The world stops if your not there.

John Giles, post: 382393, member: 57 wrote: I can't just quit because it will leave my boss without a surveyor at the dam and I wouldn't do that to him but I can't get my other work done because of the dam work.

Tell him to double your pay, and then you can hire somebody to do stuff, for you, (Don't pay the new guy all of it, but some of the double in pay, and now you can delegate.

Organize, Delegate, Supervise.

🙂

N

Nate The Surveyor, post: 382394, member: 291 wrote: Tell him to double your pay, and then you can hire somebody to do stuff, for you, (Don't pay the new guy all of it, but some of the double in pay, and now you can delegate.

Organize, Delegate, Supervise.

🙂

N

I wish I could be I think my boss is paying me the most he can. He is such a good guy and I don't want to leave him high and dry. I can't take a huge hit on my business though. I have turned away enough work to pay my wages for a year already and the work I took on isn't getting done because I am always 'needed' at the dam. It's the craziest thing. I never felt so important and so over used at the same time. I love boundary work. That is where my heart is. The construction work is just a pain in my rear end.

I've been sick some too and my boss paid me during my hospital stays but I had another surveyor at that time that could take my place. I'm anemic due to blood loss but I think they figured it out and I am good to go now. Crohn's disease. But let me tell you when your hemoglobin gets below a 6 you can barely function. I worked while my blood level was that low and it's not easy. You can't barely walk without feeling like you are about to pass out. But I showed up and worked anyway. I've been in the hospital 3 times for transfusions and one surgery. I've recovered from this and feel pretty good now. But what am I supposed to do about my business. I have to work it too.

I just needed a place to whine a little. I wish I could go back in time and not take this job. But I'm not a quitter so I will stick with it. Just wish I had time to do what I loved. boundary surveying.

We try to never take on construction jobs unless we can dedicate the personnel to be there every day for the whole project. We learned that no matter how many times we were told they needed a crew for a day or two, of for a check of just one building, we would end up being there for months. It sounds like the same thing has happened to you. Is there any way you can sub out your part of the construction work? Or at least find someone to "cover' for you while you are gone? I have no other advice, because that is how we handled it, and it worked to get us through our situation. Finding the right person to cover wasn't easy, but it beats beating yourself up.

You might consider communicating with your boss all the information you shared here. Apparently he is unaware or has conveniently forgot your initial agreement. Bite the bullet and sit down with him and talk this thing out before everything goes all to hell. Wish you the best.

You are just giving line if I remember right? That should be easy enough to teach. Find the smartest kid out there and start training your replacement.

Simple answer, in my experience, yes. This is exactly how construction has operated every time I've gotten involved. They tell you what you want to hear and then push you until you break and then make you feel like you've let them down for only giving 150% of yourself. That's why I don't do anything for construction anymore. My experience has been that they are finger pointers and bullies. Again, your mileage may vary, just going off what I've dealt with personally.

John Giles, post: 382393, member: 57 wrote: I'm sitting on $40,000 worth of work (almost a years wages at my pay rate) and no way to get it done.

John,
Make sure you keep these clients in the loop. Return any retainers if requested. Call them regularly.

A young Surveyor here in Arkansas accepted a retainer to do a small boundary survey and was then called away for a 10 week 'construction' project...didn't return the small client's phone calls. The small client filed a complaint with the board and the Surveyor lost his license.

DDSM

1. Working with friends is a tough thing to do. Friends are friends. Business is business.
2. You need to have a talk with the project manager about expectations, theirs and yours. It may be that they are paying for a PLS when what they really need, most of the time, is a grade hop. Or perhaps the project superintendent is underperforming.
3. If you are really needed that badly, that much, you should be making close to $100k/yr, plus full bennys. If you aren't see item 2.
4. Try having a schedule. You will be there until noon Wednesday and will be back Friday morning, for example. Staking requests received after 5pm Tuesday will be done first thing Friday, etc. Poor planning on their part does not constitute an emergency or your part.
5. What Dan B. said.

Quit immediately. You have a job, not a marriage.

Let your currently employer know your concerns when you give them 2-weeks notice this morning. There is a chance that they will find you backup in the two weeks. If they don't, you have given two weeks notice and can leave with your last day being August 5th.

If they do find a 2nd person, then great...you have the position you were promised.

BTW, from your description above your current employer is not a friend. You are being taken advantage of, you do not need to feel guilty, or responsible when you leave.

Make sure that you have documented the hours and days that you have worked for the past 60 days. If your 'side' job falls through then you might want to apply for unemployment. In most states, the reality of the position that you have now will make it impossible to deny your claims.

Sorry to sound so mean here, but 12 to 17 hours a day, 7 days per week? That is complete, total BS. You have a responsibility to yourself and your family to not continue to be taken advantage of. And I don't think it matters how much you are paid.

M

John Giles, post: 382393, member: 57 wrote: would be there a few days a week and get paid for 40 hours regardless if I was there or not.

That's a bad agreement, leaving both the hours and the task so loosely defined.

By this description, it is a salaried position (as opposed to hourly or lump sum), and in a salaried position you are committed to getting the job done no matter how long it takes. Since the job wasn't defined, that leaves you open to whatever they want.

"The world stops if you are not there". No, it's doesn't. I guarantee you that if you leave they will find someone else. If you sacrifice your health the only people who will suffer will be you and your family.

It's a no-brainer. There's something engrained in the surveying psyche that we never quit until the job is done or we are done in. Act while you still have that choice available to you. Chalk it up to life lessons learned and move on. Take care of your health. In the end it's the only thing that matters, everything else is off the table without it.

Why do you feel such allegience to this guy that apparently lied to you and is now abusing you?

What has he done to deserve it?

Dan B. Robison, post: 382442, member: 34 wrote: John,
Make sure you keep these clients in the loop. Return any retainers if requested. Call them regularly.

A young Surveyor here in Arkansas accepted a retainer to do a small boundary survey and was then called away for a 10 week 'construction' project...didn't return the small client's phone calls. The small client filed a complaint with the board and the Surveyor lost his license.

DDSM

Dang, you people don't mess around over there. That sounds extreme. A fine and restitution plus interest seems more reasonable.

Thanks for all the advice. Will consider it all.

If that project grinds to a halt because you're not there.....they're not paying you enough. Plain and simple.

I think your problem is that you feel an obligation to him, because he is your buddy or friend.
But as others have said, he's working you far more than agrees, even for construction.

Both sides need you, both sides need to pay you.........

I've done the 85hrs a week before because being the manager and license holder carried that weight on my shoulders.

Many of the clients were mine and had followed me where I went and demanded me and the company complained about going into extra overtime status in pay.

After a shared memo between company and client, they got their act together and compensated me accordingly and gave the help and equipment to do it all.

It did not last forever, long enough for me to get thru until everything hit rock bottom with the Savings & Loan fiasco.

Most of those clients are still on my active list.

good luck

Being a nice guy only goes so far. It sounds like you have overextended your nice guy quota.