/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.1809039]

How are my fellow tradie anons holding up right now? Specifically you techs out there in Hvac, instrumentation, controls, etc. I hear it's a bloodbath out there and a lot of contractors are laying off people, hopefully you guise are doing alright!

t. based retard and electrician

[Anonymous No.1809100]

>got hired 2 years ago as an apprentice through the union program
>the rona hit
>everything slowed up
>all the other crews at the shop are magically still able to do electrical work/get put on jobs
>my journeyman and I are pouring and finishing around 150 yards of concrete (guesstimation) so the owner of the shop can keep the money from his (((small business stimulus loan)))
>basically working out in the hot sun 40h/wk for $370/wk wondering why I still show up to work sober when there’s people who get paid MORE to draw unemployment or “work” from home; I’m not learning shit as it is so what the fuck is the point the program doesn’t care about us anymore they just want us to keep paying our dues and pretend to do class on zoom so they can keep getting their money from NECA
>everyone I know who is working from home gives me the “oh sweetie you should be grateful you still have a job right now oh mmhmm” line of bullshit while they get paid to sit at home all day and stare into a computer screen

[Anonymous No.1809110]

Work in a super undesirable shit labor type construction type shit. Usually pretty recession proof but we still laid off 10 or so people out of say 40 to 50 ish people. I'm thankful I'll be able to stay here and pay my rent for a bit but I was planning on leaving and trying to get into some union shit. Obviously thats not happening anytime soon.

[Anonymous No.1809130]

>>1809039
>tfw self employed informally in 3rd world country
>The square were i have my stall is closed
>even if i wanted to work from home most of the phone and computer parts that i buy are from chinks
>get a small job as an electrician just for corona chan
>make half of what i used to do
>most of the electric boxes are either on the roof or infront of the house in the street
>ITS FUCKING H O T
>People look at me suspicously, despite the fact that i wear a mask and they dont
>My boss thinks hes better than all of us despite the fact hes almost mentally retarded
I want my life back

[Anonymous No.1809134]

>>1809039
I just recently started out on my own. There are a lot of apps that I use as a parachute in the gig economy. I've had to turn off all my new leads because my customers have me over booked for the next month. It feels like I'm one of the few busting ass at the hardware stores while a bunch of others are just browsing around.

[Anonymous No.1809136]

>>1809134
Nice humblebrag, Chad.

[Anonymous No.1809145]

>>1809039
stonemason here, still getting work at the moment but boss says not many people calling. although I have a feeling it won't be so bad for us as we generally do high end homes, those people won't necessarily be affected by the shutdown and will hopefully still want stone.

[Anonymous No.1809148]

>>1809136
Sorry m8, good luck out there. The crazier the time, the more my work seems to spike. I noticed this around the holidays last year.

The guys in unions, getting educated, or grinding through the apprenticeships are doing it right. It seems like there's zero upwards mobility otherwise.

[Anonymous No.1809150]

>>1809148
>The guys in unions, getting educated, or grinding through the apprenticeships are doing it right. It seems like there's zero upwards mobility otherwise.
Nigger I’m not getting any fucking mobility. I’m supposed to be learning how to do electrical work and all I’m learning how to do is fucking dig, shovel concrete into forms, and work a bull float. I make $9.25/hr after taxes. I won’t get full journeyman pay until 3 years from now. And that’s IF I pass the licensing exam. If I wasn’t such a coward I’d drive into oncoming traffic on the highway by now.

My local is a shitshow run by selfish sociopaths and cokeheads who care more about appeasing the contractors than looking out for its members. I have no loyalty to my union or my contractor anymore because why should I respect people who don’t respect me

[Anonymous No.1809153]

>>1809150
Everyone says 'begum electrician' but honestly it's such a boring soul crushing job.

[Anonymous No.1809156]

>>1809039
Plumbing apprentice here.
Working just as much as ever, overtime every week.
It will be interesting once "investors" cant sell and recoup losses and wont buy and renovate again, but for projects already going, their is too much sunk cost already so work is good.
The question is will people be starting more renovations once this virus thing cools down

[Anonymous No.1809158]

>>1809153
I wouldn’t mind being the gopher and the wire pulling bitch compared to doing fucking slab work all goddamn day for the next two months.

I literally would rather be hauling 1000’ spools of #8 wire than digging up the entire fucking half of one side of the shop yard to pour in and finish/trowel concrete I swear to god I hope I get this fucking coronavirus I don’t even wear a mask anymore when I go to the gas station just praying I catch this fucking memedisease so I can finally get a goddamn break from this meaningless infinite repetitive grind of suffering and lowered expectations

[Anonymous No.1809273]

>>1809150
>because why should i respect people who dont respect me
i hear this a lot. They who apparently owe you respect probably say the same thing.

[Anonymous No.1809288]

Electrician in underground coal mines here. Rona hadn't affected us at all until this week when I was told to cancel a hire agreement for some HV reticulation cables. Found out that the company I work for is having trouble selling it's coal. Our primary customers are steel mills in Korea and China. Hoping we have the funds to ride this out.

