# Some of my hack work



## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

So they tell me that the CE says i can put up 4 steps and hand rails for 365.67, well lets look at what they get for that price. Mind you this is new account i just picked up. -20% discount.

For that price a bunch of 2x4 should do (Right)!!

After we submitted the job the rep called and said we did a great job... Go figure, i said its not up to code, she said it looks great. what. ??? we just used 2x4, and 2. 2x10 runners, maybe we got 38.00 bucks in it. The rep acted like it was the best work she had seen in yrs, i was dumb founded, i thought for sure it was going to get kicked back.




























IM SRY, I CANT HEAR OVER THE SOUND OF HOW AWESOME I AM!! cubical monkeys.


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## UnitedFieldInspections (Dec 20, 2012)

I don't to toot your horn but in the pp World That is The tajmahal Steps lol.I can show you some stuff ive seen and i have no idea how these people get paid.None the less they pay like **** you get ****


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## LaCaSa (Apr 13, 2014)

IF you were paid the amount that would be acceptable. how much would you have done this for and to build code compliant stairs?


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

I always tell people if we were out to do top of the line work we wouldn't be in preservation. All these guys on here get worked up over the hack work they see and I really don't let it bother me. I figure if a guy really had talent he'd be building beautiful log homes or fine furniture. A good craftsman would be wasting his time doing this for a living.

Steps look good Bro!


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

Craigslist Hack said:


> I always tell people if we were out to do top of the line work we wouldn't be in preservation. All these guys on here get worked up over the hack work they see and I really don't let it bother me. I figure if a guy really had talent he'd be building beautiful log homes or fine furniture. A good craftsman would be wasting his time doing this for a living.
> 
> Steps look good Bro!


Yep Ive given up arguing with these clowns, there going to get what they want, one way or the other.

New company motto (Just give them what want and shut up)

I normally charge 775.00 for 4 steps, treated wood and pickets, with 4x4 concreted in.


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

Cost Estimator say i can remove this barn for 3987.43 with a 20% discount.









As per this CE i must remove this chicken pen for 1267.00 with a 20% discount.










The CE is a real pain in the arse.


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

$5,500.00 or the other guy can have it.

I'm interested to know more about this new client....


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## hammerhead (Apr 26, 2012)

gallon of gas + pop bottle rocket= problem solved.


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## LaCaSa (Apr 13, 2014)

Craigslist Hack said:


> I always tell people if we were out to do top of the line work we wouldn't be in preservation. All these guys on here get worked up over the hack work they see and I really don't let it bother me. I figure if a guy really had talent he'd be building beautiful log homes or fine furniture. A good craftsman would be wasting his time doing this for a living.
> 
> Steps look good Bro!


I agree, I meant for the steps to be code compliant though . If he wanted to make the steps code compliant, how much more would it have taken for him to do so.


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

Craigslist Hack said:


> $5,500.00 or the other guy can have it.
> 
> I'm interested to know more about this new client....


You will be charged for reassignment, comply or suffer, LoL.. so all these pics are from the new client, i call it MY Hack Work Because they just dont care, now mind you i do have my limits. But its fun.. in a "you get what you pay for" kinda way. The barn job was a 14k total, drain pool, tear down above ground pool after draining, barn and chicken pen was full of trash, 38 [email protected] per. inside trash out, grass, shrubs, 4 crawl spaces, complete carpet removal.

I will call you about the New Client, now check out the (flat fee) job i argued with them for 3 days about, see pics below. 1978.32, pool was 37x42, they just wanted covered, didn't care how just cover it i was told. okie dokie i say, "You Got-It Boss" 42, 2x4s, 1, 300ft roll of farm fence, about 575.00 in supply's.

















































They soooo loved it, ever get the feeling your running on borrowed time.

Do you notice something unusual about pool build?


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## BRADSConst (Oct 2, 2012)

Lack of life jackets????:blink:


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

BRADSConst said:


> Lack of life jackets????:blink:


Bingo, we have winner.. i just new it was gonna be you coming in an cracking a joke..
That was awesome :thumbup: LoL, that one had me rolling in the floor.


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

BRADSConst said:


> Lack of life jackets????:blink:


Speaking of life jackets, the main support beam slipped under the weight and slim on the bottom of the pool....LoL, my guys had to get in that yuck and lift it back up and reinforce the beam. Needless to-say this pic never made it to the client.. LoL.

