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Subcontractors

Keystone

SAWHORSE
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
1,273
Location
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Anyone else noticing an increase in residential contractors subing the work out?

Seeing what were reputable companies now using popup subcontractors.

Yesturday - call from resident, guys working and don't see permit in window

Go out and attempt to talk to someone that can understand and relay English

No-one wants to understand until you tell them to get off the roof this job is stopped

Suddenly one worker pulls out his trusty I-Phone and hands the phone over

These are my subs, sorry they didn't pull permit

Are you kidding me, your responsible oh and by the way, no work until approved permit

Shows up 15 minutes later and we travel down to the office

Due to constant finding in muncipality and others as well , recommending council incorporate a stupidity fee in addition to cost of permit. Time is money!!!

If nothing else atleast its job security.
 
Subcontractors provide more cash flow flexibility than employees - Let's hope it's not the first sign of a recession or a slow down in construction.
 
Actually, I have noticed that general contractors are doing more of the work as opposed to letting the work out to subcontractors. They are trying to keep their crew working and hold onto the profit a sub would make. Unfortunately it backfires on them on occasion. Framers don't have experience with electrical, mechanical etc. and they will make fatal mistakes that end up costing twice what a sub would have charged.
 
I have noticed over the past seven or eight years that the framers are subing out more parts of the framing.

Back in the late 70's early 80's I starting subing out the roof decking. Now I see a crew framing walls, a cornice crew and then a crew to deck the roof.
 
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