Imagine working on a construction project. Would you just do the bare minimum, or would you keep detailed information about everything that happens?

In this story, a site supervisor on a construction project keeps detailed records, but they aren’t going to benefit anyone unless they’re willing to pay.

Let’s read all the details.

I thought you didn’t need me anymore?

Many years ago, I was still in college after coming out of the USMC, and worked for a small commercial remodeling company as a site supervisor.

Part of my duties was a daily report on manpower, production, daily events, etc. I’ve always been one to go one step further and my reports, according to the Production Manager, didn’t need to be so detailed. “Just the nuts and bolts. Not the whole assembly” he’d say.

Well, I kept a detailed log, and in it I kept a description of every call, email, conversation and change order, right down to material, hours, and manpower. This was more for my reference than it was to document for my job.

I used my own laptop on my projects, and everything in it belonged to me – not the company.

Change orders came at a cost.

Throughout this project, there were many change orders that added around $90K to the project. Change orders were presented to and signed by the client and turned in. We still finished on time with the original schedule.

I forgot to mention that this was an educational facility and all work had to be performed from 6pm to 4am, so there was zero office support because everyone else was at home sleeping for most of it, so I was on my own and this caused a riff between myself and the grossly incompetent PM.

I’ve never been quiet about grievances.

At the end of this project, I was told that I wouldn’t be needed any longer, given my final paycheck and sent on my way.

The PM apparently didn’t keep a detailed record of the change orders.

Roughly 3 months later, I get a call from the PM asking if I had notes or more documentation on the change orders from that project and I confirmed that I did.

He asked me if I could find time to sit in a meeting with him, the owner of the company and members of the board of regents to verify the change orders, because they were balking at the added charges.

He offered my previous pay scale ($27 an hour) to do this, to which I balked and countered with double including my drive time to and from, plus gas. He balked.

He proceeded to scream into the phone and I hung up.

It wasn’t over.

He called back and began screaming again and I simply said “triple” and hung up.

He called back again and told me that he knew who I was working for and would make sure he got me fired.

I was doing piece work framing and drywall on my own. I worked for ME.

The owner got involved.

LSS, the owner called and talked to me, we agreed on a fair price and that the PM wouldn’t be involved whatsoever with the meeting. I didn’t want to see him or hear him.

He agreed, told me the date of the meeting, and agreed to send over a contract, but never did.

I didn’t answer any of the many calls that came in on the day of the meeting.

Still don’t know if they worked it out, but I know that PM left shortly after and the owner is a superintendent for one of our competitors.

Apparently, keeping records is a good idea, but the PM learned that the hard way. I’m proud of OP for refusing to share the information without being paid fairly for it.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This person likes how OP handled the situation.

Another person would’ve asked for more money.

This person has another suggestion.

But this person gives the owner the benefit of the doubt.

No contract, no meeting.

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