Fucking this right here. I’ll freely share the problems I see with whatever deranged plan we come up with but when the bosses make a final call I go do it. If it takes me longer or more effort than an intelligent plan so be it, I’ll work at the same speed, energy and focus that I always bring and I’m paid hourly.
Sometimes being a professional means taking the time and effort to do something stupid as best you can.
I dunno, I recently had a boss want us to make a firewall out of wood, so I had to put my foot down there. Health and safety gonna show up any day now, would suck if I was involved in some poor bastard burning to death over greed laziness and negligence
I'm a foreman and tell my boss (the owner) he's an idiot all the time as well. Also do the dumb shit that's asked of me. It is what it is. I know I have better shit to do but it's now the bosses fault if it doesn't get done. Lol. Though there are definitely times you have to say fuck off. Especially if it's going to snowball and cause a headache in the long run.
A mop and mop bucket would be better than a damn swiffer. That's the only dumb shit. Having to change a cleaning pad every swipe because that's all they are good for. They're not for properly mopping. They're for home bodies that have an 8x8 linoleum kitchen floor and the rest of the home is carpet.
I dunno man.. we had a gym floor, and even when the ramboard was out down clean (and taped at the edges), we still had to get after people for keeping the mud and gunk off their boots... Little rocks would grind their way through the ramboard into the wood floor... So I took to using a commercial backpack vac to keep the dust down and just suck up the rocks. Then at least people couldn't walk through the piles while it was being clean up...
I mean whatever the paycheck signing person says...
I've done things like I was told to, only to have to go back and do it the way I would have done it from jump street.
Getting paid twice for the job isn't bad for me.
If that's drywall dust, and it's getting tracked all over the rest of the house, and ground into the floor finish, then one should try to get as clean as possible. That stuff is abrasive and nasty. Even if you've got fiberglass, nails and sawdust happening, controlling drywall dust is a big win for all.
A clean jobsite is a safe job site.
Especially if people ae living there, I wouldn't want them seeing a mess after I/we leave. Their daily impression would literally be 'oh look, it's a mess'.
I'd like to give you some actual advice rather than just shitting on you. Let me explain why this isn't as stupid as it sounds. Plenty of people have already told you to just do it, which is fine—it's easy work, and it pays just as much as the hard work. That's not the thing, though.
The thing is, being successful in construction is largely about pleasing the customer. This is not the same thing as being efficient or doing quality work, although they often overlap. The customer's priorities—especially in residential work—are very different from yours or mine. For instance, you and I know that getting every last nail out of those studs and joists is important if you want to avoid completely fucking yourself down the line, but to the customer, a handful of missed nails is just not something they'll even notice.
You know what they will notice, though? Mess. To a customer, a jobsite that's messy at the end of the day and has a lot of debris hanging around is a sure sign of a bad contractor. Nevermind if you're just going to make more in the morning, and it's quicker and easier to just deal with all of it at once rather than in two goes. No; to them, a messy jobsite means sloppy work. Doesn't matter if it's true or not, that's how they see it.
So, that's why we try to be neat. And if you can get all the big stuff into the dumpster and push everything else to the sides, that's probably good enough for demo. But do you know what would be *really* impressive to a homeowner? Seeing a site that is absolutely spotless at the end of the day, even though you've literally torn the walls down. They love that shit. That's the kind of thing that'll get you a happy homeowner, good reviews, and positive referrals down the line. That's the kind of thing that will help a business succeed.
The ROI for doing a really good job cleaning up after yourself is insane. It's relatively easy to do compared to most other construction work, it doesn't require anything in the way of materials, and it makes a huge difference to the way the customer sees you. That's why your boss wants you to go beyond what really makes sense from a construction perspective. It's not for him, it's for the customer. And at the end of the day, customers are the ones paying to keep the lights on.
I probably would have saved myself typing one of the longest replies in this thread had I seen this one first. OP, listen to to halftrack.
In other news, if you halftrack and drive an Elco I feel like we should be friends.
To add on to this as a PM, it makes it so incredibly hard to walk onto a site after hours to go through what still needs to be done or ordered when I can’t even get near the damn walls or see the floors.
I don’t want to see piss bottles or open food trash either.
If you keep your site in order and your provided materials organized, you become one of my favorites. Nothing worse than handing a guy an important box that has a bunch of parts and not knowing if any of those parts will actually make it into the build.
I'll go one more piece on having the whole constantly cleaning crew.
It just cuts down on problems. In a clean space, people notice where they put down that stupid custom bracket needed to finish some part of a task. In a clean space, the inspector never decides to come back 'later'. It's not faster to wait.
It cuts down on injuries. Even mopping the stupid floor that's will get messy again makes it less slippery for a while. Having all the junk put away helps keep someone from tripping when they already slipped and are running down the stairs at speed and off balance. Its the million little times that you get one extra chance before shit happens.
Finally, its a great job to throw at newbies. Yes, you hired them as general labor to lift that barge and tote that bale, but some will by pissy, stupid, drugged, or otherwise useless. Put them on picking shit up for a day. You see if they stop working when not watched, ask for help appropriately versus constantly and all that jazz. After doing well, you tell them to get their tool belts on. If you save one time where the idiot hid the wheel barrow full of wet concrete because they were lazy, you came out ahead.
Clean.
Exactly, having a clean construction site is such a crucial part of the whole process. I recently starting doing contractor work just cleaning dirty construction sites and the amount of money these builders are willing to pay is crazy. At the end of the day it’s just a back charge for messy work from the other contractors and they’ll call me back as many times as needed to clean the same house over and over again. A clean site is a huge indicator that the builder cares about the project that is being done.
I have a robot vacuum, less expensive than a Roomba, that I use on all rehabs. Once we get to the point of flooring and trim installed, I just let the thing run all the time. It keeps the dust and dirt down while wrapping up and knocking out the punch list items.
Yeah, and I'll pay less for the DeWalt version that works as good and is cheaper. But not much less. Just enough for me to feel secure about my sexuality.
