is plastering really worth it anymore????

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

user_removed

Well-Known Member
just been talking to the missus about packing up and moving on to something else.

couple of my mates have just found new jobs (no experience AT ALL) in steel and gas, both earning about £14 an hour inc shift allowance, just got me thinking about whether plastering was worth the hassle anymore. i mean im not doing bad at the minute got a few rendering jobs starting next week, and some demo and site work starting soon also the odd bit of private skimming jobs.

but after you take your overheads off your left with next to nothing. i must have spent thousands on tools, van then there's insurance at a grand a year, public liability travelling up and around this part of the country.
All for an average wage of honestly £450.00 a week after tax before you start deducting work based bills.

then there's mates that are turning shifts down at their place paying £110-120 per shift because they can afford too.
crazy
 
stick with mate, i'm finding works really picking up at the minute and my prices are creeping back up too. during the last recession i went and worked in a factory for a bit, great wages cos it was shift work but it drove me nuts turning up at the same place month in month out, not to mention all the numpties that you gotta put up with! do what you gotta do but the grass ain't always greener.
 
I've been doing this for nearly thirty years now, this is the third recession I've experienced and for the first time I'm thinking the same as you, but not just because of the money I'm just getting fed up dealing with the disorganised and incompetent. But at 44 what do I go and do where I can earn decent money and get the same sense of satisfaction that I experience when looking back at an outside render I've done or an awkward stair winder that looks a treat. Seems like I've answered my own question, looks like I'll be spreading a while as yet ;D
 
i will never pack it in but it gets me down that i struggle to earn a steady income, some weeks it can be £1200 then nothing for 3 weeks, i spent a lot of time took a lot of s**t to get to where i am and it p1sses me off to see kids earning the same for standing in front of a machine pressing buttons.
i also just found out i am not going to get my nvq as the government has stopped a lot of money for these assesors because every man and his dog has been going for the plastering nvq's tilers, joiners, dryliners. people that don't even f**king need them
 
i can understand how you feel,i actually gave up plastering over 3 years ago,just got so sick and tired of the job.
more fool me, but im thinking of starting up again.
i see now,that every job offered requires a cscs card ( not sure what one i need ) and soon everyone will need an nvq for site work, so in that respect the job has changed over the last few years.
i always worked for other firms (always self employed) but got fed up having to work with monkeys, and this time just want to work for myself. my brother-in-law and his son work for themselves (plastering) and always has work.
reading this forum,i can see some have a fair amount of work ahead and its patchy for others.
the grass always seems to be greener on the other side,but often isn't the case.
good luck to you if your going to be happier and better off in another job,just hasn't worked out for me doing other work.
 
i know how you feel but the grass always looks greener and you need to look at the whole picture, oyur mates cant pick and choose when they have time off, i know we cant in a way but we have more choice, also could you work for someone else being told what time to start and finish. the paye system will mean you are paying a load more tax and NI, my apprentice did a sat morning the other week so i paid him £30 more and by time the tax was taken out it wasnt worth him working it. Also , could you be stuck inside all day and everyday. If you are good at what you do then find some subbies and rent work out. If you are making £1 m2 then you are going to make an extra £50 a day at least. I was told by a very millionaire once, he said, Paul, Dont work hard, Work Smart.
 
i dont even take lunch brakes any more! just so i can get more on and make more. i dont eat or drink or pooh all day, i come home rade the fridge pooh my self, and dive in the sofa in my dirty cloths, then my Mrs gos ***** crazy at me! if we split up i think i could say its down to the recession as well!
 
oasis said:
i dont even take lunch brakes any more! just so i can get more on and make more. i dont eat or drink or pooh all day, i come home rade the fridge pooh my self, and dive in the sofa in my dirty cloths, then my Mrs gos ***** crazy at me! if we split up i think i could say its down to the recession as well!
Click to expand...

I thought i was the only one ;D ;D ;D
 
oasis said:
i dont even take lunch brakes any more! just so i can get more on and make more. i dont eat or drink or pooh all day, i come home rade the fridge pooh my self, and dive in the sofa in my dirty cloths, then my Mrs gos ***** crazy at me! if we split up i think i could say its down to the recession as well!
Click to expand...

Don't kid yourself that not taking breaks or working longer hours ends up with you earning more in long run, missing the odd break or doing the odd long day is fine but done regularly just makes you tired and slower, trust me been there done that, work hard and fast and take your breaks and get off home on time and you'll be fresh ready for the next day. 8)
 
i got 2 older kids both in thier 20's now, missed out on their childhood due to work and lost most of what i worked for when i got divorced.got a little'un now, rather do shorter days and spend time with her. i am a hippy though!
 
Pug said:
i got 2 older kids both in thier 20's now, missed out on their childhood due to work and lost most of what i worked for when i got divorced.got a little'un now, rather do shorter days and spend time with her. i am a hippy though!
Click to expand...

