Because I’m on site 80% of the time, I get to know the tradespeople a bit. It’s an interesting study in personalities, with few commonalities or generalities that I can draw. During the first few weeks of steadily working alongside the various crews/sub-trades, I didn’t feel much sense of comradeship. They work at a steady pace, and I don’t want to waste their time and our money with chitchat. I wouldn’t join them for a beer on payday. I have my lunch in the RV, and would only converse with them about the tasks related to their jobs. I listen and observe, and occasionally someone will offer his opinion on his truck, or schooling for his special-needs child, or health or mortgage issues, or how he’s a bit of a zoologist, or how he proposed to his girlfriend at Lake Louise.
Lately I have felt comfortable enough with some of them that I ask questions about their lives, as a follow-up to some comment they’ve volunteered, in my typical interviewing style of conversation (so I’m told.) I’ve joined them for a payday beer, when the conversation is usually anything but the building task.
I get the impression that most tradespeople work hard, take pride in their work, and are honest with most everyone except Revenue Canada (and that they believe the coming Harmonized Sales Tax will produce a lot more under-the-table deals.) I learn some things about their bosses that I probably shouldn’t know. It’s pretty clear which ones are devoted parents and caring life partners. They are almost always respectful of each other, and always respectful of the homeowners (if they know we are the homeowners – It’s not always clear.)
One generality: there is a sense of belonging and brotherhood among the trades. People in the building trade on the Coast have wide circles of friends and acquaintances in the industry. They have their favourites, and others they mention in guarded tones. Recently, an on-the-job accident and two deaths (not on the job) have occurred. One of the deaths was a suicide. That sort of news travels like wildfire, with the delivery driver telling the guys, or their wives calling them because they work with a family member, or their children go to the same school. It makes them pensive. We all seem to regard our lives and priorities differently when we hear of tragedies.
Another generality: They smoke. About 85% of the tradesmen who come to our site have a cigarette lit while they work. I’m not sure when I will assert my ownership of our home by saying “no smoking” inside. Probably once the drywall is in, and the house begins to absorb odors.
Each person I’m meeting on site is interesting. Most are cheerful and accommodating. Some express regret about their career choices, but most appear happy to be doing their craft. Some could work on their professionalism/marketing. I consider them all to be allies (albeit allies who must be paid!)
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Excellent post. My past, occasional, and surficial interaction with trades suggested to me that they can be among the most arrogant people around. I always thought that maybe that was a defensive thing. But prolonged involvement with them in a co-working environment has caused me to moderate that view. There’s no question there’s a brotherhood amongst the trades. Maybe it’s more literal in that sense, and maybe that’s one of the reasons there are so very very few female trades?