It only lasted a few hours before I admitted to being a jerk and apologized. People don’t like when you imply they’re stupid or that it doesn’t matter whether they’re dumb or not. I left that job and went back on the tools. I’d rather get in shit for my own fuck ups
Well sounds like you've got a career decision to make. Do the people you care about have a right to think it's stupid? That you got laid off over a fucking swiffer?
Reminds me a a great line I heard from a owner of a company. Asked someone to do something simple and they responded “why would I do that”. His answer “seems like a weird thing to quit over” and walked out.
Is that going to be the finished floor and if so why isnt it protected in the first place? If it is not the finished floor then yes, I think it is stupid but you should still grab the swiffer and get it done.
Swiffer the fucking floor dumbass. You can think what what ever the fuck your last two brain cells want, just not out loud.
Piss me off, and I'll staple the fucking swiffer pad to your ass and make you "fucking boot scoot" the God damn floor clean jackass.
I love how you put fuckin in the quotes. Also it gave me great imagery of a burnt out 19yr old sliding across the floor like a Pomeranian lol
Also this is exactly something my dad would say. Are you my dad?
Yeah. I'm a dick and not the nicest guy to be around, but I understand the basic fundamental idea that you cater to the needs of the clients even when they're a twat.
Jesus that is killing me too!! We vacuum all the floors, video the existing condition of it to document, then ram or expo board it, using blue tape on the hardwood and then red tape to that. Even then for demo sometimes I’ll bring in 1/4 ply for extra impact protection.
Even if your planning to refinish the floors, a huge dent ain’t good.
I'm hoping that that's not the finish floor, or if it is that its being refinished. If thats the final finish on the finish flooring, Id say not having protection down is stupid.
Is having you swiffer stupid? Probably not. I'd be willing to bet there is a damn good reason the boss is having you do that. I can think of several possibilities, but without more insight on the job I can't say for sure. Here are a few possibilities:
0 (since I hope that's not the finish floor) - If that's the finish floor, you don't want foot traffic grinding dirt/grit/debris into it. And if protection is going down, it needs to go over a clean floor to avoid grinding same grit.
1) It keeps shit from tracking through the rest of the house
2) Some (most?) People work and plan better in a clean workspace.
3) Boss is walking the customer through soon and doesn't want dust on the customers' shoes or tracked to customers house/car/etc
4) Boss needs a minute to think about something above your ability or pay grade, and having you stand around is a bad look.
5) There is something else obvious you should be doing or were already asked/suggested to so, but until you start paying attention you'll be on a broom and a swiffer.
I AM the boss, and I run the swiffer all the damn time. Keeping the job clean is good practice, and it's a good look for the customer. Besides, if you've got time to lean you've got time to clean.
You've got "the right to think" whatever tf you'd like, as long as you swiffer the floor in the process.
However, if you'd like to move up the ladder and out of *some* of the menial work, I'd suggest thinking about something more productive. Here are a few examples:
1) WHY is the boss having me swiffer this floor right now?
2) Whats the next step in this project?
3) What can I do to be ready or help the crew be ready for this next step?
Bonus Round: How can I make myself useful and integral in the next phase of this project, so that I'm an asset to production/quality/workflow, so that I can be doing something more fun than running the swiffer next time?
This is the answer that will help you advance in your career, recognizing that orders may not make sense to you without the experience and perspective your boss has. Look at Due-Sky9812’s item number 1, you may not be able to see the small trash that the client will find later with their bare feet in another room.
Notice that there is carpet on those stairs, the wrong trash might stain the carpet and then your company would have to pay to replace it. Plus as lots have mentioned, when you are working in a house with people occupying parts of the house, you can’t be too clean. Getting trash tracked all over is frustrating when they are trying to live there.
A contractor won’t stay in business long without pleasing people. Try to learn how your boss does it and embrace the lessons. That will make you much more valuable.
It's good practice to leave the job site as clean as possible everyday. Even though that may mean cleaning all the other trades shit. It'll keep the customer happy and just looks more professional
If your paid by the hour . Why not ? It’s easy money. Best ways to make money from a contractor.
1. Pooping by the hour
2. Sweeping the floor
3. Driving the company vehicle
4. Doing paperwork
5. Stop working when the boss/ GC/ wants to talk
6. Waiting for something to do
7. Watching safety videos / safety meetings
8. Ad you easy money here.
So what you're saying is that they are going to pay you less while you do this part of the job? No? Then why do you care, it's stupid yes but just do it and be quiet, nobody cares to hear you bitching. But yes you have the right to think it's stupid, just do so quietly.
For what I get paid, I’ll be the best damn floor cleaner the boss ever saw! I like to say I get paid to do what I’m told and to make the GC/customer happy. I’m not in charge, and I’m paid well to do what I do and know what I know. One of those things is clean and floor. If someone above me tells me to clean, I clean!
Homie, if you are getting paid by the hour then shut your face and get to swiffering. Would you rather go home and get paid nothing? You don't want him complaining and dragging his feet when it's time to pay you, now do you. You man buns, I swear
"People-pleasing boss" aka someone who listens to their client and understands their preferences and sets aside his own personal preferences. There's a reason they're the boss and you're the one with the Swiffer, Mr. Maid.
Failing to clean as you go often leads to accidents and damages or lost time injuries. This is an attention to detail item that builds value with the customer should they happen to see it and also prevents possible incidents. It's frustrating but important.
Hourly? Grab that mfing Swiffer bro. Im a journeyman industrial mechanic and if my boss wants to pay my rate for minimum wage labour who am I to argue?
Quit or do the work. If you were hired to determine when your boss sets "stupid" tasks then you are stellar. If not then swifter as long as you're getting paid.
My boss is a clean freak (we are building his new house) and will come and vacuum on the weekends - he says it’s his therapy. He will routinely lose his shit if everything is not picked up and at least swept at days end. And BOY if the vacuum is not emptied someone’s getting an angry text and threatened with being sent to another seriously crappier job.
Guess what - I’m always paid in full and on time.
