which is why I'm going down the spark route, it seems there are plenty if sparks out there who can 'skim', so I've decided to have a go at chiseling holes in walls and putting cables in them! I'm sure there'll be guys on sparky's forums talking about some spread who thinks he's a spark in the coming years! Gotta evolve fellas to keep an edge, otherwise we'll be dead in the water!
Desperate!
- Thread starter MHLPlaster
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which is why I'm going down the spark route, it seems there are plenty if sparks out there who can 'skim', so I've decided to have a go at chiseling holes in walls and putting cables in them! I'm sure there'll be guys on sparky's forums talking about some spread who thinks he's a spark in the coming years! Gotta evolve fellas to keep an edge, otherwise we'll be dead in the water!
Loren
Active Member
I just had a Stucco addition job that I looked at for a contractor I worked for many years with, although I haven't done anything for him the last two years. He had me come out and look then he sent me a set of plans in pdf. They weren't scaling very nicely so and there had been a few revisions so I went out and looked again and took physical measurements. Seemed like a typical job. Got all the footages figured out and was most of the way through the bid, then he sends me a set of specs, which I should have had from him all along. Normally all the trim would be galvanized steel, the specs called for all zinc trims and all the corners have to be stripped out instead of beaded. They don't make zinc arch aid here so I'd have to build templates for all the arches. They wanted a fiberglass drainage mat under the metal lath @ $500.00 a roll. They had weather restrictions where if the temp falls below 45 degrees F can't apply materials if the temp goes over 74 degrees F can't apply materials, if theres going to be rain in the forecast can't apply material, each coat has to be covered with visqueen for 24 hrs after application, can't apply materials if the wind will exceed a certain velocity for that day and the job is right above a lake and it always windy there. And they wanted a smooth finish on the stucco. So I went back to the drawing board with my bid and refigured everything again, about 2.5 times my normal costs with all the stipulations from the architect. I was freaking out thinking I'd probably lose my ass on the job, but I was trying to get it at the same time, if I was lucky I figured all I could hope for was to make my wages. Sent in the bid and they came back with how ******* over priced I was on the damn thing. I hope they all lose their asses on it !!!! I thought about getting ahold of the owner and offering myself up as a representative for a few bucks just to make sure he was getting everything the architect specified.
windy
Private Member
Thing the best way forward is to have a 12 month plan and a five yr pla. Ie most plasterers could learn to competently tile in 12 months of study or shadowing as it's a related trade. Tools arnt that expensive if bought on eBay.so I. 12 months your quoting for the plastering then the tiling.
then you have the five yr plan. Save some money and then think about learning a ticketed trade in college doing it properly ie not a short course. Maybe in say gas/electrics. Then in five yrs you will be ok in three areas. Job done....
dont think ink a quiet plasterer will benefit much from a venetian course?
then you have the five yr plan. Save some money and then think about learning a ticketed trade in college doing it properly ie not a short course. Maybe in say gas/electrics. Then in five yrs you will be ok in three areas. Job done....
dont think ink a quiet plasterer will benefit much from a venetian course?
Good idea mate, I served my time doing both, for a plasterer tiling could be picked up in 12 months, the tools are way more than plastering tools, figure on about 3k for a good set up.. best are Rubi ( spanish ) they do short courses for tiling aswell, but they tend to stick with splashbacks, get them on porcelain/slate/marble and their fuked..
Thanks for the offer mate, but done loads, just dont bother too much with it these days, like I said im working solo now, did external all summer when i had apprentice... saw him today in town..lol. right muscley f**k*r..lol.. actually went on the monocouche day about 10 years ago, really nice to work with...
johniosaif
Private Member
Train me Keith ,but I am old,slow and not too bright, joking aside I would like to do something different, miles of fn skimming does my head in
Danny
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I have ripped out the kitchen bathroom today.... should I have got a plumber/kitchen fitter in?
I am doing all the electrics, plumbing, carpentry/joinery probably the tiling and going to get someone in to help with some of the plastering
Am i destroying the trade?
No... but I have OCD and I know that I will do it better than the trades I would have employed... may take me a few attempts and waste material etc... lol
in the end you are not going to stop coursers... chancers... diy'ers.. embrace it move on
I am doing all the electrics, plumbing, carpentry/joinery probably the tiling and going to get someone in to help with some of the plastering
Am i destroying the trade?
No... but I have OCD and I know that I will do it better than the trades I would have employed... may take me a few attempts and waste material etc... lol
in the end you are not going to stop coursers... chancers... diy'ers.. embrace it move on
MHLPlaster
New Member
Yes Danny all well and good in your own property but when you are actually charging customers if your not skilled to do that job you shouldn't be doing end off! Just ask Dominic littlewood! To many cowboys out there pal! Not condoning coursers as some are good spreads!
Danny
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Yup totally agree with that
I have fooked up a jobs for customers in the past though... but you live and learn
Surely the customer should be educated to understand what they should expect from the trades... if the customer knows whats right and wrong then they can weasel out the chancers.... THe chancers will always be there... like spam!!
Spam is only around because people still click it... if they stopped then so would the spam
BobbyJack
Well-Known Member
Never been taught how to tile. Have done a little bit of my own house but wouldnt do it for someone else. Worked in a property couple of month back putting a polished plaster in a bathing type area. The tiler was up from london wa. she had been to italy to learn mosaic. she did a very neat job and it looked great. Took her time but guess she was charging enough though
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