[2ndGen]

Hey guys,

In case you haven't heard, I took a job as a Roofing Inspector for a municipal agency. Yeah, I'm an Inspector.
The job is great, the pay is great, the benefits are great...but, I miss Roofing.

I saw some guys laying out what had to be a hundred square wood shingle roof (a dream for me)
along a beautiful coast home literally feet from the beach and I would've loved to have been up there with them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for what I have, but I miss the actual "work" of Roofing.
I don't want to get all involved with the business of Roofing. I just want to physcially roof.
I'll take on whatever side jobs come along during the Spring & Summer,
but only nice little walkable "do in a day" roofs.

I'll tell you guys this though, I'm going to put away a stash and should something go wrong with this job,
I'm going to have all the money I need to immediately re-launch myself as a business with my first years expenses in the bank.

It's wierd how life works. I've worked so hard to develop myself professionally by traveling around the country
and taking chances where I lost so much time and money, but it all came back to me with this one job.

I need to get back up on a roof. I need to get a gun in my hand and lay out some serious squares.
I feel so confident now in being able to tackle any job that comes down the road and I might even
be ready to actually get a crew together and start doing some production work.
But for now, I have to keep working this job until I get that stash put aside.

God is good. God is great. I needed this job. I took a big hit last year.
But, as usual, I get back up, dust myself off and carry on with the good fight.
I almost wish I'd get fired so that I can hit the streets again and cold call
and hit up my old customers and start having that work coming in.

I'm not stupid though. I'm going to cling to this job as long as possible.

Then "if" something goes wrong, I'll be prepared for it. If not, then I have a career.

Six figures a year is nothing to sneeze at.
I won't say it's the easiest money I ever made, but it certainly isn't that hardest.
I'm my own boss still. I probably get my actual "work" work done in about 2 full hours and I have the rest of the day to B.S. around.
I'm done by a couple of hours after noon and I'm on my way home before my kids get out of school. It is literally my dream job.

And I am soooo grateful to God for it.

But, I miss holding a hatchet in my hand and a knife and my belt and my gun.

Sigh...

How are you guys doin?

 

[tumpline]

Wish you all the luck with you new job,it should prove to be a great experience for you.
I had two friends I worked with that took roofing inspector jobs a few years ago, One of them still does it, the other called me about 6 months into it to say it was great and all but if I needed a partner for service work to let him know and he would go back working on the roof.
He did come back, told me it was a great learning experience but each time he went to inspect a roof he wanted to throw on his roofing clothes and get right into it.
I have a tremendous amount of respect for roofing inspectors that have actually worked on the roof and know how each system should be installed.
All the best to you, keep us updated on how it feels to be on the other side.

 

[ronbryanroofing]

Big bear loves winter hibernation. We get so busy and burned out by Christmas we are all ready for a a break to recharge the batteries. Now its Spring and we are back at it since most of the snow is gone. I personally get that amped up feeling of spring you are getting right now. I love the fact that we really only get summers here to work in Vermont.
This year we played snowbirds enjoying the weather South Carolina has to offer. Kinda like a prolonged fall and early spring and we only witnessed the first few feet of snow fall before Christmas and no long mid winter blues!
Good luck with the inspection job, if there is a Inspector he should at least know first hand what to look for and I am sure you do, you will be well respected.

 

[tinner666]

Was wondering where you were.

 

[2ndGen]

Wish you all the luck with you new job,it should prove to be a great experience for you.
I had two friends I worked with that took roofing inspector jobs a few years ago, One of them still does it, the other called me about 6 months into it to say it was great and all but if I needed a partner for service work to let him know and he would go back working on the roof.
He did come back, told me it was a great learning experience but each time he went to inspect a roof he wanted to throw on his roofing clothes and get right into it.
I have a tremendous amount of respect for roofing inspectors that have actually worked on the roof and know how each system should be installed.
All the best to you, keep us updated on how it feels to be on the other side.

Thanks T.

It's odd for sure. I feel the same way when I go up on a roof and see guys working. But I'm also grateful for the gig and won't look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm going to ride this pony for as long as it lasts, then be ready for whatever comes next.

