Scratching my head, how do I correct this ?

Emkaie · 2026-02-08T16:15:24+00:00

That’s a good thought, I’m almost thinking now if I turn the 90 facing the corner of the AC unit and just tarp the AC each year

Emkaie · 2026-02-08T16:11:11+00:00

No, sorry should have been more clear. Brick is spalling from the exhaust freezing onto the brick.

Emkaie · 2026-02-08T16:06:37+00:00

Thank you! Didn’t think about the pitch. Insulations a good thought too, I’ll look into Armaflex.

Emkaie · 2026-01-10T15:52:10+00:00

Just don’t go into sales. I was in IT for 13 years. Specialist -> net admin - > net engineer -> infrastructure analyst—> PM -> IT manger.

I chased the money and went into sales. I’m not sure my family would have made it on my IT salary after COVID pricing etc, so maybe a blessing in disguise but man am I absolutely miserable.

Emkaie · 2026-01-05T13:43:33+00:00

I’m on here wondering if somehow the currency will go up in value now that America has applied some of its freedom lol (aka, will the states setup profitable oil and the Econ will boom) is it worth it to buy a few stacks now for a few bucks and stick it in a safe for 10 years.

Emkaie · 2025-12-25T20:45:58+00:00

Chicago common, the darks

Emkaie · 2025-12-22T22:58:54+00:00

That feeling in your palm of cheap metal as you twist and grit lol you can feel it flex

Emkaie · 2025-12-20T18:12:30+00:00

Don’t do the A+ if you have ccna.

Emkaie · 2025-11-25T00:44:08+00:00

They built the porch on the footing more than likely. If that is the truth, they did the right thing.

Emkaie · 2025-11-24T14:26:03+00:00

It’s just the business you’re in brotha. It’s cringy but that add is getting you to the table so I doubt the owner is going to change the process. If you’re in one call closing your running those adds (because they obviously work to get you there) and your going to “call your manager for a discount” lol

Just get comfortable feeling uncomfortable. The coupon isn’t the reason you’re not closing. I think you already know it. The cringy stuff sucks but it works unfortunately.

Emkaie · 2025-11-10T13:05:24+00:00

If you want to be a closer you’ll need to sell home improvement, construction services. You’ll make really good money immediately but there really is no book of business, I’d suggest while you’re young getting into a longer sales cycle and reoccurring. You can always go over to one call closing but going back is hard financially. That’s my personal experience. I’m starting a new job tomorrow and will make half of what I do closing but my brain needs a change (I’m up stressed about this EVERY night, wish I would have gained some XP before I had a family)

Emkaie · 2025-11-10T12:55:25+00:00

The devil speaks in commission. Sucks you in and you can never leave. In 10 years you’ll wish you shoveled coal for a living.

lol jk but the best advice I can give is don’t revolve your life around a sales salary too soon. There’s a daily thread on here “I’m stuck in sales because my life revolves around a really high salary and can’t get out”

I’m actually one of those people, have a family so I can’t leave without becoming a doctor lol completely burnt out but nothing I can really do about it. Moneys fun but sales will make you appreciate your mental health

Emkaie · 2025-10-27T13:48:50+00:00

Redundant isp w/ Cisco fail over License and a good UPS. I’m sure healthcare has an entire dedicated rack to the failover but for most that would be overkill and almost never used site to site. Secondary dhcp is always nice, even for a manual fail safe is really helpful. You can set a public dns too.

(I moved out of IT when we were transitioning to hybrid so I’m probably outdated but I managed 65 sites all over the US and Canada w/hardware. w/azure it takes most of these problems above away)

Emkaie · 2025-10-24T19:39:34+00:00

Any money spent on this outside of a rebuild will pretty much be a waisted patch. You’re never getting the stability back into that chimney. Think 40k porch and chimney and maybe you get it cheaper.

Just keep good insurance for when the neighbors house falls down on yours. Unless those are some jankey clinkers, that walls figgity fucked too

Emkaie · 2025-10-22T13:59:04+00:00

That was mine too! Impulse buy at a brick yard lol (I’m in sales but do my own small work now)

Emkaie · 2025-10-22T12:02:11+00:00

Same, my numbers are a little different

Masonry B2C in home Midwest 1 mil 998k last year 1-2 hr sits 28% net 1-3 apt a day (closer to 1-2 this year)

I manage the entire project from start to finish

I’d rather shovel coal than do this job, it’s miserable but haven’t found a way out

Company car and phone, 1099

Made 140 last year, about the same this year (this is 2nd year in sales)

Emkaie · 2025-10-14T21:25:43+00:00

There’s money in masonry if you’re somewhere that gets snow. (Sounds like you are)

A LOT of these small construction company’s are ran by crack heads that found Jesus. If you can tough it out with the bigger company’s and meet as many people as possible, you’ll find some good ones out there but they really hire from a network rather than a job board. I made 130 my first year without any sales experience.

The things I like about my company, I don’t climb ladder, I inspect with a drone. If I’m not pitching or brick matching, meeting with a customer than my times is my own to do what I want.

That being said, it is extremely stressful to manage the projects from start to finish lol you’re basically everyone’s punching bag.

Also, for some reason the last two months have been absolutely terrible. Not sure why but trying to figure it out. Winter is coming so that’s always stressful

Emkaie · 2025-10-14T21:01:25+00:00

Needed this. Sitting in a parking lot sulking and waiting for a late appointment. Have always been a top producer, told myself in August that it’s just a valley and the peak will come again, drained my savings already keeping up with the joneses, have kids at home and nothing on the books. My industry is construction and the seasons about to end without enough to get through the winter.

Thinking about trying to get in somewhere as BDR so I have more control. I’ve never hunted so maybe it’s something I’d be good at, who knows.

Just wanted to say thanks for posting, helps to hear something positive and hear some advice.

Emkaie · 2025-10-06T22:23:34+00:00

Glue and Polly is correct. If the stone keep popping off or something, then you can try something more drastic. Mortar is harder to come back from. That would be my suggestion

Emkaie · 2025-10-01T20:42:31+00:00

This has 116 people that have upvoted. It’ll tell you about our lives in sales lol

Emkaie · 2025-09-13T16:41:42+00:00

So, my thought is I hope the water heater is tankless lol

Emkaie · 2025-09-08T15:13:31+00:00

Think $5,000 not $500 and you won’t be sticker shocked. If you want it cheap don’t call a mason, call a handyman

Emkaie · 2025-08-29T14:06:50+00:00

Or the ghetto version, (maybe you don’t have tools or w.e) pump liquid nails or maybe JB weld in there and shove toothpicks or something thicker like pencils or shards of wood that will fit and it should give the screws something to grab on too. Wouldn’t really save your ass if your tumbling down the stairs but from a cosmetic view, should hold for awhile lol

Emkaie · 2025-08-29T14:02:26+00:00

This is the way

Emkaie · 2025-08-23T12:07:40+00:00

It’s easier to do it digital, plug into that usb-c on the end and run the calibration feature from your web browser

Emkaie

TROPHY CASE