u/Alexhxrrera

So tempted to ditch this sidejob. Im doing T&M for a Ductless split Air conditioner. I was cheap as ever for the materials and my hourly rate.

So here’s the breakdown:

I meet the guy before committing to the job, talking about how I’ll do the electrical and where his desired location for the unit will be. We agreed to a spot and I bought materials based on that location. (Had to measure everything out for lengths cut at the supply house, Conduit, and the works). Now comes installation day with the plumbers doing their part.. the homeowner takes them to the side and asks them to move everything 10ft over.. So now Im short on conduit. I tell the homeowner that if he wants this done proper and nice looking, Im now going to need new lengths cut for his new desired location and its going to cost him more. He hits me back with a one line, “I dont want to pay more😑”.

Im at a loss for words here boys, what would you do? or what would you have done different? Jobs like this make me want to end doing sidework PERIOD. This guy is being so cheap.

I Need help peeps..
To preface, we are both level 4 apprentices and are running a job together four hours away from home staying 5 days a week at a hotel together and working 12’s.

So this apprentice I work with has lost the respect and tolerance from other people in the company, and I was sent up because he "liked me" as a worker. So fair enough, I go up to run this job with him. He has ran jobs in his past, but this would be my first one ever doing myself and without an actual Journeyman. When we started, things went decent but as the weeks progressed I've been able to see his true colours and also why everyone else dislikes this guy. Working 12 hour days and staying at a hotel together has turned from something tolerable to pure suffering and agony on my part.

All days of the week up here with him, he's been being a piece of shit to me the entire time. Ive never met someone so emotionally unstable and arrogant. This is taking a massive toll on my mental health. Ive been very quiet all this time about this and Im feeling trapped not knowing what to even do!!

He is constantly downplaying my efforts. Overstepping me whenever I make a suggestion or a decision. Today he asked if I could lend him my wire strippers, and I responded asking for manners like a simple please! And then I simply asked where his are so I could grab them for him because I was currently using my own, and he goes on to say he left them back home 4 hours away.. So i refused to lend him mine because he kept being a massive dick about it and it caused more rage in him.

So his response? He took the blueprints away, told me to fuck off, and that I have to "figure out the job" without the prints! He threatens me with marking me down for less hours than I actually worked today, and basically told me I'm useless and holding up the job.

Meanwhile he is the one taking the prints and plans away.. over a pair of pliers.. which stopped me from knowing what piping and wires need to be ran.

What do I do guys?

To preface this, Im a 3rd year Apprentice in Canada. I have been travelling for work for the past few months. We have Very long days and the town we are in only consists of fast/casual restaurants and gas stations, nothing else and no fun.

It is myself, and another apprentice running a medium sized job completely ourselves without a JM overseeing the day to day work. We were sent up here by the boss without an increase in pay. He just covers the food and hotels. He motivated us to come up here with a cash bonus incentive. He told us how much we were going to receive however last week he told us we are getting a significant amount less and it made me a little upset because i feel like the rug has been pulled from beneath us. Like it feels like I got scammed with a fake promise.

Being away for so long has started to burn me out and furthermore, distance me from living my life how I used to. Im losing my healthy habits and also not seeing family or friends for weeks on end is affecting me in a large way. Also the apprentice I work with is a giant bully and always has to one-up me in every decision I try to make. He is always miserable and gets angry a lot at me for little things like not hearing him when he is across the room. I just need help with this. Anyways..

Here’s my questions to everyone:

- Do I ask for what was promised, or just more in general?

- How would i ask?

- Is it worth going away from home for work for weeks on end, when there is little to no financial benefit aside from the regular pay receive?

- Is all this even legal?

- How do i get used to this lifestyle it ends up becoming more long term?