# Employees working on your house?



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> No thankfullness at all.
> 
> If you were being paid what you were supposed to be, what does it make a bit of difference.
> 
> ...


yes, i was complaining. i was very worried about being able to keep my house, i was venting. sorry to have gotten you upset. im glad that your life works out all the time and you never feel the need to let some stress out. i didnt get that job but i got a job driving a delivery truck which is great for me. i have my CDL license and i got it so i could fall back on it i ever needed to find work. and it paid off, had i not had my CDL license i wouldnt of gotten the job i just got.


i chose carpentry because thats what i love doing. but once the summer came and work started slowing down i'd find myself working 3 days a week at his house and if i was lucky actually doing something productive on a job site. IF I WANTED TO SHOVEL CRAP, MOW LAWNS, AND DO PROPERTY MAINTENAINCE THEN I WOULD GO TAKE A JOB DOING IT!!!!!!!!!!! its not that im not thankful, if i wasnt, then i would of refused the work and went home. but i didnt. i sucked it up and i got it done. doesnt mean im gonna do it with a f-n smile on my face and be happy about it!!!


----------



## ewingpainting (Jun 2, 2008)

That has nothing to do with work ethics. If you couldn't keep me busy. I'd be pounding the pavement for someone that had work in my trade. Or creating my own business chasing all your clients while telling them what you had me doing, that is why I decided to compete against you. If I wanted t clean your house I'd be working for Merry Maids.


----------



## woodtradesman (Apr 23, 2008)

ewingpainting said:


> Dude! Haven't you told clients that ask you to do a task that's out of your realm. "Before I pay you please clean my horse shizzy, I will pay" you would say wtf too. What's the deference?


The difference is the ch!t shoveling would be unpaid extra work.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

woodtradesman said:


> The difference is the ch!t shoveling would be unpaid extra work.


 i cant even count how many posts i've read on this site of guys refusing work because its bs work and they wont waste their time. get real fella's. just because you employ us doesnt mean we want to be doing your wife's work.


----------



## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

Some of the replies in this thread are amazing. Your boss was doing you a favor, letting you be overpaid to do labor work instead of telling you to sit at home.

You all sound like the guy who is too pridefull to sweep up at the end of the day. No one wants to work with someone like that.


Gus, you sound like a great boss to keep your guys working when it's slow.


----------



## ewingpainting (Jun 2, 2008)

woodtradesman said:


> The difference is the ch!t shoveling would be unpaid extra work.


Even that, if they said "I'll pay you" go ahead and do it because while your shoveling shiz, id be closing the deal done the street that you thought you had. Not to mention the word of mouth "That warner, he will even clean your horse stalls" :laughing:


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

my work ethic is fine. i worked 52 hours last week. and if i was given the opportunity to put more hours in i would of done it. i did the work around my bosses house because at first i just figured he was trying to keep me busy. but once he had me shovel his horses crap i just stood there thinking to myself "what the f is this all about". but i took a deep breath and started shovel away, sweating my a$$ off in the hot summer day. even getting in the trailer and literally walking knee deep in crap so it would be packed down. there for it could get it all in one load for him and he would save time and money on gas. 


i thought that it would of be appreciated, and i thought that it would of meant he'd have me there for a long time. but work stopped, i wasnt the only person to go though. he's only got 2 guys left right now. he told me a month ago he'd be calling me cuz work would be picking up and he never did. it boils down to he has no loyalty to his employees. if i knew a boss had loyalty to me, and i knew i was only doing chit work cuz he was just trying to keep us busy then i'd do it with a smile on my face. but when i repeaditly had to do stupid chores at his house, it doesnt take long before i realized it was just work he didnt feel like doing.


