Leaving IT for Construction

[BoomerD]

Here in Kahleeforneeya, construction is currently in the toilet...people are out of work everywhere and can't find jobs.
The housing crunch has made construction a very poor way to make a living right now.
Having worked in the trades for more than 30 years, I've seen several of these "boom & bust" cycles, but never one as bad as this one.
Even in 1980, when interest rates were around 20%, construction was still good outside residential and light commercial.
I talked to one of the business agents in my union a couple of weeks ago, and no one can remember a year that was as bad as the past one...and it's not looking any better for next year either.

I'd say that this is NOT the time to make a switch in careers.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

you know nothing of construction.

 

[zanejohnson]

i did some construction work when i was younger.... insulation/roofing/painting/some masonry... with a few different companys.. its wierd, most IT guys are very "build-stuff" oriented i guess you'd say... i say go for it, but dont just get a job working for someone. Go all out, especially if you have money like you say, build custom houses, with cool shit like a "central media center" like a media center server with multiple screens in different rooms, USB jacks in the walls to connect users ipods, and what not, it would be THE SHIT compared to what others are offering in the custom home area....

just my 2 cents...i really think you could make alot of money...i've had that idea for a long time..

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Volunteer for habitat for humanity for a couple days.

 

[2canSAM]

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Volunteer for habitat for humanity for a couple days.

One of the many excellent replies here. Thanks to all for some more info to chew on.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: 2canSAM

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Volunteer for habitat for humanity for a couple days.

One of the many excellent replies here. Thanks to all for some more info to chew on.

While that is a nice thing to do, it honestly won't get you very far, unless after a couple of days of working you decide you hate construction.

With no experience, and not being in a union area, you would have to start as unskilled labor, learn a trade over several years, and hope you progress well enough someone takes notice and likes you enough to move you into supervision or management. You would be better to go back to school if you are serious about it.

 

[zanejohnson]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

you know nothing of construction.

no kidding rofl....

when i worked construction nobody that worked construction MADE 20 bucks an hour (at least out of the people who actually did the work,) and benifits was a word we just said if we needed a good laugh rofl.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

you know nothing of construction.

Damn, that's for sure...even though most HEAVY lifting is done by machine, constrution is still "grunt" work...hard physical labor, regardless of what trade you're in...(unless you're an electrician of course...)

Construction is a good way to develop LOTS of arthritic problems...for all the little injuries you sustain, for the big ones you MIGHT sustain, for the general hard work you WILL sustain and the usually crappy working conditions everyone endures. (remember, when you work outside, it MIGHT be HOT, or COLD, or even wet, snowy, foggy, or otherwise inclement weather. (although MOST of the building trades don't work in bad weather.)
Heck, if it looks like it's gonna rain, most carpenters draw a 6' circle on the ground, and if they get 6 drops of rain in that circle within 1 hour, they call the job for rain...



BTW, in Alabama...$20/hour with benefits? Only in your dreams...
IIRC, even most union jobs barely make $20/hr...(I think union pipeliners make between $25 and $30/hr)

I worked for a contractor from Birmingham in the late 80's, and the hands who came to Kahleeforneeya were extatic! They were making $12-$15/hour, which was 1/3 to 1/2 MORE than they made working at home...of course, they cussed at the higher costs of living here...

 

[imported_yovonbishop]

I think whatever you decide to do is right as long as you're happy. I know my dad likes construction because it keeps him active, he loves building stuff, and during the winter months he can just hang out and collect unemployment.

 

[Superwormy]

I worked construction part-time all through college (full-time during the summer) and I *loved* it. I'm in IT now, and I *love* my IT job... but I still miss construction.

I already have a week planned this summer that I'm taking off of my IT job just so I can go work construction for a week (I'm good friends with the construction company, and they'll let me work if I just show up and tell them not to pay me, I just want to work for a week!)


Anyway... if you're anywhere in the North, winters doing construction SUCKS. Summers are great though. Hard work... you'll be tired often, and the pay isn't generally as good.

I had more fun doing smaller residential construction type things. If you get into commercial stuff, you start to have to deal with OSHA shit (hard-hats, boots, long-pants, etc. all the time... otherwise we'd wear shorts and sneakers during the summer and that's it)

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Superwormy
I already have a week planned this summer that I'm taking off of my IT job just so I can go work construction for a week (I'm good friends with the construction company, and they'll let me work if I just show up and tell them not to pay me, I just want to work for a week!)

Any contractor that would allow that is a complete MORON.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: zanejohnson

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

you know nothing of construction.

no kidding rofl....

when i worked construction nobody that worked construction MADE 20 bucks an hour (at least out of the people who actually did the work,) and benifits was a word we just said if we needed a good laugh rofl.

In between nodding off?? :roll:

A good place to look for work is the Gulf Coast where there is plenty of work rebuilding stiil from Katrina. Definately get into the Union and the Apprencticeship progam.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

you know nothing of construction.

