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?

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phoenix8453h 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.