Are things getting worse all over?

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spunky said:
Currier you have to remember the bigger firms have alot more overheads, you're best off in the position you are, go bigger and all you're doings cutting profits unless you've got a big turnover
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Im hoping to get between 3-5 ritmos up and running in the end. Mostly internal works
where we push for the decs as well (airless) that would keep us all more then busy. Any external is a bonus which we always price well but internal is where is at. No fsucking about with the weather

I have to have a goal otherwise work just becomes mundane.
 
Measure up n done 330 quid in 2 days skimming an odd bit of boarding so bout 260 after tax which I was pretty pleased with but ur right won't e able to keep it up for ages ill be fooked. Gonna stick it out for few weeks. Annoying things is my fone ain't stopped ringing since bin on this dump 2 quid m2 sucks arse.
 
Local plumber we know was saying he thinks things are picking up.. Doubt it..
Priced a full house re-skim (owner/builder doing all bordwork) got back to us the other day saying our price was competitive but another plasterer undercut us slightly then offers a further 10% discount! And we charge mats out at cost.. Sat at home at the mo after coming off a new build - could've twatted the site foreman for his attitude. Waiting for his boss to ring for a meeting. Could have a big rant about it but not worth it. Stud work was shite, boards are crap and expect us to perform miracles on a price.

Seriously going to dust my cameras off and start doing more weddings..
 
Same here Rhys, sat at home all this week, back on Monday for insurance work which is not bad, but I start to feel really shite when I'm not working.

Might clean the van out, get ready for next week, just looking at my books and its the first full week iv had no work :(

Week 11 - profit = £0.00
 
january and febuary, didnt work a single day. Last day of feb, the phone starts ringing. I've probably done 3 days a week for the last 20 weeks overall. Sometimes ive done 9 days non stop, then 8 days with nothing. Thats why i've been looking at site work, few weeks here and there. Haven't taken anything up yet, some are paying £8.50 per hour? for 10 days work, 9 hours a day...After Tax, petrol ( i drive a chrysler grand voyager 3,3 v6 - 4 kids dont ask ) its not worth it! id get more in the local shop, and i could walk down the end of the street to work. I have recently been looking on the job centre website, just waiting for the right one, as im not killing myself for sod all money.
 
I am getting out to price the work, but you can tell before you get there some people want it for nowt.

I got offered some site work the other week, I didn't get into prices, but you always fighting for your money with these middle men who employ 10-20 spreads.

Last site guy tried taking me for near 3k, iv also been given a price for 2 coat, worked my bollx off earned a good wage and had the middle man change the price because he had priced it wrong, or thought he could make more money on it.

The phone has just rung for a quote, name of customer addhi, say no more.
 
huddsspread said:
january and febuary, didnt work a single day. Last day of feb, the phone starts ringing. I've probably done 3 days a week for the last 20 weeks overall. Sometimes ive done 9 days non stop, then 8 days with nothing. Thats why i've been looking at site work, few weeks here and there. Haven't taken anything up yet, some are paying £8.50 per hour? for 10 days work, 9 hours a day...After Tax, petrol ( i drive a chrysler grand voyager 3,3 v6 - 4 kids dont ask ) its not worth it! id get more in the local shop, and i could walk down the end of the street to work. I have recently been looking on the job centre website, just waiting for the right one, as im not killing myself for sod all money.
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same here bud ive been out since end of april after doing refurbs on good prices firm i worked for aint got anything coming in so went on site did 3 days feck that after i looked at what they was payin per meter i though you know what im goin home balls to it ive been looking at the gov site aswell one firm 7 quid an hr !! most ive seen was 10.50 and they are both all in fuel etc its a joke my mate gets 9.50 an hr workin in a store room!!!
 
Tbh we've been flat out since xmas - this is the first 'enforced' holiday we've had this year. Trouble is flat out doesn't necessarily mean good money - but at least we've been working.

Phone's gone a bit dead just lately - except for those calls where it goes quiet when you answer and then get a message about ppi etc. or someone trying to sell us a website.
 
A friend of mine gets £15.00 per hour to drive York/brum every night in wagon, gets there at 12am has a kip til 3am and drives back. 12 hours
 
mac_plastering said:
I am getting out to price the work, but you can tell before you get there some people want it for nowt.

I got offered some site work the other week, I didn't get into prices, but you always fighting for your money with these middle men who employ 10-20 spreads.

Last site guy tried taking me for near 3k, iv also been given a price for 2 coat, worked my bollx off earned a good wage and had the middle man change the price because he had priced it wrong, or thought he could make more money on it.

The phone has just rung for a quote, name of customer addhi, say no more.
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yeah feck addhi !
 
how can any subbie work for 7-10 an hr?after taking into consideration fuel ,tax ,ni then theres public liability ,road tax ,not to mention other bits like asbestos tickets paying accountants ,tools ,repairs,the list could go on you can get 10 an hr in a direct employed job and at least you get hol pay !!
 
That's a great point Scottie if all tradesmen would stop cutting prices we would be all better off you often wonder how far we can go work for less and less but the cost of living has not got any cheaper in the last five years at this rate we will be working for nothing.
 
I think customers are thinking the prices are too high too. BUT i wont drop to get the work, maybe a quid or two not 20 or 30%.

