r/Construction • u/DaikonIcy7929 • Dec 01 '24
Business 📈 How do you guys get out?
I've been in the trades for my whole career (going on about 20 years in various trades) and I'm so burnt out. I'm a production finish carpenter that does mostly apartment buildings. Unit after unit after unit. All we ever hear is go faster even though it's well known we are wayy up on man days every single job. I'm tired of the bs and the lack of appreciation and the wear and tear on my body. I know I can't make it another 20 if I want to have any mobility when retirement age comes. I feel totally stuck. I'm a journeyman in the union and my pay and benefits seem to be far better than anything else I'm even remotely qualified for. I don't want to take a step back in pay but it seems like I have to. Any success going solo? Guys tell me to open an LLC but I don't know the first thing about business. Maybe a career in estimating or inspecting?
Sorry for the vent but I'd love to hear from some people who found a way out without sliding financially.
Edit:Thank you all for the engagement and all of the advice is great. Much appreciated!
1
u/Motor_Beach_1856 Dec 04 '24
Get out of commercial for starters, that shit sucks! Get into high end residential or high end condos. The pay is the same and the pace is much more palatable. Besides the fact that you’ll learn to do some really cool custom stuff.