35 and looking at my option's and some advice

[Yrag]

Absolutely bang on zombie, the life of a self employed plasterer is a very very hard one, in money terms, it used to be rewarding, these days, the money isn't much better than a factory labourer. :-/

 

[owls]

This is so true! I get phone calls and people say I WANT A QUOTE! never do they actually ask but demand and expect. I could never say no as when I started in the 80's recession I was desperate for every enquiry and never got out of the habit. But last year being booked up for 3 months ahead I actually for the first time said no can't do find someone else and did not look at a job for 2 months. 2 months of having weekends to myself in summer and it gave me so much freedom.

But what gets my blood boiling is the number of people who ask for a rendering quote and when I get there I ask what render do they want? And they don't know!!! So muggings here has to show samples and explain the benefits and disadvantages. This takes an hour and they still don't know so ask for multiple quotes. So to look at one job can take 3 hours. Time to drive there at a time to suit them not me then teach them what different render there are then go away and work out a price then email them. Then never hear anything from them again so what's the point? Now if these selfish clowns had to take time off work to see me and pay me for my professional time then they might not be so eager to waste my precious time on this planet. Believe me when you turn 50 and go to more funerals than christenings if any of you know what they are you start to value your own private time and loath wasting it on selfish people.

4 of these a week and thats 9 hrs to find. I am now going to get an iPad mini and set up iCloud so I do some of this in my dinner time so I have some time to myself at night.

Your spot on with that,
domestic that phone you up, and demanding a quote, we want a quote 'for this k render type stuff' most of the time I just say erm no bye. It does annoy you as well when you go out and see the job quote etc then never hear anything else, a simple no thanks would do, or thanks for the quote but we've got someone else, at the end of the day manners cost nothing. I'm lucky that I don't deal with domestic public so much, but developers are same to an extent that mess you about on occasions with snagging and payment.

The plastering game and rendering game has been good to me over the years and I've done very well out of it, I managed to get a decent house(although on a self cert mortgage, which they don't do any more, I feel real sorry for self employed lads getting a mortgage these days as they've got a difficult task) I'd always wanted a range rover so bought one a few years ago, and generally had a good standard of living, but at the age of 32 I've come to a cross roads and as a result bought a plot of land that I intent to build houses on, so I think 2014 will be my last in the game. I love the job ie putting render on walls, but ditest all the shite that comes with it, plasterers and renderers arnt respected anymore it's seen as a semi skilled trade which is a disgrace. I won't be encouraging my kids into the game, that says it all.

 

[Rigsby]

Got a bloke ring me on Monday and we agreed 3pm this afternoon. I live North Sheffield and he far South 35 minutes drive. Turned down a guy for this afternoon in the direction of this job as I did not have the time with 2 previous quotes to look at.

Got there 2.55pm and wife says he is still at work but we have someone to do it now anyway. Still in a spitting bad mood! Couldn,t ring and cancel meanwhile lost the chance of maybe a decent job. Need to ring up and confirm rather than take peoples word for it.

As Owls said, they are keen to get you there and keen for your quote then not a word!!!! Just a polite acknowledgement of your quote and will let you know would be nice instead of demanding your time and when you have supplied all the information they are after then silence. 33 years of this crap makes you a grumpy person. Roll on retirement.

As for you young spreads read the book 'The Richest Man in Babylon" i had the audio version but as it happens I am a bit like the author by nature but held back with injury and seasonal work. But if you read or listen and absorb the knowledge then plan for an easy life in your later year without the loss of money. You only have to see how the Indians go about wealth to understand although they go a bit over board tight gits. Invest in property as soon as you can be it your own and then down size or buy to let. You make very little to start with but it grows in time.

 

[owls]

Got a bloke ring me on Monday and we agreed 3pm this afternoon. I live North Sheffield and he far South 35 minutes drive. Turned down a guy for this afternoon in the direction of this job as I did not have the time with 2 previous quotes to look at.

Got there 2.55pm and wife says he is still at work but we have someone to do it now anyway. Still in a spitting bad mood! Couldn,t ring and cancel meanwhile lost the chance of maybe a decent job. Need to ring up and confirm rather than take peoples word for it.

As Owls said, they are keen to get you there and keen for your quote then not a word!!!! Just a polite acknowledgement of your quote and will let you know would be nice instead of demanding your time and when you have supplied all the information they are after then silence. 33 years of this crap makes you a grumpy person. Roll on retirement.

As for you young spreads read the book 'The Richest Man in Babylon" i had the audio version but as it happens I am a bit like the author by nature but held back with injury and seasonal work. But if you read or listen and absorb the knowledge then plan for an easy life in your later year without the loss of money. You only have to see how the Indians go about wealth to understand although they go a bit over board tight gits. Invest in property as soon as you can be it your own and then down size or buy to let. You make very little to start with but it grows in time.

thats the plan, I don't have a pension and by the time I'm pensioner age there won be a state pension due to people living longer and longer, so I've already gone down the buy to let route with buying a house the other year, so now as well I have a plot to build on that will be my business from the end of the year onwards, in bricks and mortar I trust.

 

[zombie]

thats the plan, I don't have a pension and by the time I'm pensioner age there won be a state pension due to people living longer and longer, so I've already gone down the buy to let route with buying a house the other year, so now as well I have a plot to build on that will be my business from the end of the year onwards, in bricks and mortar I trust.

Once again...im always impressed with your business acumen owls!...old head on a young body!!!:RpS_thumbup: