Anyone work by themself regularly?
Use part-time or under the table(shhh) help.
Or, how big is your outfit? (not your suit, your crew)

Chief, Cook and Can-Cleaner...

A fellow solo-act and myself team up from time to time on the big jobs, to help each other pull, lift, etc. Since we're both legal contractor's, no hush-hush required.

The carpenter crews I work with have the same deal. They're all contrator solo-outfits who sub each other for help. Keeps the Comp people away!

Me, Myself & I
kinda like the Jim Carey movie

I quit my job as a Project Mgr/Estimator/Field Super/Babysitter, and started with another co. as the service electrician. I now work 99% of the time alone, & am responsible for only myself. I think this self imposed "demotion" has had a tremendous impact on my mental well-being, as the stress & frustration level is now way down. I'm still required to make decisions, but by working alone I'm able to see those decisions through to my satisfaction, and there's nobody else to blame but myself if they're not right. (and I'm starting to lose the extra lard I put on soothing my frustrations with chocolate)

well put electure.
as one that has babysat apprentices, obligatory to the OJT required, and subsequently had to deal with ego's i must agree.

I'll probably rethink this tommorrow pulling 200+ ft of triplex 1/0 myself!


[This message has been edited by sparky (edited 06-24-2001).]

I am a solo act myself. I started out that way and when I got too busy my wife quit her job and came to work for me in the field. She is good help and a quick learner. We had a blast working together doing custom homes and light commercial such as Dr.'s offices and autoparts chain stores. We also did a lot of grain bin/dryer work and some industrial. When she was pregnant and too big to fit through the scuttle hole I partnered with another solo electrical contractor on large jobs. After she had our second daughter she came back to work having studied for the Block Journeyman's test while she was off. After 2 more years we decided that our youngest wasn't doing well at daycare(needed a full-time spanker)so the wife stayed home and I continued solo. About 2 years ago an electrical contractor friend of mine who is also solo had a 4 acre building to wire for a light manufacturing company. He had hired a young man to apprentice and it wasn't working out. He asked me to sub-contract for a couple of weeks. It turned into a couple of months then a couple more then "if I buy you a golfcart would you stay?" so I did. This company has 9 acres under roof, all air conditioned, and is constantly growing and changing. I'm busy there nearly every day. It's an electrician's dream job and I'm still a contractor, not a company employee. When I do have slack time I still do service work and grain bins.

I haven't had an employee since 1987 or so.

If you're going to have one employee, you might as well have 10 or 20 since the paperwork for the first one is considerable & goes down quickly for the next employee.

Most of you sound the way I feel, if I'm supervising, that is taking me away from what I (usually) like to do.

When something goes wrong, I know exactly whose butt to chew, when things go right, I get all the rewards.

It takes a certain type of person to run a crew or have employees, I'm not that person. I like to be responsible for myself only.

500 kcmil CU today, 3-25' cuts @ 25' up (OH drop)
me, myself & I
all looking for some tylenol...

I work by myself but when I do need a hand I hire a high school kid as casual labor and don't let them do anything dangerous. They are excellant, cheap trenchers!

I work alone, one man company. Sometimes sure could use help though.