I think you've got it right Pug, do you wear a flower in your hair while your spreading :D
 
when my kids were at primery school i never ever missed a sports day or parents evening. I remember have a row with a builder because i was having the day off to go to the girls sports day. Told him nothing gets in the way of my kids. I remember there only being about 5 dads there and all were self employed. If i had been employed somewhere i would have missed all that. I also had there birthdays off and we always went out for the day if it didnt fall on a weekend. I cant understand people doing weekends cheap for cash, why, if the customer was asked by his employer to work overtime ( which is in effect what your doing) they would want double time.
 
essexandy said:
oasis said:
i dont even take lunch brakes any more! just so i can get more on and make more. i dont eat or drink or pooh all day, i come home rade the fridge pooh my self, and dive in the sofa in my dirty cloths, then my Mrs gos ***** crazy at me! if we split up i think i could say its down to the recession as well!
Click to expand...

Don't kid yourself that not taking breaks or working longer hours ends up with you earning more in long run, missing the odd break or doing the odd long day is fine but done regularly just makes you tired and slower, trust me been there done that, work hard and fast and take your breaks and get off home on time and you'll be fresh ready for the next day. 8)
Click to expand...
whats youre average day like andy i struggle to get two sets in and no break from 8-4
 
Totally agree with Pug , as for the mushroom thing not so sure :o . but theres is more life than pushing sh8T up walls
 
spunky, what size sets you doing mate , if your sets are to big you will end up working a lot harder, if you chuck 20m2 on at 8am you will be chucking the next 20m2 on by 11 and the 3rd by 2 and still be away by 4.30 with 60m2 done and not rushed
 
ive always done to big sets......2 bags on 1st hit.....i never take lunch......have a fag when im waiting...normally away by latest 5 after clear up on domestic away by 3 to 4 ish on site.and have the 3rd hit if i need it ....(but not of late or in fact this year really)... start at 8am......i do have to run round like a blue arsed fly tho....
 
thats cause your old..... where as im still a young buck......still rutting with velvet on me horns.....all jokes aside ive always down it that way.....got alot of metreage to dio next week may try the old 20m hits next week to see if it helps...;o)
 
4-5 bags mate ..... hate small sets they come out worse than biguns cause im an impatient boyo .......tidy like
 
lol.....spunky your right on that in my book....i get impatient.....but i suppose there would be time to riffle thru the customers knicker draw tho
 
spunky said:
whats youre average day like andy i struggle to get two sets in and no break from 8-4
Click to expand...

Start at 8 twang a smallish hit of about 20m2, once on if ready I trowel it up quick fast and then have tea break, after break second trowel and bang on second hit usually about 30m2, if ready give it a trowel and then have another break before second trowel and then put third hit on, while waiting to trowel this move I get myself organised for the next day and get everything ready for a quick escape once finished. Usually off home at 4 to 4.30. This is on a day with a nice bit of suction on the walls, if there isn't any suction for some reason then the day will be worked a bit differently but with the same results. Of course I could probably do it easier and quicker if I wasn't to use such small girlie trowels ;)
 
essexandy said:
spunky said:
whats youre average day like andy i struggle to get two sets in and no break from 8-4
Click to expand...

Start at 8 twang a smallish hit of about 20m2, once on if ready I trowel it up quick fast and then have tea break, after break second trowel and bang on second hit usually about 30m2, if ready give it a trowel and then have another break before second trowel and then put third hit on, while waiting to trowel this move I get myself organised for the next day and get everything ready for a quick escape once finished. Usually off home at 4 to 4.30. This is on a day with a nice bit of suction on the walls, if there isn't any suction for some reason then the day will be worked a bit differently but with the same results. Of course I could probably do it easier and quicker if I wasn't to use such small girlie trowels ;)
Click to expand...
f**k**g tidy like.....good darts
 
im sick of killing myself...
got a conservatory to do next week, floaty floor, d+d+skim, put lami window boards on with the router for the mitres...
gonna make it last three days...
ill make 400 quid profit but id rather be going in on wednesday morning to finish off an already pukka job than be banging it on tuesday night rushing to get finished and tidied up..
plenty of time to wander down the chippy at dinnertime, stop every hour for a cuppa, chat with the customer (very important)...

that said, ive been doing a job this week where the old dear just will not leave me alone or actually decide on the stuff she wants... just havent been able to get on...
still, got paid 90% of job today even though ive got maybe 40% of job still to do in over a weeks time, cant grumble...
 
i did 3 smaller sets to day much better finish, while its on i had time 2 keep preping up, and put new set on then went back and gave the first a polish ect
 
Ime probably older than most of you, been their and done most of it and i can tell you that killing yourself wont make you a richer man, the way to make money is to take the big jobs on and employ people to do it and rake it in unfortunately it aint that easy cos most of them will be mugs and you willl be driving yourself mad watching them if you have the time, I me working on site at the moment and doing OK but i have to bite my tongue every day with health and safety crap, site managers who have no clue and all the rest of it what comes with it these days.
Lucius
 
spunky said:
two trowels you rough..........................tidy like ;)
Click to expand...

Although I work fast my putting on and laying in is neat and tidy and a lot of my work is finished in two trowels but it gets whatever is needed, a third trowel must gets squeezed in. I think a lot of spreads put their skim on to thick which leaves deep lines to deal with on the first trowel which costs a lot of time.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Share this page

Back
Top