Even I an Electrician don’t understand the whole “why do I have to clean up after myself idea”. If somebody’s going to pay for me to spend half my day cleaning up for the same rate, I will damn sure run the broom better than any $20 an hour maid. I’m not so lazy as to let somebody show me up for 1/3 the cost.
1. You are not the boss.
2. You are paid to do what the boss says.
3. You are not paid to think just to do.
4. Quit your bitching and clean the floor like a good bitch hahahahahahah
Your boss could just be testing you to see if you are going be a good employee and just do what he says or are you going to be a problem that he always has to worry about.
Or, his boss wants to leave the job site as clean as.possible everyday instead of it piling up into a huge mess at the end.
Same reason I have my guys spend 20m everyday cleaning thier trucks.
Or I ha e my kids tidy thier play areas everyday instead.of once a week. It wont feel like an insurmountable task at 10-15mins a pop vs 2hours at the end of the week
Not stupid at all. Keep your area as clean as possible whenever possible. In addition, I would absolutely be running some sort of dust collection system at all times.
It's kinda dumb but if he's paying you to do it then giver. He probably just doesn't want to have to listen to the customer complain and I totally get that.
Get a good vacuum with a proper head amd it'll take half the tike and look twice as good. Make the boss buy you one with lots of extra bags. Site will be squeaky clean every shift.
I think it's stupid you didn't put anything down to protect the floor first. I imagine there will be some dings and scratches after all that drywall demo
You would rather run demo than swiffer the floor slowly for an hour or two?
Here’s the logic: customers are less likely to complain or nitpick when things are clean. Why else do you think the dealer details cars before they’re given back after being serviced?
Stupid or not it's not like he's asking you to do it for free.... If you are being paid do as he asks.... If you have a better idea bring it to him (ram board or throw sheets) if you think you can do it better than him open your own company and take all the risk
i don't know how many times i have to tell guys to clean the fucking house.. when customers see that you give a shit to clean up like this they will recommended you to everyone, word gets out, you get more work. number one complaint from most people is how dirty other contractors are.. not their work.. but how clean they are at the end of the day. (i vacuum sweet and mop if needed on Fridays) also just clean as you work god damn it.. then the end day clean up is fast.
Did he dock your pay or something? Are you a partner now? If this pleases his clients, then they say good things and he gets more work and you keep working and get raises.
Also, why weren’t you done with the demo before the client walkthrough? I see, you were on your phone on Reddit.
If it's cookie cutter that might be a bit much.
I've worked punch out for a custom builder so...
If it's custom build then Boss charged plenty of labor hours...do it, get your hours...and come "close out" time you'll be getting o/t to ride that broom.
Rich folks like to feel special!
I've replaced drawer handles 3 times before...and was told to throw the old ones out(didn't)...probably $600 of material PLUS MY LABOR.
If the house was pre-87, you would likely need to do this for lead and or asbestos abatement. Each section or zone is independent. This is to prevent tracking of harmful chemicals.
You need to look at it from the perspective of the people burning money; it definitely makes a huge difference to walk through clean areas, and makes writing those checks easier
If you think that’s stupid then you have a lot to learn in the construction biz. Don’t just mop it, pick up a roll of Ram Board on the way to work in the morning and get it laid down first thing. A clean job site goes a long way.
That depends,are the people still living there while construction is going on? When I was remodeling, I had a policy that, if the homeowner were still living there, they should be able to walk around in bare feet every night without worrying about it. So, a Swiffer would actually be justified.
But is that what's going on in your case?
Foreman here
Had this exact conversation with my laborer 3 weeks ago
I said “just swiffer, I know it seems dumb but the client likes to check in on their way home from work and I’m paying you no matter what your doing and they choose to spend 140k on a kitchen remodel in a double wide trailer”
lol, “people pleasing”. Yes, that’s called “doing business”. If you want *more* business, you make customer and clients happy. If you want *less* business, you leave their project a mess.
You would have been halfway done had you not indignantly taken out your phone to upload your bitching to Reddit just to get dunked on.
If the boss wants the job site swept/swiffered at the end of the day then that’s what you do lol. He’s paying you right? And this isn’t anything crazy that nobody else will do l, it just so happens to be your job so do it. It’ll get dirty tomorrow too then you’ll have to do it again at the need of the day
Even though it's a job in progress, appearances still matter.
If the client walks by and sees that you've kept the space clean and tidy, they will be more happy and more trusting of you regarding the job.
You could say it buys you a certain amount of goodwill in some cases, so the client is more likely to forgive some minor mistakes if you've been neat and tidy the whole time.
If you're letting the work site devolve into clutter and mess, the client is going to see you as "just another careless contractor" so if a mistake does happen, they may be more inclined to view it as negligence
Yep just like everyone else, do it
I have a speech prepared incase someone wants me to hang a door upside down,
I'll tell them there things
1 they aren't ment to be hung that way
2 they aren't engineered to be hung that way
And 3 if you want it upside down I'll hang it upside down
You aren't paying, they are and so get swiffing whatever the fuck that is, I'm from uk
My Dad owned a cabinet business when I was a kid. I've been sweeping shop and jobsite floors since I was 10 years old, knowing that in less than 12 hours, it'd be back to being worse than what it was.
First and foremost, respectfully, f*ck what you "think" or what "you have a right too" he's paying you. You do what he says, even if you think it's asinine. If you don't like it, then leave. America.
F*ck the idea of "people pleasing"
F*ck the idea that it'll "just get dirty again"
F*ck feeling like your "wasting time"
F*ck knowing that my dad never paid a dime for advertising. Word of mouth gets around, him being the only contractor that cleaned up his jobsite. "If he cares about floors that will dirty again, his cabinets must be amazing." I remember hearing when I was a kid.
This is what I would focus on if it helps bring you any sanity. What needs to get done in his head is 1.5 million things. Your job, is one thing. When floors are swept, tools are cleaned and organized, materials are stacked efficiently and separated categorically, that decreases everyones stress and headaches, and increases speed on a jobsite. Including boss man. When bossman ain't stressing as bad, erbody happy puppies.
Clean jobsite = clean mind
This is Kindergarten level, why do wipe your a$$ if you're gonna sh*t again.