For you newbie's always pore 2 gals of bleach in the pool before you start any work, whether your getting paid to it or not..LoL. This was some funny sh*t here, had to pay my guys extra for that pool since it was my design..LoL


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## Ohnojim (Mar 25, 2013)

*If you want them code complient.*



heartlandproppresllc said:


> I agree, I meant for the steps to be code compliant though . If he wanted to make the steps code compliant, how much more would it have taken for him to do so.


Don't use a 2x4 for a handrail. Everywhere I ever worked as a carpenter, 2 1/2 inches is the max width for stair/hand/grab rails. Additionally there are many reasons a skilled person might do preservation work. I'm having fun and making some good $. That's all the reason I need.


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## bigdaddy (Mar 3, 2013)

WOW, just WOW!
I have been biting my tongue and trying to not respond to your first post but after the pool I must say you are a complete HACK and possibly a moron.

What happens when some kid falls into your DEATHTRAP and dies???? How is that going to make you feel? 

Either do it correctly or don't do it at all.

Every job you do, you are liable for! If someone gets hurt because of your hack work, you will be responsible and you will get sued, if your LUCKY! If you are unlucky, you will spend time in PRISON! Especially when that kid falls in the pool and dies and his lawyer comes to this site and sees you bragging about doing cheap work even though you know its not up to code. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

As far as your steps, you mention that you normally charge $775 to do it correctly, I call BULL****!!

I can tell by the way you built these steps that there is no way you could possibly build a correct set of steps to code. Just because they pay you less you purposely build out of specs? I don't think so!

2x4 handrail is not a graspable handrail
top tread appears to be about 7"
bottom riser appears to be about 9" while the rest appear to be about 6"
I don't see any ledger, are the steps just resting against the wall?

You could have still built on the cheap but made it to code, you just don't know how because you are a HACK.

I give you credit, at least you admit it!


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## nurumkin (Sep 28, 2012)

bigdaddy said:


> WOW, just WOW!
> I have been biting my tongue and trying to not respond to your first post but after the pool I must say you are a complete HACK and possibly a moron.
> 
> What happens when some kid falls into your DEATHTRAP and dies???? How is that going to make you feel?
> ...



I would let him get away with the steps, I would call them safe and even though they are not to code I wouldn't worry having them on my house. The pool on the other hand WTF is that? If you had taken 2x6's or ideally 2x8's if the approval permitted and run them across the narrow end of the pool you could have done it without having to go swimming and probably finished in half the time. What you have there is a death trap. When I get done with a pool cover I personally walk across the center of it several times and submit a pic of this. If I tried that on yours I'm fairly certain it would collapse and probably entangling me until I drowned.


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## dac1204 (Feb 16, 2013)

Zuse said:


> Speaking of life jackets, the main support beam slipped under the weight and slim on the bottom of the pool....LoL, my guys had to get in that yuck and lift it back up and reinforce the beam. Needless to-say this pic never made it to the client.. LoL.
> 
> For you newbie's always pore 2 gals of bleach in the pool before you start any work, whether your getting paid to it or not..LoL. This was some funny sh*t here, had to pay my guys extra for that pool since it was my design..LoL


Not only does your pool covering look like ****, pouring bleach into the pool will do nothing to help you.

First of all standard bleach does not have the same active amount of chlorine that granular or tablets do. Second the pool pump is not circulating so that bleach went right to the bottom of the pool and set not only that certain types of pool liners can be harmed by chlorine. If that pool had a liner you may have done more damage the good as liquid chlorine eats liners up.

To disinfect that pool it would have taken about 6 pounds of granular and placing tablets in the skimmers or chlorinator and letting the pump run for 24 hours or more. I have seen worse pools.


By the way I am a certified pool operator.


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## dac1204 (Feb 16, 2013)

Oh and I could have done that pool properly and still made money at $1900. I have done pools that size for $1400 and with about $900 worth of materials. With 3 guys we had it done in 3 hours and moved on to the next one. 


I used to have a 20' box truck and would go to the lumber yard every day as the last stop. We would load up for about 5 pools and hit all 5 the next day. Everything stored inside the truck. We used air nailers and pumped the pool down while building the frame.


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

Yes I fully expected to blasted for the pool, and the steps, and I welcome your critique


I have purposes in the post called my hack work.


