# Residential sucks



## Deep Cover (Dec 8, 2012)




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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

The problem is "commercial" electricians are just weenies.


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## xlink (Mar 12, 2012)

TOOL_5150 said:


> The problem is "commercial" electricians are just weenies.


Aww. I give out complements and you return insults. What I didn't say was that I wired the house with 500 mcm. I'll bet you've never done that. :whistling2:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

xlink said:


> Aww. I give out complements and you return insults. What I didn't say was that I wired the house with 500 mcm. I'll bet you've never done that. :whistling2:


You canooks must have some weird receptacles that can take 500s here the standard ones only allow up to #10awg


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## xlink (Mar 12, 2012)

TOOL_5150 said:


> You canooks must have some weird receptacles that can take 500s here the standard ones only allow up to #10awg


Trim off the extra strands. You resi guys have to be told everything.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

xlink said:


> Trim off the extra strands. You resi guys have to be told everything.


We dont hack it like you guys do. Id use polaris connectors.


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## xlink (Mar 12, 2012)

I use 500 mcm with the extra strands removed at factory.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

xlink said:


> I use 500 mcm with the extra strands removed at factory.


do you oversize your boxes, or do you use carlon blues?


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## xlink (Mar 12, 2012)

TOOL_5150 said:


> do you oversize your boxes, or do you use carlon blues?


They are grey but I've seen yellow. Remember, I'm in Canada, eh. Colors are different here.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

xlink said:


> They are grey but I've seen yellow. Remember, I'm in Canada, eh. Colors are different here.


Do canada colors convert to united states colors?


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## Peewee0413 (Oct 18, 2012)

Ever have to carry a stick if 4" rigid up 3 flights of stairs? How bout pull 900 ft of 750 armored through cable tray? Stop crying...Industrial is hard..


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Peewee0413 said:


> Ever have to carry a stick if 4" rigid up 3 flights of stairs? How bout pull 900 ft of 750 armored through cable tray? Stop crying...Industrial is hard..


no, and i dont desire to, thanks.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

xlink said:


> I hate residential. I hate residential. I hate residential. Anyone who says commercial or industrial are harder than residential either has never tried it or couldn't make money at it.
> 
> My back hurts, my legs ache, my fingers are bleeding and I have to go back tomorrow. The general supplied an apprentice and without him I'd still be there. He cleaned up and carried everything out to my truck, including me.
> 
> ...


Thank you for at least acknowledging that resi work is not all new homes and open spaces. 

I do a lot of commercial work, mostly service at this point, but the bulk of my work is resi. It is NOT a easy as most commercial/industrial guys make fun of. 
Dealing with the customer is another matter entirely. THAT is something I have realized most commercial/industrial guys simply CANNOT handle.


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## jett95 (Sep 18, 2012)




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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

xlink said:


> My back hurts, my legs ache, my fingers are bleeding


 

Probably just a yeast infection.:jester:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

This is a microcosm of why all my commercial guys trying residential don't last.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

xlink said:


> Aww. I give out complements and you return insults. What I didn't say was that I wired the house with 500 mcm. I'll bet you've never done that. :whistling2:



Why are you using such teeny tiny wire?


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## Deep Cover (Dec 8, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Why are you using such teeny tiny wire?


It's a small house, very little voltage drop.


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## 100wattskunk (Mar 13, 2013)

I have only done one commercial job so far. And I mostly hated it.....mostly....


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## 100wattskunk (Mar 13, 2013)

100wattskunk said:


> I have only done one commercial job so far. And I mostly hated it.....mostly....


Residential is "the ****"....You make good money and don't have to deal w/ all the bs stress that goes w/ commercial work


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I like resi. You can make nice money and not break your back.
its wayyyyyy better than humping 2 inch ridged pipe up and down catwalks or wiring 1000 lights.....
I think doing work in old homes without making a fool out of yourself or pissing off the customer is hard to do and make money at it. 
Its all what you like i guess.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Until I went into business for myself, I was a 100% commercial electrician. Since then its been back and forth between resi and commercial, with the vast majority of it resi.