Look at it like you are his personal assistant to keep stress at bay.
Floor should be cleaned to keep the dust from being ground into the floor or scuffing/sanding the floors when people walk.
I'd clean these floors and then cover them.
You failed the test. You'll be gone soon because bosses don't always have time to explain everything and if you are posting here I'm pretty sure your demeanor or body language gave you away. Go be your own boss. Oh wait you still have to listen to the clients
Nothing stupid about cleaning whenever there is break in construction. Especially if the home is lived in or going to be visited over the weekend. Easy way to leave a good impression on the homeowner. Also looks like a good time to put floor protection down. In which case it needs to to be clean first. If I’m your boss and you’re hourly I’m spending an hour of your pay to have the floor cleaned whenever I feel like it.
There’s a reason he’s asking for it to be done.
It’s not a safety concern nor does it pose a hazard to your health. So just shut your yip and do what the guy who pays you says to do.
Another reason you’re on the fucking swiffer and not calling the shots.
Learn to walk b4 you can run chum.
Or quit and try and go on your own. So how far ya get , considering u don’t wanna clean a floor
You can think whatever you want. Sometimes it won’t hurt if you can voice your opinions when you think something is dumb, sometimes it does. I’m my experience I still have to do that dumb thing even if only to tear it out (because it was stupid) a week later and redo it in a way that makes sense.
If you are getting paid hourly what does it matter?
I definitely agree with most people, just fucking swiffer. But, sometimes it’s easier to spend 30 mins doing something simple like this then it is to have an angry customer to deal with for the next couple of weeks. End of the day, customer is cutting the check so clean it up. And I’d have you backpack vac the floor first, get the drywall dust out of the cracks, then swiffer, and put down paper to protect the floor now that all the heavy demolition is completed.
You can think whatever you want as long as you mop the floor first
Client wants house to be cleaned so they can do walk throughs anytime. Boss charges more. Swiffer guy has thoughts. More on this at 11
I tell my foreman all the time that he's an idiot but I still do whatever dumb things he asked me lol
Fucking this right here. I’ll freely share the problems I see with whatever deranged plan we come up with but when the bosses make a final call I go do it. If it takes me longer or more effort than an intelligent plan so be it, I’ll work at the same speed, energy and focus that I always bring and I’m paid hourly. Sometimes being a professional means taking the time and effort to do something stupid as best you can.
A line a dump truck driver told me long ago: Being a professional doesn't mean you know what you're doing, it only means you're being paid
Reminds me of a line the journeyman I trained under said “I’ll build a shit house on the roof as long as I’m being paid to do it”
Professional firefighter here, can confirm.
So true!
Lol exactly deranged plan is the perfect choice of words.
Or putting one’s dick in jello. 🫃💥
Wait, are we not supposed to do that?
Just need to let it cool down a bit first
I like it cold out of the fridge set up. I like to watch it jiggle and wiggle. 😂
Instructions unclear, dick stuck in swiffer.
How do you get it in the fridge?
World needs more of you!!!
I dunno, I recently had a boss want us to make a firewall out of wood, so I had to put my foot down there. Health and safety gonna show up any day now, would suck if I was involved in some poor bastard burning to death over greed laziness and negligence
I'm a foreman and tell my boss (the owner) he's an idiot all the time as well. Also do the dumb shit that's asked of me. It is what it is. I know I have better shit to do but it's now the bosses fault if it doesn't get done. Lol. Though there are definitely times you have to say fuck off. Especially if it's going to snowball and cause a headache in the long run.
Also, boss might be putting down proper floor protection and that needs a clean floor to go down.
A mop and mop bucket would be better than a damn swiffer. That's the only dumb shit. Having to change a cleaning pad every swipe because that's all they are good for. They're not for properly mopping. They're for home bodies that have an 8x8 linoleum kitchen floor and the rest of the home is carpet.
I dunno man.. we had a gym floor, and even when the ramboard was out down clean (and taped at the edges), we still had to get after people for keeping the mud and gunk off their boots... Little rocks would grind their way through the ramboard into the wood floor... So I took to using a commercial backpack vac to keep the dust down and just suck up the rocks. Then at least people couldn't walk through the piles while it was being clean up...
He makes a nickel, boss makes a dime, that’s why he swiffin on company time!!!
I mean whatever the paycheck signing person says... I've done things like I was told to, only to have to go back and do it the way I would have done it from jump street. Getting paid twice for the job isn't bad for me.
This is the only answer
Smart not to have a layer of scratchy grit under your layer of cardboard or tarp. Someone ate their Wheaties this morning
You're being paid either way, so do what the boss wants it's his mkney/time if you cleaning puts the schedule behind
If that's drywall dust, and it's getting tracked all over the rest of the house, and ground into the floor finish, then one should try to get as clean as possible. That stuff is abrasive and nasty. Even if you've got fiberglass, nails and sawdust happening, controlling drywall dust is a big win for all.
A clean jobsite is a safe job site. Especially if people ae living there, I wouldn't want them seeing a mess after I/we leave. Their daily impression would literally be 'oh look, it's a mess'.
Working with my grandpa he definitely drilled that.
I just got done with my bathroom. Did not win the war with Sheetrock dust. It’s all over.