Is to show in your face just where this industry is headed, to get it out there what contractors are all over the nation on a daily bases are being asked to do. Does it justify my action I think not? Does it show the ugly face of this industry I think so? Facts are this, nothing is being done right in the industry and it’s only going to get worse. Every day more and more contractors are being made the scape goat, being punished for wanting to do things right one time and the first time but aren’t being allowed to.


Liability, it’s everywhere in this industry and on everything we touch. I give you EO as an example, 18k a year, 5k General, Not to mention Workman comp. Have I been sued yes many times, will I get sued a again yes, there is no way to stop it with best of intentions. Do most companies that turn large volumes of work take on loads of liability? Yes. The best of intention to head off liability is a pipe dream; a rock from a mower hitting a kid next door threw a window, trash falling from a contractor truck causing a major incident, pipe blowing under pressure. Inspector falling through a hole under a rug not reported cutting his leg which turns into a claim. Boarding a up pool to code per FHA with rusty concrete wire, kid comes along cuts legs on wire. Or kid playing on a pool cover with concrete wire falling through the 4inch hole ripping a gash up his leg. Again, you will never escape liability.


We all say I don’t do that, or can’t happen to me or I take extreme measures or refuse to do the work. For every one person that refuses to do the work 10 more are in line that will do it, fact.


The steps, the client ask for those and got them, simple, the CE pacifically ask for and work stated to build in that way, which I provided.


The pool, they asked for that type of frame just to pass on the liability to me, I accepted, could I have refused, sure I could have. Each job has to be treated as an individual not as the whole. Am I justifying what I did, it may come across that way. The closest home to this house was 17 miles from this the 2 mil home, so far out in country it might has well have been on the moon. Pool was completely pumped down and dry, frame was reinforced every 4 ft, after it was pumped down, it’s just easier to put together full of water than without. Could it hold 300pds at any given point, your guess is as good as mine, best part is the home was sold 3 weeks after the frame was installed which we were aware of before the fame was installed, don’t asked my why they wanted installed when It was to be sold I can’t answer that question other than to say they wanted it covered while title searches where being done.IDK


This client is not a regional or a nation P&P Company they are investment firm using the CE to secure properties; clean them only no repairs are to be made (as is sold) everything is run through the CE to justify charges on a very large scale.


The account is part of a new wave investors buying properties in large lots, breaking up those lots up into individual property and turning them over. I didn’t find this account on my own they contacted me threw my LinkedIn account an asked me to come on board. The pay is good and quick.


So now let’s deal with why this has come about…as you already know Freddie and Fannie have lost 3.2 billion this year, that don’t include last yr and the yr before that. Congress is already gearing up to completely privatize them and remove them as a (government-sponsored enterprise) (GSE), the only one left will be FHA. What this means is all properties will go back to banks without Gov Regs attached to them, in essence giving them right to do what they will to prices. Good luck!! 



Be sure in knowing this the election coming up in the mid terms are going to be a blood bath for the democrats, as you well know the Dims have been in luv with Freddie and Fannie namely because the monies donated from GSA’s are going to Democrats, which anyone in their right mind will agree to should be illegal. _Even tho they are a GSA they are still allowed to give money to Dims reelections. I might add that 97% of_ the monies goes to Dims, Here is an example, most will understand, take the new wave of right to work states in the north that are killing the unions and in turn killing the donations and power of the democrats and government power, think of Detroit. Government involvement is what blew the housing market up in the first place in 2008.


Want to know why work is slow during this yrs earning season!!! Like right now, investor’s, cash buyer’s by-passing banks and their stupid Regs. One thing to look for this winter… many bankrupts of P&P companies.


One thing for sure is change is inevitable, the numbers are mathematically imposable to maintain at this point and have to change soon and will regardless of what’s done in Washington, and it will change our industry along with it. We see the growing pains of change already, don’t you!!


I want to thank for commenting on MY HACK WORK thread, I truly hope I have brought some understanding to why I did what I did.


On a side note incorporate our business and put all assets in a trust to protect yourself and our love ones. its cheap.



Plz for give the grammatical errors it’s been a busy day, like I said in an earlier post I have my limits. I’m just trying to stay ahead of the curve that I see as inevitable. I’m just looking at the big picture and how it affects me and my people.


