On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 19:54:31 GMT, User Example
scribbled this interesting note:

I guess you people are freaking idiots then if you can't fix anything
yourself and you consider the dumb ass migrant works who paint your
house to be skilled labor. I guess maybe I am just smarter than all of
you because you sound like a bunch of whiners that can't do anything
right on your own. I'd think that in a alt.home.repair newsgroup I
would find people that are actually quite handy but I guess I was wrong.
Unbelievable.

I respectfully submit that you are the one providing the above
description of "skilled" labor. I've seen the results of the labor you
describe, and it isn't skilled. I've taken some of those immigrants
and trained them to be skilled labor. Let me assure you their rate of
pay went up as their training and experience suggested.

Anyone can swing a hammer. It takes skill and care to properly design,
create a materials list, build, and finish even a relatively simple
book shelf. I build my own. If I were to do it for others on a paid
basis, most would choke on how much money it would require. After all
Ikea is cheap. It is cheap for a reason.

If you are relatively good at carpentry, plumbing, electrical,
drywall, painting, concrete work, and all manner of other skills that
go into the building and maintaining of a home, I commend you. Most
homeowners are completely unqualified when it comes to diagnosing and
curing most of even the minor ills they will be faced with as
homeowners. Hence the high demand for qualified, experienced trades
people like plumbers, electricians, etc., etc., etc.

Here's a hint: When you find a good plumber who doesn't think
possession of a plumbing license is also a license to steal, keep him
(or her) happy. They are few and far between. Personally, I've known
one. He is now retired. And he was an immigrant...


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)