Hit my 100th ceiling patch job yesterday and it hit me different

I was finishing up this ceiling repair in an old house near downtown Eugene. Had to cut out a water damaged section about 4 feet by 3 feet. After I taped and mudded the last coat I realized this was my 100th ceiling patch. I keep a little notebook in my truck for every job and I flipped back to the first one from like 3 years ago. That first ceiling job took me almost 6 hours because I kept messing up the mud texture. Now I can knock out a patch like that in under 2 hours including drying time. It's wild how much you improve without even noticing until you look at the numbers. Anyone else keep a tally of their work or just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenix8452d ago

Actually that timeline is a little off. A 4 by 3 foot patch with tape and mud isn't drying in under 2 hours unless you're using hot mud and a hairdryer. Normal joint compound takes at least a few hours between coats. You're probably counting just the labor time and not the full drying wait. Either way, hitting 100 of anything is a solid milestone. I keep a spreadsheet for my own work but it's more for tracking materials and billing. Numbers like that do make you realize how much the little stuff becomes automatic.

betty_fisher51d ago

Shook me when I realized how long the drying actually takes when you're not watching the clock. You get so focused on slapping mud and tape that you forget the whole "waiting for it to cure" part is half the battle. 100 patches is still a beast of a number though, even if the timeline math doesn't quite add up.