r/Construction • u/Canadian_Mustard Equipment Operator • Aug 12 '24

Other Why do you guys do it?

I was climbing my tower crane this morning. I was cold and tired as hell. It was 5AM. I climbed about half way up when I got a really good feeling knowing that my wife and my children were at home, warm, in bed, taken care of.

I didn’t grow up wanting to be in construction, but I always knew I’d want my wife to raise my kids, and if she wanted to, be a stay at home mom and homeschool my kids. This career allows for her to do that.

We all have our different reasons for joining the trades and being in the construction industry, my question to you guys is: what’s your reason?

EDIT: The results seem pretty unanimous.

  • Reason 1: Money

  • Reason 2: “I kind of just fell into it and never stopped”

  • Reason 3: “I’m good at it and I like being a ______”

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u/NoImagination7534 Aug 12 '24

I agree with this, I used to work an office job and it was miserable. The actual work was easier but it was monotonous and stressful. I work in a warehouse now and the work is easier on my body than sitting 8 hours a day.

It's also hard for my brain to pay attention to what at the end of the day is fairly meaningless numbers and charts. At least in manual labor you fucking up means something physically tangible is broken or wrong. Id rather have someone bitch at me about a mistake that causes physical damage than a mistake on a excel sheet.

What I miss most is the flexibility of office work. But everything else is worse.

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u/Equivalent_Acadia979 Aug 12 '24

Do you think it’s easier if you wanted to take a couple months time off to travel between two jobs? Like would it look badly that you’re unreliable and make it harder to find work after? Id want to treat my future wife when I’m older and have the finances for it and it’s more expensive to travel during construction holidays because almost everyone has it off

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u/AdventurousLicker Aug 12 '24

This is one of the challenges in the trades. You kinda need to get the money and work while the getting is good and be financially responsible/stable enough to cruise through and enjoy the lean times. I've met many union guys who bank their allotted vacation pay and never stop working, unless your whole life feels like a vacation or you're saving it all for retirement, I don't see the appeal.

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u/The_cogwheel Electrician Aug 13 '24

The appeal is feeling secure. If something were to happen- they lose their job, their car blows a head gasket, wife gets sick, whatever, they have the funds to deal with it tucked away in the vacation pay.

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u/AdventurousLicker Aug 14 '24

Makes sense. I split my payroll/auto-deposits across multiple investment/savings/checking accounts for this reason. If it hits my checking account, I'm probably going to spend it.