These bad boys just fascinate me. Watching them move tons of steel, concrete, etc so gracefully over a massive construction site is just captivating. I shot this photo this morning from our second floor landing. My AM dog walk has become much more palatable now that I have something to watch besides just the dog wizzing on a tree.
Last year they finished construction on the building adjacent to us and I was there, camera in hand, when they took down their crane:
Not exactly a job for the faint of heart.
Construction of pretty much anything is simply a matter of logistics. The builder's challenge is to get, in the right sequence, the right materials and the right skilled labor at the same place at the same time. A good set of plans helps, too. If he/she can do that, it's just like a big Lego toy. If not....
Wonder at which McDonald's he's now flipping burgers?
Assistant burger flipper?
DOH!
Seriously, it just amazes me how some Big Bucks builders can't see these things coming. They're usually more subtle, like a 2 ft-wide door to a utility room. (Washers and dryers are more than 2 feet wide.) Or a big kitchen island without having an electrical conduit under the foundation to get power to it.
But when something is built thoughtfully and with care, it can be a beautiful thing. Unfortunately craftsmanship is rapidly becoming a lost art.
Enough banter from an old builder. Have a good day everyone. ;)
S
Please tell me the "bridge" was photo chopped!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it was Joe. They should have been able to see that coming a mile away and made a simple, imperceptable correction. The others, though, are real.
DeleteOne of those burger flippers must have wired my apartment.
ReplyDeleteOk I'm not seeing what is wrong with the last two pictures??? Help me out here.
ReplyDeleteNothing. Those show some fine craftsmanship.
DeleteI take cranes as a sign that the economy is improving. They're popping up more and more around me and I recall during the last recession that they were hard to spot.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm sure that bridge photo was manipulated. Good job, though.
ReplyDeleteI want to live in that last house!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it unique? I love it, too.
DeleteYears ago, I bought one of those 3 story Ryland town homes with the bedroom on the third floor and bought an Ethan Allen entertainment center that was literally impossible to get up the broken staircases. Ethan Allen was totally willing to exchange it, but that's what I wanted! I called a company that disassembled it, glue and all, and moved it upstairs. I still have their magnet on my refrigerator in case I ever need it moved, but every renter that has lived there has enjoyed it, and the night stands that go with it, since the day I moved out! LOL
ReplyDeleteI remember those 3-story Ryland plans. Three-story townhomes are making a comeback right now. My knees ache just thinking about it. And I love Ethan Allen furniture, too. Their stuff is expensive, but worth it.
DeleteEvery time I see a big construction site - you know, like a mall or the new World Trade Center - I wonder just how stressful the project manager's job is. To make everything come together so that in the end, a working, functional building exists at the site seems like a major miracle to me.
ReplyDeleteConstruction is definitely up in Florida, too. They are building four new houses in our subdivision!
I'm sure you're right....that must be a high stress job. That's why they make the big bucks. Not sure it's worth it, though.
ReplyDeleteI heard about a community center that got built but on the opening day they discovered that they had forgotten restrooms! one of the guest VIP's had to go but there was no place to send him.......how embarrassing
ReplyDeleteDORRIE! Your appearance here has absolutely made my day!
DeleteYes, a community center with no rest rooms is a pretty serious goof.