 

[2ndGen]

Big bear loves winter hibernation. We get so busy and burned out by Christmas we are all ready for a a break to recharge the batteries. Now its Spring and we are back at it since most of the snow is gone. I personally get that amped up feeling of spring you are getting right now. I love the fact that we really only get summers here to work in Vermont.
This year we played snowbirds enjoying the weather South Carolina has to offer. Kinda like a prolonged fall and early spring and we only witnessed the first few feet of snow fall before Christmas and no long mid winter blues!
Good luck with the inspection job, if there is a Inspector he should at least know first hand what to look for and I am sure you do, you will be well respected.

Thanks Ron.

I have a good 26 years under my belt at the tender age of 40 and have been going up since I was 5 years old with my old man. So far, it amazes me how many of these companies that are doing million dollar roofs have hacks working for them. But then I remember that this was one of the reasons that I was crying about being "in" the business...lack of true craftsmen.

Still, I love to write up the shoemakers and to help along the projects of those contractors who have their stuff straight.

 

[2ndGen]

Was wondering where you were.

Hey Tinner.

Just moseying along!

Enjoying the scene.

Just not used to the "structure" of having something to do everyday.



Let's see what happens when the season opens up.
The GC's are chomping at the bit since they've been buttoned up really since November out here.
I definitely have stories to share.
Will do when I have the time.

 

[Ed the Roofer]

I guess we can make an exception and let a non-roofer post here to learn a thing or two. :whistling:

Good to see you back.

Is the job for a consuting firm or Government?

How did you get hooked up?

Ed

 

[2ndGen]

I guess we can make an exception and let a non-roofer post here to learn a thing or two. :whistling:

Good to see you back.

Is the job for a consuting firm or Government?

How did you get hooked up?

Ed

Oooo! That stings not being considered a roofer! Ouch! :lol:

Thanks Ed! :thumbsup:

Directly for the Gov.

During the down time of the summer, I fired off my resume to a Caigslist ad. They didn't call me for months, then late last year, I got a call (I'd forgotten all about it), met with them and after a 2 month process, I got called in and began working in the beginning of February. At first, I thought that this gig was too good to last, but it seems like a permanent thing.

 

[English Roofer]

When i left school i didnt have a clue what i wanted to do, i worked as a sales clerk at first and hated it, money was ok so i stuck at it.
A friend of mine was a roofer who needed a hand one day getting some tiles up, well i remember thinking at the end of the day with my neck cut from slipping tiles and my shoulder sore as you like that how the feck can you do this for a living, i couldnt even hold a cup of tea i was so knackered.
Since that age of 19 i have been a roofer and had a love/hate relationship with it, for the past 6 years its been love with this job, ever since i took on my own work and got away from subbing work all the time(still sub now and then)
Dont get me wrong H/Os can be sons of bitches but on the whole you deal with what is thrown at you.
I can understand why you miss being on the roof with a crew and the friendship and hatread that goes with it, im sure you wont have laided your last shingle!!!
Good luck with the job.
Cheers
Dave

 

[Ed the Roofer]

I know that you realize that I would only take the time to be sarcastic like that with someone I sincerely respect. :thumbup:

Any government Gig is a good way to have reliability and a steady income on your side.

You probably don't even get SS deducted now either, or have you noticed?

Even when the Government is broke, they still always have funds for payrol to employees, but sometimes stretch the chit out of vendors.

You are in a good place. I'm jealous, in a good way.

Ed

 

[2ndGen]

how the feck can you do this for a living,

Dave, I remember feeling that way years after being a roofer! :laughing:

Since that age of 19 i have been a roofer and had a love/hate relationship with it,

Same here. I hate the business side of it when things go wrong that are beyond my control.
But, I just fecking love it too when I'm up a few stories in the air, banging away with my gun, yelling for more material:
SHINGLES!

I can understand why you miss being on the roof with a crew and the friendship and hatread that goes with it, im sure you wont have laided your last shingle!!!
Good luck with the job.
Cheers
Dave

:thumbup: You're darn' tootin' I haven't layed my last shingle yet.

It's about 60 degrees out here today (after one of the coldest winters we've had in NY ever that started in October). The warming air tickles my special place and makes me want to throw on my tool belt and whip out my gun and put some good tunes on my Bosch Site Radio.