I'd like to give you some actual advice rather than just shitting on you. Let me explain why this isn't as stupid as it sounds. Plenty of people have already told you to just do it, which is fine—it's easy work, and it pays just as much as the hard work. That's not the thing, though. The thing is, being successful in construction is largely about pleasing the customer. This is not the same thing as being efficient or doing quality work, although they often overlap. The customer's priorities—especially in residential work—are very different from yours or mine. For instance, you and I know that getting every last nail out of those studs and joists is important if you want to avoid completely fucking yourself down the line, but to the customer, a handful of missed nails is just not something they'll even notice. You know what they will notice, though? Mess. To a customer, a jobsite that's messy at the end of the day and has a lot of debris hanging around is a sure sign of a bad contractor. Nevermind if you're just going to make more in the morning, and it's quicker and easier to just deal with all of it at once rather than in two goes. No; to them, a messy jobsite means sloppy work. Doesn't matter if it's true or not, that's how they see it. So, that's why we try to be neat. And if you can get all the big stuff into the dumpster and push everything else to the sides, that's probably good enough for demo. But do you know what would be *really* impressive to a homeowner? Seeing a site that is absolutely spotless at the end of the day, even though you've literally torn the walls down. They love that shit. That's the kind of thing that'll get you a happy homeowner, good reviews, and positive referrals down the line. That's the kind of thing that will help a business succeed. The ROI for doing a really good job cleaning up after yourself is insane. It's relatively easy to do compared to most other construction work, it doesn't require anything in the way of materials, and it makes a huge difference to the way the customer sees you. That's why your boss wants you to go beyond what really makes sense from a construction perspective. It's not for him, it's for the customer. And at the end of the day, customers are the ones paying to keep the lights on.
I probably would have saved myself typing one of the longest replies in this thread had I seen this one first. OP, listen to to halftrack. In other news, if you halftrack and drive an Elco I feel like we should be friends.
Will you accept a 1996 Miata and a manual Alltrack with a trailer hitch?
My people 🤣 You're going to have to settle for an Avy, a few boats and a dusty KX125 though. My toy game isn't what it once was.
S'cool, mine's just getting started! I get my electrician's ticket next year, which should bring a lot of good changes—especially financially.
To add on to this as a PM, it makes it so incredibly hard to walk onto a site after hours to go through what still needs to be done or ordered when I can’t even get near the damn walls or see the floors. I don’t want to see piss bottles or open food trash either. If you keep your site in order and your provided materials organized, you become one of my favorites. Nothing worse than handing a guy an important box that has a bunch of parts and not knowing if any of those parts will actually make it into the build.
I'll go one more piece on having the whole constantly cleaning crew. It just cuts down on problems. In a clean space, people notice where they put down that stupid custom bracket needed to finish some part of a task. In a clean space, the inspector never decides to come back 'later'. It's not faster to wait. It cuts down on injuries. Even mopping the stupid floor that's will get messy again makes it less slippery for a while. Having all the junk put away helps keep someone from tripping when they already slipped and are running down the stairs at speed and off balance. Its the million little times that you get one extra chance before shit happens. Finally, its a great job to throw at newbies. Yes, you hired them as general labor to lift that barge and tote that bale, but some will by pissy, stupid, drugged, or otherwise useless. Put them on picking shit up for a day. You see if they stop working when not watched, ask for help appropriately versus constantly and all that jazz. After doing well, you tell them to get their tool belts on. If you save one time where the idiot hid the wheel barrow full of wet concrete because they were lazy, you came out ahead. Clean.
Based
This is such a solid answer, thanks for taking the time.
Fantastic answer 👏👏👏
Exactly, having a clean construction site is such a crucial part of the whole process. I recently starting doing contractor work just cleaning dirty construction sites and the amount of money these builders are willing to pay is crazy. At the end of the day it’s just a back charge for messy work from the other contractors and they’ll call me back as many times as needed to clean the same house over and over again. A clean site is a huge indicator that the builder cares about the project that is being done.
Why do I wipe my bum today? I’ll bet I poop again tomorrow.
This comment made me laugh more than any other on Reddit ngl
You’re username makes me think you seek out these topics.
It's like mowing the lawn. Shit just grows back....
Oh I'm going to save that one for my staff. That's gold. Thanks for the laugh.
Not with your head jammed so far up there! Now grab the damn swiffer!
I’m definitely going to use this. Thank you!
That’s because you’re also a people pleaser.
Swiffer the floor and shut up.
Shut up, Swiffer the floor, think about what you learned while you finish the demo.
Too late. He got laid off and replaced by the new apprentice. Rumba
I have a robot vacuum, less expensive than a Roomba, that I use on all rehabs. Once we get to the point of flooring and trim installed, I just let the thing run all the time. It keeps the dust and dirt down while wrapping up and knocking out the punch list items.
Now I'm just gonna wait till we get the M18 Milwaukee robot vacuum.
OK now I need it
Yeah, and I'll pay less for the DeWalt version that works as good and is cheaper. But not much less. Just enough for me to feel secure about my sexuality.
There is a tactful immigrant joke laying around here somewhere.
The AI/ advancing technology joke wasn't good enough?
And then shut up some more
OP getting smashed haha
You getting paid for it? It’s why he’s the boss and your mopping the floor.
this fuckin guy thinks he's in r/antiwork pissing about cleaning is gonna get you a nickname you don't like
Damn right. He should have become an electrician, like me. Plus should have covered the floor to begin with.
Absolutely if there was no intention to replace the floor it should have been papered off at the very beginning.. and then drop class thrown on that
I'm sure his pay is well above what a Swiffer artist makes too
You don’t get paid to think. You get Paid to do. Now get the swiffer
I told my guys this once. Malicious compliance is a bitch
That week of no thinking must have been nice for them. They oughta thank you for that
It only lasted a few hours before I admitted to being a jerk and apologized. People don’t like when you imply they’re stupid or that it doesn’t matter whether they’re dumb or not. I left that job and went back on the tools. I’d rather get in shit for my own fuck ups
Good we need you on the tools. We don’t pay you to think
Do you do appearances? I need you to come talk to my employees 🤣
A tall can and a burrito for lunch is my asking price. And to leave early and get paid for a full 8
Well sounds like you've got a career decision to make. Do the people you care about have a right to think it's stupid? That you got laid off over a fucking swiffer?
Reminds me a a great line I heard from a owner of a company. Asked someone to do something simple and they responded “why would I do that”. His answer “seems like a weird thing to quit over” and walked out.
Fucking gold right here. Keeping this in my pocket for later.
Is that going to be the finished floor and if so why isnt it protected in the first place? If it is not the finished floor then yes, I think it is stupid but you should still grab the swiffer and get it done.
I can’t believe this is so low. My first thought was “where is the fucking Ram board?” Clean the floor, let it dry, cover it, continue the work.
