Brian Stoddard
08-11-2008, 3:02 PM
You know how it is, some jobs just seem to spiral down fast. I completed a job on Friday that was pretty straight forward. Remove some old wood letters on an apartment building and replace with sheets of DiBond (paint and vinyl). It was big - 10' high by 18' wide - 5 sheets.
Get to the site and see that there are still cars parked where I need the rental lift to go, oh and wheres the lift? Get the manager to talk with the tenants after explaining that they are going to have to pay for the $800.00 rental (big lift) twice if I have to come back. Lift finally shows up an hour late and tries to go into the apartments after I warned them to unload on the street. He high centers and we spend too much time getting him back out to the road.
So there I am 3 hours later - the time I thought I would be done, just getting started. I start removing letters and the trim to realize that the size they gave me is too big and will overlap the siding so I will need to raise the panels away from the wall. Quick trip to Lowes for some 1x4's. Start getting them up and working my way across and battery 1 dies on the impact driver (love that thing) No problem, I have 2 more. Battery 2 which was fresh out of the charger dies. Battery 3 works but now I am worried about finishing the job. Sure enough the last panel - battery dies. I am an hour from my shop with no charger. Back to Lowes to by a charger (and battery) Have coffee and wait. Finally get last panel up to realize that the security light on that end was lower than I thought and it wont fit flush with the other panels. Place that one and work my way back - lowering every panel (30 screws each).
To make this all more fun - it was 70' up and 30' over - 5 story building on a high bank.
http://www.nwsigns.com/images/img038.jpg
Finally done 8 hours later - then I forget to get a picture. Doh!
Get to the site and see that there are still cars parked where I need the rental lift to go, oh and wheres the lift? Get the manager to talk with the tenants after explaining that they are going to have to pay for the $800.00 rental (big lift) twice if I have to come back. Lift finally shows up an hour late and tries to go into the apartments after I warned them to unload on the street. He high centers and we spend too much time getting him back out to the road.
So there I am 3 hours later - the time I thought I would be done, just getting started. I start removing letters and the trim to realize that the size they gave me is too big and will overlap the siding so I will need to raise the panels away from the wall. Quick trip to Lowes for some 1x4's. Start getting them up and working my way across and battery 1 dies on the impact driver (love that thing) No problem, I have 2 more. Battery 2 which was fresh out of the charger dies. Battery 3 works but now I am worried about finishing the job. Sure enough the last panel - battery dies. I am an hour from my shop with no charger. Back to Lowes to by a charger (and battery) Have coffee and wait. Finally get last panel up to realize that the security light on that end was lower than I thought and it wont fit flush with the other panels. Place that one and work my way back - lowering every panel (30 screws each).
To make this all more fun - it was 70' up and 30' over - 5 story building on a high bank.
http://www.nwsigns.com/images/img038.jpg
Finally done 8 hours later - then I forget to get a picture. Doh!