Productivity is an ableist social construct

Post Reply New Topic

^
What profession are you?
A hooker?

Tradesman - a Taper.

I haven’t technically completed an apprenticeship as it was disrupted during Covid, but I trained under several good Tapers, including 4 with 50+ years experience. My work looks Very Good.

If I were to go sign into the union hall and work commercial I’d make $36-37/hr at full rate + $10/hr benefits. So, since my work is as good or better, I aim to make more than that working for myself and almost always do.

On a job that I made just under $100/hr cash for a couple days work the general contractor told me my pricing was too low. Okay; I guess I’ll keep increasing flat rate and per trip charge jobs then.

Sometimes I agree to do work for less money, like the $35/hr I’m charging this sweet lady that got conned by a con artist. But typically I just give a price, say, $1000 + material costs because that’s what the little job’s market value is. If I can turn out a beautiful job in between 10-20 hours work, I’ve made my $50-100/hr. Someone else who isn’t as skilled might spend a lot more time to turn out something that isn’t nearly as good.

And I’m not particularly fast. I’m super OCD and turn out a fantastic job, but if I cared a bit less and moved faster and left a few flaws I could easily be up over $100/hr on some jobs. One of the 50 year guys I know probably makes $200-300/hr or more when he does ceilings because he’s lightning fast.

Some jobs aren’t as lucrative, just depends on the size/location/variables.. but if one can earn $47/hr punching a clock working for the man, if you’re good you can make more selling your services yourself - so I do. Just need to focus more on Speed and I’ll be able to crank ‘em out and get paid. Last one I did I made $75/hr and did that one at a pretty good pace. Some newbie would be lucky to make $20/hr and the walls and ceilings wouldn’t look so good.


Here’s a before and after on a repair I did a few years ago:





^that’s just my dry dusty work, no primer/paint yet.

I’ve done much fancier stuff, too.

Took one last day to rest/heal - gotta take some ibuprofen and get to work finishing a renovation job tmw and over the weekend. I'll make Ok money at $35/hr cash on this one. But need to get it done because a guy sent me a video of a funky shaped attic ceiling he needs Taped in East Van + a small ceiling to skim so I told him ~$1400ish to do it. He sent me another vid today of an office that needs taped in North Van - it looks like around 1100sf or so, no ceilings, few corner beads as they're trimming the windows with wood.. thinking how to price it - probably about $500 in costs, probably take about a week to do.. thinking I should quote him around 4 grand. But don't wanna be way too high Or low. Hmm.. I might think on it a little and consult someone else before giving a price.

Sounds great bro. I don't know you but I'm proud of you. Keep up the good job.

<3 Thanks!

I asked a few questions, quoted $3800 including material, he said material would be provided.. told him it costs $300, so I'd do the job for $3500. Waiting to see if he gets back to me with a green light or what - certainly he's getting another quote from someone else. It's around 1000sf of office space walls. If he comes back and says I'm a bit high, I'd do it for a bit less.. but what I don't wanna do is work only for a Wage and no profit for my skill/quality/speed as well as risk of going job to job doing my own contracting vs. having a Job somewhere else. So, the jury's out. Time will tell if I have that job as well or not. If I do, great, I'll stack cash in a drawer faster lol. If not, oh well, whatev's -> you're not supposed to get every job you bid on.. if you do your price is too low.

edit: creating a bit of anxiety not having a reply from him. Would be nice to know if I'm in the ballpark. I can't imagine someone's gonna bid waaaaay lower than that unless they have no idea what the value of their work is and aren't very good at it. It'd probably take me about a week to do and I'd have to drive to North Vancouver to do it - traffic nightmare/expensive parking etc. No one wants to work there so prices on the North Shore are higher. Also, when ya think about the costs of living these days... everyone else has to pay like 3 grand for rent and 2 grand to drive a truck + they gotta eat and so on, so if I profit 3 grand in a week off a small commercial job that's really not an obscenely high income or anything by local costs. It'd be lucrative for Me because I'd probably make $75-100/hr, not including travel time.. and I don't pay expensive rent and my vehicles are all paid for - but - based on market rents and if I had a vehicle payment etc etc, a contractor has to be able to make a few grand for a week's work to make it worth being in business.

Still tho, with no reply it's making me a bit anxious.. I do wonder if he's playing my quote against someone else in real time and seeing if he can get a better deal. No idea who else is bidding it. Would be funny if it was a colleague I know.

Productivity is essential if you was served a meal that was not cooked properly or you was forced to wait hours for, you would soon complain about the workers productivity.

The problem is when autistic people can do the job but are judged on things that are not relevant to the job, like social skills or ability to talk or answer stupid questions that again are not relevant.

Didn't know they were hiring for a comedian or public speaker or actor

Had this experience over the years and it drove me crazy

Man, I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head there!! !

I used to have this argument with a friend about productivity and I'd say who cares if someone doesn't like me if I get more work done right faster than others - the company is making more money from me.

But I've since learned that productivity is only one measure.. social interactions matter. People would rather have a less productive guy around that's a positive influence on everyone in the business than someone who produces more but is totally miserable and brings people down or irritates them. Facts.

People have to balance all of these things in work. But you can still choose work to do solo in silence or while listening to music like my trade.. just get everyone out of your way and do your thing, do good work, and get paid.

Yes your probably right thats how NT`s managers think, probably how they vote too, rather for someone with a nice smile and a quick verbal reply for everything rather than someone with better policies

That's the world we live in, still annoys me though

It's not entirely misguided though.

If you bring so much drama/negativity/conflict it overshadows your productivity, you gonna 'not work out there' even if you're doing well on paper.

The boss won't replace the entire staff to make one work fit in, they'd rather replace a single worker with one that's a better match for the team.

Same is true in other contexts; you can be a very skilled pro athlete, but if you don't fit well into the coach's system of play you're going to find yourself being traded.