# Idiot of the Year Awards



## thehockeydman (Dec 19, 2012)

With the year of 2013 quickly approaching its end, I figured it'd be a good time to recap the dumbest things we've seen on the job site this past year. I'd like you all to submit the single biggest act of stupidity you've seen (or done), and nominate the person(s) involved for "Idiot of the Year."

I'll start by nominating myself.

Earlier today, I was giving measurements for rim board to our cut guy. After realizing one of the pieces he brought me was a cut-off instead of my measurement, I went to the saw to retrieve my piece.

I didn't quite make it.

Just an hour earlier, the pile truck had been on the site and dug a bunch of 15 foot deep holes for the garage foundation. Anyone who's ever seen an episode of Bugs Bunny probably already knows where this is going…. All of a sudden, I take a step, and my foot doesn't hit the ground. I somehow managed to mangle myself so I fell completely into the hole. Thankfully I caught myself before hitting the bottom. After a few seconds of wondering why the ground was now above my head, I realized what I had done and attempted to scramble out of the hole without anyone noticing. 

At the same instant as my dramatic re-serfacing, my boss, the concrete guys, and the foreman all walk to the front of the garage to see me emerging from the depths of framing hell. All four individuals have identical looks of confusion on their face. The awkward silence is broken by my boss asking "Did you just fall in the hole??!!?" My response of scowling, grabbing my piece of rim board and getting back to work likely answered the question to all of members present.

So who else has a good one?


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

I nominate every guy who double posts!!


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## thehockeydman (Dec 19, 2012)

Warren said:


> I nominate every guy who double posts!!


That was an accident, but thanks for bringing my technological incompetence to everyone's attention, to go along with my inability to notice gigantic holes….


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

thehockeydman said:


> That was an accident, but thanks for bringing my technological incompetence to everyone's attention, to go along with my inability to notice gigantic holes….


I apologize, but it is Monday.


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

I have story a lot like yours. Back in August, we did a deck. 15 24" holes 4' deep. Concrete truck could actually get to the basic area but could only fill 4 or 5 holes. So he fills what he can then the wheel barrels come out. I had this 18 year old working for me, he fills up goes and dumps and on his way back falls right into a hole filled with concrete, all the way to his nipples, so I start dying laughing, look over and the concrete guy is dying. So the kid goes and hoses off and gets back to work. About 5 loads later he steps in the same hole :laughing: not as bad but still funny.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

thehockeydman said:


> At the same instant as my dramatic re-serfacing, my boss, the concrete guys, and the foreman all walk to the front of the garage to see me emerging from the depths of framing hell. All four individuals have identical looks of confusion on their face. The awkward silence is broken by my boss asking "Did you just fall in the hole??!!?" My response of scowling, grabbing my piece of rim board and getting back to work likely answered the question to all of members present.
> 
> So who else has a good one?


Did you tell him no , you where just check the bottom of the hole out. :laughing:


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## Kniggit (Apr 11, 2013)

Nice trip?


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## Rio (Oct 13, 2009)

Saw a guy unclogging a trap under the sink who carefully put a bucket under the trap, disconnected the trap, dumped the funky water into the bucket, got up bringing the bucket with him, starting talking about something, glanced down at the bucket he was holding with the funky water and poured it down the same drain.


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

Rio said:


> Saw a guy unclogging a P trap under the sink who carefully put a bucket under the trap, disconnected the trap, dumped the funky water into the bucket, got up bringing the bucket with him, starting talking about something, glanced down at the bucket he was holding with the funky water and poured it down the same drain.


I''ve seen someone do that.


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

Rio said:


> Saw a guy unclogging a trap under the sink who carefully put a bucket under the trap, disconnected the trap, dumped the funky water into the bucket, got up bringing the bucket with him, starting talking about something, glanced down at the bucket he was holding with the funky water and poured it down the same drain.


Who HASN'T done that?


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

I started singing happy birthday at my own surprise party :laughing:


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

I've been engaged 3 times...never married.

Back in the early 1980's I was getting ready to introduce my fiance to my parents.

Couldn't think of her name to save my life.


