# Resi-Guy turned commercial...



## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

just turned A card commercial too, why was it hard?


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

What sort of work they got you doing?


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

see the grass isn't greener on the other side !


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> What sort of work they got you doing?


If it's his first week on a comm. job, I'll bet he's shagging down material from the trailer and is also the official coffee and doughnut fetcher.:laughing:


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## Resiguy (Dec 5, 2007)

It's a tennant buildout...a heart transplant treatment center/hospital. We're behind as well so, the celing grids are going up around me as I'm trying to work.
Now if I only had a clue to what I was doing and how to go about it I'd be much less stressed about it.
I've been off of work since May of '08 and for the last three years before that I was a "trim guy". I didn't bend any pipe. Plus it was all residential. My body is waaay out of shape from being off for so long which just adds to the frustration...my calf muscles are killing me from all the ups and downs 10 and 12 foot ladders. 
Now I'm having to catch up on my skills, physical abilites and at the same time try and figure out how things are generally done in the commercial setting. To top it off my boss is from Poland and I can't understand half of what he says except for that I'm a [email protected]!her f%c&er! for not understanding his instructions.


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

commercial work is just bigger pipe , not that hard!


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## Resiguy (Dec 5, 2007)

480sparky said:


> If it's his first week on a comm. job, I'll bet he's shagging down material from the trailer and is also the official coffee and doughnut fetcher.:laughing:


Actually not true. I'm a Journeyman at full scale, we have three apprentices that take care of the "bitch" work. I've got 11 years under my belt union residential. Was with one contractor for 8 years.

I upgraded my classification this past summer without any on the job experience. Contractors weren't taking "pending education" guys which makes it even tougher.


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## Resiguy (Dec 5, 2007)

sparks134 said:


> commercial work is just bigger pipe , not that hard!


I keep hearing that. yet I don't see it that way.


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

installing pipe is not bitch work!


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Resiguy said:


> I keep hearing that. yet I don't see it that way.


I think what you don't 'see' is that the larger the pipe, the fewer linear feet that gets installed per hour. You can't run 4" at the same rate your install ½" or ¾".


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## Resiguy (Dec 5, 2007)

sparks134 said:


> installing pipe is not bitch work!


 
I never said that. I was refering to this statment...


Originally Posted by *480sparky*  
_"If it's his first week on a comm. job, I'll bet he's shagging down material from the trailer and is also the official coffee and doughnut fetcher"._


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

oh :thumbsupk!


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## Resiguy (Dec 5, 2007)

480sparky said:


> I think what you don't 'see' is that the larger the pipe, the fewer linear feet that gets installed per hour. You can't run 4" at the same rate your install ½" or ¾".


 

I agree but I'm also talking about the way things are generally laid out and done altogether. And the mass material...I never used beam clamps, cut or hung strut, batwings, mini's, threaded rod or ever been on a lift. Not to mention I've never been around more than 220V single phase.


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

you just have to be precise! i like it better!


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## oldschool (Aug 2, 2008)

Resiguy said:


> ...first week on a commercial job and man it's been quite painful. My body and my brain hurts. Kudos to the veterans.


i know exactly what you mean

worked last week at a hospital doing patient room renovations

my knees were killing me from all the walking and up and down ladders all day. Felt like a puss by friday.

I did this type of work my first 10 years in the trade and it didnt bother me a bit

must be just out of shape or getting old

residential service is so much easier on the bones


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Are there guys who do ONLY resi or ONLY commercial?

I would guess this is a big company/union kind of thing?


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

yes! r- card and a- card


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

sparks134 said:


> yes! r- card and a- card


OOO-K. :001_huh:
What does that mean to someone from NY?


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

I started in commercial, tried the residential and hated it, and am back to commercial again.


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

r-card = residential
A-card = commercial
c -card= communication


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I've got a library card and a voter registration card. Do they count for anything?


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

sure, if you want to come to chicago and be unemployed, smart guy:no:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

sparks134 said:


> sure, if you want to come to chicago and be unemployed, smart guy:no:



Marc is very smart but he is also a jerk. :yes:


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Sounds about right. A citizen with a right to vote, and can read in English, would be unemployed in Chicago.:laughing:


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

I did high rise res. for the first couple of years and was about to leave the trade.
Com/Ind saved my Career.


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

I only did large commercial work for 20+ years before going to the dark side.
Now I inspect commercial projects :detective:


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

Just remember, if you're in a hospital, the circuits are most likely dedicated neuts after the 2008 code change. Hospitals don't like it when one circuit trips and takes two more with it. Don't put wire in a pipe where the med gas pipe right next to it has yet to be brazed.
Sounds like you screwed the pooch Bud. :thumbup:


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## Resiguy (Dec 5, 2007)

Laid me off after two weeks. Guess he didn't like the way I looked or I was just that bad. Rest of the crew thought I did fine for my first commercial job.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

Resiguy said:


> Laid me off after two weeks. Guess he didn't like the way I looked or I was just that bad. Rest of the crew thought I did fine for my first commercial job.


That sucks.

What reason did he give you?


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

Aw, that blows.

Yeah, did he say why?


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Peter D said:


> Marc is very smart but he is also a jerk. :yes:


I take that back. Marc is not a jerk. He is just a woman in men's skin. :laughing:


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## Resiguy (Dec 5, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> That sucks.
> 
> What reason did he give you?


He never gave me a reason.


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