u/NoiseOutrageous8422

I'm newer to this and trying to stay on top of things. I'm just a small time residential renovation contractor/carpenter and trying to provide good service for my clients. I hope to alleviate some of the headache of building. I have keys to all of my client's houses, so when meeting subs I can access even if they aren't home.

But if they are home I still like to show face and just chat with the subs to make sure everything is understood and going well. Recently had a sub that went from a 3 day job to an 8 day job. So I'm driving 25 mins out each way to met this guy just to only stay for 5 mins to confirm deadlines and see if he needs anything or discuss a client concern if any.

Do you always meet a subs on site even if the client is home? I just don't want to seem like I don't give a shit about the project or if they are making lunch, wfh meetings, or busy in general.

Again I'm small time and I'm not catering to high end clients who never want to be face to face with a sub. Where do I draw the line or who do you handle this situation? I'm also a carpenter so I have other stuff going on I'm just not at a point to scale for a PM ect

Came into 14k, help me make a financially smart decision.

I have no debt

I have no credit

I have no savings/retirement

I have no investments

I know nothing about investing

I own a small carpentry and general contracting buisness, 3 years in so I'm barely making money yet. I know pushing this into the business could help a lot but I'm at a point right now where I need more clients or bigger jobs and not tools or material items.

Since I don't have anything saved for my future I was hoping to put it away and forget about it somewhere it might grow and hopefully once my business does better I can continue adding to it.

A close family member who does very well for himself and has a financial advisor said I should look into a few options that have paid him well in dividends - "best money I've ever made". But I looked into all of the stocks he mentioned and in their overall lifetime they're all in the negative %, or seemingly the lowest they have been in years, but have paid annual dividends of $1-$3.3.....Again I know nothing about stocks or investing, so if anyone has some recommended on what I should do with this money or research I could do or good source that ELI5 that would be sick. I'm also not trying to be ignorant and lose all this money by pushing it into something I'm unfamiliar with.

In all honestly I'm tired of being poor and just making it by.

Any advice or recommendations to educate myself are much appreciated. Thanks for taking time to read

Coming into about 14k, help me make a financially smart decision.

I have no debt

I have no credit

I have no savings/retirement

I have no investments

I know nothing about investing

I own a small carpentry and general contracting buisness, 3 years in so I'm definitely not making money yet.

I know this amount of money could help my business a lot, but I know it'll be gone instantly, and I'm not sure it'll math into making me money. I think it would just be like an upgrade for the business and make things easier but I dont think it would be an investment that would be profitable.

Since I don't have anything saved for my future I was hoping to put it away and forget about it somewhere it might grow and hopefully once my business does better I can continue adding to it.

Also if I should post this elsewhere I apologize.

Curious of anyone who may have jumped up in roles they thought they were unqualified for? Labor to management or other higher up type roles

I don't think I have the business, administrative qualifications in me for most positions, especially when I hold no degrees. Always do well in the field and seem more productive doing laborious type work. So I've never even tried to go for them.

Positions you held little to no qualifications for and made it happen?

Looking for any advice on speeding up the bidding process or admin work.

At time I feel like an idiot and archaic with how bad and inefficient I am with a computer.

I mean I'm literally using word and excel but I don't have any formulas, I'm just going phase by phase for each job. I end up getting too detailed in my estimates and accounting for ever last fastener. It took me 2 days to bid 2 small jobs and 2 large jobs.

My admin is okay, i have all my contracts in place, all my proposals, estimates, and invoices formatted. It is still time consuming to input it all and amend stuff though.

Anyways I'm 3 years in, finally getting bids I want to win, additions, full renovations.....but I'm only winning 25% or less of them. Last year I went from full time carpentry to now GCing.

The past 6 months i got sucked into doing a lot of bidding and wasnt able to get a lot accomplished in the field. I blew through some cash reserves but figured if I landed some of these I'd be set for the next year. Didn't happen. Now I can't afford an admin person so I need to either invest in a cheap but worthwhile estimating software or find another solution for speeding up the bidding process.

I'm always a week or a month behind. As soon as I get a check its going toward insurance, or the mortgage, I'm charging fair rates but falling behind due to spending time on bidding.

Any advice especially on bidding larger jobs would be a life saver. Streamlining scheduling keeping things lined up

Michigan here,

I've called over 30 law firms and even pro bono lawyers the courts recommended. None would take the case before we started and none will take the case now that we are in pre trial.

Already submitted response to complaint, discovery, interrogatories, production of documents, and we also requested documents and interrogatories.

