New to site work. Not sure about 'the best technique' or so im told....

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smw

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Ayup. I have just landed my first site plastering job and Im a tiny bit worried about getting enough up to make my money. To make my £160 I reckon ive got to get about 8 bags up. Now the chap who ive started for is a really nice bloke and offered to spend the day on site with me showing me his system. What he does is (after prep, obviously) mix 1 bag for 1st coat and mix a second, sloppy tub for laying in. He doesnt flatten down his first coat before laying in, either. Im from the private side and I was taught to mix up, flatten down, lay in flatten, trowel up. I know he is just trying to show me how to get it up quickly and I really appreciate his efforts. I suppose the common sense thing is to 1st coat as neatly as possible so it can be layed on to easily. But I always used my first flatten to go around the edges an neaten them up and get any excess off any other walls/ceiling. Is this the usual, basic method on site? Be grateful for any tips so I can earn mo money. What about the much debated speedskim? Ive just got a refina plazzi delivered as someone told me it wont bollox my shoulder as much. Also just got an Eibenstock mixer, too!

Thanks.
 
within a few weeks you will have found your way young Padawan just divint over think it. If you drop a bit dosh in your first few weeks then so be it, rough with the smooth and all that. Improvise and adapt is what it is all about and, if you start trying to work differently you will probably end up earning less for longer than if you stick to what you know and adapt that. Save trying speedskims etc until you have just about made what you need for the week otherwise depending on your experience you could end up in the sheite.
 
raggles said:
within a few weeks you will have found your way young Padawan just divint over think it. If you drop a bit dosh in your first few weeks then so be it, rough with the smooth and all that. Improvise and adapt is what it is all about and, if you start trying to work differently you will probably end up earning less for longer than if you stick to what you know and adapt that. Save trying speedskims etc until you have just about made what you need for the week otherwise depending on your experience you could end up in the sheite.
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cheers raggles....at least someone cares:RpS_angry:
 
You should be mixing up 2-3 bags and getting it on as quickly and tidy as possible, quick flatten and mix up again straight away and get it on. Not on sites myself but cant imagine making much money doing one bag hits on a meterage.
 
stuart23 said:
You should be mixing up 2-3 bags and getting it on as quickly and tidy as possible, quick flatten and mix up again straight away and get it on. Not on sites myself but cant imagine making much money doing one bag hits on a meterage.
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Its not getting it on the wall thats the prob. This is where experience comes in i suppose. If I were to mix 3 bags up for a first coat Im not sure id be able to get it on quick enough with the neatness. Thats the problem. On my first day on my own I was mixing 2.5 bags up and using both tubs to 1st and 2nd coat. But its right on the limit for me at the minute. Ill just keep plodding on and tweaking things here and there i suppose. Thanks for your comment though!
 
What you have to do is change your mindset, you're on site not in someones house so you don't have to be as neat and tidy (not saying you should throw **** every where), watch how your new boss does it and try it, if it works fair play if not do it YOUR way, you'll soon pick up speed to earn the money
 
8 bags :rolleyes) I can get £160 for using half a bag at old Betty's bungalow :RpS_laugh:
 
smw said:
Ayup. I have just landed my first site plastering job and Im a tiny bit worried about getting enough up to make my money. To make my £160 I reckon ive got to get about 8 bags up. Now the chap who ive started for is a really nice bloke and offered to spend the day on site with me showing me his system. What he does is (after prep, obviously) mix 1 bag for 1st coat and mix a second, sloppy tub for laying in. He doesnt flatten down his first coat before laying in, either. Im from the private side and I was taught to mix up, flatten down, lay in flatten, trowel up. I know he is just trying to show me how to get it up quickly and I really appreciate his efforts. I suppose the common sense thing is to 1st coat as neatly as possible so it can be layed on to easily. But I always used my first flatten to go around the edges an neaten them up and get any excess off any other walls/ceiling. Is this the usual, basic method on site? Be grateful for any tips so I can earn mo money. What about the much debated speedskim? Ive just got a refina plazzi delivered as someone told me it wont bollox my shoulder as much. Also just got an Eibenstock mixer, too!