Damn, that's for sure...even though most HEAVY lifting is done by machine, constrution is still "grunt" work...hard physical labor, regardless of what trade you're in...(unless you're an electrician of course...)

Construction is a good way to develop LOTS of arthritic problems...for all the little injuries you sustain, for the big ones you MIGHT sustain, for the general hard work you WILL sustain and the usually crappy working conditions everyone endures. (remember, when you work outside, it MIGHT be HOT, or COLD, or even wet, snowy, foggy, or otherwise inclement weather. (although MOST of the building trades don't work in bad weather.)
Heck, if it looks like it's gonna rain, most carpenters draw a 6' circle on the ground, and if they get 6 drops of rain in that circle within 1 hour, they call the job for rain...



BTW, in Alabama...$20/hour with benefits? Only in your dreams...
IIRC, even most union jobs barely make $20/hr...(I think union pipeliners make between $25 and $30/hr)

I worked for a contractor from Birmingham in the late 80's, and the hands who came to Kahleeforneeya were extatic! They were making $12-$15/hour, which was 1/3 to 1/2 MORE than they made working at home...of course, they cussed at the higher costs of living here...

What did you do in construction? That covers a wide variety of trades. but I can't think of a single trade paying under $20 an hour here. Current wage at the job I will be starting soon is $34.15 with VERY good benefits.

If you were a site laborer right out of hi-school, that doesn't count as doing construction work. I also know MANY contractors that make well into six figures every year.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
You don't know how good you have it...

QFT

 

[lucasorion]

In my early twenties I spent a few years doing construction/manual labor for some friends of my parents, we built a large addition onto their house, a couple storage outbuildings, etc. Along with the satisfaction of putting up the frame of a roof in one day, my favorite job was hauling logs and splitting them into firewood.- I got so strong, one of my jobs was hefting huge slabs of stone into the bed of a pickup, which we used to make a stone pathway from their deck to their garden. I loved the physical exhaustion I felt at the end of a day, compared to the mental/emotional/spiritual exhaustion which I can often feel at the end of a day in the cube.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

you know nothing of construction.

Damn, that's for sure...even though most HEAVY lifting is done by machine, constrution is still "grunt" work...hard physical labor, regardless of what trade you're in...(unless you're an electrician of course...)

Construction is a good way to develop LOTS of arthritic problems...for all the little injuries you sustain, for the big ones you MIGHT sustain, for the general hard work you WILL sustain and the usually crappy working conditions everyone endures. (remember, when you work outside, it MIGHT be HOT, or COLD, or even wet, snowy, foggy, or otherwise inclement weather. (although MOST of the building trades don't work in bad weather.)
Heck, if it looks like it's gonna rain, most carpenters draw a 6' circle on the ground, and if they get 6 drops of rain in that circle within 1 hour, they call the job for rain...



BTW, in Alabama...$20/hour with benefits? Only in your dreams...
IIRC, even most union jobs barely make $20/hr...(I think union pipeliners make between $25 and $30/hr)

I worked for a contractor from Birmingham in the late 80's, and the hands who came to Kahleeforneeya were extatic! They were making $12-$15/hour, which was 1/3 to 1/2 MORE than they made working at home...of course, they cussed at the higher costs of living here...

What did you do in construction? That covers a wide variety of trades. but I can't think of a single trade paying under $20 an hour here. Current wage at the job I will be starting soon is $34.15 with VERY good benefits.

If you were a site laborer right out of hi-school, that doesn't count as doing construction work. I also know MANY contractors that make well into six figures every year.

Dude, I was a union crane operator for over 30 years. Hell, I wouldn't get out of bed for less than $30/hr.


My reference was to work in ALABAMA, not in a free state. The crane company I worked for had a long-term contract to provide hoisting services for the contractor. They were absolutely ape-shit over the fact that I was making about $25/hr with FULL benefits. (remember, this was about 20 years ago)


I started in construction in Spokane...Operating Engineers Local 370...spent a fair amount of my apprenticeship working at Hanford...

 

[Old Hippie]

The grass always looks greener.........

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: rudder
Sounds like a plan... until you reach 45 and your body is racked with arthritis!

And remember you will be competing against illegal immigrants. No $20/hour jobs with benefits.

But you never know. There was an article about a builder in our local paper. He built 2-3 high dollar homes a year and was in demand. They were unqiues custom built homes so there canbe a niche somewhere.

You're right, nobody in construction would work for $20 an hour, let alone w/o benefits. I think the part about arthritis is a bit over the top though. If you do somewhat physical work, you'll actually be healthier. Besides, in this day and age, very little is done that is as physical as it used to be. Laws have changed, and most heavy duty stuff is done with machinery.

you know nothing of construction.

Damn, that's for sure...even though most HEAVY lifting is done by machine, constrution is still "grunt" work...hard physical labor, regardless of what trade you're in...(unless you're an electrician of course...)