I know people dont want to discuss prices and rates, but an average room say 1.5 days work i would charge £300 with materials give or take maybe 280 maybe 320 etc...But i know of people who would charge £1200 a ROOM and they get work!! If someone said would you do it for 150 etc...id say no see ya later. Maybe my family wont have loads of holidays abroad ( well none actually ) but i will not work my nuts off for little money. Sweat was pouring off me yesterday, and my back was killing when i got home, at least i Felt id earnt my money.

Maybe someone can relate to this......where i live there is a particular community of people, and what ever price i tell them, they say too high. looked at a big 4 bed detached house, they wanted skimming, it was about £1500 all in, and he said, no,no,no £500? I just walked off, in the car, went home. Wonder if they haggle on the price of a newspaper even though its a fixed price?
 
huddsspread said:
I think customers are thinking the prices are too high too. BUT i wont drop to get the work, maybe a quid or two not 20 or 30%.

I know people dont want to discuss prices and rates, but an average room say 1.5 days work i would charge £300 with materials give or take maybe 280 maybe 320 etc...But i know of people who would charge £1200 a ROOM and they get work!! If someone said would you do it for 150 etc...id say no see ya later. Maybe my family wont have loads of holidays abroad ( well none actually ) but i will not work my nuts off for little money. Sweat was pouring off me yesterday, and my back was killing when i got home, at least i Felt id earnt my money.

Maybe someone can relate to this......where i live there is a particular community of people, and what ever price i tell them, they say too high. looked at a big 4 bed detached house, they wanted skimming, it was about £1500 all in, and he said, no,no,no £500? I just walked off, in the car, went home. Wonder if they haggle on the price of a newspaper even though its a fixed price?
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Can totally relate to this .... been quiet the last 2-3 weeks - quoted a few jobs and as you put it they seem to have a price in mind which would mean id earn less than stacking **** in Tesco .... like you I don't drop and would rather walk away ... seriously considering putting in my Permanent visa app for Oz or getting out of plastering all together and using my degree to hopefully get something half decent
 
Gibbo said:
Get out while you can adam
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Hahah Gibbo - seriously am considering it tbh .... hated working in an office though so not sure id wanna do that unless the job interested me... sayin that probably stuggle to get a job in the current climate .. plus they look at my cv funny as the must think ive made it all up :RpS_laugh:

Currently in limbo at the mo - quiet and getting fed up at been sat around
 
Why the **** are you plastering if you have a degree? Get out before it becomes just what u do and can't see any other options
 
Painters priced my house at £5500. Supply and fit.4 bed, one bath, one ensuite, kitchen diner and front room,
 
if every plasterer on here got every job they priced , the rates would rise all the time ,,,,,we know its hard out there, i've got a trouble n strife an 4 tin lids to feed ,clothe an keep warm ,,,but we'll all get by in the trade so don't let any f2cker grind you down..we all want a good days pay for a good days work,,if someone under cuts you by alot there's only two possablities................1...they've nicked the materials or well over calculated them from a previous job..or.............................2...the're an ALL THE GEAR NO IDEA outfit.there is load of em trust me
 
CurrierPlastering said:
Why the **** are you plastering if you have a degree? Get out before it becomes just what u do and can't see any other options
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Worked for my dads firm whilst studying and served few years with some spreads and got my quals after I came out of uni - couldn't get a job so decided to set up plastering rather than go on the dole or claim...

yeah is time maybe to get out ... 30 now so I need to sort asap, like you say need too before its too late - although finding something that pays as well as plastering is the only downside to me now
 
It's not that bad, you get out what you put in.

I think the attraction to plastering was you didn't need much tackle to start offering re-skims.

Estate car
Cheap whisk
Hardboard & trowel
Few cheap buckets and brushes, sheets ect ect

I think that's what dragged people into the trade, I mean its not hard to learn how to re skim a wall and leave a half decent finish, look at hillside.

I think to make a decent living out of it you have to learn all aspects rendering, coving, all plastering not just skimming.

Decent van
Decent tools
Good advertisement/website/business cards/workwear/signage
Proper overheads
Qualifications
 
you do need to be able to do the complete trade to be able to keep yourself in full time employment, if you are self employed and want to earn decent rates.
 
CurrierPlastering said:
Why the **** are you plastering if you have a degree? Get out before it becomes just what u do and can't see any other options
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Ive got loads of mates with degree's and guess how many do jobs related to that degree.................................zero. about 2 of them earn more than me and i wouldnt say i earn mega bucks, but you expect to earn at least 60k if you have a degree.......IMO
 
Gibbo said:
I can do the lot but still struggle
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but do you only do site work? direct or subbie?
my gang has not done site work for years. to much aggro, to much risk with payments,and i do not like stoppages.
my other sons gangs, and my brothers gang still do site work, they make a good living but have to work hard.
 
Artisan998 said:
Ive got loads of mates with degree's and guess how many do jobs related to that degree.................................zero. about 2 of them earn more than me and i wouldnt say i earn mega bucks, but you expect to earn at least 60k if you have a degree.......IMO
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Arti to get a job with the national parks just repairing fences and paths etc they require you to have a minimun HNC in country side conservation which is only a kick up the jacksy off a degree and for that they pay about 18k per year !
 
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