Keeping it in the family.

[Mark in Tulsa]

So who here got in this trade because of a father or mother or any family member.

I just notice a lot of people in this industry are related.
My father who's now been installing for 38 years, was one of the head union trainers back when we lived in California. And I as a kid right out of high school saw that if I joined the union as a 1st level apprentice I could be making 12 bucks an hour with good benefits. That's not bad for right out of High school in the 90's. Well after 3.5 years of union schooling I became a journeyman. And then shortly after that my Father and I were offered a job here in Tulsa to work with their installers, and moved and have loved it ever since.

But do to a retarded helper I got injured and went into sales, with another company. But I owe my whole career to my dad.

[Peter Kodner]

I am a 3rd generation flooring person. My Grandfather was a broker who lost everything on Black Friday in 1929. Started a flooring contracting company in 1930. It was my mother's father and my dad spent his entire career with him. My brother and I joined the firm after my grandfather died in 1975. Always based in Chicago but we did a significant amount of out of town work.

I can think of few greater gifts I have had in my life than working for 25 years with my family building up a business with a level of ethics matched by few and exceeded by none. When we sold the company to one of the 3 big commercial players (no names here ), the eventual buyer told us: "You have the lowest gross of any of the companies we are considering, but your net is one of the highest." That confirmed to me the best way to make money in contract is to be prepared and do the detail work first. Work orders were not allowed into the workroom without being complete, including take offs and floor plans. Salespeople and PM could not perform any extras until they were documented and in the client's hands. The easiest way to earn money, or lose it, is by how and if you document changes.

Any commercial folks here will readily identify with "Project Close Out Meetings" held with GCs. I call them"Let's beat up and screw the subs" meetings. Imagine the confidence I had walking into these with a three ring binder chock full of documentation of every thing we did with names, dates and times Few things feel better than getting paid that full dollar for every dollar we invoiced
My joy was tempered by the sympathy I had for the sub who walked out before my meeting cursing the CG for screwing him out of most of his extras.

Be happy to explain some of the things we did to make accomplishing this easier, if anyone is interested. The best practices manual I authored was adopted by the company that bought us for use at all their locations. My one regret: I never copyrighted it

[rusty baker]

My dad was a remodeler. We did electrical, plumbing, concrete everything except flooring. That is why I have trouble accepting all the excuses GC's give for things not being ready or done right. I know it can be done right. My dad always made sure things were ready for the floor covering.

[Peter Kodner]

My dad always made sure things were ready for the floor covering.

I'm presuming that means it went in last after the other trades were done?
Commercially at least, GCs always use the flooring (resilient and carpet) subs as the "pushers". Other trades really do not believe the job is going to ever finish until they see the carpet show up

[Demonseed]

I learned the trade from my dad, as much as I hate to say it, he taught me how not to do things. My dad just did not care how things looked as long as the floor was covered. It caused alot of problems as I got older. My feeling is this, it doesn't matter what you do for a living, whatever it may be, you should strive to be the best at it. It doesn't mean you will be the best, but that should be your goal.

My dad never got that mentality, I would try to break open seams he made on a job to recut them, and it would be an hour long argument.

[ArtisanConst MN]

My father is a stone mason. I worked with him since I was 15 years old during summers and then after high school.

I learned many good habits from him. Including:

You can scaffold ANYTHING! 45 degree slopes, steps, uneven ground, 5 stories in the air....doesn't matter. You must figure it out. The job must be completed!

Do good work all the time. Your reputation is everything.

Don't let people get to you on the job-site. Be professional, go home and forget about the politics. Years later, people will only see your quality work. They won't care how fast you did it, or if the guys at the bar think you're the best craftsman in town.

My grandfather was a stone mason as well. Although, he had a different take on life. He just wanted to survive. He didn't care so much about quality. He worked like the wind and had excuses for anything. He layed brick, block and stone and never looked up.

I've learned from both.

But having a legacy in construction sure is satisfying. It's such a great feeling when you finish a job, the customer is happy, they cut you the check, and you get to go home to your family....where it really matters!

Matt

[Lo Down]

My grandfather got me into this trade full time the day after graduation from high school. ('75 rules! )
Grandpa was a kind and gentle man, and everyone loved him. Very easy man to learn from. I had worked with him now and then during the summers 3 years prior to that.
As much as I am able to do in this trade, and with all the wonderful customers I have............ ones that will only allow "me" into their homes.
I'm good at what I do............ customers love me and feed me............ but work never seems to be steady enough and making a living the way I think it out to be.
I'd be better off if I went a different direction after graduation and was employed by someone.... City or county road department comes to mind......... but then again, I'd never have the same hand skills that I have now. Financially, I'd be much much better off having gone a different route. I'm not willing to relocate, so I am where I am by choice. It's obvious that I have very mixed feelings.
I have met some of the nicest people because of this trade, worked in some really nice homes that most people never get to see, and over the years, I can drive down virtually any street in town, point my finger and say........... I installed some carpet in that place on the corner........................ go a block farther and say it again. I can usually remember the color of carpet, but not always the peoples name. Hey, I'm over 50 now so I have excuses.

[Kman]

My father was a bricklayer, six uncles were bricklayers, my grandfather was a bricklayer.

My aunt told me an amusing story about my grandfather, having all of his sons working for him. She said the boys spent all day bricking a wall, and my grandfather made them tear the whole thing down and do it over. When they asked him why, he said, "That wall was looking at me funny."

He had a funny way of putting things, but at least he had the integrity to do it right. (or make somebody do it right

[Roland Thompson]

Not me I was standing on the corner and some guy named David H. pulled up and said ha do you want to do some rug and I thought he said Drug so I jumped in.

Roland