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

This was really stupid and idiotic- 

Last week I (ok, disclaimer: I'm not a plumber but I did do some plumbing last week. Stop reading here if you can't handle that) installed a drop-in tub on a bath remodel. Owner calls me that night, and says that the motor won't come on, which was crazy cause I tested it and it worked before we dropped it in the hole. I told her the breaker probably didn't get turned back on and I would fix it in the morning. 

Sure enough, next day I go out and it's not working. Breaker is on. So I disconnect the drain and overflow, cut the silicone around the edge, and lift it up. Apparently, the little nipple on the air switch had gotten broke when we set it in place. I was able to fix it, and set it back down in place. I should mention that I was also was BS'ing with the granite guys, and even helped them carry in a heavy slab for the vanity top, so I was kind of hit and miss working on the tub. 

As I was putting the faucet handles and spout back on, I realized I was missing a handle. I knew I had just taken it off, so it had to be somewhere. I looked freaking everywhere until I had the sinking realization that it had fallen into the hole for the tub. I even vaguely remembered something falling in while I was working on it, but not paying any attention. 

So, I unhooked the drain again, lifted the tub back up, and went to looking for my missing handle. It wasn't there. Impossible, it has to be here. So I looked again. 

Nope. Not there. I'm baffled at this point, and as I sit down on the edge of the tub deck to contemplate, I see the freshly installed vanity top. Which wasn't there when I had taken the handles off. So I open the top vanity drawer, and there is my stupid handle. I set it there when I went out to help them carry in the granite and then covered it up when we set it in place. 

So I had to clean off a ton of half dried silicone, set the tub for the second time that day, drive to Depot for another tube of white silicone, and explain to the owners why I'm such a dumbass... 

All in all, one of those days that would make me suicidal if I didn't have a sense of humor.


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## BoGoCo (Jun 10, 2012)

Maybe not the idiot of "this" year, but back when I started out on a framing crew, big wigs, archy,and ho, all on site one Fri morning in the middle of Feb. 

I was straightening out plates for first floor walls above walk out, went to smack toe nailed plates back on to a snapped line, missed the plate altogether,feet came out from under me on the snowy deck, did a cartwheel in the air, fell nine feet in to the pile of snow we had just cleared front the deck that morning, all in front of big wigs, archy,and ho.
:laughing:


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## Aframe (Mar 24, 2008)

Insulation, even with craft facing, will not support a man.
Thankfully the slab below was a 24" inseam, not 30" like it says on my pants


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Aframe said:


> *Insulation, even with craft facing, will not support a man.*
> Thankfully the slab below was a 24" inseam, not 30" like it says on my pants


Neither does 1/2 or 5/8 drywall....:whistling


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

griz said:


> Neither does 1/2 or 5/8 drywall....:whistling


I found that out, but I went through the 1/2" cdx first


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## mudpad (Dec 26, 2008)

Back in the day when I was an assistant sup, we had a weekly safety meeting on a large commercial project. The sup usually did the meetings, but one day he tells me to do it, and gives me the agenda to talk about. 

When it's time for the meeting, everybody is gathered on the ground in the designated location, probably 100 guys. I am on the second floor and coming down a ladder to the ground, with everybody watching. I get to about the 3rd rung from the bottom and lose my footing, fall to the ground and land on my ass. 

Silence

I get up slowly, dusting myself off and say " first topic is ladder safety" 

Laughter lasted way longer than it should have and some of the guys still talk about that one to this day.


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Was doing a 2'nd floor addition a couple years ago.. Had taken the whole roof/ceiling off (4 walls and blue sky).

Long day of framing and rolling floor joist and had some energy left to start decking it.

Got the first course down and was starting to roll, had a helper run ahead with the glue. Dropped a sheet and needed to kick it back tight. Totally forgot the glue, stepped out onto a joist and slipped right through..

