If you’ve ever wondered how New York City buildings actually run, or more accurately, how they barely hold together while everyone points fingers and dodges lawsuits. This episode is for you.
This episode is part of our Talking Shop series, where we get insights from the industry insiders who keep buildings from falling apart, both literally and figuratively. Scott is our second guest in the series, and the feedback from listeners so far has been incredible. We’re loving the support!
Scott, is a veteran property manager who oversees a “few” buildings and somehow has retained his sanity. From supers flashing photos of their mistresses to contractors in designer shoes who refuse to climb a ladder, Scott gives us the lowdown on what really goes on behind the marble lobbies and doorman desks.
In this episode, we unpack:
- Scaffolding gymnastics: when the sidewalk sheds outside your building turn into an impromptu gym for the staff. Think pull-ups at midnight, dips during smoke breaks, and one poor guy who got fired for turning the scaffolding into his personal CrossFit gym.
- The $250K “oopsie credit that saved the project, and how Scott rode it to the finish line, even though the engineer did all the work “coordination”.
- Supers gone rogue: union-protected, squatters rights, that turned to a five figure payout just to move out.
- The injury scams and lawsuits that happen before the paint is dry—including ghost workers, fake falls, and my cousins, cousin will make it nice.
And if you think that’s nuts, we jump into local laws that are not billion dollar business, and just wait until you hear how facade inspections work. Hint: They start with a $20K “drop” fee just to look at your building, and end with a late-night board meeting to approve another $300K for vague things like ” issues.”
Scott doesn’t just tell stories, he lives in this circus. And in this episode, we hand him the mic. It’s full of behind-the-scenes drama, construction site screw-ups, and enough contractor red flags to wallpaper a luxury pre-war.
Onsite is where buildings meet bullshit, and construction meets comedy. Whether you live in a walk-up, a doorman building, or just love watching other people deal with chaos—this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen next week on Spotify, Substack, or wherever you get your chaos.
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