----------



## ewingpainting (Jun 2, 2008)

jhark123 said:


> Some of the replies in this thread are amazing. Your boss was doing you a favor, letting you be overpaid to do labor work instead of telling you to sit at home.
> 
> You all sound like the guy who is too pridefull to sweep up at the end of the day. No one wants to work with someone like that.
> 
> ...


for the record I am not a employee, I own my painting business.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

jhark123 said:


> Some of the replies in this thread are amazing. Your boss was doing you a favor, letting you be overpaid to do labor work instead of telling you to sit at home.
> 
> You all sound like the guy who is too pridefull to sweep up at the end of the day. No one wants to work with someone like that.
> 
> ...


 what a blanket statement. i'm never too prideful and i always go the extra mile!!!!! im the guy that will sweep at the end of the day just to do it and show that im a good worker. but when im doing stupid little chores, forget it! i start getting irritated. especially when i was being under paid in the first place, and being underpaid to be doing that labor crap. i once had to rake leaves in his horses fenced in area. the horse would come running at me bucking up and down every 10 minutes but i still kept raking until it was done. dont talk to me about a work ethic or laziness because its not how i work.


----------



## woodtradesman (Apr 23, 2008)

ewingpainting said:


> Even that, if they said "I'll pay you" go ahead and do it because while your shoveling shiz, id be closing the deal done the street that you thought you had. Not to mention the word of mouth "That werner, he will even clean your horse stalls" :laughing:


Well, let be fair here. First, your example is en extreme one, unrealistic and very unlikely. Second, if the Ch!t is not in the original contract any post extra condition are literally irrelevant and final pay would be do regardless.


----------



## oldrivers (May 6, 2007)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Would you rather sit on your ass at home because your boss did not have any work lined up for a few days, or would you rather help him out and do some stuff around his house and be getting paid for it?
> 
> Some of the work attitudes/ethics around this place baffle me.
> 
> ...


------------------------
i agree with some of that but what if i saved money over the years and didnt need that work?? and would rather go fishiing or something what i wanted to do ... i dont need someone telling me what i need to do. although its appreciated the offer to do work but like i said dont need to and getting older would rather heal during slow times. if i put out my back cleaning your gutters are you going to pay for my retirement or are you going to lie to the insurance company again ,,, your insurance does not cover everything if you lie about what duties your workers are performing the insurance workers comp can tell me im screwed cause they thought i was doing this and not that they set rates on what duties are being performed . . your insurance will not cover everything as far as i know. and could also be considdered fraud . not trying to be a jerk but the op wanted opinions .
:thumbup:


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I like to pick and choose what I do, I like to just work old old house's but, with 2 kids and another depression, I have been know to do somethings I don't like doing anymore. If someone is willing to pay me what I want to do it, consider it done.

I am doing some work right now that is well below what I want to work on but, past clients and they are paying what I want to be payed.

I know many times when I was an employee, I was thankful to be building inventory ore doing busy work, instead of being let go/layed off.
Now if you had to shovel crap for weeks on end, that was your fault for doing it so long.
Bills are bills are bills. Kids need food, diapers and the mortage needs paid. After that, I might get to buy me some new shiney tools.
I grew up on a farm and was helping out with everything by age 5. 
Must be a difference in how some people were raised.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

but gus to answer your question, i dont see a problem as long as its within their trade and you dont abuse it like my old boss did. as soon as he realized i'd work at his house thats when the crap ensued. for the first 3 months i never touched a thing at his house, the one day he asked me if i'd weed for a couple of hours. then that turned into me weeding for an entire day, then mowing his lawn, then raking his leaves, then washing his cars, then planting some plants, then leveling his rock driveway, and so on and so on. 


if he had me doing all sorts of carpentry on his house i would of been perfectly happy with it. but it wasnit, and it soon turned into im the chore boy of the place and if there wasnt any chores then i wasnt working. screw that, cya later. i guess it really comes down to the principal of things. i felt like i was being treated as his chore boy and thats what drove me up the wall. ultimately it was what made me go find a new job.


----------



## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

They getting paid?

I don't see no stink'n problem.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I like to pick and choose what I do, I like to just work old old house's but, with 2 kids and another depression, I have been know to do somethings I don't like doing anymore. If someone is willing to pay me what I want to do it, consider it done.
> 
> I am doing some work right now that is well below what I want to work on but, past clients and they are paying what I want to be payed.
> 
> ...


