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The first rule of contracting is always do shitty work. Only fix it if the lead or inspector requires it. Eventually when you're really skilled you can do exact
by hattmall 4y ago
The first rule of contracting is always do shitty work. Only fix it if the lead or inspector requires it. Eventually when you're really skilled you can do exactly the right amount of shitty work that doesn't get called out. Contractors that go out with the ambition of doing great quality work don't last long in most markets. The biggest force on this is that the lead is going to find something wrong with great work only almost as frequently as they will shitty work. So do the bare minimum on the first run.
- rascul 4y agoI must not be a good contractor. I try to only do good work and I turn down jobs if I can't do it correctly for the time and money the client desires. But I also have steady work so I can afford to be picky.
- SoftTalker 4y agoMost good contractors have steady work, because they are known to be good. They turn down many jobs that are either too small or have too small a budget. The contractors who are available are either new and unproven, or the bad ones. It's like software development. Good developers are well paid and work on large, interesting projects. Bad developers are doing piecework small jobs for lower pay.
- rascul 4y agoA decent portion of my work is fixing what those bad contractors do. It can be frustrating sometimes.
- idiotsecant 4y agocareful, you're on HN - the narrative is that people who actually build things with their hands are lazy borderline criminals and out to steal as much as they can from the noble, erudite developers who could do just as good a job anyway, no, better! if they wanted to.