# I give up



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Yesterday ..
I get a call for AC roof top not working in accounting office at a large hotel
Just before I get there they call again now kitchen exhaust is not working...
By the time I get there now flames are coming out of the front of the pool heater and lines for hot tub leaking

Get all that done and only had time to shut off the pool heater and told them I would check that on Sunday... They also want a new 20 ton roof top and kitchen make up air

Last night the phone rang at 2:30 am and it was them ... Never heard the call at all ..

Called them once I woke up this morning... The boiler on the other side of the building was putting out CO and set off the alarms... 

So this morning back at the same building they have 4 boiler rooms...

I tore that boiler completely apart and no signs of blockage ... Torn chimney apart and rain cap on roof missing... Installed new rain cap ... Put boiler back together and started it up...

Then down to the pool room and tore that boiler apart to fix flame roll out problem ... Heat exchanger was all blocked up and found the problem with the burner... Burners were rotten.. Order burners first thing tomorrow

Then one of the maintenance guys drags me to another boiler room saying one of the storage tanks are leaking

What the heck is going on .. Everything falling apart all at the same time


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

Amazing chain of events. At least it will be worth some bank.

Why are you running the calls? Don't have a on-call guy, or just like running them for something to do? With all due respect and admiration.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Normally we don't take residential after hours calls...

The boys already work 40 to 60 hours a week..

I take all the night and weekend commercial


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

It doesn't look like all of a sudden problems. Looks like problems that have been let go due to lack of maintenance or the people in charge have not called in the problems to OS. Low and behold someone comes in for a repair, let's dump it all in his lap!


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## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

$$$$$


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Sometimes when it rains it pours! Then you start wondering what will break next! :blink:


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Here is the rating plate on those tanks


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

'76 huh, is there a door that it will fit through or are you going to have to take a wall out?


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Gettinit said:


> '76 huh, is there a door that it will fit through or are you going to have to take a wall out?


It's actually 1967 date on it...

Could cut it up with torches... But might take out the block wall to make a larger opening and take it out in one piece seeing I would have to replace them with the same size. 

That should keep a couple of guys busy for two or more days


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

45 years old wonder if they still have warranty? Replaced a 1/3 hp b and g pump motor a couple of weeks ago date code 1977! They asked me why it died, I laughed and said well it had exceeded its life expectancy!:laughing:


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

There's nothing silly going on with them like concrete or glass lining I'm sure? They can be a lot of fun to remove.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

U666A said:


> There's nothing silly going on with them like concrete or glass lining I'm sure? They can be a lot of fun to remove.


I am sure they are concrete lined to last that long


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

At least you didn't get the "you fixed this last week so I'm sure the rest of this is related to what you did"


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Just makes me wonder how much do they scream and holler when
 you hand them that big bill fo r all this work???


I assume that they are one of your better accounts and their names are not Patel..:laughing:

do they ask you for your rock bottom price??


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Those burners look like a Weil Mclain or Burnham.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Could be Raypak....standard ribbon burners


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Gettinit said:


> Could be Raypak....standard ribbon burners


 Doesnt look like a raypak!  But I could be wrong.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

pilot light said:


> Doesnt look like a raypak!  But I could be wrong.


On my phone it does anyhow...


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

I can't really see any rust or reason for the tube to be bad....beside the big hole.


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

I dont think it is a raypak the back retainer section looks like a weil mc! just burned out probably got plugged!


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## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Just looking at the tanks makes my back hurt:laughing:

OS are you going to give them a multiple service discount :laughing:


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

NOT a Weil Mclain burners!


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> NOT a Weil Mclain burners!


 Whats your guess?


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Here is the rating plate


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Jandy damn! The big openings in the ribbon yep. Havent work on a jandy in 3 years! Thermopile right?


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Gettinit said:


> I can't really see any rust or reason for the tube to be bad....beside the big hole.


This was off the pool heater ... There was a leak prior the year before that was hitting the burners.. We fixed that at that time...

I guess the chemicals in the pool water ate up the burners


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

pilot light said:


> Jandy damn! The big openings in the ribbon yep. Havent work on a jandy in 3 years! Thermopile right?