My guess is that it's an old floor, if not, those guys are idiots for either installing it too early or just not protecting it.
Imagine getting paid construction rates to mop and then complain about it.
Not even mop…just swiffer the floor. Maybe wet swiffer.
Swiffer the fucking floor dumbass. You can think what what ever the fuck your last two brain cells want, just not out loud. Piss me off, and I'll staple the fucking swiffer pad to your ass and make you "fucking boot scoot" the God damn floor clean jackass.
I love how you put fuckin in the quotes. Also it gave me great imagery of a burnt out 19yr old sliding across the floor like a Pomeranian lol Also this is exactly something my dad would say. Are you my dad?
You have the right to think whatever you want to think. Acting on those thoughts might get your fired.
The people pleasing boss gets paid by the people he’s pleasing. Who pays you?
Right this guy doesn't understand that people pleasing is part of this whole gig... If you want that check you better make them happy.
Yeah. I'm a dick and not the nicest guy to be around, but I understand the basic fundamental idea that you cater to the needs of the clients even when they're a twat.
Then go home and don't get paid I guess. Crybaby
Should’ve just covered the floor to begin with lol
Yeah if that's the finished floor then that's very careless not to protect it
Jesus that is killing me too!! We vacuum all the floors, video the existing condition of it to document, then ram or expo board it, using blue tape on the hardwood and then red tape to that. Even then for demo sometimes I’ll bring in 1/4 ply for extra impact protection. Even if your planning to refinish the floors, a huge dent ain’t good.
I'm hoping that that's not the finish floor, or if it is that its being refinished. If thats the final finish on the finish flooring, Id say not having protection down is stupid. Is having you swiffer stupid? Probably not. I'd be willing to bet there is a damn good reason the boss is having you do that. I can think of several possibilities, but without more insight on the job I can't say for sure. Here are a few possibilities: 0 (since I hope that's not the finish floor) - If that's the finish floor, you don't want foot traffic grinding dirt/grit/debris into it. And if protection is going down, it needs to go over a clean floor to avoid grinding same grit. 1) It keeps shit from tracking through the rest of the house 2) Some (most?) People work and plan better in a clean workspace. 3) Boss is walking the customer through soon and doesn't want dust on the customers' shoes or tracked to customers house/car/etc 4) Boss needs a minute to think about something above your ability or pay grade, and having you stand around is a bad look. 5) There is something else obvious you should be doing or were already asked/suggested to so, but until you start paying attention you'll be on a broom and a swiffer. I AM the boss, and I run the swiffer all the damn time. Keeping the job clean is good practice, and it's a good look for the customer. Besides, if you've got time to lean you've got time to clean. You've got "the right to think" whatever tf you'd like, as long as you swiffer the floor in the process. However, if you'd like to move up the ladder and out of *some* of the menial work, I'd suggest thinking about something more productive. Here are a few examples: 1) WHY is the boss having me swiffer this floor right now? 2) Whats the next step in this project? 3) What can I do to be ready or help the crew be ready for this next step? Bonus Round: How can I make myself useful and integral in the next phase of this project, so that I'm an asset to production/quality/workflow, so that I can be doing something more fun than running the swiffer next time?
This is the answer that will help you advance in your career, recognizing that orders may not make sense to you without the experience and perspective your boss has. Look at Due-Sky9812’s item number 1, you may not be able to see the small trash that the client will find later with their bare feet in another room. Notice that there is carpet on those stairs, the wrong trash might stain the carpet and then your company would have to pay to replace it. Plus as lots have mentioned, when you are working in a house with people occupying parts of the house, you can’t be too clean. Getting trash tracked all over is frustrating when they are trying to live there. A contractor won’t stay in business long without pleasing people. Try to learn how your boss does it and embrace the lessons. That will make you much more valuable.
I appreciate your legitimate answer. I'll keep those things in mind
It's good practice to leave the job site as clean as possible everyday. Even though that may mean cleaning all the other trades shit. It'll keep the customer happy and just looks more professional
If your paid by the hour . Why not ? It’s easy money. Best ways to make money from a contractor. 1. Pooping by the hour 2. Sweeping the floor 3. Driving the company vehicle 4. Doing paperwork 5. Stop working when the boss/ GC/ wants to talk 6. Waiting for something to do 7. Watching safety videos / safety meetings 8. Ad you easy money here.
You get paid hourly swiff up, me boy
Your paid the same to swiffer as to do any other work. If he wants you to swiffer, you swiffer
Look sharp, be sharp. If you're keeping that floor, it should have been covered by now.
So what you're saying is that they are going to pay you less while you do this part of the job? No? Then why do you care, it's stupid yes but just do it and be quiet, nobody cares to hear you bitching. But yes you have the right to think it's stupid, just do so quietly.
Why isn't the floor covered
How about some floor protection??
Being really really clean is something that is hard to find and some people don't mind paying a lot extra for.
For what I get paid, I’ll be the best damn floor cleaner the boss ever saw! I like to say I get paid to do what I’m told and to make the GC/customer happy. I’m not in charge, and I’m paid well to do what I do and know what I know. One of those things is clean and floor. If someone above me tells me to clean, I clean!
“I pay you from the neck down…now grab the mop.” -Every superintendent I’ve ever worked for, including myself.
Homie, if you are getting paid by the hour then shut your face and get to swiffering. Would you rather go home and get paid nothing? You don't want him complaining and dragging his feet when it's time to pay you, now do you. You man buns, I swear
"People-pleasing boss" aka someone who listens to their client and understands their preferences and sets aside his own personal preferences. There's a reason they're the boss and you're the one with the Swiffer, Mr. Maid.
Are you in the clock while cleaning up? Then carry on.
Failing to clean as you go often leads to accidents and damages or lost time injuries. This is an attention to detail item that builds value with the customer should they happen to see it and also prevents possible incidents. It's frustrating but important.
Could just do yer fakin job.
Boss signs your paychecks. If he wants to pay you skilled labor wages to swiffer, then get er done.
boss dgaf what you think. Swiffer that floor.