I really don't know why they chose my company, i do know that i have a impeccable reputation in this industry and have walked away from some every large accounts, and this account fits like a glove. I do know that i wont be able to stay this large as a company for much longer. as in yrs but the money im making now makes the transition much easier. 


Thx for reading 


ZUSE


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## UnitedFieldInspections (Dec 20, 2012)

I'm not gonna go into to detail but remember you can be sued for anything by anyone at any time **** happens. Everything you do has a liability.


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## BamaPPC (May 7, 2012)

As long as we're sharing hack work... Show a couple pools we covered.

This one we did right. Board and frame style.

























Here's a pool we didn't secure. They wouldn't approve the tree removal prior to securing. There was enough vegetation matt in that pool to walk on.

























Here's a fence we built. It was done this way because they p1ssed me off. Said I should have bid to install a fence, go do it for free. Was never a fence before, pool was secure. :furious:


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## PPPrincessNOT (Nov 11, 2013)

BRADSConst said:


> Lack of life jackets????:blink:


 Sunscreen!?!?!?!?

do your guys wanna get cancer from all that sun exposure?

Sorry thread was getting to angry wanted to lighten it up..


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## Prather Guy (Sep 28, 2013)

BamaPPC - If the pool fence was not part of the bid or work order, why agree to do it & not argue or fight the requirement? 

Side bar - I'd rather see that type of fence than some of the deck / stair railings I've seem posted


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

Just finished this yesterday, 7264.76 with a discount 20%, the contractors took a 200ft 3/8 cable an run it threw the windows tied to truck and cut it half to get on the ground. I think the price was to low. thank you CE


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## LaCaSa (Apr 13, 2014)

How long did this take for full demolition, beginning to end?


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

heartlandproppresllc said:


> How long did this take for full demolition, beginning to end?


It took 1 1/2 days, 5 guys 3 trucks, the landfill was 17 miles away. they had the structure down 1st day and hauled off, left the trailer frame for the next day, went back the 2nd say cut up the metal frame and had it recycled along with metal siding and wire from the trailer. I don't know how much money they made from the metals, they never tell me, the trailer was from the 70's so the metal couldn't be cut with saws it had to be torched because it was so thick. they most likely made about 500.00 or 600.00 on metals.The guys said the trailer had 8 five gal buckets of brass fittings from a industrial plant in, so i know they big bucks of those. brass is high right now.

With this company i don't bid, they just send over a work order with CE attached, then we argue about the price after one of the contractors looks at the job. Some i take at a discount and some i flat fee.

Everything Ive posted is their work so far.


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

@ BamaPPC thanks for posting this pic of the fence around the pool ive never seen that before, even tho you was force to do it, almost sounds like the five sister demands. I hope you don't mind if i use it. I'm going to start bidding that fence on some of the pools i do to see if it gets approved. 

That pic with the palm tree growing out of pool is just crazy, those tree can grow anywhere.


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## BamaPPC (May 7, 2012)

Prather Guy said:


> BamaPPC - If the pool fence was not part of the bid or work order, why agree to do it & not argue or fight the requirement?
> 
> Side bar - I'd rather see that type of fence than some of the deck / stair railings I've seem posted


Oh, believe you me, I argued. But, in the end they said if I didn't do it, they'd get some other smuck to do it and charge me back. I figured I'd rather do what I did than have to argue about a $1200 charge back.

@Zuse - Screwguard. And I don't mind if you use it. I successfully argued that it meets all guidelines for a pool fence, except it didn't have a gate. But, there's no where to go if there was a gate.


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

That trailer was a sweet removal!

We don't get many pool coverings here and when we do they mostly spec a safety cover. 

We haven't build a pool cover in a couple of years. 

As for the quality of work some of you guys act like we are building mansions here. 

If the order calls for a handrail I expect the contractor to satisfy that order in the cheapest easiest way possible. If that is buying a handrail fine. If it is a 2X4 then that is ok as well. 

We flip a few houses and do a few rehabs each year and I see people take out whole kitchens we have installed and put in new. I once laid a nice ceramic tile floor in a kitchen and dinning room and the new owner ripped it out and threw down linoleum. 

We run the work out in the most profitable way possible every time. I'm in this business to make money and that is the ONLY thing I care about.


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## Field Audit Services LLC (Mar 24, 2013)

Well, making money and doing the job correctly...