We believe its a frivolous lawsuit, attempted to settle before being served, plaintiff refused to work with use and filed suit for us "refusing to pay"

Currently in a lawsuit, subcontractor hired by general contractor for our home with no contract agreed to or signed for is attempting to enforce terms of contract and collect deposit payment for second half of work that hasn't been preformed. The work that was preformed, failed building code, which was specifically what they were hired to fix. Their only piece of evidence was an altered version of a contract replacing the general contractors name with our name.

It's a complete waste of the courts time and the impasse that was created and the plaintiff claims was created due to the plaintiff not providing the correct documents to proceed. Let alone not completing work they were originally contacted to handle and failing inspection.

Plaintiffs attorney attitude changed once we submitted all of our evidence then was trying to push issue into "case evaluation" which we assume would not be in our benefit. We drafted a summary disposition disputing every count they submitted. But according to another attorney I spoke to for a few minutes he claimed it's the most complicated document to submit.

--------------

Do we just review the summary disposition thoroughly and submit it anyways?

Also when or how am I able to bring up that I want the case to be reviewed or case to be dismissed before trial?

-------------

I feel if we go to trial the attorney will do well but if someone actually just looked at the paperwork its all right there. Altered contract, plaintiff created impasse they are suing upon, failure to provide documents to move the job forward, failure in building inspection, plaintiff lied in interrogatories and claims we all agreed to the contract but nothing shows this in writing, plaintiff lied in interrogatories and claims they weren't notified about documents needed but emails show dates they were notified. We have disputed basically every single point the plaintiff has made and provided evidence for it.

I'm not sure what to do, any advice is appreciated.

Design build owner here, been doing carpentry for 10 years, recently got into general contracting by chance from repeat clients. All of our work is by word of mouth and I really don't have a big interest in doing SEO. Maybe that's a mistake? My website is pretty sick, my portfolio is nice but pretty small. Were 2.5 yrs in now.

I'm in a major city and there are a lot of small design firms/small construction firms to choose from.

There's so many new businesses opening by me. I want to help design and build one out.

What I've done so far - I have worked for other design builds, have worked for other commercial contractors, have reached out to design firms to let them know I'm on my own now. Haven't got any hits back. Placed probably 500 cards in various locations, we have received extremely postivie feedback on the cards, i try to go to networking events atleast 2-3 times a month. Besides this and reaching out to the local sba what might help?

I feel like if we can just get our foot in the door we will kill it. Our design is great, and we try to think outside the box or not follow trendy, our details are on point, most of our trades are solid, we do good work for a reasonable price, transparent, and are conscientious and respective.

So how did you find your contractor??

What might I be missing on looking into?

Do you have other recommendations of what I should do?

Thank you for any advice in advance!

Looking for advice, information to read or videos on building outdoor ovens, type of materials to use and cladding in thin brick. I have a project for a client and have had bad luck with masonry. We are in zone 6b so we get pretty bad winters.

Hoping to educate myself so I can choose the right mason based on what materials they plan on using. Really not interested in taking this on myself and hoping to not get a call back in a few months, its a community project I offered to help on and ended up doing way more than expected

Thank in advance

I'm working on a job and the client wants an outdoor oven cladded in fancy thin brick. I haven't had luck finding a good mason in my area, and I know I'm going to hate myself if i take it on, but any recommendations on pointers or videos of trusted people.

It's a covered area, masonry frame out already, the counter is going to be a concrete pour, not sure how thick we should go with it to support a 3'x3'x3' oven or what type of bricks to use? If I found a mason I wanted to make sure they didn't use the wrong bricks and I'm getting a call back in 3 months. Its a community project that turned into doing everything hah

If anyone has recommendations or resources to read or watch let me know

Carpenter here. I don't do tile but I'm redoing my bathroom and my partner wants to do colored grout.

We discussed doing darker blue, magenta or purple. Any recommendations on pigment or a brand to use for good quality/bold colors that last? Our bathroom tile ranges from two different purples to a small blue and white mosaic.

Is pigment the best way to achieve a custom color? Does anyone have experience with this, or encountered issues?

Also looking for sealing products, from my understanding it helps with cleaning?

Tell me straight does this sound like a big mistake?

​

Haven't taken a vacation in years, finally forcing ourselves to and trying to find something within a reasonable driving distance. We're in Southern Michigan.

​

How are the smokey mountains on holidays? We only have 2 maybe 3 full days to enjoy the park, would really enjoy some hiking, less populated trails/spots. Also areas that might be nice to set up for the day and draw or relax.

​

Were thinking about Santeetlah lake in North Carolina since they have disperse camping and driving over daily. The cabins and whatnot seem a bit out of our price range.

​

Open to other recommendations, in or near the smokey mountains. Really just want a nice change of scenery hopefully see some colors and terrain.

