Contractors friends of foes

**NINJA** · September 3rd, 2008, 12:35 PM

How many of you are there out there are willing to put your complete trust in the contractor you are locating for? The reason I am asking is every now and then I get reminded that the only person you can really trust in this business is YOU. I have a bro that has been locating for almost 8 years now ,I got a call from him today and he was telling me how he is now hunting for a new job ( He is Over Reacting Right now). Lets call him Rich. Rich Moved to tenneessee. about 3 years ago after dealing with the Florida heat and getting fed up with the typical B/S and packed up his wife and kids took a lateral transfer and headed for the hills and mountians of tennessee. He fell in love with it almost right away. He would call me every now and then and beg me to move there with him. He made contacts and friends fast, he is the type of guy who everyone likes. Rich was working on a mountian road job for almost one year now he's gotten to know the contractor very well ,they would acually hang out after work, thier wives became friends, and the kids went to the same schools. They became real tight. The contractor was working on a section of road that rich had recently marked out, Rich met with him earlier in the day and they went over where he would be working for the next couple days Rich did not have the guy sign a meet meet sheet. He figured he could trust him to keep his word and he was just happy he didn't have to mark out anything new today. Two hours after he met with the contractor he got a call from his sup. wanting him to report back on site right away. When he arrived he said there were about 10 guys from the local phone co. all white shirts and techs. They were not happy at all. The contractor was stopped in his tracks and his guys sent home for the day. You can pretty much guess where this is going. The contractor had his crew start in an area rich had not located yet. When Rich, his supervisor, and the damage Guy investigated the damage the contractor said "no Rich was never out there" he said he had not seen him for a "couple weeks". The areas Rich had marked earler were still marked but since the contractor started working in an un marked area of the road job Rich really does not have a leg to stand on Now He did not Loose his job yet and they are still investigating the damage (a FOC), it just goes to show you When it comes to your job TRUST NO ONE and always CYA...................

**ifinditunderground** · September 3rd, 2008, 01:37 PM

TRUST NO ONE and always CYA...................
You've summed it up nicely here.
Pretty unfortunate situation there.
Betrayal at it's finest.

**UULC** · September 3rd, 2008, 02:01 PM

Always get signed meet sheets. If they will not sign one, mark it out. A hard lesson learned. You have no friends in this buisness, but yourself.

**Goldenboy** · September 3rd, 2008, 02:06 PM

Your worst enemy will become your friend if he needs something marked.

Your best friend will become your enemy if they hit something.

**NINJA** · September 3rd, 2008, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

Your worst enemy will become your friend if he needs something marked.

Your best friend will become your enemy if they hit something.

Wow that's deep...........

**beyond help** · September 3rd, 2008, 05:53 PM

Most contractors that know me, expect I'll tell them to take a hike. I mark what is on the ticket. Nothing less, Nothing more. I've had some offer me money on the side, but then I just become their bitch later. Plus, I'm not good looking enough to become a prostitute anyway.

**sprayandpray** · September 3rd, 2008, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

Your worst enemy will become your friend if he needs something marked.

Your best friend will become your enemy if they hit something.

Now that is solid advice

Do you mind if I borrow it ?

**Goldenboy** · September 3rd, 2008, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by sprayandpray

Now that is solid advice

Do you mind if I borrow it ?

Not at all. It's words I've lived by for years. I've got alot of contractors that will help me out and I'll help them out but I know if there's a big damage it's every man for himself.

**yahoo** · September 3rd, 2008, 10:09 PM

i agree..... will i say today after what i've read that i will no longer trust any contractor.........???? thanks by the way for this info and hope things work out for your friend!! i've worked with alot of contractors in this state and things have been good maybe tomorrow is my day.....meet sheet ....yeah great idea if that works for ya..i think me and the contractors have a limited relationship with each other ....lets just try to work together and get through this.....

