Working Construction...A New Career?

[mplsdunk]

i’m late but i work highway construction OP…i put up guardrail…

good money in the summer as there’s a generous amount of overtime to be had…construction under the sun sucks but it is what it is!!! 60+ hours a week in summer

rainy days and winter suck, but i usually still get at least 40 hours in winter…

i can’t lie i didn’t get any pto or sick leave or anything like that…but the pay is good enough that i was driving an hour one way for work up until a few weeks ago…

sounds like you have what it takes to rough it out OP…plus you bought tools so that’s another reason to stick it out!!

but like many in this thread i’m already planning my exit from construction…did office work until i caught a charge in 2017…been doing construction ever since…


recently got my cdl permit and plan on transitioning to a truck driver versus being a skilled laborer now…more pay less work..

but in the meantime i do what i have to do…i hate the job, but i love the checks…

you work for your states DOT or do they contract that all out? DOT does all the guardrail here, one day you might be plowing snow the next you might be on guardrail.

you still going to work for the same company? there's all sorts of DOT jobs that you just drive a truck for.

I got two seasons left in me and I'm out of paving, I'll still drive probably but I want a year round job with weekends off again. sick of missing all summer and being laid off all winter.

 

[va757va]

you work for your states DOT or do they contract that all out? DOT does all the guardrail here, one day you might be plowing snow the next you might be on guardrail.

you still going to work for the same company? there's all sorts of DOT jobs that you just drive a truck for.

i work for a private company that VDOT contracts out to fix the guardrails…we do snow here too, prep , treatment and plowing…only thing is it doesn’t snow here alot…i think ive worked 5 or so snow days so far this year…

I got two seasons left in me and I'm out of paving, I'll still drive probably but I want a year round job with weekends off again. sick of missing all summer and being laid off all winter.

yea i’m the same way bro... i’m 33 now…i told myself i realistically got 3-4 more years of construction left before i’m physically worn out…that’s why i grind so hard now and never turn down OT, cause i know i have an expiration date!!!

but yea bro it’s always dope chopping it up with you man!! its been a while!!

 

[mplsdunk]

Yeah I know you don’t get much snow down there. That’s not a bad thing though.

Same, I’m 34 I got 7 years in or something like that. I’m have to wait two years though until I get vested and I’m out.

My job isn’t super physical now, unless you count chaining equipment which isn’t hard. It’s just the hours and I’m supposed to be on call too but I never answer them if they call and I’m off.

You could look into lowboy driver, you could find a job working for a equipment rental company so you’re still in the construction industry but not working a million hours a week. That’s what I plan on doing once I’m done with this paving company. caterpillar, sunbelt or something like that.

Glad you’re good man. hit me up if you need help when you start driving.

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

OP how's it going?

I enjoy construction but just home productts

don't think i would want to deal with pesky customers
might look into development tho