Caught myself with one arm and my rib cage. Covered with PL and sore as hell.. Time to call it good for the day:laughing:


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

shhh! ...... Just a few days ago ...shhh!!! I'm working on an addition and there's window patches in the house So i'm in and out from the addition to the patches I've got the house to myself so I thought ! When I walk into the upstairs bedroom The H/O is standing there in her bra and sweat pants I could hear her laughing when i was high tailing it for the adddition...lol! That was 3 days ago ..When I showed up this morning I could tell by the old man's manner she didn't tell him. 

I haven't seen her yet . That should be awkward ...:blink:


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

> I haven't seen her yet .


Yeah you did...


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## Pearce Services (Nov 21, 2005)

Rio said:


> Saw a guy unclogging a trap under the sink who carefully put a bucket under the trap, disconnected the trap, dumped the funky water into the bucket, got up bringing the bucket with him, starting talking about something, glanced down at the bucket he was holding with the funky water and poured it down the same drain.


I had a clog in the dishwasher drain, opened the door to stop it from pumping, disconnect the hose, and sit down to try to clean out the end of the hose and the tailpiece. I decided to close the dishwasher door so I could have more room to sit in front of the sink.

I learned that a few seconds after you close the door, the dishwasher start to work again. Doh!


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## Okiecontractor (Oct 15, 2012)

blacktop said:


> shhh! ...... Just a few days ago ...shhh!!! I'm working on an addition and there's window patches in the house So i'm in and out from the addition to the patches I've got the house to myself so I thought ! When I walk into the upstairs bedroom The H/O is standing there in her bra and sweat pants I could hear her laughing when i was high tailing it for the adddition...lol! That was 3 days ago ..When I showed up this morning I could tell by the old man's manner she didn't tell him.
> 
> I haven't seen her yet . That should be awkward ...:blink:


Is she good lookin at least? I know everyone else is wanting to know.


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## eddy051 (Sep 12, 2013)

I thought I was the man and could snap a sheet of Lexan in half like it was a sheet of acrylic LOL, 220LBS is nothing for a 3/16 thick sheet.


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## mbryan (Dec 6, 2010)

Was walking down a flight if stairs and foot slid off the first step. Slid most of the way downstairs while a dozen girls and half dozen adults watched... Of course it was open to the basement so everyone watched.


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## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

blacktop said:


> shhh! ...... Just a few days ago ...shhh!!! I'm working on an addition and there's window patches in the house So i'm in and out from the addition to the patches I've got the house to myself so I thought ! When I walk into the upstairs bedroom The H/O is standing there in her bra and sweat pants I could hear her laughing when i was high tailing it for the adddition...lol! That was 3 days ago ..When I showed up this morning I could tell by the old man's manner she didn't tell him.
> 
> I haven't seen her yet . That should be awkward ...:blink:


Rex should be here in 3...2...1...


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

blacktop said:


> shhh! ...... Just a few days ago ...shhh!!! I'm working on an addition and there's window patches in the house So i'm in and out from the addition to the patches I've got the house to myself so I thought ! When I walk into the upstairs bedroom The H/O is standing there in her bra and sweat pants I could hear her laughing when i was high tailing it for the adddition...lol! That was 3 days ago ..When I showed up this morning I could tell by the old man's manner she didn't tell him.
> 
> I haven't seen her yet . That should be awkward ...:blink:


I've seen that on purpose before. Actually, I've seen a lot (like everything) on purpose - some get a kick out of surprising you.


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## Shellbuilder (May 14, 2006)

Pulled a little piece of skin off the side of my toe two weeks ago. Been at home since, can barely walk.


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## BugmanBCE (Apr 20, 2013)

Can we nominate customers? I nominate everyone who has called me out to check for termites and has smeared a layer of mortar mix over the foundation to make it look pretty. Sorry, but your house is completely uninspectable.


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## Brian Peters (Feb 2, 2011)

BugmanBCE said:


> Can we nominate customers? I nominate everyone who has called me out to check for termites and has smeared a layer of mortar mix over the foundation to make it look pretty. Sorry, but your house is completely uninspectable.


What do you do if the entire house is covered in brick veneer ?


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## BugmanBCE (Apr 20, 2013)

Brian Peters said:


> What do you do if the entire house is covered in brick veneer ?


