That system works well for getting a job done. If there is no work for the future it does not matter what system is used to pay an employee. The guys that did those aptartments do not know how to run conduit. It would be unfair to them to piece rate them on other than residential work. They are very good with Romex, good enough with MC/AC type cable, but no good with conduit.
They learned to do residential work and just stayed there. When I offered to train them to run conduit on a commercial job, they quickly found another large apartment job. I still have contact with them, and will call them if I get another 100+ unit apartment job. Most of those type of jobs are not happening in this area. Smaller residential work is too low balled to be profitable without a getting a lot of change orders.
You can only keep the employees who make you money. Also you can only keep employees when you have work they can do. Training is necessary in this trade and is a cost that has to be paid some how. If things go like we hope, we would get every bid we make, and make a good profit on every job.
The one thing every construction type has to remember is that the day we start a new job we are working ourselves out of a job. When we complete a job we are gone from the day to day operation of that place. Hopefully we have new jobs lined up. If not or those employees cannot do them, layoffs happen.
