My old foreman told me to always check the grade twice before backfilling a trench

He said 'trust the stick, not your gut' after a job in Tacoma where we had to re-dig 40 feet because the laser was off. I ignored him once on a small residential pour, thinking I could eyeball it. Ended up with a 2-inch slope over 15 feet and the homeowner made us tear it out. Anyone else have a simple rule they learned the hard way?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliver_adams22d ago

Honestly I've had the opposite happen more, where we over-checked and wasted time. On a tight schedule last summer, checking twice meant we lost half a day waiting on a grade check that was fine the first time. Sometimes your gut from experience is worth something, lol.

wendy_garcia1622d ago

But come on, how often does a laser really lie? Seems like overkill for every little job.