**Wingfoot** · September 4th, 2008, 08:45 AM

I've got a storm sewer, water main, road widening project that extends 15,000 feet through a utility dense street. High profile gas, power, CATV & AT&T on every inch along both sides of the street. Before the first scoop of dirt was dug, my boss learned through his weekly conference calls the low bid contractor has a reputation for lack of respect of all utilities. This contractor cuts everything, marked or not!

My low bid contractor started February 2008. Weather permitting, he has 3 crews there every day and sometimes brings more just for fun. So far, this guy's crews have cut an AT&T conduit package, 2 CATV fibers, 6 CATV trunks, 1 CATV feeder, notched a 6" plastic gas main, kinked a 4" plastic gas main and 3 times dimpled and scraped the shit out of an 8" steel gas main! Every damaged utility so far has been accurately marked and flagged. This contractor's workers apparently have never heard the term "potholing."

The CATV company has recently initiated an $80,000 damage suit against this contractor. The gas company and AT&T are next. It could be this contractor has seen the light, but I have my doubts.....

Since the CATV law suit, I've done numerous watchdogs for this contractor, charging my time to this contractor's renewal tickets. It's amazing how many cuts my watchdogs have prevented! I'll be with this guy for another year! Whoo Hoo!

My meet sheet on this street widening project - Mark it all. Flag it all. Keep it that way. I can't let my guard down for a single minute.

**wet_boots101** · September 4th, 2008, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

I've got a storm sewer, water main, road widening project that extends 15,000 feet through a utility dense street. High profile gas, power, CATV & AT&T on every inch along both sides of the street. Before the first scoop of dirt was dug, my boss learned through his weekly conference calls the low bid contractor has a reputation for lack of respect of all utilities. This contractor cuts everything, marked or not!

My low bid contractor started February 2008. Weather permitting, he has 3 crews there every day and sometimes brings more just for fun. So far, this guy's crews have cut an AT&T conduit package, 2 CATV fibers, 6 CATV trunks, 1 CATV feeder, notched a 6" plastic gas main, kinked a 4" plastic gas main and 3 times dimpled and scraped the shit out of an 8" steel gas main! Every damaged utility so far has been accurately marked and flagged. This contractor's workers apparently have never heard the term "potholing."

The CATV company has recently initiated an $80,000 damage suit against this contractor. The gas company and AT&T are next. It could be this contractor has seen the light, but I have my doubts.....

Since the CATV law suit, I've done numerous watchdogs for this contractor, charging my time to this contractor's renewal tickets. It's amazing how many cuts my watchdogs have prevented! I'll be with this guy for another year! Whoo Hoo!

My meet sheet on this street widening project - Mark it all. Flag it all. Keep it that way. I can't let my guard down for a single minute.

RAH! Now that's fighting the good fight, Wingfoot!

You know, they have a college degree for that, called CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT which you have probably earned through "life experience"!

We got some of these numbnuts out here as well... who knows if they'll ever get fined.

**shovelhead** · September 4th, 2008, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by wet_boots101

RAH! Now that's fighting the good fight, Wingfoot!

You know, they have a college degree for that, called CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT which you have probably earned through "life experience"!

We got some of these numbnuts out here as well... who knows if they'll ever get fined.

Well there's the rub, eh? There is no governing body on a state or national level that can enforce any so called "laws or rules" of any one - call system.

So all you can do is document, anticipate and overcompensate. The Illinois system is so f&*%ed up right now it's a wonder anything gets done, anywhere. A contractor can call in a ticket in the wrong city, county, and township and when they get on site they can call in a no show and we'll show up and have to mark it for them no questions asked.

Because we roll over for anyone out of fear of upsetting our customers or their vendors. It happens so often with the AT&T subs, that we can bet the farm that at least every other V-Rad will have at least half a dozen incomplete calls or no shows that should actually be remarks. These guys are told how to circumvent the on call laws, and more importantly they feel justified doing whatever it takes to get the job done, whether it f&^*s up a technicians day or not.
So you have to practice "construction management" indeed! CYA, and cover the team as well.....