How clean should a contractor be?

I don't know if this is above or below average but I swept this out of just 4 main floor of my house-in-progress last week so I could power wash the concrete without all of this ending up on my face.

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I'm not too worked up about the scraps, but the food and drink containers irritate me. Yet, there's no trash can on site so what are they supposed to do? I thought about putting one out there but no idea if they'd use it. And since none of the subs clean up after themselves, the GC has a line item on the budget for me to pay someone else to come in and do it.

What's up with those triple threat studs? Never seen that..?

I agree though, pieces of PVC, 1/3 rack of nails nor romex splices bother me, but your got damned Mountain Dew bottle better not become a habit. Funny story, back in 2005 I was helping a bud finish his house and one of the sheet rockers kept going up in his giant blacked in attic every day for like a week and pooping in a bucket, then leaving that bucket upstairs on a piece of plywood, no shit, pun intended.
 
My neighbors finally built their dream house on their 42 acres last year (they bought the place about 10 years ago and lived in the double-wide left by the previous owner). The subs kept throwing their trash on the ground because the GC wouldn't provide a dumpster, and it would blow all over their property. The wife got some trash cans and put them in numerous locations, and then, through an English-to-Spanish interpretor, asked them nicely to use them. She said none ever threw a single piece of trash in them. She would go pick up after them every day, which was easy since they lived on site. We couldn't believe how absolutely non-caring they were about the wishes of the people ultimately paying their wages. Just more evidence that this country is a disgrace these days.

FIRED.
 
That's a lot of trash. I guess eventually they would pick some of that up to finish the house. It annoys me more when the builder leaves trash in the lawn and the landscapers just go right over the top of all that crap. I dug up a decent amount of concrete that was next to the driveway where the grass kept dying. Rented a trench machine to help lay downspout drainage pipes and I cut through an extremely heavy duty wire/extension cord. Scared the crap out of me thinking I just cut through a live wire knocking out mine or my neighbors power. Tested to see if it was live and buried it back. I finally felt ok with it given how shallow the wire was and so close to my exterior wall. I had called 811 before I started and I already knew where most if not all the wires and pipes were laid because I saw them installed.

Dude, my last house was a new build, corporate bid neighborhood. House was about a year old when covid started, and during covid built my own pergola (required digging 9 holes for 9 12x6x6 poles. Anyways, it was central Texas so no frost line and hit rock at about 16" but out of my 9 holes, specific 9 places. I pulled up entire bags of shingles, paint brushes, just any trash you can think of apparently got graded into that lawn, screw that. I had to sell, plus, pretty sure that part of Texas gone have a H2O problem or two coming down the pipe...
 
My neighbors finally built their dream house on their 42 acres last year (they bought the place about 10 years ago and lived in the double-wide left by the previous owner). The subs kept throwing their trash on the ground because the GC wouldn't provide a dumpster, and it would blow all over their property. The wife got some trash cans and put them in numerous locations, and then, through an English-to-Spanish interpretor, asked them nicely to use them. She said none ever threw a single piece of trash in them. She would go pick up after them every day, which was easy since they lived on site. We couldn't believe how absolutely non-caring they were about the wishes of the people ultimately paying their wages. Just more evidence that this country is a disgrace these days.

A filthy job really is usually a signal that it is out of control- I have had guys tell me that the best workers were the messiest because they focused on the work- But the person that told me that was also the messiest worker and they did crappy work. Our relationship lasted about two weeks.

But to be on point people don’t know how to “do” work as a whole so often-People want a paycheck but they have no idea how to treat a job at all-

And by that statement I mean a lot of things-

How to show up and be dressed appropriately- had a guy show up in sandals- uh,no.

How to be presentable and personally clean

To be on time

To be prepared to work

How to treat the company property

How to treat the customers property

This is all just basic stuff before you have to know beyond the technical aspects of the work-

Plus my rules -

We don’t park anywhere but where we were supposed to park

We don’t walk on the grass in many situations

We don’t use their bathroom

We don’t need aspirin , we don’t need water. we don’t need food

We don’t use the fridge

We eat offsite or outside

We don’t walk up to the job with a soft drink in our hand - we’re not doing a social visit

I want guys to get out of the truck putting on a toolbelt

Use the work pathway the customer wants you to use

Protect it so that you have no idea what is underneath the floor protection- We don’t use paper- we use hardboard that we get from the mobile home industry- I have worked for several people at our local building inspection department in their personal homes and once I had a guy drop a tile on paper in one and it damaged the wood floor underneath- I was like dude that is like bumping into a cop car....

