Stay Calm

For many of my clients I am the only one who been through the building or purchasing many times.  These are stressful times for the clients and well-meaning people sometimes give poor advice. Take a moment before answering and plan out what you wish to convey. Do not get excited and act like you have never done this before. Yes, I know that every project presents us with things to learn. But these things aren’t completely new the way we approach them or the way we understand them present the newness.

The other thing is technology is changing and we need to roll along with it and try new methods from time to time, but that again doesn’t mean that the situation we’re in is new. Earlier this week a project I am in charge of passed inspection and was okayed for pouring the concrete slab. The plans gave the option to do a monolithic pour or a two-stage process which called for doweling and longer anchor bolts. I choose the monolithic pour. The inspector had a few questions but we looked at the plans and the project was cleared for the concrete. However, I did not have a sub who was willing to come and finish the concrete. The homeowner was getting nervous and was being to ask questions. I showed him the signed off job card, and told him of a few plans I had on getting a finisher but then said I have finished concrete in the past we’ll get through it.

I checked the weather for the week and decided to pour on Friday it was going to stay cooler most of the day with only a few hours in the mid-90s.  Thursday, I received would the finishers would come and a price was agreed upon.

Friday came and at 6:30 I was at the job site preparing for the pumper and the concrete which was arriving at 7:00.

I had my trailer moved and the site cleared of obstacles, the pump was sat up and ready for the concrete truck a little early but when the truck came, I had no finisher. I explained to the homeowner what I was going to pour the project and told him the method and strategy I would be using. On time we started pumping concrete into the trenches. The first load filled about 2/3 of the trenches. One finisher arrived and said the other wasn’t coming. I explained what I was going he asked a few questions and we prepared ourselves for the next truck which should have arrived in 25 minutes because I asked for 45 minutes between trucks and the pumper pumped out in 20 minutes. WE pinned the midpoint of the pour and was prepared to screed. The trenches were being vibrated as the concrete was pumped. After the pumping I began to bull float the concrete. The finisher began to Fresno behind me. When the look appeared ready, I edged the concrete and troweled the borders. The home owner was relaxed and happy to see the concrete in place. He then asked when I’d start thew next phase. I told him in about a week because I don’t like working or standing wall on green concrete. He told me he knew people whop had a contractor who started framing in two days. I told him what I would be doing the next two days and that I believed in the slow curing process. I know of people who rush through to get to the next payday also but I was more interested in doing the best I could. Each day I showed up and he talked with me. Each day I assured him we were on schedule.

Today he told me he gets a little excited and then nervous sometimes because he’s never built a house before. I assured him that I have built a few in my 40 years in construction. I know of some contractors who get upset and talk roughly with the owners, that just seems to create unneeded tension. I know some who fail to say anything. I know other who say to much. My advice is to stay calm and explain what you are doing and allow them to watch you do the job. Talk with them and guide them through the process, we have gone through these steps before and we know how to get past the obstacles they do not. Help them find the understanding. Sometimes I think some tradesmen don’t teach others about their trades because they don’t know it well enough, or perhaps they fear the person they teach will take work from them. I take the time to explain and guide my clients through the process and I believe that word of mouth from satisfied clients is the best advertisement I pay for.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He’s a member of the CRMLS and The East Valley Association of Realtors located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.