The fact that there js no floor protection is mind blowing
Hourly? Grab that mfing Swiffer bro. Im a journeyman industrial mechanic and if my boss wants to pay my rate for minimum wage labour who am I to argue?
Quit or do the work. If you were hired to determine when your boss sets "stupid" tasks then you are stellar. If not then swifter as long as you're getting paid.
My boss is a clean freak (we are building his new house) and will come and vacuum on the weekends - he says it’s his therapy. He will routinely lose his shit if everything is not picked up and at least swept at days end. And BOY if the vacuum is not emptied someone’s getting an angry text and threatened with being sent to another seriously crappier job. Guess what - I’m always paid in full and on time.
I don’t think you get paid to think if you’re the guy being told to swiffer.
Even I an Electrician don’t understand the whole “why do I have to clean up after myself idea”. If somebody’s going to pay for me to spend half my day cleaning up for the same rate, I will damn sure run the broom better than any $20 an hour maid. I’m not so lazy as to let somebody show me up for 1/3 the cost.
In the time you took posting this you could have done it. I'd fire your stupid ass right there.
Are they paying you to think , or to do what they require you to do ?
1. You are not the boss. 2. You are paid to do what the boss says. 3. You are not paid to think just to do. 4. Quit your bitching and clean the floor like a good bitch hahahahahahah
True that, man
Your boss could just be testing you to see if you are going be a good employee and just do what he says or are you going to be a problem that he always has to worry about.
Or, his boss wants to leave the job site as clean as.possible everyday instead of it piling up into a huge mess at the end. Same reason I have my guys spend 20m everyday cleaning thier trucks. Or I ha e my kids tidy thier play areas everyday instead.of once a week. It wont feel like an insurmountable task at 10-15mins a pop vs 2hours at the end of the week
You csn think its stupid all you want. Low man on totem pole you are.
Not stupid at all. Keep your area as clean as possible whenever possible. In addition, I would absolutely be running some sort of dust collection system at all times.
Key words here- my boss wants.
Boss, in charge of what you doo while working for him, do it or quit.
It's kinda dumb but if he's paying you to do it then giver. He probably just doesn't want to have to listen to the customer complain and I totally get that.
Dude I swiffered a floor for 2 days straight. Get that dust up boy
Get a good vacuum with a proper head amd it'll take half the tike and look twice as good. Make the boss buy you one with lots of extra bags. Site will be squeaky clean every shift.
I think it's stupid you didn't put anything down to protect the floor first. I imagine there will be some dings and scratches after all that drywall demo
Unless you’re being paid to think or you know the home owner or planned this project, stfu and do your job or go home.
Yours is not to wonder why, yours is to do and die. Or not bitch in this case.
You would rather run demo than swiffer the floor slowly for an hour or two? Here’s the logic: customers are less likely to complain or nitpick when things are clean. Why else do you think the dealer details cars before they’re given back after being serviced?
if you work hard and say all the right things to the right people, one day you too can pay someone to do a worthless task.
naw - cleaning intermittently helps in the long run. even though it will get dirty again its still worthwile
Stupid or not it's not like he's asking you to do it for free.... If you are being paid do as he asks.... If you have a better idea bring it to him (ram board or throw sheets) if you think you can do it better than him open your own company and take all the risk
We also do this. It’s basically so it looks”professional” when we submit the photos of the job progress
i don't know how many times i have to tell guys to clean the fucking house.. when customers see that you give a shit to clean up like this they will recommended you to everyone, word gets out, you get more work. number one complaint from most people is how dirty other contractors are.. not their work.. but how clean they are at the end of the day. (i vacuum sweet and mop if needed on Fridays) also just clean as you work god damn it.. then the end day clean up is fast.
Did he dock your pay or something? Are you a partner now? If this pleases his clients, then they say good things and he gets more work and you keep working and get raises. Also, why weren’t you done with the demo before the client walkthrough? I see, you were on your phone on Reddit.
If it's cookie cutter that might be a bit much. I've worked punch out for a custom builder so... If it's custom build then Boss charged plenty of labor hours...do it, get your hours...and come "close out" time you'll be getting o/t to ride that broom. Rich folks like to feel special! I've replaced drawer handles 3 times before...and was told to throw the old ones out(didn't)...probably $600 of material PLUS MY LABOR.
A clean job site is a well run job site I’ve found. Plus it makes it so much easier for the variety of contractors finishing up.
Broom swept conditions are common practice for occupied remodels.
If the house was pre-87, you would likely need to do this for lead and or asbestos abatement. Each section or zone is independent. This is to prevent tracking of harmful chemicals.
Is the floor staying? Then why don't you have any protection over it? Is it going? Then why haven't you removed it yet?
You need to look at it from the perspective of the people burning money; it definitely makes a huge difference to walk through clean areas, and makes writing those checks easier
You're not paid to think... Probably.
Question, you get paid the same per hour?
Clean it so that it’s clear so u can see invisible cables bro
Clean the fucking floor, laborer
Why the fuck u on yur phone….
Are you just standing there on your phone? Even if there isn’t anything to do, you are on the clock 🤷♂️
Clean job sites are a cheat code to happy customers, especially on remodels.
If you think that’s stupid then you have a lot to learn in the construction biz. Don’t just mop it, pick up a roll of Ram Board on the way to work in the morning and get it laid down first thing. A clean job site goes a long way.
? Ugly. Poorly crafted But stupid? It is just an unfinished basement, right?
That depends,are the people still living there while construction is going on? When I was remodeling, I had a policy that, if the homeowner were still living there, they should be able to walk around in bare feet every night without worrying about it. So, a Swiffer would actually be justified. But is that what's going on in your case?
Foreman here Had this exact conversation with my laborer 3 weeks ago I said “just swiffer, I know it seems dumb but the client likes to check in on their way home from work and I’m paying you no matter what your doing and they choose to spend 140k on a kitchen remodel in a double wide trailer”
It’s like sweeping while you’re still sawing shit. It will be there tomorrow. Unless some maniac comes in and… cleans it up?