I'm sure I'll be posting up some pics of some roofing work soon!

Thanks Dave...your post gave me some great laughs (at myself!).

 

[2ndGen]

I know that you realize that I would only take the time to be sarcastic like that with someone I sincerely respect. :thumbup:

Any government Gig is a good way to have reliability and a steady income on your side.

You probably don't even get SS deducted now either, or have you noticed?

Even when the Government is broke, they still always have funds for payrol to employees, but sometimes stretch the chit out of vendors.

You are in a good place. I'm jealous, in a good way.

Ed

Thanks Ed.

Actually, the hiring manager had to go and procure my salary a year in advance from their budget before they could hire me. They said that they initially weren't going to be hiring until late in the 2nd quarter of the year, but from what I heard, they made a special request to get me to come on board.

In that respect, I'm flattered and I love this job and the people I work with are top notch. I've no worries about performing, I just, well, you know...I miss getting dirty.

But yeah, the steady income is nice as is the not having to worry about when it rains and "did my guys close up the roof right" etc...

But to be brutally honest, I miss that "live" feeling I had when anything could go seriously wrong. It's like being in a relationship with a really sexy pscycho woman. Granted, she might give you headaches and turn your life upside down, but your life sure is exciting with her in it.

:laughing:

 

[Ed the Roofer]

It's like being in a relationship with a really sexy pscycho woman. Granted, she might give you headaches and turn your life upside down, but your life sure is exciting with her in it.

Been there, done that 11 years ago that lasted 3 years.

Great to be involved sometimes, but much better to be far away from it in hindsight.

Ed

 

[2ndGen]

When i left school i didnt have a clue what i wanted to do, i worked as a sales clerk at first and hated it, money was ok so i stuck at it.
A friend of mine was a roofer who needed a hand one day getting some tiles up, well i remember thinking at the end of the day with my neck cut from slipping tiles and my shoulder sore as you like that how the feck can you do this for a living, i couldnt even hold a cup of tea i was so knackered.
Since that age of 19 i have been a roofer and had a love/hate relationship with it, for the past 6 years its been love with this job, ever since i took on my own work and got away from subbing work all the time(still sub now and then)
Dont get me wrong H/Os can be sons of bitches but on the whole you deal with what is thrown at you.
I can understand why you miss being on the roof with a crew and the friendship and hatread that goes with it, im sure you wont have laided your last shingle!!!
Good luck with the job.
Cheers
Dave

Cheers!

Thanks!

But, know what's driving me crazy right about now?

I just turned down a 100 sq job, + a $35,000. kitchen renovation, plus another little $5K job!

My Entrepreneurial "me" is kicking and screaming inside!

Grrrr!

I'm almost hoping to get fired or something!

Man! It's driving me crazy!

Why now?

I'm telling you guys, put your seatbelts on!

The economy is going to explode, we finally are getting out of this recession and with my luck (I should've been born Irish) there's probably going to be a ton of work that I won't be touching.

 

[tomstruble]

i hope your right about the economy 2gen:hammer::yes:

 

[2ndGen]

i hope your right about the economy 2gen:hammer::yes:

Hey Tom,

Well, 2 straight months of economic growth, housing sales climbing, greatest Wall Street rally since WWII for 4 week period?

Not leaps and bounds, but incrimental and as we all know, slow and steady wins the race sometimes.

I think we'll be ok.

I think that once those stimulous checks kick in on top of the tax returns after April, we will get flushed with work. Watch. Especially with the homeowner tax incentives for fixing their homes which will directly benefit us...well, I mean you guys as I'm out the business ("on" the record that is!).

:thumbup:

 

[2ndGen]

Gosh help me...the calling is getting tooooooo strong now!

Gentlemen, I just might be back @ work (on the roof) by the end of the week.

I feel like an alcoholic walking passed a bar.

 

[2ndGen]

Ordering new business cards tomorrow.

:icon_cheesygrin:

 

[2ndGen]

As I shared with Ed...it's officially official now.

In the immortal words of Paul Newman in The Color of Money... "I'm Back!"

(This video is me playing myself...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=730Q-baXOhE