I’m getting new windows installed, the guys were supposed to finish today. I come home for the final walk-through and to write a check, and I see that they are not yet done. When installing windows, these guys also wrap the trim in aluminum. The tool one uses to bend metal is called a “break” (I didn’t know that till today). Well, guess what? The guy’s break broke.
I actually laughed when he said it. He wasn’t happy, didn’t smile and said he’d finish tomorrow.
Wrapping the trim in metal is harder than it looks.
The window companies barely pay anything for doing it, but are very quick to include it in the job.
A break is a rather large and pretty expensive tool.
Yes, it sounded funny. But it’s costing that guy. Not only is he going to have to fix his or get another (depending on exactly what broke), but he probably isn’t going to make any money on this particular job. (Ya takes yer chances, part of the fun of install contracting)
How do I know? One of the many things I do is install windows and doors for Home Depot and Pacesetter.
Tomorrow, give him a beer. Just so he doesn’t have super bad memories about your house.
I’ve seen the tool I just didn’t know what it was called. And the guy’s been saddled with inexperienced help by his superviser so he was not as happy as he could have been beforehand.
A couple guys I work with had shop class in high school so they have actually used a break, and my mother worked for construction rental supply company for 25 years so she knew what the thing was. But, another fellow I work with who is also a nerdy computer type ha no idea what a break was. But as soon as I told him, he knew the break broke.
And I think the guy’s gotten a raw deal on this job, maybe, but not from me. He and his buddy got a free lunch on Monday, maybe that will ease his pain. And in all seriousness, NoClueBoy, why’d you have to get all serious? You’re like spoiling the joke!
Maybe. But you should try to be nice to the guy. When he comes tomorrow with the replacement tool, ask him to show it to you. Then would it kill you to stroke his ego a little bit? Admire the item…and tell him how much better it is than the one thats broken.
Homebrew, if I was a really clever fellow and didn’t mind getting socked in the nose every now and then, I’d try getting the guy breakfast. He seemed like a decent guy, but this job (more the people he was working with on this job) was getting to him.