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## ej on the go (Oct 4, 2013)

*Hack work*

But the first thing I noticed is the tall fence around the pool. Here in nj a padlock wouldve been sufficiant


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

Field Audit Services LLC said:


> Well, making money and doing the job correctly...


If it satisfies the requirements of the work order and looks good in pics it was done correctly.


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## Field Audit Services LLC (Mar 24, 2013)

Craigslist Hack said:


> If it satisfies the requirements of the work order and looks good in pics it was done correctly.


 Never judge a book by its cover... :whistling2:


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## Field Audit Services LLC (Mar 24, 2013)

Here you go Craigslist Hack, perfect example of judging a book by its cover; the 1st pic is your way of looking at things and think you are 'getting away' with 'quality' work :whistling2:

The second way is the reality of it...'Gee, let me use a drywall screw right thru this vinyl siding to attach the window well cover...Ummm, let me try that again by making a second hole in the vinyl siding.' :yes:

Unfortunately, many feel as you do, and perform substandard work as long as "it looks good in the pics". YOU sir, are part of the problem and NOT part of the solution. :glare:


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## Field Audit Services LLC (Mar 24, 2013)

Note that I said nothing about throwing the cover over a bunch of weeds in the 1st pic... And yes, the second pic is a different location, same house. The cover in the 1st pic isn't even attached... :thumbsup:


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

Field Audit Services LLC said:


> Here you go Craigslist Hack, perfect example of judging a book by its cover; the 1st pic is your way of looking at things and think you are 'getting away' with 'quality' work :whistling2:
> 
> The second way is the reality of it...'Gee, let me use a drywall screw right thru this vinyl siding to attach the window well cover...Ummm, let me try that again by making a second hole in the vinyl siding.' :yes:
> 
> Unfortunately, many feel as you do, and perform substandard work as long as "it looks good in the pics". YOU sir, are part of the problem and NOT part of the solution. :glare:


You left out an important fact. What did they get paid? I can't determine if this was good work or not until I know what they were paid?

Would I have done this NO. Would I have let my people? NO!

You clearly have different priorities than we do as a company.


 I know exactly what my daily worth is.
 I know how many jobs each contractor needs to complete every day to keep us where I want to be.
We only have so many days a year to make money and there are only so many hours in those days.
Our goal every single day is to MAXIMIZE profit and speed means profit.
There are no prizes for craftsmanship so it's not a concern.
I focus on quantifiable returns meaning every move I make has a dollar value associated with it.
I run a Window siding and door company as well as flipping houses. In construction we focus on quality and speed. We do great work and have a reputation for doing so. There is a return on that in private work. 



For flip houses we go cheap and fast. I won't get a dime more for a house with Triple pane windows or Decra metal shingles than I do for a property with the cheap stuff. I've put heated tile floors in and a million other sweet upgrades over the years. All I got in return was less profit.


Here is a job we just lost because we bid to do it right. We bid to remove the trees and stumps, we planned to actually take the debris to the landfill. We bid to properly cover the pool with an actual pool tarp and anchors. I'm sure we were higher but I feel they got what they paid for.


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## Field Audit Services LLC (Mar 24, 2013)

Maybe we do have different priorities, but I don't think so. We both are in this for money AND the money being for work done correctly. I am seeing more and more of the hack work, lately.


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## brm1109 (Sep 17, 2012)

Just had a grass bid to do, they claimed that the grass was recut 2 weeks ago but that I should bid is needed. 
Well as usual get to the property (will try to upload photos later) the front was 2" we get to the back and could not even see the fence. The damn grass was 4' high and neighbors bitching.
Well you get what you pay for.


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## TheGreanTeamInc (Feb 16, 2014)

*Property Preservation is a joke.*

Comedic relief in the non-sense of "never been in field office personnel" and the requests they make sitting inside a cubicle eating powdered donuts and taking selfies on their cell phone at their desk chewing gum.

"Just board up the pool per HUD specs then minus the price by 25% and then I'm interested in paying you in 60 days instead of the 30 we agreed on because well it cost too much money to pay you true payment terms on your invoices. Plus all our operations are so bad that literally if we paid anymore than once a month we would go bankrupt... and remember, if you don't do it, we will get someone else."

What The Grean Team did: Fired them all. Best decision we ever made.


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