silverstilts

I have heard for some time that some of the so called Drywall Contractors on this site do far more than just drywall work , won't mention anyone , but the question is if you start roofing , framing or whatever the H..L else you do are You really a Drywall Contractor or A GC without a legitimate licence to do other work ? If i heard that you do more than just one trade , as a homeowner i would think that you don't really specialize in just one thing and that point being made could your really justify being a drywall contractor.... The old saying Jack of all Trades Master of None....

LadyFinisher

I agree with you. Here in GA you have to fall into a very specific trade guidelines, otherwise you can be fined heavily. Example if you do home repairs, like a rotted floor or whatever, you have to have a handymans license and you can not bid anything over 2500. Anything over that you have to have a Residential C or GC. I know that in Florida to do drywall of any kind you have to study and sit for a test. (Close to the same thing for a GC).

silverstilts

Did you change your occupation from a project manager to a drywall contractor / finisher ??? I must have hit someones nerves....

silverstilts

that realy was meant for CVP

LadyFinisher

No I was agreeing with you. I have seen some other people here doing things that have nothing to do with drywall. Seems strange to me. Like I understand doing painting, or insolation, things that go hand and hand. But to do roofing, or plumbing, or whatever doesn't have anything to do with drywall. If they want to do everthing go be a GC. That's just how I see it.

LadyFinisher

No problem.
I am with you.

Darren@Partners

Sure I'll hit a nerve here, too. I wouldn't let a 21 year-young on my roof, unless maybe his daddy and granddaddy started the biz... Any HO that lets a kid on the very thing between his home and the elements deserves whatever he gets. At 21, he can't possibly have enough experience in chasing leaks, insurance issues, etc. Sounds a bit like a storm-chaser, don't you think. And CVP's rates sound like there can't be much insurance getting paid either. Those low rates may keep him busy in the short term, but guessing not high enough to build any reserves for the long haul... MHO

19Riggs88

So exactly how can someone legally do these three trades together on a job without a GC in Minnesota?

Sheetrocking (which falls under carpenters union)
Taping
Painting

silverstilts

Don't do all these jobs make up your mind what you want to do.... like i said jack of all trades master of none....

JoeMudder

This may be partially true, however I know there are people that can do more than one trade better than some people who do one trade. I don't think you can lump everyone into one category. There are some highly talented people in this world.

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silverstilts

Let me in on a little secret , A good contractor that is a general contractor subs everything out , that is how they make money and stay organized and make money , unless you are a small time contractor that specialize in remodels , which that is a whole different ballgame....A good contract that subs out is a well organized contractor , it may be true one may be talented at different trades but they will not be proficient I guarantee that ....if your not proficient you will not make any money ... heck i can do plumbing electrical roofing and many other things but that don't give me the right to go out and take work from a legitimate person in that trade , I respect my boundaries ..... How about that contractor that builds whatever project he is working on and decides that even though you have done his work before ,he being a little slow will just decide to do the job himself ... if every drywall sub started building and doing all the work pretty soon there wouldn't be any work... i don't know that might be a little extreme but my point again is stick to one thing and be good at it , not wishy washy and being a handy man ... I would much rather hire a professional no matter what even though i was told oh yes i have done that i can do that and by far cheaper .... hog wash...... you don't see any union guys jumping from in between trades do you ? If you are that desperate for work then change you job altogether and make a commitment.... and then there is the insurance thing are you going to insure yourself for every little thing that you might possibly do ????

A+ Texture LLC

An doesn't it take 5 years just to be a journeyman, anything less then that is an apprentice. At 21 years of age thats maybe 3-4 yours of actual full-time job expereinece. In times like this though, I can understand spreading A LITTLE. When I got licensed I got a remodel license to fall back on if new construction was very slow. But most of the time I'm doing drywall type jobs anyway. I don't want to to tile, roofing, wiring or whatever. I want to do things I can't make money on, I can't make money on tile because I can't do it quickly and I hate it. And making 16-18 an hour is not making money in my opinion. I couldn't support my family on that even if I wanted to.

Darren@Partners

Whether or not someone can be a drywall contractor and a roofing contractor at the same time is not really what bothers me. Doing any trade dirt cheap does. Doing it without the experience to track down a leak or the ability to represent the trade, any trade, in the manner it deserves.

Everybody seems hung up about licensing or union rules or whatever. My state lets builders put up homes without anything besides an insurance policy or four, and a banker that will give them a construction loan. Across the state line, you can't finish a basement without a C license. The difference? A mile, a block, or across the street. Did the builder who puts up houses get too dumb to build because he crossed a geographic barrier? I for one wish every Drywall contractor had to pass and maintain a license, but it ain't so. To do business (properly) here a DC should know to call in for a fastener inspection or at least to ask the inspector if it's even required. Trunk-slamming hacks don't even know what municipality they are working in, much less the number of the Codes Dept.

JoeMudder

Like I said, you can't put everyone into the same category. I've been in construction 25 years and have seen a lot.

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silverstilts

I still have ten years on you and seen many a things both commercial residential ,do it yourselves , remodels you name it I have seen it , been on super old homes & apartments that went through complete renovations right down to re-glazing the old glass , to rebuilding old steam heaters and boilers , re-doing the original wood work that they don't produce anymore from old growth virgin timber .you name it i have seen it and also have had my own hands in it ,and i still don't agree with that even though one may have knowledge in different trades that in itself will never make them as efficient as one who works in a specific trade day in and day out.... guaranteed it don't just work that easy maybe one in who knows a thousand or so i don't know what the percent is , but my point is just because we may be slow because of the economy still don't make us professionals at another trade just because we want to branch out ,,,, are you understanding what i am trying to get at ???? All of a sudden when things may slow down for drywall contractors you hear how talented they are doing other things to make a buck ... My self well if i tend to slow down at work I just work a little harder at alternative ways to line up more drywall work ,,, there is always something.. even though a job may fall through another will come along ,,,, like they say and i agree and believe that when one door shuts another one will open.. Just my 2 cents worth , silver

JoeMudder

Possibly we've seen different things. It's hard to express it to you here unless you've seen it also. Thanks for your input.

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silverstilts

Oooookaaa Remember it's only a forum we are all entitled to our own opinions right ? That's what makes the sight work giving us all different ways to look at things... I must say i do agree or see it with some degree the way you are looking at it... I also must have to say i enjoy reading your posts very much , you have shown a lot of insight on many of posts , with out input such as yours and others whats the point of the forum.... I'm not hear to piss others off ( well maybe a couple ) but to get others to think.

JoeMudder

I appreciate your input as well, thanks for being here.

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