[Anonymous No.1809329]

>>1809158
Shop work is a part of shit times you stupid nigger.

[Anonymous No.1809334]

>>1809273
So I should blindly respect people who don’t respect me? I never said they owe me respect, but respect is earned, isn’t that how the old boomer saying goes :^)

>>1809329
And my journeyman and I are the only ones who ever do it you seething greedy kike

[Anonymous No.1809344]

Tile setter apprentice. Our training got cut short by a week. All construction was shit down. Sitting here collecting more on unemployment+fed money than I would working. Still would rather work

[Anonymous No.1809354]

>>1809039
HVAC controls is going to get real interesting here soon. with all the new corona regulations they are coming up with here in seattle. they want specific air changes for buildings and disinfection like UV or other radiation plus building purge etc. with all the different brands and vintages of controls i work on this will become lucrative. i work on controls that are still DOS based and you need a telnet client to access. these will now need to be upgraded or replaced, YAY $$$$

[Anonymous No.1809362]

>>1809334
Ah... So you're the guy that has everything worked out in his head, every little thing is calculated to totally fuck you and only you, and until you're doing exactly what you think you should be, and making the $/hr that you think you're worth, you won't be happy. I've got a mindfuck here for you Anon: you will literally never be happy. Period. And it's not everyone else like you think it is, it's you. Enjoy your shitty life of blaming the rest of the world for your own problems until you die. Now whatever you do, don't try and change your outlook, come back with some reason this can't be true.

[Anonymous No.1809386]

>>1809039
Tin knocker/welder here. Got laid off in march, got trudobux, going back to work in two weeks with salary mostly paid through subsidies.
This could either be fine or absolute shit depending on if and how the market recovers.

[Anonymous No.1809387]

>>1809354
this
ex-HVAC tech here, moved into property management. ashrae has published new best practices for IAQ with respect to covid and other airborn infectious disease. everyones budget for this type of stuff just got a big boost.

we are currently being told to run as much fresh air as possible while maintaining a workable temperature. as some places are getting ready to open back up, they want a 24-48hr purge before that

personally, i think its pretty much a bunch of bullshit. everyone should already be bringing in as much fresh air as possible, especially in office buildings. and doing this isnt going to do shit for covid. still good money though.

[Anonymous No.1809586]

>>1809150
>Nigger I’m not getting any fucking mobility. I’m supposed to be learning how to do electrical work and all I’m learning how to do is fucking dig, shovel concrete into forms, and work a bull float. I make $9.25/hr after taxes.

I started off making $10/hr first year then by my 4th year was at $14/hr, now I'm at $18.50/hr after being in the trade for 7+ years but then again I'm stuck in high end residential electrical, plan on getting into doing hvac this summer and starting the robotics/industrial automation program at my local college this fall.

[Anonymous No.1809588]

>>1809158
>I wouldn’t mind being the gopher and the wire pulling bitch compared to doing fucking slab work all goddamn day for the next two months.

Don't feel so bad I'm the guy who pretty much does all the concrete work and chips in Jew-boxes for sconce lights and outside outlets because nobody seems to do em properly cuz the trades are inundated with retards.

[Anonymous No.1809590]

>>1809329
>Shop work is a part of shit times you stupid nigger.

I did shop work and ran material my first and second year as an apprentice, sometimes I wish I could still drive around fucking off all day lol.

[Anonymous No.1809743]

>>1809362

>hurr just make your boss richer

you have to suffer in life but you dont have to take it like a complete bitch

[Anonymous No.1809758]

>>1809354
How did you get into controls? Turning wrenches isn’t getting me past 50

[Anonymous No.1809775]

>>1809758
>How did you get into controls? Turning wrenches isn’t getting me past 50

I'd have to guess HVAC anon probably started off in doing commercial or working on chillers and was lucky enough to work for someone who paid for his certs/training.

[Anonymous No.1809991]

>>1809743
>hurr just make your boss richer

Yes, dumbass, that's why you got hired.
Do you really not know how this works? A guy took a risk, started a business, looked up and said, "I can make more money if I hire someone to do the shit that I can't get to." That's you. If you want to be that guy, then you take the risk and start your own business. Please come back with all the reasons that you can't do that now and prove my point about you always being unhappy.

[[e-mail] No.1810197]

picture= big mood

[Anonymous No.1810580]

>>1809100
I'm a contractor and the PPP loan I was approved for covered 100% of last year's payroll for a month and a half. Either your local is dicking you around or your boss was doing some shady shit and his bank didn't want to cover for him. They went through all of my financials during the approval process. Also I'd like to know where in this fucking country a union apprentice is getting paid $370 a week. I have to call bullshit.

[Anonymous No.1810658]

PC, Phone, Device Repair Tech Anon Here. First 2 weeks,hours half'd, Managers off salary, 1 of 2 remote techs basically bails;1 extra dollar on checks after 3weeks. First week was SLOW, we've pick'd up a LOT at this point. mix of old and new biz. Infighting/Resolution finding with me and the Asst. Manager. Got a new gf who's awesome, we visit constantly(alonetimez). Par for the Course of Life.

