Construction workers of RIU tell us what you do

[panhead]

I started out in industrial roofing,hot tar bur,coal tar pitch bur,tpo,pvc & all related sheet metal roof's,worked my way to journeyman,then foreman,learned to operate heavy equipment,worked running crane as an operator then went fully CCO with the operating engineers,now im in construction management,im a feild superintendant/site superintendant.

Ive been to several different countries with this company & to many different states in the USA doing projects for them,we build things like casino's,ford & gm factories,hospitals,shopping malls,high rise bldg's ect,we have a residental division but im not a part of it.

It's hard for me to put my name on any projects of mine on this site,the company im with does highly publicized projects & many government projects of a scale that would make them stick out like a sore thumb,plus i had to sign several contract clauses with them that could put my carrerr at risk.

I have enough time in that i can retire right now & not loose much income but im trying to hold out 4 or 5 more years so i can max my pension out & get max health care for my wife should i take the big dirt nap while she's still kickin.

On my last day, after im off the clock ,i plan on signing all my paperwork while im toking a cheech & chong joint in my office, right in front of everybody

 

[pokey]

I paint, but also do a little of everything, done log houses, decks, stick framing, roofing, wiring, plumbing, etc... It's always good to know how to do all the basics.

 

[jimmyspaz]

I worked as a carpenter most of my life, did other things, roadied for bands and did 5 years as a lighting and sound tech for live theatre and concerts, But always came back to building, the moneys so much better,I've done every part of a building from digging the trench for the footings to finishing the ridgecap. I co-owned a reno company for 15 years, only closing down when my partner ( a cabinet-maker) got cancer and we had to realize the assets.I went on to specialize in woodwork restoration of historic buildings and retired at 57 ,with a payed up morgage,and enuff investments to carry us until my pension cuts in 15 months when I turn 60 (July 2009) I don't regret a minute of it. The building trades were good to me. Go for an apprenticeship if you can ,it pays off.

 

[pokey]

Ya, my dad always wanted me to either learn to do fine carpentry and make wooden doors and rowboats for rich people or learn how to repoint stone/masonry. He knew two old guys that did it (~75) that charged over $100k a house and had a waiting list almost a decade long. They were pretty much the only specialists in 4 states. They did about two houses a year and lived in mexico for 6 months out of the year. Sometimes I wish I did do that. Working on becoming an architect/designer though. I eventually just want to have my own company that supplies me with everything I need to make anything that pops into my head. I like designing and building green/efficient houses, but also want to make clothes, furniture, electronics, etc...

 

[BigBudBalls]

Self employed CNC laser service engineer and PLC programmer.

 

[Corso312]

i served apprenticeship and i am a union pipefitter

 

[dew-b]

landscape,irrigation,drywall.....only side jobs cause im tired of working right now....still make good money....peace az

as a landscaper. you have access to free pots to grow in. wish they had some landscaping projects going on around here. i would gather the old pots to use in my grow box. one very easy way to cut corners save a little money.
those old pots just get thrown away anyways why not put them to goog use. i need to move to a bigger town with some houseing develepment going on

 

[rad3305201]

i do finish construction i build doors windows cabinets i paint i do dry wall hanging and tapping tile and all kinds of flooring i sub out all the roofing jobs

 

[adrianvasquez1985]

as a landscaper. you have access to free pots to grow in. wish they had some landscaping projects going on around here. i would gather the old pots to use in my grow box. one very easy way to cut corners save a little money.
those old pots just get thrown away anyways why not put them to goog use. i need to move to a bigger town with some houseing develepment going on

lol... ur high as fck...

 

[cooker06]

beautiful work!!!! framed houses for 2 summers thats about it but damn good lookin products.

 

[storm22]

ok,,I've shown these before,,but I'll get some new ones of the house I'm on now Monday,,,,My nick is HoLE and I'm an alc,,,,,ooops wrong thread,,,,I'm a roofer,,I do some new work,,but mostly residential,,tear off the old,,and make it new,,but I take a lotta pride in my work,,and I am careful not to have huge piles of garbage on the ground,,I take the time to do things right,,I don't want to have to go back,,ever,,to a job,,unless it's 20 -25 years later,,which I have done also,,I climb the roof like Spider-Man at 41 still,,stoned ever since I started roofing,,,,must bring out the Artist in me,,here's some of my work,,first pic I did the cedar on the walls and dormer,,,last three are homes I did,,

Keep on Growin

HoLE

them houses look familiar

 

[TEUFELHuNDEN420]

just started learning to be a aircraft maintenance technician working on every area of an aircraft, airframe, powerplant, wiring/electrical, avionics. when i gradu8 i plan on moving from the USA to (hopefully) victoria island, British Columbia area and GROW MY LIFE AWAY

 

[HoLE]

them houses look familiar

the three big ones are on a street in Etobicoke,,,the big square house was in the newspaper for being right on the golf course and continually being hit by golf balls,,so now beside it is a 30 foot high fence

Keep on Growin

HoLE

 

[420inmyapt]

ahhh how i dont miss roofing..... grated i give you all the props in the world for doing that shit @ 41 years old, but as soon as i was told to start a run on a 12/12 with 30+ feet to the ground, i felt like college was a much better way to spend my time.

That and my previous employer was pretty cheap, harnesses were "pussy straps", and if you were not running up and down the roof you were lazy. I roofed for a year, bought a truck and never looked back...

Today I think my old boss turned the company over to his son cause of his back problems, he couldn't even bend over and tie his shoes when i was working there...

 

[HoLE]

ahhh how i dont miss roofing..... grated i give you all the props in the world for doing that shit @ 41 years old, but as soon as i was told to start a run on a 12/12 with 30+ feet to the ground, i felt like college was a much better way to spend my time.

That and my previous employer was pretty cheap, harnesses were "pussy straps", and if you were not running up and down the roof you were lazy. I roofed for a year, bought a truck and never looked back...

Today I think my old boss turned the company over to his son cause of his back problems, he couldn't even bend over and tie his shoes when i was working there...

I couldn,t bend at one time,,had an L4-5 disc pop out and pinch a nerve,,sent pain down my right leg,,had a good sports surgeon fix it,,been great ever since,,

Keep on Growin

HoLE

 

[420inmyapt]

Yea thats the thing with roofing, if you make it a career you are going to have back problems plan and simple... its a very rewarding job though, for example what other jobs do you get great views from a roof all day? or get a hell of a work out while getting paid for it? but props to you man, must be one tough SoB

 

[LaredoUT]

I couldn't even do my birdhouse made out of popsicle sticks.. Those arcs in that Mediterranean style building are awesome..

 

[420inmyapt]

It takes talent to lay a run of shingles straight, seriously it might sound like a piece of cake but, try it, your roof will wave to you, i am sure of it. ...and I don't even want to get started on valleys....

 

[TetraHyC]

It takes talent to lay a run of shingles straight, seriously it might sound like a piece of cake but, try it, your roof will wave to you, i am sure of it. ...and I don't even want to get started on valleys....

Fuck yeah it does, assholes always say "I could train an ape to do that"(any trade)

That comes from guys who can't even pound a nail.

Nothing like straight courses, tile, shingles, If its not straight it looks like shit.

 

[jimmyspaz]

That's why we have chalk-lines. If you get a straight start there is no excuse for wavey courses is there???