Sorry it's HSI ignition


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> Sorry it's HSI ignition


 Oh well eh got an HSI and honeywell module in the truck and a thermopile. No jandy ribbon burners though! Is it a honeywell HSI control module? Probably not it is a fenwal! Going all in on the fenwal!:yes:


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> Just makes me wonder how much do they scream and holler when
> you hand them that big bill fo r all this work???
> 
> I assume that they are one of your better accounts and their names are not Patel..:laughing:
> ...


The funny thing they are Patels...

9 years ago when we first started doing a 220 room renovation on this hotel I told them straight out .... This is the price I demand and the price is the price... Also we expect to get paid the 15th of every month

They kept to their promise..

Never have they question any bill ...

Most times we just do the work with no advanced pricing ... It is what it is


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

so what did you give up on ?????


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

GREENPLUM said:


> so what did you give up on ?????


I give up...

The endless amount of stuff that needs to be done....

Being over booked... Trying to cover everybody and the list grows faster and larger the more we do.....

I am not whining or bragging just fedup....


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

OldSchool said:


> I give up...
> 
> The endless amount of stuff that needs to be done....
> 
> ...


well, this either means that you are saying that you have had enough and need a change or you are just venting...

at one point in my life I felt like I was chaseing my tail and did not have enough time for anything else....

I guess you have to ask yourself if you are happy doing what you are doing , * and are you making enough money to put up with all the headaches that **have come with it.....*

I got out of the construction crap a long time ago and 
today we are probably making the same money with 1/10 of the headaches...and only one employee. instead of 8

maybe you need to downsize and get rid of some headaches


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> well, this either means that you are saying that you have had enough and need a change or you are just venting...
> 
> at one point in my life I felt like I was chaseing my tail and did not have enough time for anything else....
> 
> ...


More venting than any thing ... I guess 

It's Monday again and it starts all over again...

If anything ... Got to expand ... At this point .. I want to go the other way in a few years everything is up for sale...

This is the goal... 

I don't give away our services..... 

It just seems as soon as you think you are ahead and on track with the jobs... More just comes rolling in and then you are left with loose ends

The economy is booming up here and is putting pressure on everybody....

I decided last night .... That we will not be taking any more new clients until we catch up....


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

OldSchool said:


> The economy is booming up here and is putting pressure on everybody....
> 
> I decided last night .... That we will not be taking any more new clients until we catch up....


 


you forgot the other part of the equation...
when you get bigger you have to depend more on
your helpers to tow the load... which they really dont want to do...



I was just wondering what is keeping the economy
 going up in your part of canada?? Is it Oil Shale, OIl sands????


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> I was just wondering what is keeping the economy going up in your part of canada?? Oil Shale??


Mining... There is close to 4 billion being spent by two major mining companies in a population of 160,000 the spin off from that is hugh


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

So much for not taking more clients ...

My guys are fully book for the next 3 months already...

First call this morning... I figured I would to brush off this customer... She says she has a blocked drain so I tell we are all booked up till Thursday ... Though she would call some one else ... Nope .. She says book her in

2nd call guy has gas leak in house.. This is one of our customers... Told him to leave the key for the house and I will head over at 10:30 after I set the guys up on the job

3rd call I just let it go to voice mail....


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*build up some good karma*

I dont want to tell you anything or critize your thing...

Some work I just hate, especially gas leaks and I got
someone on the line I throw those calls because they can turn into a day-eating nightmare....

sewer cleaning is another job that I remember always put our employees in a bad mood.... some of my fathers most loyal employees were about ready to jump ship because of rooting out sewers....so we just got away from it....

today I throw these jobs to folks I know are dependable and usually I get 50 bucks for the gas leak referrals... I have built a lot of good karma throwing these jobs out to others, and I know that these folks KNOW that they owe me big time if I am ever in a jam,,

so maybe you ought to cut a few things loose...

get some good karma going with some subs
for the more crappy jobs that are binding you up.....


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

I don't think you have them up I just think you need to be in some beach somewhere with an Ice cold brew in your hand


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## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Strange. Guys want to give up when they are so busy they can not keep track of what is next. Or guys want to give up when they are so slow they can't afford a mcdouble. It is a crazy business. Feast or famine.

OS it is good to hear you are staying busy:thumbsup:.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> I dont want to tell you anything or critize your thing...
> 
> Some work I just hate, especially gas leaks and I got
> someone on the line I throw those calls because they can turn into a day-eating nightmare....
> ...


Found the leaks ... 5 of them... Now to unblock a sewer at a mall 

Turned his gas off


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Today was one of those days!


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