*throw away as I’m pretty sure person I’m referring to follows me*
Ive been a plumber for almost a decade and I’ve been working for/with my friend for a little over a year with the promise of some “big” jobs. It’s mostly been service style jobs and Reno’s. I very much dislike doing either of those.
Since it’s just him and I in the company, it’s chill start times and I rarely work a full 40 hours a week. It sounds like it should be a sweet deal, but it’s not. He runs the company like one giant side job(it’s all licensed and insured). Communication and organization is abysmal which causes me stress and anxiety because I only ever seem to get just enough information to finish the job confidently that I’m doing what he and the client want. I have told him that I need/want all information before jobs start multiple times.
I didn’t realize how much of my social life came with working with a group of guys, now that I work by myself 95% of the time I realized that. I enjoy working with other people and bouncing ideas or problem solving with each other, but now it’s all on me and gets pretty lonely day to day.
He constantly undermines my confidence in myself by always asking if “I’m sure?”, “are you 100%?”, “you’re sure it’s X pipe size?” To the point where I start second guessing to the point where I have to take photos of everything just to prove what I’m saying. I always feel the need to justify my work an why I had to use the extra fittings, or why I don’t take the shortest route, or why I didn’t swap “X” out at the same time. He pretty much treats me like a 4th year apprentice.
He does have some big multi-family projects come up finally, but I just know deep down he’s gonna run it like a side job, it’ll be super disorganized and he will not have him or I on the sites at all the times making sure we are part of all conversations pertaining to the mechanical side of things. I will constantly be getting pulled off site to do service work when I should be on site progressing the project.
My wage is matched with the local Union, but I’m not getting pension or benefits. Which is fine short term, but I just don’t see myself not getting either long term. I know that the grass is always greener on the other side and I’ll be unhappy with something after 6 months if I just went back to work for the union doing new construction. I’m struggling because he has a coupling big jobs that range from 500k-1 million mechanical contract that I KNOW he cannot do himself and I don’t know want to leave him high and dry, but I’m just miserable at work. I think he is a great guy and I’m happy that he’s doing his own thing, I just don’t think I want to be a part of it.
Do I just do what makes me happy, or do I stick around and help my friend build/maintain his company?
Has anyone had a similar experience, or had to make the same type of decision? Any input would be helpful, thanks.