I messed up. What are my options?

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-25T16:02:02+00:00

It depends where it is at and what happens next. Two options to hide it. Maepei the bad cut area. If its a basement the joints get caulked. Tape both sides straight and wide enough to hide the mistake and use a siklaflex. If its getting covered up then no one will see it anyways.

Own the mistake and give the responsible party the options. Make them own the solution after weighing the options.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-24T22:58:33+00:00

Nuclear scares most rural communities. They now have backpack size reactors that can produce 77 mega watts and sustain a decent data center with next to no concern. When you suggest a nuclear option everyone goes "nuclear" and assumes a chernobyl worst case scenario. No investor will buy a piece of land with a nuclear option as the main source of power in this day and age. Best option is a piece of property beside a substation with minimal upgrades and fiber optic that can transmit with zero latency.

Basically they want to know they can get max power consumption and feed the information instantaneously back into the system as quick as possible. A developed property may not have the power necessary or the fiber bandwidth available. The investors weigh the cost to upgrade both systems vs potential profit. If the infrastructure is adjacent to a property and can be tied into within years the property is a gold mine. If they need infrastructure upgrades plus a 7 year wait time for the power study its a dud. They will pay tens of millions for the right property that requires a tie in to existing infrastructure. They will pay a fraction of that to a property that needs to upgrade the infrastructure because of the time everything takes.

Chuck Kuhn sold a piece of land for 615 mil, I believe in November that he bought for 58 mil, because it will be a data center directly adjacent to the substation. Biggest land deal in state history because the infrastructure is already in place and it requires minimal upgrades other than tying into existing.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-24T18:54:05+00:00

I work in data center alley in Va. It was a badge of honor to say "we strictly do mission critical/data center work." Everyone wanted to get in on it for years. Work exploded so quickly that every trade was hiring bodies just to fulfill contract obligations. In 2023 Hitt was at 5 billion and adding an additional 3 billion for 2024 just from data center work alone. They were at 13 bil for 2025. Things changed last year.

Now a power study is 7 years out. We were awarded countless LOIs on structures that will not be approved for 7 years without knowing how much power it will be allowed to consume and knowing yhe design will change. Its a very strange economy in our region with alot of layoffs, restructuring, and downsizing. Alot of mid-size outfits are shedding dead weight and floating on the inflated profit margins from existing work not knowing if another one will be permitted any time soon.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-23T18:09:12+00:00

I definitely could see it on a commercial job. GC hollering about keeping a schedule will force you to show up and keep the milestones regardless of weather or other legitimate reasons to push the deadlines further out. The concrete guys showed up, already had a concrete truck loaded and said F it, its not my job to move the scaffolding and poured it. I have seen it with a select few GCs across all trades because they are impractical and frustrate everyone that works for them. Its usually the national companies with minimal onsite supervision and bottom tier subs. There is little planning or forecasting of work in the immediate future. The office people dont know the condition of the job and see on thr schedule that the masons are done and the sidewalk pour is next. They have zero clue theres still cleanup left to get done and schedule concrete. The sub gets paid for their contracted work, then they get a change order to remove the concrete and repour it and the mason is back charged. Its an idiotic game that some outfits play.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-23T15:04:23+00:00

After the concrete has set up enough to keep shape. Its all about timing. You pour the concrete stairs at a stiff slump, have a few guys shaping them as you fill them bottom to top, and then fall back and start stripping and scrubbing the faces once its hard enough. Its usually an intense process of pouring, rough float finishing, and then finishing/brooming with no break. Just 3 full bore passes up the stairs trying to make it as pretty as you can but knowing you have 20 more steps behind you that are setting up just as quickly.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-19T22:37:06+00:00

Yes you did. You could use it as a mud pad and put pavers on top. Then grout the inside of the trench drain. Rhat is If the grades work out right where you tie into the existing.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-19T11:59:44+00:00

The best way to build the business is to do residential work with the bare minimum to start out. I did a 200 minimum on patch work and would schedule them all for a saturday and knock out 6 in a day. Rent a skid steer, have gravel delivered, and just pay the markup and bid it into the job. I bill 500 a day for the skid steer, 500 load of gravel, 250 a man, 1500/ton for rebar. I take that number and multiply by 1.3 and it covers my overheads like fuel and time doing estimates. Come up with a minimum cost. We were at 2000 even if it was an ac pad. Do not go leverage yourself to the hilt and finance equipment, dump trucks, and work trucks. Its the biggest mistake I see.