Doing residential ALL DAY EVERY DAY will burn me out, but so will running pipe for months and months at a time. I would like to do commercial as the majority of my work, and then resi here and there. Heck, even half and half would be great, as long as its not always the same thing. Variety keeps things challenging, and IMO make you a very well rounded electrician.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I don't limit myself. I can screw up any kind of work, doesn't matter.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Variety is key for me. But I do find residential service frustrating because I hate moving furniture, I hate attic insulation, and it's very easy for me to reach a point where I don't want to hear the customer speak words anymore.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Here is one thing residential gets you that commercial work never will.. but only for the boss... 

I know all you guys who get paid in cash run to the bank like Scott does.. :laughing:

Nothing makes the pain go away faster having a bulge in your shirt pocket.. :thumbup:


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

I don't mind Resi service work, but I have two large new construction and remodel Resi jobs in progress, and I hate it too !!! 

Running a lot of conduit day after day sucks, and the noise, hot temperatures, and toxic air/ radiation, and high voltages that come with industrial are not that appealing either. Where I worked the whole place was covered in black dust from the conveyor belts, which we were breathing in along with Jet exhaust, and exhaust from all the other trucks burning propane etc. 

It all sucks !!


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

B4T said:


> Here is one thing residential gets you that commercial work never will.. but only for the boss...
> 
> I know all you guys who get paid in cash run to the bank like Scott does.. :laughing:


First, if you're making so much money why do you drive a 10 year old van with nothing in it? :confused1: 

Second, I showed you the deposit slip. :thumbup:

Third, here's a new one just for you. The envelope of cash, $6k, received from a job yesterday, the deposit slip from today. Every dollar was deposited and properly recorded. I may be a lot of things, tax cheat isn't one. :laughing:


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

electricmanscott said:


> . The envelope of cash, $6k, received from a job yesterday


 

Who pays 6 grand in cash?


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Me looking into a GE MCC the other day. Don't really know what this does but I see the problem... Money to be made in all facets of this trade. Yes my hands bleed and my back hurts. Fix the pumps for the cooling tower or replace a GFI its all good.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

electricmanscott said:


> Every dollar was deposited and properly recorded. I may be a lot of things, tax cheat isn't one. :laughing:


Shockdoc will not be able to wrap his head around that, you are just a dumb Sheeple. :laughing:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

You really need to learn to size pictures correctly ! Your screwing up the conTInuum


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

electricmanscott said:


> First, if you're making so much money why do you drive a 10 year old van with nothing in it? :confused1:


Because the truck still look great.. runs good... and fits my needs.. :thumbsup:

But I did run into some mechanical problems this week.. 

Truck is only empty when I have to deliver a generator or use a Ditchwitch..


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

BBQ said:


> Shockdoc will not be able to wrap his head around that, you are just a dumb Sheeple. :laughing:


I know right! I've been down the audit road before. Not fun. :no:


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Cletis said:


> You really need to learn to size pictures correctly ! Your screwing up the con*TI*nuum


Who me? They look fine on my computer. Is the TI capitalized because you are using this....


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

How many more months do I have to work for the man?


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I only use reverse wound 500's in resi. Seems to save a ton of hassle.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

electricmanscott said:


> I know right! I've been down the audit road before. Not fun. :no:



Did you have to make a deal and pay back with penalty and interest ?


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

dronai said:


> Did you have to make a deal and pay back with penalty and interest ?


Negative. Everything was fine. But it was months of hell to get there.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I agree Dronai..... I used to enjoy resi remodles but the last few i did were pretty brutal...nothing worse than working for a crappy gc...


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## xlink (Mar 12, 2012)

Peewee0413 said:


> Ever have to carry a stick if 4" rigid up 3 flights of stairs? How bout pull 900 ft of 750 armored through cable tray? Stop crying...Industrial is hard..


Yes, I have. 110 lbs per stick, I think, but the old stuff felt more like 120 lbs. It is a little awkward spinning a pipe with a 90 into a coupling.

Pulling 750 isn't hard when you have a boom truck or crane, a tugger, a feeder, reel jacks and a crew to help. It isn't like you have to do it all alone. I once pulled 1250 into a conduit - well, sort of. The cat did most of the pulling and someone else put the lube on the wire. But, I was there on the pulling crew so it counts.

