Fired my apprentice today after he botched a CertainTeed shingle install on a steep pitch

NotAnElectrician5

·1mo·7 replies·8 participants

NotAnElectrician5⚒️ JourneymanOP1mo

Up here in zone 5 Pennsylvania, winters hit hard and you can't afford screw-ups on a roof like this. I had this 20-year-old kid I'd been training for three months, and today on a tear-off and re-shingle job with CertainTeed Landmark shingles, he straight-up nailed the starter strip wrong and caused a bunch of wind-lift issues before we even got halfway. Cost me an extra two hours fixing his mess, and the homeowner's already bitching about the delay, so I cut him loose right there on site, told him to grab his tools and go. Seen this same kinda thing posted in the Roofing Pros Facebook group last week, guys saying apprentices just don't listen anymore. Frustrated as hell, been doing this 15 years and it's like starting over every time. Now I'm short-handed for a slate repair job next week, and materials alone on that one's pushing $4500. Anyone got tips on finding reliable help without burning through more cash?

CanvasKing4⚒️ Journeyman1mo

post a help wanted ad on craigslist targeting guys with at least one year experience and offer $22 an hour starting to weed out the flakes, worked for me when i was short on a ridge vent job.

DrainDiverDan2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

apprentices these days are a damn joke, half of 'em show up thinking tiktok taught 'em everything and can't even tab a shingle right on a steep pitch. i've lost count of the times i've had to fire some punk mid-job because they're too busy scrolling instead of listening, and now with these pe vultures buying up shops it's even harder to find real help without gettin' screwed on wages.

DoorOpener99⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, i feel that... fired my last apprentice after he screwed up a ridge cap on a 10/12 pitch and nearly caused the whole damn thing to leak.

HammerTimeHero5⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, i feel that frustration all the way down to my boots. had a similar kid last year who couldnt get the starter strip right on a certainteed job, cost me half a day fixing it and i sent him packin too. these young ones just dont listen, its like herding cats up on a steep pitch. sucks bein short handed for the next gig, good luck findin someone solid.

ChillMaster⚒️ Journeyman1mo

dont train em on steep pitches without practicing hand-sealing the landmarks first in cold weather, or youll end up with wind-lift messes like that every damn time.

SafeCrackerSam2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man that sucks, had a similar deal with my helper mangling a GAF ridge vent last month, felt like i was babysitting the whole time.

DoorJamJam⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Yeah, send 'em packing quick before they wreck your rep. For reliable help, post in local Facebook groups like Roofing Contractors, I snagged a solid guy that way who knew his way around Malco tools from day one. Check references hard though, saved me from another headache.