 ... i feel the exact same way. and i finally did stop doing it, i went and found another job. no hard feelings between us though but its how it was....


and maybe it was how i was raised. possibly since my father was a drunk and druggie and passed away when i was 8, not that it mattered much because he was never around other then to cause problem for my mother. my mother worked full time since i was 4 since well my father was drunk all the time and didnt help out at all. no one showed me how to do a single f-n thing. i had to learn how to do things on my own and take care of myself. save your wild comments about how people grow up to yourself. if you said that comment to my face you'd find yourself on your ass and not getting up anytime soon.


----------



## woodtradesman (Apr 23, 2008)

Different folks, different strokes.

I am a bit confused with some of the attitudes here at CT. Some tradesman here complain how white collar america see tradesman with a superiority complex, all the while other tradesman are essentially saying that certain work is beneath them.


----------



## ewingpainting (Jun 2, 2008)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I like to pick and choose what I do, I like to just work old old house's but, with 2 kids and another depression, I have been know to do somethings I don't like doing anymore. If someone is willing to pay me what I want to do it, consider it done.
> 
> I am doing some work right now that is well below what I want to work on but, past clients and they are paying what I want to be payed.
> 
> ...


Warner, I grew up working hard, with my step father, I had all the duties on or property, chopping wood, mowing, cleaning out the chicken house, cleaning house, while also working on his remods. I worked tell my fingers bleed. So your working ethic could be the same as mine, hard worker, eager, aggressive, I am not saying I wouldn't do it, but sure the hell wouldn't do it it if with this attitude was with it. 


WarnerConstInc. said:


> Did your whining ass get paid for all of that?
> 
> If so, why do you care?


:thumbsup:


----------



## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

You are an employee. You don't really have to like what you are doing. It is work, you are getting paid. You do what the boss tells you as long as it isn't something illegal, immoral or dangerous to your well being. That is why they pay you. You don't have to like it and you can complain. But if you want your job I suggest you do what the boss says.

Especially in times as these where a good job is a tough find. If the boss has little for you to do in your normal field then they need to find something for you to do. If it is work at the house, then so be it. You can always sit at home and get no pay. I suppose that is up to you.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

Leo G said:


> You are an employee. You don't really have to like what you are doing. It is work, you are getting paid. You do what the boss tells you as long as it isn't something illegal, immoral or dangerous to your well being. That is why they pay you. You don't have to like it and you can complain. But if you want your job I suggest you do what the boss says.
> 
> Especially in times as these where a good job is a tough find. If the boss has little for you to do in your normal field then they need to find something for you to do. If it is work at the house, then so be it. You can always sit at home and get no pay. I suppose that is up to you.


 well this is why i didnt sit at home and i did go do chores. even though some weeks thats all i did was work at his house. i never said no i always do what the boss asks for. that doesnt mean im gonna be happy about every single little thing i do. and when i got sick and tired of it i found a different job.


----------



## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

freemason21 said:


> why do i care? gee i dont know,* i signed up for carpentry and construction.* i took the job because i wanted to learn as much as i could from him. if i wanted to do landscaping and horse manure clean up i'd go find a job doing that.


Well maybe there was no construction work to do?
Would you have rather been at home thinking about construction and not making any money?


----------



## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

Gus, ask, watch and you will know the answer.
I worked for a guy for 13 years, in fact would stillbe if I was physically able. Helped him build a new 5600 sqare foot house. Did I care? Yep, it was my bosses house and it had better be perfect!
Yes he lived better than I did, did I care? Nope, in fact I was glad, that meant I had a boss with some money, to hopefully keep paying me and giving me pay raises.

I never did his yard work, even though when he was short on work, the laborors would! He did offer it to the higher paid first, then told the laborors to get busy, because we all declined.

Trust me, as an employee, I always felt the boss was looking out for me, by offering work when things were a little slow.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

JumboJack said:


> Yeah.But it sounds like you bitched and bitched about it.
> Your employer should have asked someone that would have appreciated the work......just sayin'


 i did appreciate the work and i never once bitched about doing it, it doesnt mean i want to do or that im happy about doing it!


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

skyhook said:


> Let me introduce Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson. :laughing:


 what kind do you got?


