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That week in '08 when we ran RG-6 through a 1920s mansion in Tacoma and the owner tipped us each $200 cash.
We had to fish walls full of horsehair plaster and lathe without breaking a single historic molding, which took three days just for the main floor, but seeing all four TVs light up with a perfect signal at the same time felt like winning the Super Bowl. Anyone else have a crazy old house job that went surprisingly well?
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shane_clark4mo ago
Man, that sounds like an absolute nightmare but so worth it.
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ivan7743mo agoMost Upvoted
That's the whole vibe of adulting, @shane_clark.
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calebc403mo ago
You know what gets me? The owner knew. They had to know what they were asking, and that tip proves it. It wasn't just a payment, it was respect for the craft. How often do you get a client who truly gets what it takes to do a job right without wrecking history? That's the real win, more than the cash.
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nguyen.blake29d ago
Respect for the craft" - that's exactly it, man. My buddy Mike had a similar job in an old Victorian up in Portland. The owner wanted Ethernet in every room but refused to let them cut into any of the original crown molding. Mike spent a whole Saturday just mapping out a path through the attic and basement, using old conduit from the 40s. He told me he felt like a detective more than a tech. Owner ended up giving him a vintage bottle of whiskey and a hundred bucks on top of the bill. It's wild how some people get what we do, and others just see a wire.
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