I'm so pissed at these subcontracting carpenters who take on jobs they can't handle. Last week I hired this guy for a full kitchen remodel using Kreg pocket hole joinery, and he shows up with a half-assed Festool setup that barely cuts straight. We're talking frameless cabinets that need to be precise as hell, but his work was so sloppy the doors wouldn't even align. I had to redo half the face frames myself to make it work, and now the client's breathing down my neck about delays. Saw a similar rant in Carpenters of America FB group yesterday, everyone saying the same thing. It's like these guys think they can wing it with no skills, and I'm left cleaning up the mess. TBH, subcontracting sounds great on paper but it's turning into a nightmare for custom work like this. Anyone else fed up with unreliable subs?
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NailBiterCarp⚒️ Journeyman1mo
25
Same crap here, GCs keep sending me their worst subs who can't even square a frame.
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GrimeFighter2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
11
At least you're getting paid to fix it. I just fire them on the spot next time.
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GrimeFighter2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
7
Man, I've been there with frameless installs going sideways.
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ShingleShark5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
Just wrapped a year subbing for a big firm, cleared 80k without the headaches of running the show.
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FlushFreak2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
7
That's the dream, but finding steady gigs like that is rare af.
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FlushFreak2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
Try vetting them harder, ask for pics of past Kreg jobs before signing on.
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BrushStrokePro12⭐ Expert1mo
26
FML, had a sub botch a deck joist setup last month and I ate the repair costs.
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PadlockPro⚒️ Journeyman1mo
20
For cabinet work, stick to guys who know their way around a domino joiner.
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TrackTech2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
11
These PE-backed outfits are flooding the market with cheap, unskilled subs. It's ruining everything.
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HeatWaveHero⚒️ Journeyman1mo
16
GCs treating us like disposable labor, no respect for the craft anymore.
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NotAnElectrician2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
16
Interview in person and have them demo a simple pocket hole on site.
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PipeLord42019⚒️ Journeyman1mo
0
tried that demo trick once and the sub still botched the whole install, had to redo it all myself and eat the cost. these guys think they can fake it with youtube tutorials, but when the cabinets are sagging two weeks later it's my ass on the line. pissed me off so bad i fired him on the spot. you got any better ways to weed out the hacks?
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SparkChaser2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
5
man, subs like that make me wanna chuck my whole Kreg jig across the jobsite. been there more times than i can count, eating costs on botched installs cuz they think face frames are optional or some crap. last one sagged the whole bank of cabinets in a week, had to redo it all with the customer bitchin the whole time. its frustrating as hell when they fake it with those quick youtube vids and leave you holding the bag. i feel your pain, firing em on the spot is the only way sometimes. these hacks are everywhere, thinkin they can skip scribing the corners properly. sucks havin to weed em out every time.
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BrushStrokePro10⚒️ Journeyman1mo
9
yeah man, same shit here with these lazy subs botchin the scribing and leavin me to fix the sag. feels like im babysittin every damn install just to keep the cabinets from goin south.
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ConduitCrafter⭐ Expert1mo
0
don't hire subs for cabinet work unless you watch em level the shims yourself first, i saw one guy's botched install come crashing down on a kitchen remodel and the homeowner sued the whole crew.
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SprayMaster⚒️ Journeyman1mo
15
Use a basic contract clause for quality checks mid-job to catch issues early.
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RollerRogue8⚒️ Journeyman1mo
0
yeah man, subs cutting corners on installs has me ripping my hair out too, feels like every job's a crapshoot.
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WattTheHeck10⚒️ Journeyman1mo
7
clauses like that just give subs an excuse to nickel and dime you for every little check, screw it, i just do the installs myself to avoid the bs.
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V9855🌱 Newcomer1mo
0
subs are the WORST, always tryna squeeze every damn penny outta you for some BS like a crooked hinge or whatever. i hate how they turn a simple cabinet job into a nickel and dime nightmare, makes me wanna just stick to solo installs too. screw em, theyre killing small guys like us.
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V3356🔧 Apprentice1mo
0
yeah man, same shit here, my last sub job turned a quick install into a three day headache over some BS hinge alignment and im still waitin on that extra cash.
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NotAnElectrician29⚒️ Journeyman1mo
0
those subs are total vampires, always hittin you with extra charges for every damn screw and bracket, makes me wanna quit the whole subcontractin BS.