----------



## Renegade 1 LI (Oct 2, 2008)

When ever I get called to go to one of the company's owners homes to work I take it as a complement! They sent me there because they trust me & know the job will get done right. I never questioned the task at hand & I would bring whatever labor I needed. My pay was never cut & I made it a point to go over & above, not to kiss a**, but out of respect & pride. In return my boss helped me frame an addition when we were working out of town during the week for a year & I had just started it, plus any time I need to borrow a machine or material he has never said no. A key to being a good boss is assigning the right person to the job, why pay a carpenter or electrician to do what a laborer can do, it's important to match skill, cost & productivity.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

i feel like most of you guys are missing my point. sure i'll do work around a boss's house to help out. i'm glad to, he employ's me, if he needs a hand i'll help him even for free. i appreciate what a boss does for me, and if i know a guy is a loyal to me as i am to him, i'll go above and beyond, even take a pay cut if times were tough. but thats not what happened with me and the guy im talking about. did i appreciate the work? sure, but when i did work like that at least 2 or 3 days a week, it got old, it got very old after doing it for a few months. but i still showed up and did it. i have a great work ethic, i'll do just about anything and be happy with it. but there comes a point when i was being taken advantage of because my boss knew i'd do the chores around his house for him.


----------



## ewingpainting (Jun 2, 2008)

Inner10 said:


> I have had employees clean out my car, truck, house, and help with small jobs at my place. They didn't seem to mind one bit it worked out just fine.
> 
> Freemason, I can understand your frustration with having to scoop up poop instead of cut wood but you have to have a bit of empathy for the employer. I've had times were there wasn't much work but if you promise someone x number of hours worth of work then its better to keep them busy then say "oops I was wrong can't pay ya' today go home".
> 
> ...


You put that in perfect words. Contractors sometime can get cheap, using employees as trash labors. Even when they have work. "Be at my house at 6, mow the lawn, after that well head to the job." That has been my experience any way. 
.
My work history has been, a ditch digger for small GC', I've worked for masons, electricians, and framer, as well as painting. I chose painting cause, to be honest with you, it was an opportunity to make money, ended up loving it. That's what I signed up for. 
.
Although I appreciate the concern and you wouldn't want to lose a qualified tradesman. But I am there to make my employer money, which is why I work my azz off and for me to make me money. I do best at painting not framing, pouring concrete, or picking up crap, painting is what I do. And just as the man you are for wanting to taking care of me, I to am a man that needs to take care of myself and family. With all respect I don't need you to take care of me. That how I felt any ways when I was a employee,


----------



## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

freemason21 said:


> i cant even count how many posts i've read on this site of guys refusing work because its bs work and they wont waste their time. get real fella's. just because you employ us doesnt mean we want to be doing your wife's work.


If you are an employee of mine, you will do whatever work I ask you to do, and if you come off with crap like doing my wifes work attitude, you would not be working for me anymore.

If you didn't want to do the work, be a man and quit or refuse to do it, instead of whining about it.


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

At least I was not the only one that felt that way.


----------



## jeffatsquan (Mar 16, 2009)

HEY GUS!! hopefully you can weed through this crap to see this.

I had my guys work on my house a couple of times and it worked out.

My jobs are very detail oriented and I never rush my crew. But what I found out pretty quickly was that I was paying the same square foot prices my high-end clientele were paying that wan't so good


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

horses are majestic, beautiful beings,alot of posters on here aren't fit to shovel up after them:thumbsup:


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

bwalley said:


> If you are an employee of mine, you will do whatever work I ask you to do, and if you come off with crap like doing my wifes work attitude, you would not be working for me anymore.
> 
> If you didn't want to do the work, be a man and quit or refuse to do it, instead of whining about it.


 i just picture you walking into a jobsite and saying "i am thou employer, all mighty boss of thy job site. bow down to me as thou will be paid by thee and you shall and must do-eth as i say-eth or be bannished from my kingdom of wood and nails"


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

tomstruble said:


> horses are majestic, beautiful beings,alot of posters on here aren't fit to shovel up after them:thumbsup:


 i agree, as long as theres a fence between us :laughing:


----------



## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

freemason21 said:


> i just picture you walking into a jobsite and saying "i am thou employer, all mighty boss of thy job site. bow down to me as thou will be paid by thee and you shall and must do-eth as i say-eth or be bannished from my kingdom of wood and nails"


No, it isn't that way, but I sure wouldn't take any attitude from one of my employee's I sent to do work at my house.