The hard part of residential isn't lifting the little rolls of wire. It's that, except for the panel, nothing takes more than 5 minutes. Up and down stairs and ladders. Kneeling beside plugs. Walking around a muddy foundation. Climbing over frozen piles of gravel in the basement. Never standing still for more than a couple minutes.

It's like terminating a plc while walking on a stair machine with the roof leaking. It isn't exactly the same because the drawings are wet.

Who thought up the idea of pot lights on a second floor eave? Do burnt out bulbs ever get changed?


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## xlink (Mar 12, 2012)

TOOL_5150 said:


> Do canada colors convert to united states colors?


Not directly by you can pick up what's going on by the conversation. You say color and I say colour but I can tell that you meant colour.


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## JohnR (Apr 12, 2010)

Awg-Dawg said:


> Who pays 6 grand in cash?


Yeah, I'd like to know too. :thumbsup:


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

captkirk said:


> ..nothing worse than working for a crappy gc...


Got that right!!


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## Auselect (Dec 2, 2011)

MHElectric said:


> Until I went into business for myself, I was a 100% commercial electrician. Since then its been back and forth between resi and commercial, with the vast majority of it resi.
> 
> Doing residential ALL DAY EVERY DAY will burn me out, but so will running pipe for months and months at a time. I would like to do commercial as the majority of my work, and then resi here and there. Heck, even half and half would be great, as long as its not always the same thing. Variety keeps things challenging, and IMO make you a very well rounded electrician.


Couldn't agree more....


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Awg-Dawg said:


> Who pays 6 grand in cash?


One jobsite I did get pay over 7K Euros in cash ( all in 500 Euros )










I am not too super crazy to deal that large a batch of Euros for safety reason.

Merci,
Marc


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

xlink said:


> Who thought up the idea of pot lights on a second floor eave? Do burnt out bulbs ever get changed?


Put in LED's. Time it with the siding guys to use their scaffold.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

electricmanscott said:


> First, if you're making so much money why do you drive a 10 year old van with nothing in it? :confused1:
> 
> Second, I showed you the deposit slip. :thumbup:
> 
> Third, here's a new one just for you. The envelope of cash, $6k, received from a job yesterday, the deposit slip from today. Every dollar was deposited and properly recorded. I may be a lot of things, tax cheat isn't one. :laughing:


Not much room for error in that checking account. Started with $0.00 balance.


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## xlink (Mar 12, 2012)

99cents said:


> Put in LED's. Time it with the siding guys to use their scaffold.


LEDs would ruin the joke.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

xlink said:


> LEDs would ruin the joke.


Yeah, you're right


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

bobelectric said:


> Not much room for error in that checking account. Started with $0.00 balance.


:laughing: No, that just shows the amount of the deposit available now. Since it was cash it was all available immediately. 

The people that paid cash are a religious group. They're friends of mine and are total opposites of what I am. I'm more open minded than you bastards would think. :thumbup: They live a pretty simple life. They take in wayward catholic wanderers and commit random acts of civil unrest all over the globe in the name of various causes.


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

electricmanscott said:


> Third, here's a new one just for you. The envelope of cash, $6k, received from a job yesterday, the deposit slip from today. Every dollar was deposited and properly recorded. I may be a lot of things, tax cheat isn't one. :laughing:


Scott, thanks for being a knuckle head. Our government appreciates it greatly.

Next time PM me when you want to do something stupid like this again. For a small fee, say $500, I'll consult you on how to keep $5500 out of our governments hand, and how you'll enjoy a nice paid vacation.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

I likes giving away 30%-40% it makes me feel patriotic


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## usair1 (Mar 31, 2013)

dronai said:


> He likes giving away 30%-40% Besides that church "earns" that money tax free


 Maybe he runs an ethical business.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

usair1 said:


> Maybe he runs an ethical business.


Is our government and politicians ethical ?


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

dronai said:


> He likes giving away 30%-40% Besides that church "earns" that money tax free


Yeah, I just don't understand that move very much.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Dnkldorf said:


> Yeah, I just don't understand that move very much.