[Anonymous No.1810711]

>>1809039
got told i start work again on monday, no idea how im gonna do my job when all sites are closed but hey...

just completed a TM44 course for HVAC, pretty nervous about doing my first few reports as they have to be quite detailed documentation heavy etc but I'll just have to see how it goes, I'll prolly get sacked if it goes tits up though.

[Anonymous No.1810752]

>>1809362
>Now whatever you do, don't try and change your outlook,
Sucking the ruling classes dick is exactly what they want you to do. Are you out protesting, wanting to open up the country even though objectively its a horrible idea that will continue this nightmare pandemic? Gotta work your back to make mr trust fund bossman another dollar while exposing yourself to a potentially life threatening virus?

[Anonymous No.1810910]

>>1810752
Virus mostly kills the unfit. All of us will be exposed and the sooner old people die off the more Social Security $$ will be left for everyone else. Destroying the economy to give a few years of useless life to nearly-deads is absurd, and I'm old too.

[Anonymous No.1810917]

>>1810910
>and I'm old too.

If you were actually old, you would understand that most people 30 and above have some sort of "pre-existing health condition". Not only that if you catch corona bad, it causes permanent physical damage to your lungs even in the "healthy" people with strong immune systems. Our immune systems literally have never touched it before, and those with strong immune responses actually end up being worse off for a short while. Its not a good thing no matter who you are or what your age.

>Destroying the economy to give a few years of useless life to nearly-deads is absurd

Opening everything back up early will not fix the economy, it will spike infection rates and prolong the pandemic causing longer lasting damage to the economy while still killing more people.

[Anonymous No.1810919]

Instrumentation/Controls Lab Rat

Been laid off since April 1st.

Army veteran, front of the line for unemployment, got paid two weeks unemployment in one check, been getting it every Monday since.

Took out a 401k withdrawl, no penalty. Went ham, been clearing land to build shop.

Going back to work Monday, albeit second shift. I work with boomers and most of them are taking another week off for being "high risk".

I should of taken the additional week, but I need to borrow tools from work, specifically a mag base drill and I have several boxes of scrap 80/20 extruded aluminum that I want to use to build shit with.

Renting a skid steer from Home Depot today, need to use my homie Pascal to clear land faster.

t. Chad R&D baller

[Anonymous No.1810924]

>>1810752
So you're saying that you're unhappy, and you just enjoy being that way? Please give more examples of how you think the job defines the man, and how you'll be happy once everyone knows you're the most important worker out there? And can you do that without seething please? Oh, and the possessive form of "class" is "class's."

[Anonymous No.1811883]

>>1809039
>machinists
>building lab testing equipment and ventilators
>company got a 500 million dollar contract from government for it
>getting 10 hours of overtime every week making 800 a week

Life could be worse. Thank God I work at a place that has 0 debt, investments in the business is all paid for in full with cash from the business, and is a medical manufacturer.

Shit could not be busier and pay is pretty decent and I have 0 fears about keeping my job.

[Anonymous No.1811884]

>>1809586
>mfw I'm in the first year of my trade and make 18 an hour.

Fucking crafty bastards keeping us at low wages.

[Anonymous No.1811930]

>>1809586
>Mfw used to get paid $15 an hour as apprentice electrician
>Switched to stone mason and now I get paid $15 a square foot (I average 20-25 a day)

Kek electrocucks btfo again. Shouldn't even be considered a trade desu.

[Anonymous No.1811959]

>>1811930
>make 25€ an hour as electrician
>the guberment takes 10€ away, only 15 left

[Anonymous No.1811963]

>>1809039
painting/drywall maintenance and such for a big regional property management company. company's going nowhere, ceilings still leak, plumbers and electricians still cutting holes in things. So I feel quite secure in my position generally. The official story is a markedly lower eviction rate than the neighborhood competitor, with no covid-related-failure-to-pay evictions and most people taking payment-plans or downsizing units. They'll probably stop expanding so aggressively (the construction division might slow down) but it remains to be seen if so many good-earners being laid off would cause some kind of major occupancy rate problems, the university going distance-learning for a semester or two could factor in. but the university vacating its housing units could be good for them, who knows.

So for now I'm keeping my head low and minding my business and things are steady. When things boom I'm never making hand-over-fist money (except on sidegigs) but I got into this for stability and security, it remains to be seen what that's worth but so far paying off. If anything we could use more maintenance staff, and I don't work shoulder-to-shoulder close quarters with anyone, so I don't complain.

[Anonymous No.1812284]

>>1811959
>get paid cash because no one expects masons to give a fuck about taxes

Electricians are the most cucked trade on this planet

[Anonymous No.1812436]

>>1812284
>not contributing to society
>leeching from it
youre nothing but a nigger

[Anonymous No.1812456]

>>1809100
>”sitting in front of a computer isn’t work”
How the fuck do you think the shit you wire gets designed?

[Anonymous No.1812499]

>>1812436
Oh you mean the same society that is just a big part of the spic nig cycle? Fuck off fag, i'll contribute to a society when it supports my people