance knowledge of this and has to be done so I do my best to try and make it happen. Round up the manpower, put it n play, then 2hrs later.. "No it can't happen, we're not ready." FIRE DRILLS I call them.. I really don't like them!
Why call with this when you don't even have your act together!
* Call comes in: "We're about to award you this project, but you have to complete by Aug 1st. Can you do it?" "Not if you ship on July 31st," I say. "We'll ship on July 7th." It's now July 13th and yet to be on site.. Tentative for July 17th (tentative being the key word). So much for their side of things. "Can you man-up and make it happen?" Me, being who I am... "Can you?" "Yes!" he says. Again me being me.. "Yet you were supposed to ship last week!" "I'll get back to you.." Hear that a lot when they have no clue.
* Looked at a planset today and had to ask a question. The PM said he forward it to the architect cause he didn't have the answer. That's called an RFI in our trade 'Request for Information'. Usually they give us limited days to ask our questions.. Then we're on our own to figure it out "You do realize there is no doorway to that room, right? Just curious how we're going to get in there to install..."
"I'll get back to you." I get that a lot...
* Looked at a planset today and had to ask a question. The PM said he forward it to the architect cause he didn't have the answer. That's called an RFI in our trade 'Request for Information'. Usually they give us limited days to ask our questions.. Then we're on our own to figure it out "You do realize there is no doorway to that room, right? Just curious how we're going to get in there to install..."
"I'll get back to you." I get that a lot...
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