I pay my guys the same rate when they do work on my house as they do when they are on my jobs.


----------



## freemason21 (Aug 5, 2009)

bwalley said:


> No, it isn't that way, but I sure wouldn't take any attitude from one of my employee's I sent to do work at my house.
> 
> I pay my guys the same rate when they do work on my house as they do when they are on my jobs.


 heed my warnings, watch thy step around thee or you will-eth be punished-th by garnished wages and 4 lashings. WOOOOOOOOOOSSHH (big scary wind noise that gods make)


----------



## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Hey Gus, here's a good one for ya. As the day nears to an end pull your guy from the job. Take him to the bathroom and tell him you need him to scrub the toilet as it was puked in last night because all the chapagne you were drinking. Just to see what happens :laughing:


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Leo G said:


> Hey Gus, here's a good one for ya. As the day nears to an end pull your guy from the job. Take him to the bathroom and tell him you need him to scrub the toilet as it was puked in last night because all the chapagne you were drinking. Just to see what happens :laughing:


All I can do is laugh!!:laughing::laughing::laughing:


----------



## atrawlings (Feb 9, 2009)

Why do so many feel that there is ALWAYS one answer for every situation? Loyalty is created from respect. My guys go to the end of the earth for me because they know I sacrifice for them. My guys make my life possible and I never forget that. 

I will always take care of my guys first...if I have work around the house it is first offered to them...If someone wants to make some extra coin they got the job...if not...I'm sure it's cheaper elsewhere.

Employees want to be recognized for the work they do...Employers want to be recognized for the work they do...whichever camp you're in...recognize and thank the other...

It ain't that hard...it never is.


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

freemason21 said:


> i hear that. i spent quite a few days weeding one of my bosses huge gardens, mowed his lawn, cleaned company trucks and his personal trucks including his wifes. i even friggin shoveled his horses **** once. so much loyalty cuz now i dont work there anymore. i'll never go out of my way like that for a boss again.


This is where it went wrong for you. I read the whole thread and you did a good job of trying to get your point across but the nerve was already nicked. You will understand in time when you take on an employee. Ya see when we do that it is kinda like taking on a whole other family. We really don't want to see them suffer as a result of our salesmanship short comings. 

The we I am referring to is the employers that care about the people on our team. Maybe you decided your guy was not one of us but that still strikes the nerve of a guy that cares enough about you and your obligations to keep you busy.

Your a good young man, the best I can tell, your communication skills will develop as a result of conversations gone wrong like this one. I know this cuz I'm way better at digging a hole than you are.:laughing:



WarnerConstInc. said:


> Send me a ticket, I will come out and help Gus!!!
> 
> I am going to need a few tools provided for me though!!


 I have a tool for you. Come and get it.

I'll buy the return ticket:thumbsup:



freemason21 said:


> i cant even count how many posts i've read on this site of guys refusing work because its bs work and they wont waste their time. get real fella's. just because you employ us doesnt mean we want to be doing your wife's work.


 That wife's work thing falls directly in that above ^^^ category. I love your spunk though.:notworthy



I never in a million years this little thread would provoke such a response.:laughing:


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I am going to have to blame this all on Gus, he made one post and then dissapeared!!

With employee's you are not only responsible for your own family, you just adopted taking care of your employees family as well.


----------



## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

bwalley said:


> If you are an employee of mine, you will do whatever work I ask you to do, and if you come off with crap like doing my wifes work attitude, you would not be working for me anymore.
> 
> If you didn't want to do the work, be a man and quit or refuse to do it, instead of whining about it.


 
Lol i have had many a boss like that. They all got told where to stick it. I ended finding bosses who i respected as much as they respected me. You treat guys like that and you will never have anyone work for you who gives a dam about how well your business does. 

You ever hear the saying "do not do to others what you would not like to be done to you"


----------



## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

Inner10 said:


> Lemme guess....
> 
> He read this thread and said "F**k Gus I don't want to shovel his horses sh*t!"......"I didn't even know he had horses......rich bugger!"


 
:clap:
Best post in this thread.:notworthy


----------