Construction is a good way to develop LOTS of arthritic problems...for all the little injuries you sustain, for the big ones you MIGHT sustain, for the general hard work you WILL sustain and the usually crappy working conditions everyone endures. (remember, when you work outside, it MIGHT be HOT, or COLD, or even wet, snowy, foggy, or otherwise inclement weather. (although MOST of the building trades don't work in bad weather.)
Heck, if it looks like it's gonna rain, most carpenters draw a 6' circle on the ground, and if they get 6 drops of rain in that circle within 1 hour, they call the job for rain...



BTW, in Alabama...$20/hour with benefits? Only in your dreams...
IIRC, even most union jobs barely make $20/hr...(I think union pipeliners make between $25 and $30/hr)

I worked for a contractor from Birmingham in the late 80's, and the hands who came to Kahleeforneeya were extatic! They were making $12-$15/hour, which was 1/3 to 1/2 MORE than they made working at home...of course, they cussed at the higher costs of living here...

What did you do in construction? That covers a wide variety of trades. but I can't think of a single trade paying under $20 an hour here. Current wage at the job I will be starting soon is $34.15 with VERY good benefits.

If you were a site laborer right out of hi-school, that doesn't count as doing construction work. I also know MANY contractors that make well into six figures every year.

Dude, I was a union crane operator for over 30 years. Hell, I wouldn't get out of bed for less than $30/hr.


My reference was to work in ALABAMA, not in a free state. The crane company I worked for had a long-term contract to provide hoisting services for the contractor. They were absolutely ape-shit over the fact that I was making about $25/hr with FULL benefits. (remember, this was about 20 years ago)


I started in construction in Spokane...Operating Engineers Local 370...spent a fair amount of my apprenticeship working at Hanford...

Ok, maybe in Alabama it might suck.........My only reference is OR/WA/ID/CA/MT, I am amazed that there would be THAT much difference between states..........

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Hats off to you OP. I would rather be busy doing labor than sitting at a desk with my thumb up my ass. Sure, it's tough on your body at times but it gets you exercise. And who knows, you might like the fact you're building something rather than boring routine maintenance.

 

[Hyperblaze]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
You don't know how good you have it...

have you ever been in that kind of situation?

it's not a good fit for everyone.

For some, it could lead to the most dull jobs that they've ever done

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: Hyperblaze

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
You don't know how good you have it...

have you ever been in that kind of situation?

it's not a good fit for everyone.

For some, it could lead to the most dull jobs that they've ever done

I've been in both boats. I had a manual labor job at a molding plant in college and that was non-stop working while now I have an office job with periods of long down times. I prefer the long down times to the manual labor any day of the week. I'd rather be "bored" all day surfing the internet and getting paid 3x as much than working in a 115 degree molding factory.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Originally posted by: Hyperblaze

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
You don't know how good you have it...

have you ever been in that kind of situation?

it's not a good fit for everyone.

For some, it could lead to the most dull jobs that they've ever done

Agree 100%. I'm a supervisor so most of my time is spent on the computer answering emails and talking on the phone. I would rather be out on the floor building boxes and packaging parts. Good thing is about myself, I'm not of those supervisors who sit and watch the employees do all the work, I'll gladly jump in and get dirty and hurt myself as well.

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal

Originally posted by: Hyperblaze

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
You don't know how good you have it...

have you ever been in that kind of situation?

it's not a good fit for everyone.

For some, it could lead to the most dull jobs that they've ever done

Agree 100%. I'm a supervisor so most of my time is spent on the computer answering emails and talking on the phone. I would rather be out on the floor building boxes and packaging parts. Good thing is about myself, I'm not of those supervisors who sit and watch the employees do all the work, I'll gladly jump in and get dirty and hurt myself as well.

No offense but coming out of your office for 30 mins and putting a box together is not manual labor. Go work in a 115 degree factory for 8 hours a day with no air condition to hide too or no internet.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal

Originally posted by: Hyperblaze

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
You don't know how good you have it...

have you ever been in that kind of situation?

it's not a good fit for everyone.

For some, it could lead to the most dull jobs that they've ever done

Agree 100%. I'm a supervisor so most of my time is spent on the computer answering emails and talking on the phone. I would rather be out on the floor building boxes and packaging parts. Good thing is about myself, I'm not of those supervisors who sit and watch the employees do all the work, I'll gladly jump in and get dirty and hurt myself as well.

No offense but coming out of your office for 30 mins and putting a box together is not manual labor. Go work in a 115 degree factory for 8 hours a day with no air condition to hide too or no internet.

None taken but that's exactly what I'll do. I'm a shipping supervisor for a large corp who manufactures airline interior parts. Our warehouse is not air conditioned and gets very hot during the summer. I have two computers at work, one in my office and one out on the floor. Much of my time is spent out on the floor. Also, 90 percent of our boxes are custom made from flat 130x90" cardboard sheets that are 52ect (Heavy weight). Not your average shipping department.

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