We don’t open cabinets or doors were not supposed to

Nobody ever smokes in the clients home and keep it at the street

We never enter without consent - I once walked in on a lady with her shirt off and we both screamed like women

We lock up if they require it

We let the customer know we’re gone so they can relax and kick off their heels so to speak

If we have to stop or leave for a reason during the day we let them know what we’re up to

We are very careful about turning off the water and power so there’s no convenience no one is ever left without either overnight

A really good rule of thumb is just don’t do anything that aggravates the customer, especially before you can get started good.
 
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Oh boy...I have some comments! As some of you know, we finished a pretty major remodel of our kitchen (really the whole first floor) late last year. Our GC is great. I've known him for quite a while now and he communicates well, is up front about anything and everything, including his mark-up and he and I can have conversations about where to split work, if my wife or I want to do something ourselves. I'd consider him a friend.

We have had a couple conversations about his office manager/partner and his subs (especially his electricians). The OM is VERY slow to respond to emails/texts (forget a phone call). Kinda like @freedom_in_4low mentioned about his GC...about 75% of the information gets through the first time. Thankfully, it usually only took one reminder to get the rest. His electricians though...I would NEVER use them again. All of my switches sit crooked in their boxes. We had to call them out specifically to finish a couple of things that they "forgot." The worst was they left for the day after cutting holes for can lighting in the ceiling. I have cellulose insulation...and they didn't plug any of the holes. So, for a whole weekend, I had that shit raining down on me every time the front door got opened and shut. They also left a switch completely out, and a BARE HOT WIRE sticking out of the wall. I called the GC immediately that afternoon...well...I fixed it first, then called. I couldn't believe that. Talk about dangerous.

We had issue with our counter install too...They first tried to install the wrong sink...and they cut the counter incorrectly. Incidentally, the counter that was cut incorrectly was a full slab of quartz...that was out of production and we bought the leftover. My wife about had a coronary on that one...her whole color pallet was based on the countertop she picked out. Thankfully, they were able to get another slab (at their cost) and get it corrected.

Through all these issue though, the GC was there for us. He made us feel like we were still in control, he was going to take care of it. His guys were great too...so good that they got Christmas presents from us. Like @AndyG said, they spent the last half hour of their day cleaning up after them selves. Even throughout the day, they kept their tools picked up, and not scattered all around. They even vac'ed the garage, every day, that we let them set up in so they didn't have to work outside in the snow (or run the saws inside). That really impressed me.

Love dudes like this, they're just few & far between, or just booked more than they even wanna be. That, or they want me to try & pay for their 16 year old daughter's first car all of a sudden seems like a good idea. I should just start every convo with 'cost plus'.
 
A filthy job really is usually a signal that it is out of control- I have had guys tell me that the best workers were the messiest because they focused on the work- But the person that told me that was also the messiest worker and they did crappy work. Our relationship lasted about two weeks.

But to be on point people don’t know how to “do” work as a whole so often-People want a paycheck but they have no idea how to treat a job at all-

And by that statement I mean a lot of things-

How to show up and be dressed appropriately- had a guy show up in sandals- uh,no.

How to be presentable and personally clean

To be on time

To be prepared to work

How to treat the company property

How to treat the customers property

This is all just basic stuff before you have to know beyond the technical aspects of the work-

Plus my rules -

We don’t park anywhere but where we were supposed to park

We don’t walk on the grass in many situations

We don’t use their bathroom

We don’t need aspirin , we don’t need water. we don’t need food

We don’t use the fridge

We eat offsite or outside

We don’t walk up to the job with a soft drink in our hand - we’re not doing a social visit

I want guys to get out of the truck putting on a toolbelt

Use the work pathway the customer wants you to use

Protect it so that you have no idea what is underneath the floor protection- We don’t use paper- we use hardboard that we get from the mobile home industry- I have worked for several people at our local building inspection department in their personal homes and once I had a guy drop a tile on paper in one and it damaged the wood floor underneath- I was like dude that is like bumping into a cop car....

We don’t open cabinets or doors were not supposed to

Nobody ever smokes in the clients home and keep it at the street

We never enter without consent - I once walked in on a lady with her shirt off and we both screamed like women

We lock up if they require it

We let the customer know we’re gone so they can relax and kick off their heels so to speak

If we have to stop or leave for a reason during the day we let them know what we’re up to

We are very careful about turning off the water and power so there’s no convenience no one is ever left without either overnight

A really good rule of thumb is just don’t do anything that aggravates the customer, especially before you can get started good.

We should sticky this but make it editable by request, additions and/or subtractions. Could be a wealth of knowledge brewed up on this topic..
 
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What's up with those triple threat studs? Never seen that..?

