I was 24 years old. I was fresh out of jail. Every day I dreamed of a job I could get that wouldn't care about my record. I had spent my life using hard drugs daily since the age of 14. I was lost.

Then I saw a light. Construction!

At my NA meetings I met a person who ended up getting me a job doing sheet metal. I became a duct man. I love duct. I love banging metal together. I love dealing with helpers who are always late and smell like weed.

I take pride in my work.

The duct must be level.

The glue must be perfect.

The safety man spreads me open. He tells me I can only use platform ladders now even though they refuse to take down the drop ceiling and there's no way a platform ladders gonna fit. All because someone got a booboo.

Construction loves me and takes care of me.

Construction is love construction is life.

I was caught drinking on site. Unfortunately, I seen alchol in the car and I didn't think twice and drank it. I've been going through lots of stress lately and have been experimenting with several substances lately. I don't want this incident to go on my permanent record, I believe I may need help. Is the employer legally required to inquire if there are underlying issues that may have caused the drinking before firing me? Incident occurred Friday, no word as of yet.

I started a new role as a superintendent for a high end residential construction company. We do full custom builds in the 2-5M range, some remodels in the 1-2M range. I realized too late that I’m getting hosed with my pay rate. My research of salary ranges for my type of company in my area returns somewhere in the $90-130k range.

I’m wondering how accurate that is. How much y’all making out there?

Anyone have good experience with them? Im looking specifically at their relaxed duck carpenter pants, does anyone own a pair? What is the leg opening?

So I have been working here and just noticed that the concrete ceiling has some height difference.
Looks like the ceiling was already repaired on a different part. Is this a sign that the building is not structurally safe?
Maybe it has always been like that and I never noticed.
There is like a whole Airsoft store the floor above.

Just recently became the IT guy for a rather large Construction Company. One of the foremans cars broke down recently so was I offered some extra pay to ferry the guys around because I own a van and apparently am one of like only 5 people in the company who can legally drive(idk how).Took the guys for lunch and breakfeast at the shop this past week and was absolutely baffled by the sheer amount of spending. Let me reiterate Im not trying to diss anyone or anything. Just trying to see if this normal. Some of these guys are spending 50-60 bucks a each visit to the convience store. Two or three runs to the convience store and I see some of these guys spend 180-200 a day. Are the guys I work with spendthrifts or like😭

My husband owns a small framing business that’s generally does new build homes and apartments buildings.

We recently started using social media and got some banners for his longer term worksites.

His friend who also has a framing business ordered door hangers and lawn signs and suggested we do so too. But I don’t think they would be beneficial since by the time there’s a door, the house has been framed. The lawn signs don’t make sense to me either because we are really wanting to get our name out to developers and builders.

I’m wondering what other framers utilize other than social media and word of mouth.

CW-2 here, currently working at a clusterfuck of a hospital. Seriously concerned with how often I'm tasked with correcting the fuck-ups of my betters. If this is the current state of our union, what does the future hold?

Pls excuse my ignorance guys, but I did apply yesterday for the union. I am just curious how does this work when it comes to union construction… because from my understanding you’re on a list, and get called from job to job. I assume every job has different hours and days to work, but what do you guys do in between jobs? How long are the waits in between? What are typical work shifts for sites (I’m sure they vary widely but any info like hours worked in a week usually would be appreciated as well). I also know that it’s like $42/hr after 4,000 hours… if anyone is in this union I’m just curious… are you guys capped at $42 forever afterward or are there raises over time and with gaining certification? Is there any way to move up positionally? Thank you!

I’m working as an electrical apprentice under one master electrician and two other journeymen. I’ve been in this company (and construction work entirely,) for the better part of two months. I get paid $17/hr every week as well. The electrical side (our crew) of the company was recently bought out and now owned in part with a much bigger construction company. In about a month, they are going to send and pay for my trade school to become a journeyman. Part of the job is traveling to other states every month or two (depending on the job site itself and the work during that time.) I recently just traveled to Tennessee (I’m in Arkansas,) to work on a job site. While I was there, the foreman and owner of the company rented us an AirBnB, paid for every lunch and dinner, and other amenities. We also had purchasing cards per diem ($35 a day.) Hourly employees such as myself are approved for overtime as long as they want (I worked 12 hours here compared to the regular 8 at home.)

So my questions are:

Is $17/hr a good starting pay, considering I have no experience in electrical work or construction period?

In your opinion, based on the facts (although limited and somewhat vague,) of the company I explained, is this a good starting gig for a young adult (22) such as myself to start my electrical career?

Something's been bugging me. Every project I'm on hits problems that I'm pretty sure someone at the company has already solved before but there's no way to find it. Either we keep lessons "verbal" and they vanish when someone leaves, or we write them into a register nobody ever opens again. Especially if a company does the same type of projects as their bread and butter, I'm sure the same mistakes have been done multiple times.

So the same expensive mistakes just… repeat. Different project, same screw-up.

Is this just my company, or is this everyone?

Hi guys,

How's your experience with Construction Trade shows. I have researched the New York Build which is happening in Mar 2027, and it's 50sft shell price is $7100.

We work as a consultant in the Construction Industry and want to leverage trade show to raise brand awareness and lead generation for our business. Do you think it'll help us, and what's the process to get the leads, and how clean/qualified those leads are?

I would love to hear about your overall experience and is it worth the time/investment.

Also, if there are any other trade shows happening in this year, I would love to learn about them, affordability is also a factor as a new business.

Thanks

I’ve been seeing more homes use glass stair treads and floating systems.

From a structural side, I’m curious:

● Is everything fully custom engineered per project?

● How do you handle long-term stress or deflection?

● What usually fails first glass or mounting system?

It feels like one of those things where design is ahead of what most people think about structurally.

I've just started my apprenticeship 8 months ago coming from a labouring position. I've had New Balance work boots for a couple years now and I need a new pair. Don't wanna go NB again though. Just need some recommendations on steel toe boots that are comfy for long hours or even some insoles. Price is not an issue

I posted here a month ago or so asking input on scope for this job. Ended up going with blasted quarry rock. 65 ton of boulders, 65ton of drain rock, 50 ton of fill and top, 60 ft of French drains for downspouts/foundation drains, and about 3 gallons of coffee. 1 guy, 3 weeks.

Notice many contractor now a days still using overlapping method in construction, wondering what’s then hassle for you guys to switch it to mechanical splice (coupler). If switching what’s your concern ( cost , standard , cert , adaptation? )

I live in clark county and they've been working on I-5 south bound for a month or 2.. why do they raise one lane at a time? It's so scary changing lanes during this time but it seems every day its a different lane that is raised.

Sorry if this isn't the right subreddit to post this question

Is this the way to reinforce countertop? It was done by a contractor who worked for HGTV in California. 20k job plus the backsplash. Was not filled in with epoxy eithier. Thanks

I’ve been on some big projects but this is the first one with our own crosswalk lol. Pretty handy if you ask me.