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The Apprentice

The Apprentice

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Just finished job and after 36 yrs in this game I have never seen anything like it. Building out of square, walls out of plumb by as much as 300mm in 2.4m and not in line by god only knows how much. The boarding was awful, upside down, 40-50 mm away from the wall, no studs in certain places and 9.5mm boards spanning 600mm centres. Think you might be getting the picture now.

Anyhow I pointed all this out to the customer and I was told to do what I could do with it. Managed to get a day rate and explained that it might/would crack and that I was not responsible for any failings. Always say that if I'm told to put s**t on the wall I put s**t on the wall but how far do we have to go? Having said all that it was a really enjoyable job, certainly different to the normal run of the mill job but I'm questioning myself if I did the right thing by doing it.
 
im always doing these. diyers gone bad. usually get slightly frustrated half way through because something unforeseen always pops up. most customers don't appreciate what has been done to get it looking decent. if it cracks or pops or whatever you'll get slated. if it doesn't they'll be forever telling everyone how they did the studding, boarding etc. i always take before and after photos for jobs like this. just in case. sometimes they just look exactly the same
 
You can cover yourself if you word your written quote correctly and get them to sign accepting the risks of not doing it properly from scratch your way.
 
If it cracks and they ring tell them to fuckoff. I despise domestic customers, my favourite customer comment was when informing them to leave it for 3 days to paint on an overskim


Nah ah they do it the same day on DIY SOS so I'll paint it later
 
The Apprentice said:
Just finished job and after 36 yrs in this game I have never seen anything like it. Building out of square, walls out of plumb by as much as 300mm in 2.4m and not in line by god only knows how much. The boarding was awful, upside down, 40-50 mm away from the wall, no studs in certain places and 9.5mm boards spanning 600mm centres. Think you might be getting the picture now.

Anyhow I pointed all this out to the customer and I was told to do what I could do with it. Managed to get a day rate and explained that it might/would crack and that I was not responsible for any failings. Always say that if I'm told to put s**t on the wall I put s**t on the wall but how far do we have to go? Having said all that it was a really enjoyable job, certainly different to the normal run of the mill job but I'm questioning myself if I did the right thing by doing it.
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U did the right thing. Your a plasterer they asked u to plaster it u did. U told them it might crack. What more can u do.
 
barryed said:
If it cracks and they ring tell them to fuckoff. I despise domestic customers, my favourite customer comment was when informing them to leave it for 3 days to paint on an overskim


Nah ah they do it the same day on DIY SOS so I'll paint it later
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:RpS_laugh: That's fkin typical though innit?
I had one who I'd told not to put the heating or fire on until the over-skimmed walls had dried out. I could tell by his reaction that he would ignore my advice, so I 'forgot' a couple of dustsheets and when I went to collect them later the next day, the c**t had the fire on full blast.
I got my evidence though :RpS_thumbup:

https://s1042.photobucket.com/user/bigal4444/media/18012012_zpsf0b32ab6.jpg.html

Also if there are potential or obvious pitfalls then point these out in an email and make sure they respond :RpS_thumbup:
 
The Apprentice said:
Just finished job and after 36 yrs in this game I have never seen anything like it. Building out of square, walls out of plumb by as much as 300mm in 2.4m and not in line by god only knows how much. The boarding was awful, upside down, 40-50 mm away from the wall, no studs in certain places and 9.5mm boards spanning 600mm centres. Think you might be getting the picture now.

Anyhow I pointed all this out to the customer and I was told to do what I could do with it. Managed to get a day rate and explained that it might/would crack and that I was not responsible for any failings. Always say that if I'm told to put s**t on the wall I put s**t on the wall but how far do we have to go? Having said all that it was a really enjoyable job, certainly different to the normal run of the mill job but I'm questioning myself if I did the right thing by doing it.
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why did you bother with this work? i would have just left them to sort themselves out.
 
The thing is and i keep saying this -on here is if you do the job knowing it is wrong YOU HAVE TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT UNDER THE LAW !!!!! as we tradesmen ! all have a duty of care towards the customer !!!!!
so if it does go wrong and crack and they take you to court you will be sued ............ :-) simples so walk away from **** jobs as say to the person or even putting it into a disclaimer is no defence !!!!!!!!!!!
 
theclemo said:
What if you have fuk all on mate. A job is a job. I've not a thing to do next week.
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i can see that you are a young chap, at 31, you need to have more contacts.
if i had no work on for next week i would be on the phone bringing forward work that i have on the back burner, customers that have told me to do their work when i have time.
 
gooner59 said:
The thing is and i keep saying this -on here is if you do the job knowing it is wrong YOU HAVE TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT UNDER THE LAW !!!!! as we tradesmen ! all have a duty of care towards the customer !!!!!
so if it does go wrong and crack and they take you to court you will be sued ............ :-) simples so walk away from **** jobs as say to the person or even putting it into a disclaimer is no defence !!!!!!!!!!!
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1000 post :RpS_wink:
 
malc said:
i can see that you are a young chap, at 31, you need to have more contacts.
if i had no work on for next week i would be on the phone bringing forward work that i have on the back burner, customers that have told me to do their work when i have time.
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I have good contacts mate. It's just the way things are in Ireland for now. I used to have about 30 or so plastering gangs working for me. Now it's just me and a lad and sometimes just me. But I have to say am lucky that I earned enough money when Ireland was in a boom.
 
theclemo said:
I have good contacts mate. It's just the way things are in Ireland for now. I used to have about 30 or so plastering gangs working for me. Now it's just me and a lad and sometimes just me. But I have to say am lucky that I earned enough money when Ireland was in a boom.
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it sounds like you had all your eggs in one basket. site work for developers.
 
malc said:
it sounds like you had all your eggs in one basket. site work for developers.
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Did site work and domestic even did small garden walls. If u where in Ireland plastering u would know what it is like now trying to win jobs it's a joke. I get about 2 to 3 jobs I price out of 10. Can't compete with lads on the fuking dole working for cash.
 
i did not relise things where that bad in the south. i know that people that work in remote areas of uk have to do things like building maintence to make a weeks wages up.
there is plenty of site work over here at this time but the rates are shocking.
 
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