Both sides of the house are two story, but the garage (where I took that pic from) is sunk 7' below the main level. The wall you're seeing is where the two levels come together, so it has 3' studs to support the floor joists above the garage, and then 10' studs to support the ceiling joists of the kitchen on the other side of that wall. I have no idea whether all those open web truss joints, and the short studs that support them are really necessary..., But the joists are spanning 24' so, maybe? I don't doubt it's structural integrity, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was a more cost effective way to do it.
 
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We should sticky this but make it editable by request, additions and/or subtractions. Could be a wealth of knowledge brewed up on this topic..

Thank you I am honored that you said that- And for what it’s worth I really live this out.

I saw a what was going on in residential construction and said I think I can compete against people that work like this....I had practically no experience other than a knack for working with my hands. I grew up around a father and uncles that could do all this stuff and we certainly got put to work but by no means did I know what I needed to know when I got into it at first.
 
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Late to the party but my dad taught me to always clean up each day after a job, we’ve cleaned the same room three times only to make a mess the fourth time, but it’s nice not coming in to a mess.
 
Late to the party but my dad taught me to always clean up each day after a job, we’ve cleaned the same room three times only to make a mess the fourth time, but it’s nice not coming in to a mess.

Imagine how bad things would get if you didn’t clean up those four times
 
Imagine how bad things would get if you didn’t clean up those four times

LOL....I don't have to imagine it. For all the grief I give my guys at the shop I run...my personal workshop is a MESS! I work too late, then lose my motivation and just go inside, leaving my tools and junk spread out everywhere. I really need to do better...
 
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LOL....I don't have to imagine it. For all the grief I give my guys at the shop I run...my personal workshop is a MESS! I work too late, then lose my motivation and just go inside, leaving my tools and junk spread out everywhere. I really need to do better...

That used to be me. I find that if I have a well organized shop where everything has a specific place, i am much more likely to put the tool back where it goes when i'm done with it. But it only works if it has it's own designated spot to fit into, like my Kobalt 227-piece toolset where everything snaps into it's home, or it's own specific hook on a pegboard. If it just goes in a drawer with a bunch of other stuff, I end up leaving it out. So my sockets are always put away, but my metal fabrication stuff that all gets stuffed into the same drawer ends up scattered all over the garage.
 
If we have to stop or leave for a reason during the day we let them know what we’re up to
That's another one. A couple of times the crew came to an unexpected stopping point and left. I didn't know what the hell was going on nor when they expected to be back!
 
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Here is another comment - referring to something he said earlier today about clients hearing things-

People , whether consciously or not, read your body language and emotions, and this cant be turned off- this means the “vibe “ you create is sensed by the client, and this needs to be controlled by the lead and workers-

Smiling faces, man that cut is just right, dead level , good job Mike , are the types of things clients need to see and overhear. Companies like counter top companies that are there 2-4 hours can come in like a precision drill team and blow clients away. People gauge how well it is going by this.


Also, people will never forget how workers made them feel.

This leads me to my next thread- How to Handle Complaints. I think some of you guys will like it , it goes back to a trade article that I wrote for a national magazine and some really good training that inspired it.

Communication is 90% non verbal, and even that 10% is so much of HOW you say what you say.
 
That used to be me. I find that if I have a well organized shop where everything has a specific place, i am much more likely to put the tool back where it goes when i'm done with it. But it only works if it has it's own designated spot to fit into, like my Kobalt 227-piece toolset where everything snaps into it's home, or it's own specific hook on a pegboard. If it just goes in a drawer with a bunch of other stuff, I end up leaving it out. So my sockets are always put away, but my metal fabrication stuff that all gets stuffed into the same drawer ends up scattered all over the garage.

Yeah, the sad thing is that I DO have a home for most of my tools. When its all picked up and put away, its a pretty good example of a well organized shop. Unfortunately, that only exists about once a quarter, lol
 
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Communication is 90% non verbal, and even that 10% is so much of HOW you say what you say.

Look up the brilliant FBI agent Joe Navarro- He explains that so well.

I always contend the biggest problem with communication is the illusion you’re having it.
 
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Yeah, the sad thing is that I DO have a home for most of my tools. When its all picked up and put away, its a pretty good example of a well organized shop. Unfortunately, that only exists about once a quarter, lol

I've just given up at the house I'm in. Renting and the garage is doubling as storage, so I can't build a work bench or permanent shelves, not enough open wall to hang pegboard, so there's a lot of stuff that's just in the floor and that's where it stays.
 
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I try my best to do everything myself. it took me a 18 months but I built my house. did everything except the concrete and shingles . between the shitty work and unreliability I've seen if I can do it myself I will .