​

​

​

How do some of y'all do it? I'm 2.5 yrs into my own carpentry company, 8 months into GC

​

I finally have a good set of subs except for caprentry, which I do all the carpentry myself...and its time-consuming.

​

I started taking on extra work clients want and sub it out and its nice to finally make money to just manage. Now wearing the lead carpenter hat, GC, PM and admin/accounting person I'm am starting to drown a little. I'm falling behind on projects at my house, seem to always be 3 steps behind on jobs and not in a good way. Seems like even my 35% isn't covering everything because my time management isn't the best. I have gaps between jobs. I take too much time writing contracts to ensure I don't lose my ass. I have about 6 months of work lined up but can't get to it fast enough.

​

I have several GCs and firms that have been begging me to help on projects as a carpenter, meaning show up cut install collect a check and leave, now with my commitment to my own carpentry and GC projects I don't have the ability to do that unless i push some projects or cancel which i don't want to. Anyways I think i have severe adhd too so im sure that isn't helping my problem.

​

Idk maybe its the spring wave of calls and projects overwhelming me.

[Michigan, Lower peninsula]

Carpenter here. Looking to build a green roof for a shed/firewood storage. Area is mostly shady, 50% of it gets sun from sunrise to 1/2pm. Plan is to plant shrubs, evergreens and whatnot around the shed as well so in a few years it'll prob get less light. So far I only have native ferns, and short grasses.

Anyways looking for advice on species that do well on green roofs. Did you have success with any specific species?

Have you built a green roof? Did you experience any pitfalls, plans that went well or things you wish you changed afterwards?

What do you guys do for this?

My background is mainly residential carpentry and a bit of commercial work but not much. Early 30s

I started my own company a few years ago, now GCing smaller projects(additions, garages and outdoor renovations) and wanted to further myself in areas I lack.

Currently don't have much background in safety, softwares, finances or administrative roles. Figured taking a buisness class would be a good start, and one of the osha classes.

There's a place near by that does a 2 week timber framing class i was thinking would be a good reward once I complete a few of these continued education.

I would like to also think about the future and jumping ship into the commercial, facilities coordinator, or superintendent and what might be good for that.

Any recommendations or skills you found in current or later positions?

- Looking for general recommendations from anyone who has worked with TIF or municipalities? As I have not done either of these.

- Whether it is wording in proposals, specific language, things that municipalities respond well too?

- If you have any definite things to stay away from or that might negatively affect your project?

- Commonly overlooked scope of work items in these types of projects?

Project background

This is the first large scale commercial project for me - 8000sqft of unused municipal area behind a client's building. Mostly do residential, small commercial interiors/exteriors now, used to do commercial landscaping for 10 years. Looking to be proposed as a pedestrian friendly/greenway zone. Trees, storm water landscaping, permeable pavers, concrete bench/structures and large rain gardens(with a small detention system), and possibly some local art installation. Should be "easy" as the surrounding neighborhoods have lots of them already.

I was figuring doing T&M with GMP as contracts for a majority of the job so I don't lose my ass. Milestone payments, project phasing and assement of budget per phase. Budget roughly 600k, but I don't think it will be enough for the entire job, specifically calculating pavers and concrete forming. This is my own company and I will be acting as a GC, no employees, looking to hire almost everything out. Hiring mostly people I've worked with before besides the engineering firm and the concrete guys.

Biggest expenses I can think of so far would be 30x150' removal of concrete alleyway, infrastructure/sewer assessment, engineering cost for the soil and subgrade, hydro excavation since there is a lot of electrical equipment, other heavy equipment rentals, possibly fence rental or installation as I'm unsure the speed the city will move at in regards to these types of projects.

Lmk I'm blatantly overlooking anything or you think I'm an idiot for taking this project on.

I'm in Michigan. First started out with one of those gimmicky 4 in 1 grafted apple trees, then decided to pick up a fuji, two pears and a cherry. They are two years old. Side note I know nothing about fruit trees.

Anyways i really enjoy cedars, and dug up three eastern red cedars from my buddies back yard and planted them last fall on our property. I am more of a forget about it person, i feed/fertilize my yard 3-4 times a year, for the trees, annual flowers, bulbs and whatnot. Mostly have perennials though.

How detrimental is cedar apple rust? Is it worth it for me to just get rid of the cedars? I would be pretty bummed out if six years in I smoke all my apple trees. Or should i keep the cedars, and from my research plant resistant apples(williams pride, liberty, redfree, enterprise)? Or am I overthinking this. Or maybe I should just focus on other evergreen planting?

Looking for recommendations, because I have no interest in going out spraying all the time especially if its an issue I am causing or could have prevented.