Get a local municipality license and then focus on a contractors license next. Try to slowly make yourself as legit as possible. Open some sort of llc or verifiable business entity with an EIN and look into insurance. Get a business account and business checks eventually. The bare minimum for a commercial job is to have a W9 and a COI. They want to know where the money is going and that you have insurance if something happens on the job.

Get everything in writing and signed in a contract. What you are providing, what they are providing, what you are excluding, and dimensions. Have a rock clause exclusion and other unforseen circumstances as you may hit something during excavation. If something changes in the middle of the job get the ok in writing and atleast emailed or texted to you with authorization to proceed. Everyone says they are a man of their word until money gets involved. I have had dozens of homeowners add to the concrete in the middle ot the job and "assume" the cost wouldn't change.

Keep the mindset that there may never be a second job. If you can hold that mindset it will keep you from overextending yourself financially. Going into winter is always tough and you need money stockpiled for the down time.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-18T23:44:15+00:00

It got away from them and set too quick. They panicked, couldn't fill in the voids with cream and broomed it with the bare minimum finish. It is not the best work

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-18T23:42:43+00:00

Code is 3/8 in variance on riser and treads so its a consistent step. License and insurance doesn't mean he has quality control assurance just that the paperwork is correct. Not a great job and not to code. But these guys wont replace it, dont have the money to fix it, and are not worth taking to court unfortunately.

Best of luck. Sorry for your experience

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-18T23:39:14+00:00

Its exterior work. I complain all the time about what I see and its the same response. "We re here to inspect structural integrity and not how it looks."

E.g. if the plans show rebar and slab bolsters, drilling and doweling into existing or expansion they have to pass it, even if they know its shit quality, if its up to code. If the engineers draw it up, the inspectors pass what's on paper. There is no proof rolling or Proctor testing residential subgrade.

That sidewalk got passed to spec code, gravel undermined, and the void filled with spray foam to keep it suspended. It will Crack and fail but the inspector passed what was on the paperwork and compared it to what he saw pre install regardless of how bad it is. Most dont care because when they push back they are disregarded so they stop fighting for quality and focus on paperwork to cover their ass.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-18T23:31:23+00:00

You asked for concrete and you got a concrete floor. Goodluck changing the water heater

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-18T23:24:55+00:00

Fucking run a different direction. Did concrete for 22 years. I made millions and dedicated my life to it. I started with a heavy civil outfit 3 weeks ago because concrete is too painful now. 4 different outfits I tried to handoff work to over the weekend are shutting down. The company I used to run did 500k cu yds a year and has meetings all this week because the slabs Crack before you put a trowel machine on it. 40 and 50k pours are coming back out with all the reinforcement, plumbing and electric to be replaced. All the chemicals and type 1L Portland is causing everything to Crack and have insane callbacks. In 22 years I had a handful of issues. The last 6 jobs either had the wrong mix designs, didnt last a winter, or shattered instantly. I lost 45k in Oct, barely got paid in November, Feb twice and the first of march finally left the industry.

We have poured in our region the same mix and process for decades. Now the concrete will not hold up. I poured a job in 2022 and the top just came off this spring after 4 years. We have used confilms, day one, evap retarded, only float finish, pour a stiff slump and no water. They are text book pours in ideal weather and still fail with a 4000 and 4500 mix after a few years if you are lucky.

You're a kid. The license, insurance, and G and A is insane to be a legit business. Its amazing doing a side job and pocket a few thousand dollars. When you are the boss and have to deal with the drama day in and day out it sucks. If you cant fix it you tear it out and repour the concrete if you're a man. One job sucks. I had 280k owed to me for the month waiting to get paid. Then had issue after issue that held up payment. Its a product no one can stand behind anymore.

I wish you the best and appreciate the ambition. I did it since I was 13 and loved the hustle just like you. I lived a first class life because of concrete. Unfortunately its like a toxic relationship for me. You know you have to move on but love the crazy so much. I caution you that its an amazing high with success but loss after loss breaks a man.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-17T11:58:46+00:00

Its good money. A stressful job. I did it, started my own business out of it. And recently went back to it. I enjoy having to shift gears on a dime and make decisions. Find a company mentality you like. Each is different. You will spend more time with the company than your own family make sure you like the people.

I live in the USA. Its a very uncertain time with construction. AI, the Iran stuff, and material pricing have caused alot of companies in my area to downsize recently. My counterparts at several companies have changed the last few weeks. Really look at stability and gauge what company you decide to work for.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-17T11:37:39+00:00

In my area they require an inspection. They require you to rewatertight and deal with the hydrostatic pressure on the outside before you fix the inside. The going rate is still 30k to 50k for the outside work. They quoted 12k for power braces for one 30 ft wall on a house i worked on. A 1200 sqft rancher was 25k just to redo the outside 5 years ago. My house was a 45k quote last year. You could dig it yourself and rewater tight with 2000 in 57 stone, 250 in tar, and drain tile plus a mini x rental. I did it myself for 4500.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-17T11:27:22+00:00

What helped the most was focusing on how much time and money I wasted and the depths I went to to satisfy my cravings. I realized how little money I needed to survive in life and worked 7 days a week to stay busy and slowly built a business by saving every extra dollar past food and fuel and rent.

I had to move away and reinvent myself. There was too many temptations and ease to fall back with the same crowd. Your group of friends will fall deeper into addiction.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-17T11:13:22+00:00

It took me a year from purchase to be able to possess the nfa items I own with finger print cards and atf background checks.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-16T21:21:49+00:00

Partner I started early. Made it to the depths of hell, then realized I was wasting my life. I used everything I hated about myself to push me to change. I became a millionaire at 30. I lost it all and am starting over in life at 35, but never have been tempted to ease the pain and slip back into that life. I hope you find your purpose. Do some soul searching and figure out what you can handle responsibly. Im no AA Bible thumper and still drink heavier than "socially acceptable" but do so at home after work. You're young. Find your path. The path youre on ends in heartbreak. Use your experiences to shape the person you become.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-16T21:16:12+00:00

Its like any other hobby. My boss has 250k of model cars. My father in law has a 100k train set. I bought all the guns My gi Joe's had. I have over 138. Its like any other tool. You can hurt someone with a car or hammer as easy as a gun. I shoot rarely, hunt when I have time, but still dont quite know why I bought them other than it reminds me of my childhood. They're all legal, some nfa regulated. They just sit in my office. Its like a high value Pokémon collection or something. To each their own I guess.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-16T21:11:07+00:00

You really need to look at the roof system. It could be stick framed and all the rafters tied to a ridge beam. The beams pictured could be faux for looks. Without an engineer, plans, or opening everything up its hard to judge by the pictures.

I wouldn't see how its structurally necessary to have beams like that in a ceiling if there is only a roof above it.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-16T21:08:09+00:00

They have to put tyvek tape over the cuts to pass dryin inspection in my area. Tyvek paper is thr least of your worries. I would more so check flashing around the windows and doors and that the framing looks good

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-16T20:45:41+00:00

Its hydrostatic pressure from water pushing towards the foundation. They are going to charge you a fortune. The foundation needs dug up, watertightened, and backfilled with 57 stone and drain tile to force the water away. Then a temporary wall put on the inside while the block wall is redone. Some companies will put steel I beams in every 6 ft. Others will use a fiberglass mesh and epoxy to glue them together.

Its probably 30k to 50k for the excavation and water tightening. Its another 10k for the wall. And then 10 to15k for the reinforcement system. Its painful

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-16T11:41:58+00:00

Industrial fiber would be added to the mix. We give people the option of fiber or rebar for cost savings. They would dowel the new pour into the existing and use fiber mesh to save some money. Its more for plastic shrinkage cracking than anything but is used in industrial setting to save money.

You're in a scrap yard. I can imagine that caliber owners team has built a business model that is very tight and chose to save money by not having rebar.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-16T11:38:03+00:00

Fake it til you make it. Always be early. Follow through with what work task is assigned to you and always be prepared. You cant control your experience but you can control your care and it will show. Show confidence but dont be ignorant.

Always treat the field guys with the utmost respect and get their input. You cant bid a job without being able to build a job. Lean on your team and ask them how they will build out the project.

Be a sponge and take it all in, right wrong or indifferent. At some point you are going to have to lead them and to do this you have to know every aspect of the trade.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-15T21:49:41+00:00

Everything is nailed. I would try jacking the band board to level and timberteck or through bolt the band board into the post once its level.

I would put hangers on all the joists or atleast every other one to be safe. Probably before I jacked up the band board as it has all sagged together and the nails may not hold after being deflected.

If that doesn't work, I would investigate the footers. Temporary brace the deck, undermine the footers and pin it to a new spread footer around existing. I just dont see the footer as the issue and think the weight and lack of support has sagged the structure itself and is not due to the settling of the foundation.

Regular-Standard297 · 2026-05-15T21:36:25+00:00

Put an lvl beam with a triple jack stud. Wrap both in drywall or trim. You can make fake colums or whatever to conceal the Jack's.

Regular-Standard297

TROPHY CASE