Can confirm. Work with contractors every day.
Can confirm. Work with contractors every day.
Yeap.... When we started our remodel I tried to get 2-3 contractors to help with parts/do some of the jobs. Not piddly stuff either, and I had cash, I don't negotiate prices. I called 8, got two call backs, and after talking, they promised to hit me back with a time to come by and give me an estimate.
I hired exactly zero contractors and did all the work myself. Nobody came by, gave me an estimate, or even returned my calls. 4 of those guys I called were people I am acquaintances with even. Ironically, I had one call me back a few months later asking if I would do a DOT inspection on a truck, and another wanted me to inspect a home he was gonna buy.
Kinda like police work.
@Big House I did some time in oil, and at 35 I'm doing a career transition from being a heavy equipment/crane/frac mechanic to cybersecurity. There is definitely jobs out there that will pay better/as good as you make now. But career switches suck, I'm sure it will be worth it eventually, but it sure doesn't feel like it right now. I spend a lot of time wishing I could still be working in the oil business.
A few things I noticed from my time that I try to tell everyone:
1: Take your time off. Get that vacation time in. Its better for you than you think. I feel like the oilfield is full of guys who wanna brag about how many years it has been since they've taken a vacation. Its not a good thing.
2: re-evaluate your finances. I found that my best year chasing frac crews around I made about $150k gross. I live well within my means, and I can't account for $40k of that years net income, and that's outside of money I spent of fun... If I were smarter about my finances when I was doing that work, I would be a lot better off financially. In terms of burn out, I would have been more willing to take more time off, work less hours (lol not possible in what I was doing), and had a little more motivation to keep going, as I would have just watched my savings grow.
3: I'm assuming you do these things already, so if you are, I'll pull out my trump card: I feel like nowadays too many men don't have hobbies. Yeah, we'll buy toys or shoot guns. But when was the last time you were in a hurry to get into your truck after work to go do something you love? Too many men get caught up with providing that they feel guilty if they go enjoy themselves. I know that I was like that, as are many of my friends.
I remember at one point I was miserable, long time girlfriend left me a month or two before I was planning on proposing, my crew was having a horrible time on the wells we were fracing, and everything was breaking. I was working myself to death and when I wasn't working, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. But I found that there were some really awesome fishing spots nearby, that I could sit and catch rainbow trout, watch moose, and admire the backside of the rocky mountains. Every day that I could, I would get off of my 14-15 hour shift, and hurry to go spend my hour or two fishing in those spots, rather than going back to the hotel to sleep, workout or meal prep. I would fish for an hour or two, cook food on the tailgate of my truck, and then go back to the hotel to crash and repeat. Having that short-term goal/daily escape to look forward to made life bearable.
I guess the moral to my story is take care of yourself, and keep your eyes fixed on a short term (say, going fishing after work, or that gun you wanna buy), as well as long term prize (kids in college, comfortable retirement, etc). That's my personal plan for fighting burnout.
A few things I noticed from my time that I try to tell everyone:
1: Take your time off. Get that vacation time in. Its better for you than you think. I feel like the oilfield is full of guys who wanna brag about how many years it has been since they've taken a vacation. Its not a good thing.
2: re-evaluate your finances. I found that my best year chasing frac crews around I made about $150k gross. I live well within my means, and I can't account for $40k of that years net income, and that's outside of money I spent of fun... If I were smarter about my finances when I was doing that work, I would be a lot better off financially. In terms of burn out, I would have been more willing to take more time off, work less hours (lol not possible in what I was doing), and had a little more motivation to keep going, as I would have just watched my savings grow.
3: I'm assuming you do these things already, so if you are, I'll pull out my trump card: I feel like nowadays too many men don't have hobbies. Yeah, we'll buy toys or shoot guns. But when was the last time you were in a hurry to get into your truck after work to go do something you love? Too many men get caught up with providing that they feel guilty if they go enjoy themselves. I know that I was like that, as are many of my friends.
