Overheard a drywaller say 'the prep is the job', hit me different

I was grabbing some lumber at the yard on 99th street and this drywall crew was loading up. One guy said to a younger kid, "the prep is the job, the finish is just the reveal" or something close to that. I've been in this trade long enough where I hate mudding but I get it now. I spent 2 days fixing a fence line last week because I skipped the digging part properly the first time. Anyone else notice the same pattern with their subs? Like the guys who rush the footing are the ones you have to rebook.

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1 Comment

leohart2d ago

Bullshit. Prep work is just the boring part that you have to suffer through before you can do the actual job. Your drywaller was just trying to sound deep to a new kid so he doesn't quit on day two. If prep is really the job, then why does nobody ever call the guy who tapes corners a genius? It's the finishing that gets you paid, gets you rebooked, and gets you referrals. Rushing the footings is a corner cutting problem, not a prep problem, those are two different things.