A good hook crew can blow away any bucket crew! Just a matter of whether you have the balls to do it! I miss those days, worked hard and we had pride in the workmanship! There are some great hooks till out there and teaching the next generation of hooks but it is getting further in-between them. Too many hacks after a cheap quick dollar! Worked in N.C. and had to throw the rope as far as I could, then work thru the underbrush to the end, hand over hand the cable/strand to us, clear a little area to throw the rope, repeat, repeat, then do it many more times....LOL
Sounds like the guy is upfront about the situation and you were wanting him to lie to you and tell you it was roadside, gravy running so you could be pissed when you got there and it wasn't! Any lineman worth his salt can make good money on production over hourly almost every week he tries! Give me production pay any day and I will rock some numbers!