I remember at one point I was miserable, long time girlfriend left me a month or two before I was planning on proposing, my crew was having a horrible time on the wells we were fracing, and everything was breaking. I was working myself to death and when I wasn't working, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. But I found that there were some really awesome fishing spots nearby, that I could sit and catch rainbow trout, watch moose, and admire the backside of the rocky mountains. Every day that I could, I would get off of my 14-15 hour shift, and hurry to go spend my hour or two fishing in those spots, rather than going back to the hotel to sleep, workout or meal prep. I would fish for an hour or two, cook food on the tailgate of my truck, and then go back to the hotel to crash and repeat. Having that short-term goal/daily escape to look forward to made life bearable.
I guess the moral to my story is take care of yourself, and keep your eyes fixed on a short term (say, going fishing after work, or that gun you wanna buy), as well as long term prize (kids in college, comfortable retirement, etc). That's my personal plan for fighting burnout.
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I understand the burnout. Right now, I wish I could work. You are right on the "nothing but a number to them".
Companies care NOTHING about employees, loyal, good work means nothing to them.
I spent 15 in the rubber plant, hot, physical, shift work. Body wore out, mental stress, no company support.
Contracted the Fauci Rona, lungs scarred and cannot work. Been on company insurance disability (Social Security denied claim) for past 2 years.
Get a letter from company last Friday, as (tomorrow) Friday, my disability benefit is exhausted and I am forced to retire. Of course, letter received AFTER company offices have gone home, a 3 day weekend and I can talk to Noone before Tuesday. Find out Tuesday, HR cannot access my personal file because it is in corporate disability file.
I was scheduled for cataract surgery, YESTERDAY. Get to Eye Institute and company cut off my insurance on TUESDAY. (COINCIDENCE?) Wif has follow up on her cancer, next week. Pre-existing and no insurance.
Go to Social Security office, I can't access online because of disability claim, can't get on Social Security without form from company stating forced retirement because of disability, can't get form from company because HR is out for training.
Feeling like a dog that was just dumped in the County far from home.
Think you work for a good company? Hope so, but don't bet on it.
As of today
1. Find financial advisor
2. Find insurance
3. Talk to lawyer
4. Not go postal
Rant over, back to phone and chasing my tail
Companies care NOTHING about employees, loyal, good work means nothing to them.
I spent 15 in the rubber plant, hot, physical, shift work. Body wore out, mental stress, no company support.
Contracted the Fauci Rona, lungs scarred and cannot work. Been on company insurance disability (Social Security denied claim) for past 2 years.
Get a letter from company last Friday, as (tomorrow) Friday, my disability benefit is exhausted and I am forced to retire. Of course, letter received AFTER company offices have gone home, a 3 day weekend and I can talk to Noone before Tuesday. Find out Tuesday, HR cannot access my personal file because it is in corporate disability file.
I was scheduled for cataract surgery, YESTERDAY. Get to Eye Institute and company cut off my insurance on TUESDAY. (COINCIDENCE?) Wif has follow up on her cancer, next week. Pre-existing and no insurance.
Go to Social Security office, I can't access online because of disability claim, can't get on Social Security without form from company stating forced retirement because of disability, can't get form from company because HR is out for training.
Feeling like a dog that was just dumped in the County far from home.
Think you work for a good company? Hope so, but don't bet on it.
As of today
1. Find financial advisor
2. Find insurance
3. Talk to lawyer
4. Not go postal
Rant over, back to phone and chasing my tail
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I'm sorry you're facing all of this. A lot of us feel sorry for ourselves for minor issues when people like you are truly hurting. I'd move #3 to number 1 spot. What company is doing this to you?
This truth right here. I'm on the periphery of the construction industry and interact with contractors everyday. Also, on several socail forums related to particular subjects in the construction industry. I can't tell you how often I see post from people wanting to build a nice big home or barno and can't for the life of them find a reliable general contractor or homeowners that are GCing the job themselves that can't get reliable subs to actually show up and complete a project when they say they will and with good quality craftsmanship. You do just one or two jobs and knock it out of the park and get several good recommendations you'll almost be able to name your price for any project.
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