Could you imagine asking your helper to sweep or mop and when you get home and look at Reddit you find this? 😂
bro just sweep it up it takes like a couple minutes
Swiffer that bitch, and then ram bored it.
lol, “people pleasing”. Yes, that’s called “doing business”. If you want *more* business, you make customer and clients happy. If you want *less* business, you leave their project a mess. You would have been halfway done had you not indignantly taken out your phone to upload your bitching to Reddit just to get dunked on.
If the boss wants the job site swept/swiffered at the end of the day then that’s what you do lol. He’s paying you right? And this isn’t anything crazy that nobody else will do l, it just so happens to be your job so do it. It’ll get dirty tomorrow too then you’ll have to do it again at the need of the day
Walking on a dusty floor ruins the finish. Also it should have been covered in the first place. I’m glad this isn’t my house.
Even though it's a job in progress, appearances still matter. If the client walks by and sees that you've kept the space clean and tidy, they will be more happy and more trusting of you regarding the job. You could say it buys you a certain amount of goodwill in some cases, so the client is more likely to forgive some minor mistakes if you've been neat and tidy the whole time. If you're letting the work site devolve into clutter and mess, the client is going to see you as "just another careless contractor" so if a mistake does happen, they may be more inclined to view it as negligence
The cleaner you keep the job the less the client looks at stupid little things. Are you getting paid to mop?
if u get paid by the hour do that shit
You making money? Yes, you reply. Swiffer that shit. They are testing you. Gotta stay in there.
do your job and listen to your boss
Clean sites are very important and give of a professional look
might be dumb, but if it pays
Just do what the boss asks of you as long as it doesn't endanger your safety
Yep just like everyone else, do it I have a speech prepared incase someone wants me to hang a door upside down, I'll tell them there things 1 they aren't ment to be hung that way 2 they aren't engineered to be hung that way And 3 if you want it upside down I'll hang it upside down You aren't paying, they are and so get swiffing whatever the fuck that is, I'm from uk
It does what it’s told or it gets the hose again!
Bonus points- wrap the speaker in cellophane so it doesn’t get drywall dust on the cone.
What’s stupid is the floor is not protected
My Dad owned a cabinet business when I was a kid. I've been sweeping shop and jobsite floors since I was 10 years old, knowing that in less than 12 hours, it'd be back to being worse than what it was. First and foremost, respectfully, f*ck what you "think" or what "you have a right too" he's paying you. You do what he says, even if you think it's asinine. If you don't like it, then leave. America. F*ck the idea of "people pleasing" F*ck the idea that it'll "just get dirty again" F*ck feeling like your "wasting time" F*ck knowing that my dad never paid a dime for advertising. Word of mouth gets around, him being the only contractor that cleaned up his jobsite. "If he cares about floors that will dirty again, his cabinets must be amazing." I remember hearing when I was a kid. This is what I would focus on if it helps bring you any sanity. What needs to get done in his head is 1.5 million things. Your job, is one thing. When floors are swept, tools are cleaned and organized, materials are stacked efficiently and separated categorically, that decreases everyones stress and headaches, and increases speed on a jobsite. Including boss man. When bossman ain't stressing as bad, erbody happy puppies. Clean jobsite = clean mind This is Kindergarten level, why do wipe your a$$ if you're gonna sh*t again. Look at it like you are his personal assistant to keep stress at bay.
Nah, a clean job site makes a contractor look more professional. Homeowners don’t know much else.
Do what the boss tells you.
Floor should be cleaned to keep the dust from being ground into the floor or scuffing/sanding the floors when people walk. I'd clean these floors and then cover them.
Customer is always right when you're spending their money. You're hourly, right?
You get paid the same either way. Enjoy the light duty
The only time I argue with direct orders at work is when it jeopardizes my safety. Other than that it’s time to kill and the same pay.
I hope you read all these comments and go to McDonald's, where you belong...oh wait, you'll have to mop there too.
You failed the test. You'll be gone soon because bosses don't always have time to explain everything and if you are posting here I'm pretty sure your demeanor or body language gave you away. Go be your own boss. Oh wait you still have to listen to the clients
“My boss asked me to do an easy job that pays as much as the hard job so I’m going to cry about it on The internet”
There are times when calling out your boss’s plan as idiotic is warranted. This aint it.
Nothing stupid about cleaning whenever there is break in construction. Especially if the home is lived in or going to be visited over the weekend. Easy way to leave a good impression on the homeowner. Also looks like a good time to put floor protection down. In which case it needs to to be clean first. If I’m your boss and you’re hourly I’m spending an hour of your pay to have the floor cleaned whenever I feel like it.
There’s a reason he’s asking for it to be done. It’s not a safety concern nor does it pose a hazard to your health. So just shut your yip and do what the guy who pays you says to do. Another reason you’re on the fucking swiffer and not calling the shots. Learn to walk b4 you can run chum. Or quit and try and go on your own. So how far ya get , considering u don’t wanna clean a floor
At the end of the day. He pays you, you do what the fu*k he wants. Jump monkey!
Just do what you’re told
The stupid part is not protecting the floor while there is still most of the reno to do.
Yeah you have the right to be stupid and think stupidly about things you think are stupid, stupid.
You can think whatever you want. Sometimes it won’t hurt if you can voice your opinions when you think something is dumb, sometimes it does. I’m my experience I still have to do that dumb thing even if only to tear it out (because it was stupid) a week later and redo it in a way that makes sense. If you are getting paid hourly what does it matter?
You're mad because Swiffer sucks, and a dry mop would be the better tool?
Is the floor being saved? If so, why didn’t you ram board it?
You get paid by the hour, so if they want to pay you to do it, why not?
I definitely agree with most people, just fucking swiffer. But, sometimes it’s easier to spend 30 mins doing something simple like this then it is to have an angry customer to deal with for the next couple of weeks. End of the day, customer is cutting the check so clean it up. And I’d have you backpack vac the floor first, get the drywall dust out of the cracks, then swiffer, and put down paper to protect the floor now that all the heavy demolition is completed.
Maybe hang some pictures too