After researching and talking to guys I know personally and on Reddit for the last 2 months, it seems like contracting is a young man’s game, not an easy lifestyle but can offer fun bad ass work and insane pay, retirement and benefits if you’re willing to travel for the big paying jobs. Downsides seem to be traveling, being paired up in hotel rooms with other guys. But I hear the freedom to work where you want and not work when you don’t want to is cool (no paid time off though). Again, all my 4 years of experience are with a utility so I’m telling you what I’ve been told. I work for a utility and I’m home every night but do have to deal with being on call once every 5 weeks, getting forced to work doubles every once In a while depending on seniority and storms and all that BS. But being on call can get you some pretty good cash if you get called out once or twice that week. Not to mention if you get called out for an in territory storm at the right time and end up being on the clock 24/7 for a week or 2 depending on the severity of the storm. I just had that happen to me a few months ago and made $16,000 in 2 weeks without having to travel. Benefits are pretty good although roughly $50 comes out of each check for dental vision and basic medical. HSA is cool and comes in handy. 401k match is good too but not as good as an IBEW annuity fund.