He has integrity, now I know that is an odd thing to have these days but that makes him someone to respect in my mind. I would also have no problem hiring a guy like that to work in my home. 

The fact that others, including the Govt. have little or no integrity is not a reason to compromise my own.

In my early 20s I did not pay taxes, at some point I grew up, got a tax lawyer, approached the IRS and settled my debts with them. One more reason I can respect myself.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

electricmanscott said:


> :laughing: They take in wayward catholic wanderers and commit random acts of civil unrest all over the globe in the name of various causes.


do they have a bar?


~CS~


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

xlink said:


> Aww. I give out complements and you return insults. What I didn't say was that I wired the house with 500 mcm. I'll bet you've never done that. :whistling2:


Cu. or Al.? 

What size pipe do use between 3-ways? :laughing:


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

BBQ said:


> In my early 20s I did not pay taxes, at some point I grew up, got a tax lawyer, approached the IRS and settled my debts with them. One more reason I can respect myself.


Wait... give me a few minutes to get dressed.. :laughing:


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## Fredman (Dec 2, 2008)

B4T said:


> Wait... give me a few minutes to get dressed.. :laughing:


Muddy buried box hunt? :jester:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

B4T said:


> Wait... give me a few minutes to get dressed.. :laughing:


I may be a Godless heathen but I do have standards. :thumbsup:

What I said I did was the truth.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I agree its not worth getting busted to make a few bucks. In the long run you better off doing it the right way. When people ask me if i want cash i usually say a check is fine. Mainly because i know they are looking for a discount and i dont want to give it to them. My price is my price....


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Best thread ever!! Getting ridiculed for being honest and operating with integrity. :thumbup:


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

electricmanscott said:


> Best thread ever!! Getting ridiculed for being honest and operating with integrity. :thumbup:


 
...its your over the top arrogance......attracts the haters.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

stuiec said:


> ...its your over the top arrogance......attracts the haters.


:thumbup:


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## usair1 (Mar 31, 2013)

dronai said:


> Is our government and politicians ethical ?


 Some politicans are some are not it does not mean that we should break the law.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

usair1 said:


> Some politicans are some are not it does not mean that we should break the law.


It also doesn't mean we should be a mindless drone and just cut a check for 40% of what we make every year so they can piss it away on pet projects...


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

B4T said:


> It also doesn't mean we should be a mindless drone and just cut a check for 40% of what we make every year so they can piss it away on pet projects...


I'm disgusted just as much as you are. I'm writing one for $13k tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I could find a better use for that money than the pukes that get it will. 

It's April 14 today and we STILL are working soley to pay or taxes. We have yet to pass the point where we have satisfied our obligation and actually get to keep our money. It's sickening.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I f'd up and had to pay up another $7k because my accounting sucks. I'd bet you'd agree though, tomorrow you'd still want to get up and run your own show.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

And to think about the wealthy that pay less in taxes than the rest of us do.


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## usair1 (Mar 31, 2013)

B4T said:


> It also doesn't mean we should be a mindless drone and just cut a check for 40% of what we make every year so they can piss it away on pet projects...


 vote, it is that simple or get out annd work for a candidate you like paying your taxes and not being a tax cheat does not make one a mindless drone. Taxes also pay for the care of wounded vets.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

usair1 said:


> vote, it is that simple or get out annd work for a candidate you like paying your taxes and not being a tax cheat does not make one a mindless drone. Taxes also pay for the care of wounded vets.


In case you haven't noticed.. it's 2013 and the system is still rigged toward the big companies that can afford a Washington lobby group to stroke the politicians that pass laws in their favor....

When Washington outlaws lobbyist groups from the "practice".. I will change my views... :thumbsup:


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## usair1 (Mar 31, 2013)

B4T said:


> In case you haven't noticed.. it's 2013 and the system is still rigged toward the big companies that can afford a Washington lobby group to stroke the politicians that pass laws in their favor....
> 
> When Washington outlaws lobbyist groups from the "practice".. I will change my views... :thumbsup:


 well a tax cheat is a cheat. I dont like everything that happens in the beltway but that is not an excuse to be a tax cheat ,at least to me.


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