If it is a regular brick house you can usually see the foundation below if the soil isn't too high. That's the part I am talking about having covered up. If it is an added on brick veneer where the brick ledge was added on and not part of the original foundation, you drill into the exterior wall and treat in the void just behind the brick. It isn't really inspectable either, but that's a different case. 

People do that to the foundation because they think it is too blotchy or discolored.


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## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

I'm going to nominate this plumber. SS fir 2X10 at max span and he does this dead center through 8 Joists.


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## thehockeydman (Dec 19, 2012)

kiteman said:


> I'm going to nominate this plumber. SS fir 2X10 at max span and he does this dead center through 8 Joists.




That is beyond all measures of ridiculous….


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 3, 2010)

kiteman said:


> I'm going to nominate this plumber. SS fir 2X10 at max span and he does this dead center through 8 Joists.


So Kiteman..... What'd ya do with that......or what's the eng want to do

TIA

Peter


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

kiteman said:


> I'm going to nominate this plumber. SS fir 2X10 at max span and he does this dead center through 8 Joists.


I'll nominate the person who maxed out the 2x10 knowing plumbing needed to be there


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## Driftweed (Nov 7, 2012)

Painted a unit, THOUGHT i was done, & started walking to the next one. I start getting this feeling i forgot something, so to be safe I go back. Sure enough, i forgot to spray 4 bi-fold doors leaning in the kitchen. 

No problem, i thought, I'll just fire up the sprayer 'cause its still loaded with paint. So I slap the tip back in the gun, a pull the trigger. Oops, accidently put in the 511 tip & didnt turn it straight. Paint all over me. So I turn it straight, cursing, pull the trigger and a huge "fog" of overspray everywhere. I meant to use the 211 tip.

Spent the next half hour mopping the vinyl floor. DOH!


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## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> So Kiteman..... What'd ya do with that......or what's the eng want to do TIA Peter


They pulled out the plumbing and we doubled the joists he drilled, doubled 2 more the other way so he could go to the back wall and then down so he could cross under the dinette in the basement instead. This time he drilled a tight hole up in the center instead of a 1/4" from the bottom. 

The original plan called for I-joists which he could have drilled in the center with no problem, but the HO /GC changed to 2X10 to save $. Not my call.


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

kiteman said:


> They pulled out the plumbing and we doubled the joists he drilled, doubled 2 more the other way so he could go to the back wall and then down so he could cross under the dinette in the basement instead. This time he drilled a tight hole up in the center instead of a 1/4" from the bottom.
> 
> The original plan called for I-joists which he could have drilled in the center with no problem, but the HO /GC changed to 2X10 to save $. Not my call.


I've never done it, but in all the turn of the century houses we remodel they would notch out the top of the joist before subfloor went down. Makes a lot more sence, even to throw the pipes in before sub floor so they don't have to piece then in.


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## Kowboy (May 7, 2009)

I tried to repair a crack in a solid surface countertop before verifying the material. Turns out it wasn't any major brand, but a local garage-cast polyester which had never passed through a wide belt sander to remove the "cream" off the top and expose consistent particulates. 

I swiped some repair material from a backsplash, but after fitting, adhering, and sanding to flush I creamed the "cream". It was the worst repair I've ever had to claim. I offered no charge to the customers, but even this mismatched mess looked better than the cracks and they paid me anyway.:blink:


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## Kowboy (May 7, 2009)

Oh, then there was last week when I heard (and smelled) my gallon of Acetone glug-gluging while driving my van. I pulled over and put on my flashers hoping I wouldn't have to evacuate all my tools before the big bang and fire. Amazingly, the can landed in a 5-gallon bucket full of tools so I didn't spill a drop. I poured the acetone back in the can at the side of the road and secured the lid this time before heading home. 

I fused my plastic drill bit box lid together from the acetone bath and pried it apart yesterday.


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## FramingPro (Jan 31, 2010)

This kid from trade school who tried to argue with me about 8' being 94"


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## asevereid (Jan 30, 2012)

FramingPro said:


> This kid from trade school who tried to argue with me about 8' being 94"


Was that in first year?


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