A cross to bear...

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Jackospread

Jackospread

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Howdy spreads. I'm new to this forum. Read somE funny Shizzle so far and some good and really bad tips! Been spreadin 7 years mainly tack dab n skimming like a madman on sites n bit of private when I can grab it.
Workin on some bungalows at the moment for 2.10 pm2 skim, can't et on job till 8 and they chuck you off at 5! Were aimin at 3 big sets a day but it doesn't alWays pan out with times n messin bout. Usin our own genny n fuel! Loadin out boards for dabbin ourselves and holdups all the time. Chukin one coat on, flatten, second coat flatten with refina skimmin spatulas and 3 trowels to finish. Sites are getin a joke now. So much red tape for h&s it's a nightmare. Anyone sloggin it out n not feelin they're gettin what they deserve anymore!
 
All the time mate it's a joke even 2.10 you're better off on price I'm on daywork doing my swede in still 120 a day, welcome to the forum btw
 
I understand you need to put the hours in on s**t prices to make it pay but ime f ucked if i would want to work more than 8 till 5 in fact in all my years i dont think i ever have other than working away from home, more to life than work.
 
lucius said:
I understand you need to put the hours in on s**t prices to make it pay but ime f ucked if i would want to work more than 8 till 5 in fact in all my years i dont think i ever have other than working away from home, more to life than work.
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never more true a statement, work to live not live to work
 
hello mate.been feeling that way for years.thats why i packed in site work.its a now.my old boss used to 2 hits makes ya day work and your 3rd is your extra money.go to do 3 now to break even.i'd personally rather be on daywork now
 
I hear ya. But I got a Nippa on the way and hopefully it ain't too long this kind of graft. Never worked like this before. I love my trade as most u guys do. But when you gotta provide....
 
Me and me apprentice have 3 sets s day we start at 8 and finish at 3 i have 3-4 bags a set and me apprenti has a bag and half thats 5-1/2 bags a set we driving home at latest 3:30
 
How can you get 3 sets on in 7 hours? I do two sets a day and work 8-3, sit down for half hour at lunch but thats it, very rare will I do 3 unless I have to.
 
Freerider said:
How can you get 3 sets on in 7 hours? I do two sets a day and work 8-3, sit down for half hour at lunch but thats it, very rare will I do 3 unless I have to.
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when i work with stolen stilton we do 3 sets a day every day. start about 8 8-30 and normally leaving around 3.
 
If your on site work, and board only 3 sets should be the aim, we normally get 2 big hits out in the morining. Last set usually smaller, pick out stair well areas,cupboards etc, this leaves some time to bead,scrim and prep ready for the next morning.That said the colder months are upon us and the sets usually drag out more.
 
My working hours on site have always been 8-4, so a little longer than some but apart from in the really cold weather I'd always get three hits done a day although not as big as CKJ. On my own without a lab my hits would be 2.5-3.5 bags which stills gives me 70-100m2 a day. And this would include a half hourish break at 10 and 1.
I started work back in the recession of 82 and I'm glad I did as when you learn to survive in bad times you know you'll really coin it in good times and still survive in the next downturn, whereas some that start in the good times just can't get their heads around the quantities of work needed to keep afloat. Starting out again as I am with my son I know that IF we have to skim for £2m2 then we could and still make a living, not a good one but a living none the less. I'm actually glad my son is going to learn now rather than four years ago.
 
They're good bits of kit. If we wanna push the boat out though we put on, flatten with spat, big sponge fig of 8, spat, spray with water and spat again and maybe another lap with tiny bit water. It is a perfect job. But takes quite a bit longer. I don't think it's worth it half the time cos as long as it's paint perfect any extra messin about is a waste of time on sitework especially for the money you get paid. It's worth it on private and builders jobs cos it's unbelievable the sponge and spat finish.
 
Andy I'm all for a bit of graft,when I went on my own I was doing 9 bags a day on my own(knees still suffering). But I honestly believe when the firms see ya still earning on crap rates theyll take longer to put them up.
 
They'll keep crap rates along as someone will do it we need it to go mental again for rates to go up
 
I do both if the boardings good and no one cares I'll one coat just lay it on sponge it and trowel it piece of pee
 
johnh said:
Andy I'm all for a bit of graft,when I went on my own I was doing 9 bags a day on my own(knees still suffering). But I honestly believe when the firms see ya still earning on crap rates theyll take longer to put them up.
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To be honest John I haven't worked for anyone who's told me the price for twenty years. I have to gauge the situation when I price the job like everyone else, and then price it right to get the work. At the moment on most jobs that's going to mean pricing a lot lower than a few years ago but what are the options, keep pricing high get no work and end up bust, get out of the trade altogether (as I did) or price at the going rates get the work and then knuckle down and make a living. It's all about supply and demand, at the moment there are just to many people plastering for the amount of available work.
In times gone by when things were going well tradesmen and firms would take on the right amount of new labour to meet demand and when times were slow they didn't take on anyone new so a sort of balance was maintained, but with the recent trends of a massive influx of foreign labour and courses churning out people who will at least give it a shot at making a living there are just to many new "plasterers" coming into the trade during bad times.
 
Its all about weighing up the customer, you can normally tell if someone wants to pay for quality, then you quote according so.
 
Alrite jacko what's your technique for sponge and spat finish heard of a few people its top notch never seen it myself tho?
 
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