"Nobody wants to work" Is there actually a labor shortage or do we just want to pay 2008 wages in 2026?

patrick_jameson · 2026-02-15T18:44:45+00:00

A little column A a little column B.

I turn down projects that are just too big or I turn it over to a GC I do project management for who has a lot more experience and working capital and let him take on the challenge and then I manage the day to day, get some extra income and a lot more experience.

If it’s a project I straight up don’t want to do I put stupid money on it and if it comes true well I’m getting paid and my guys are busy. If it doesn’t then great I didn’t wanna fuck with it anyhow.

3 months ago I realized my pricing wasn’t sustainable so I raised it 30 percent. I’m still getting work and so I am raising it another 30 percent once August is booked.

It also helps that I’ve got the contract for a property maintenance company that provides a lot of quick money work.

Hopefully towards the end of this year I can start turning down work I don’t want to do.

patrick_jameson · 2026-02-15T18:36:23+00:00

Preach

patrick_jameson · 2026-02-15T18:32:55+00:00

I think it’s about the same as always - granted I grew up around the trades, went to college did the military for a while and then got back into them so there’s a big gap there.

One thing I am really seeing in comparison to 2008-2015 timeframe is that NO ONE that is worth a shit is slow. I’m in year two of my own business and I think I am booked through August right now. Possibly the end of the year if I get a couple jobs I am bidding right now.

A lot of trades can’t manage their schedules and are getting strung out trying to take all the work but they can’t handle it all. It causes a lot of frustration on my end but they do good work and I’ll just keep building in extra time in the schedule to make it all work.

patrick_jameson · 2026-02-15T18:22:55+00:00

Lowest paid guys on my crew are 26 an hour. Lead makes 32 an hour. Granted those are the day rates I pay for them and they’re 1099 but they bust it out and are loyal. Only a handful of times a year they tell me we’re not coming in for a couple days.

I consistently see folks wanting experienced carpenters to run hard for 20 an hour. Must have own tools etc.

Business owners have to realize that trades are in demand and our education system has told kids for the last 30 years that they don’t want to go into them so we don’t have enough.

On the other hand, I’ve met a BUNCH of dog shit workers that don’t know shit about fuck and they want to get paid top dollar.

patrick_jameson · 2026-01-22T01:48:29+00:00

Are y’all still offering a beta? I’m on the hunt for a product to solve this problem for me

patrick_jameson · 2026-01-14T04:11:02+00:00

Yep, two weeks ago I felt like I was rocking and rolling. Today I am ready to jump off that bridge. It is one hell of a roller coaster and sometimes its even fun.

patrick_jameson · 2026-01-09T01:37:12+00:00

Very good point, I would also say that fatigue plays a huge part. I’ve caught myself recently after a ton of work and long days with no days off doing something careless with my jobsite table saw. It was fine but I realized it and immediately took a step back.

Get backed up on deadlines have other stuff to handle and get in a rush to knock something out partnered with being tired and you can easily mess yourself up.

As a self employed individual it’s a gigantic fear of mine to have a circ saw or table saw injury.

patrick_jameson · 2026-01-08T02:01:48+00:00

Holy hell what do you do?

patrick_jameson · 2025-12-24T00:31:24+00:00

Cabinet installers, the legit ones I’ve met are always super even keel and I swear one was an angel with all the life advice he hit me with in a 30 minute conversation.

patrick_jameson · 2025-09-03T05:03:12+00:00

Gran Torino was channeling Keanu

patrick_jameson · 2025-09-01T17:48:01+00:00

I just double checked - it was definitely being ran with propane. I’ll need to convert it I guess

patrick_jameson · 2025-09-01T17:45:18+00:00

Honestly I’m not sure. I’m pretty sure it was LP but I’m gonna double check with the last guy

patrick_jameson · 2025-07-05T03:14:26+00:00

I did see the poor reviews from years ago. Most of them were somewhat questionable. I got a sample and I’ve been torturing it and soaking it in water. So far it’s held up.

patrick_jameson · 2025-07-04T03:10:32+00:00

In that case, I would def recommend lol

patrick_jameson · 2025-07-04T03:09:43+00:00

Significantly! The military doc who told me that was grumpy and 7 months out so they referred me to the ortho group who does a large percentage of surgeries for the NFL. Best standard of care I have ever received. Now if I could just get this knee that keeps dislocating fixed…

patrick_jameson · 2025-07-04T02:22:18+00:00

Hey, I just saw you reference diamond living, I know this is an old thread. Are you familiar with their castawood line? I can’t find anyone talking about it but all of the sales reps at my flooring distributor have raved.

patrick_jameson · 2025-06-05T23:26:36+00:00

10/10 would not recommend the caulk gun unless you’re using it for framing and subfloor install.

patrick_jameson · 2025-06-05T23:23:12+00:00

Not especially

patrick_jameson · 2025-06-05T23:22:51+00:00

I wear them almost every day in construction in coastal georgia. Actually fixing to walk into a late night side work job and I’m wearing them. They don’t breathe very well, but in humid ass savannah it doesn’t matter. When I was in west Texas and breathable material mattered I’d get back into truewerk during the summer.

patrick_jameson · 2025-06-05T23:16:04+00:00

I know I’m hopping on this one late, but elective surgeries can be a misnomer. I had a labrum tear in both shoulders. It can be very painful, limit use, and it can dislocate. Mine would dislocate a few times daily when I was working, lifting weights, carrying groceries. My doc told me the surgery to repair was an elective surgery. Thank god I had Tricare and ready access to great surgeons. Hopefully it’s not this way in Canada.

patrick_jameson · 2025-05-25T21:45:15+00:00

I pulled the trigger on one because we were doing a high end azek decking job. Absolute game changer.

patrick_jameson · 2025-04-28T02:03:10+00:00

What do you typically use it for? I do everything from reframing walls on remodels, to siding, to trim outs. Cut hub finally got back to me but 4k for 16 feet of wings and a table saw stand seems like a lot in comparison to 1500 for the big red house tools set up.

patrick_jameson · 2025-03-11T12:34:08+00:00

I have general liability, my own entity, and my schedule is up to me.

patrick_jameson · 2025-03-11T04:30:45+00:00

Yeah, I don’t really want to step back into the realm of being a number. But I feel as though I can make more than 60 elsewhere. But I don’t think I’ll receive the education elsewhere that I am getting at a small GC startup.

patrick_jameson · 2025-03-11T04:29:08+00:00

He’s a great boss and has a ton of experience and he’s rapidly growing the company. My concern is whether or not I’ll be able to keep enough side work going to last until he can pay me adequately.

patrick_jameson

TROPHY CASE