No concern of termites or the posts rotting out. Sure, termite damage can occur on any wood but termites like it damp. The ground where the barn is built is sandy with the exception of the top soil so it drains really well. This soil drainage will prevent the posts from rotting out too, I hope. My family has a bunch of farmers and no one has had any issue with pole construction. I checked around before building and no one had any concerns of posts rotting and some of the barns are pretty old. I do know it's a bad practice to cut the end off pressure treated wood and stick that end in the ground. All of my cuts are on the top.
My title is project manager but unfortunately it's not the 6 figure job that should go along with a title like that. If I lived in a big metro area like Houston, I'm sure what I do would pay more but I like where I live and chasing money didn't work out the last time I tried it. Plus with all my stuff I'm so never moving! What do I do? I'm the person between our customers and the manufacturing plant. Once sales books the order, the project manager becomes the customers single point of contact, for everything. There are 6 PM's, including me, in my office. We know everything there is to know about the order, current status, issues with engineering, machining, and supplied finished products. I'm the guy with no ***. When things go wrong and shipments are late, I'm the first person our customers get to chew out. When pumps are late, management chew us out. Surprisingly, I like the job and have a knack to stay on top of many orders at the same time. Some of the engineers demand that I project manage the really hairy orders because they know I will steam roll the issues and get them the answers they need to design the equipment and that makes me feel pretty good. I get along great with my peers regardless of the department and also get along with the guys in the shop because they know I understand the product. I don't get along with the management at times because I am a matter of fact guy and very truthful. If I am frustrated about something, you'll soon know! I'm a little rough around the edges. We have a open office and oftentimes I will fly off the handle just to bring some comic relief to the office. The folks I work with often joke around and that makes it a nicer place to work.
How does one get a stash of toys? First of all, you can't be afraid to spend money, lots of it. I'm not proud of borrowing money to buy cars but I've borrowed a lot of money to buy cars! (see that truthful comment above) I've taken out a home equity loan to buy cars! Dumb, really dumb! Don't borrow money against your house for ANYTHING! I have been a terrible steward of my family's money but I pulled my head out of my **** and we are now working towards getting out of debt. Good things happen when you go in the direction God wants you to go! (I haven't bought anything new since 2008 and I'm feeling a little withdrawal!)
At the risk of boring some, I'll share some thoughts that have worked for me as I have bought cars over the years. I have been buying cars for 25 years and that's hard to believe. Haven't sold very many though! In no particular order....
Buy body and paint you can live with. Body and paint work are the most expensive things to do on any car. I am on my second restoration of a rusty project and one would have thought I learned this lesson the first time. The first car was a 57 Chevy that was so rusty it should have been used for parts. I sold that car as an uncompleted project. The second car is a 67 Chevelle 2 door sedan. Sedans are rare today and I got sucked in with visions of dog dish hub caps and a stock appearing big block. It's almost finished and it's fabulous.
Don't buy and fix rusty cars, the rust gets in the seams that you can't see. I am selling my rusty cars. Full restorations are very expensive. The majority of my cars are not from the rust belt. I buy cars from North Carolina (3), Texas (2), Arizona(3), California(5), Washington (1), and Missouri (2) Rust free cars are still plentiful and there are good deals. Go out to the Pomona swap meet sometime and you'll see what I mean (I bought a car from San Diego at the Pomona swap meet 7 years ago)
There's nothing rare about old cars. Repeat that, there's nothing rare about old cars. They are everywhere! There's always more cars for sale than there are buyers. Now, if you want a 69 ZL1 Camaro, 71 Hemi Cuda, 67 Shelby Mustang GT500, you better have some bucks. Consider most of my cars. Non-pedigreed Malibu's, wagons, 2 door sedans, unusual stuff that others don't consider. Could a nicer car be for sale next week?
Find moon-lighting paint and body men or use your local vo-ed school to have your car painted. In 1987 I had my dark green 69 Chevelle painted by the vo-ed. The kids did a fabulous job (I was a kid back then too and these guys were my buds) I paid for the materials and gave the school a large donation. Then in 1990 when I needed my red Camaro painted, the vo-ed was willing to do another car for me.
Don't buy a car with a exterior color or interior that you don't like. If you are laying out lots of cash with the thinking that you'll change the color or replace the interior, you're throwing your money away. Find a car with colors you can live with. On the flip side, don't narrow your options down to an exact car with exact color, interior, engine, or options because that car may be out of your budget.
oh, the dreaded "B" word. Budget. Save up and pay CASH.
Leave your emotions at home.
Bring a second opinion to look at a car. You are looking at the car and not buying sight unseen right? I bought a car sight unseen from a liar dealer once and won't do that again. If you can't look at the car yourself, hire a inspection service or post on a forum board you are looking for some help from someone in ABC city to evaluate a car for you. You run the risk of that person buying the car but you'll still have your money! Nothing can replace actually looking at the car. One guys vision of "rust free" might not be yours.
Don't rush. Every car that I have rushed to buy has turned out to be a bad deal. Don't let the seller tell you "there's a guy coming over from Cleveland on Saturday that plans to buy the car so if you want it, better not hesitate" That's a savvy salesperson right there, don't fall for it. If it's meant to be, that car will still be for sale two weeks from now unless the price is unbelievably low. I missed out on a Nova convertible that way, $8000 rust free California car, still upsets me today!
Look for a car when you aren't planning to buy a car. That maybe the best advice I have. I am always looking at what is for sale and I watch to see if the seller drops the price. I look everywhere in print and the internet. I'll print an ad and call three months later. Something will come up for sale and the condition of the car and price will get your attention. This happened when I found the white 72 Nova in 1995. It was listed in the auto trader magazine and there was a brief description (no rust, 84,000 original miles, 6 cylinder, etc) and a price of $2000. I called the seller and the car was still available, three hours away. I hooked up the trailer and picked up a buddy. The car was everything they said it was and I bought it. It sold new in Missouri and still had a vinyl floor mat and a radio delete plate and wonderful rust free sheetmetal. Why so cheap? I don't know, was that cheap for 1995? It seemed like a good deal to me. I learned that the seller was owed $2000 from someone else and when they couldn't pay, they offered them the Nova to pay the debt. The seller only wanted his $2000 and didn't care how he got it.
Caution on buying a car that's trendy. Remember when the single color/de-chroming was in vogue? Body painted grilles and bumpers with tweed covering everything in the interior. Don't see many of those today. I tend to stick with stock colors and interiors. Why? Several reasons. First, stock is never wrong. Regardless of what the current trend is, stock body/paint and interiors are never out of style. Some will argue stock is boring. Well, I won't argue that but a car that's close to stock has so much character and quirks that makes the car what it is. If I wanted my 65 Belair to pull 1G on the skid pad, I'd buy a Corvette. I like muscle cars that handle well but 20" wheels aren't for me. The fact that the steering wheel in the Belair his huge gives the car it's character. Call me weird. However, if a car has unsafe brakes and steering, upgrade that stuff. Next, I enjoy throwing lots of horsepower under the hood and that doesn't leave money to buy new aluminum wheels so 15" steel wheels and dog dish caps work for me (buy body and paint you can live with remember?)
CZ