Thanks.
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Most sites expect top quality finish and neatness for peanuts, if you do happen to leave **** all over the floor you'll be snagged and have to get the floor scraper going.
Site work is an absolute joke and the contractors just take the piss because most of the lads turning up are "coursers" and they can be hired and fired at the drop off a hat because they are ten to a penny?
I worked sites back in the day with a 3 & 1 gang and we were a good team, fast and neat and we expected to be paid for our graft and skills and we were paid very well.
Hope things go all right for you but I've got a feeling your going to be in for a dose of reality pal.
Let us all know how things go after your first few days on site?
 
I'd say just don't try and do too much, do what is comfortable for you and don't let the quality of your work suffer. You'l get in to a groove and then you will speed up.
 
my son was telling me the other day that it is common that major building contractors, put in their contracts that there will be a penalty of £100 if a property is not cleaned out properly. also the plastering contractor must supply cleaning equipment to any of his sub contractors.
 
dmplastering said:
Was thinking the same myself. That's working out @ £2m2. **** that!!
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crazy rates of pay. less 20% tax,less fuel to site, less time wasted on induction. no thanks, you will be trying to live on 3 days earnings
the fastest method that i have used on house bashing is to set up with 7 buckets of water, then mix each one up in a clean bucket so you get a rolling set, therefore keeping the hit under control.
 
To be honest the main reason Ive taken this job is because I had grown a bit tired of trying to source my own work all the time. There can only be so many referrals and you do wait for the phone to ring. It was always playing on my mind. Me and the missus are getting wed next year and then we want to start a family so I thought Id get my name around as much as I can and get familiar with site work incase work dries up on the private side when i go back to it.. Doesnt hurt to be able to move between sites and private customers. I also wanted to compare myself to other spreads if im being honest. Learn techniques and find out about other tools other than steel trowels etc. Another big thing is actually having someone to talk to but I reckon Ill soon get bored of that. Too busy to talk on site anyway. I learned that about 1 wall into my first day. Ill be sure to let you know how i adapt. Ive been reading LOTS of old posts about sq m/day etc. There are some blokes who reckon they can do 15 bags on their own in a day. When I can do 8 ill be happy. As for the money......i have more fun at work on a site or in a customers house than i ever would in morrisons AND i cant get sacked for leching or nicking food. You do have to work very hard but so does my mate whos a mechanic, so do doctors and so on.....id rather be earning what some might laugh at rather than sat on my arse doing fak all. Thanks for the input everyone.
 
What's annoying about being on site is that someone is making a lot of money out them houses and it sure as hell isn't the ones grafting on them.
 
the problem with site work today is we have lost the floating this was where we earned the best money but as now it is just skimming it is to easy for the qs to work out your earnings therefore cap you pay.
 
The thing is windy the wages are getting smaller and the profits getting larger and there's not a thing you can do about it as it's the way the government want it.
 
I know the odds are against the working man. Power is in the ownership of asetts not working...
 
Just stick at it mate and keep pushing your self a little at a time. It's not all about firing on 40m sets. Even the quickest spreads can't do the big hits if there's loads of beads an angles etc.

look at getting spats/speed skim some think theses help. s*p*r*lex trowels are a current trend.
 
stuart23 said:
What's annoying about being on site is that someone is making a lot of money out them houses and it sure as hell isn't the ones grafting on them.
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yes, when they pull up in a £70,000 motor and tell you about the nice time they had skiing last week! and there you are skimming out a house for peanuts.
 
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What i meant was if you have money you buy a business whether that be property or land etc.. if you have little money you take a job.
 
It shouldn't be allowed, cutting wages to make yourself more money really needs to be looked at. The gap between rich and poor is getting bigger and I don't see it getting any better in the future. It should be something like you can only make a certain % of something and others working on it should be entitled to a certain %. Would never work but something needs to be done.
 
My new gaffer has got some dab but hes managed to get himself into that possition and stayed there. Im not bitter ata ll. It just drives me to want the same thing.
 
smw said:
My new gaffer has got some dab but hes managed to get himself into that possition and stayed there. Im not bitter ata ll. It just drives me to want the same thing.
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That's it mate. The working man can still make his way up the ladder, if you want it enough you will get there.
 
smw said:
To be honest the main reason Ive taken this job is because I had grown a bit tired of trying to source my own work all the time. There can only be so many referrals and you do wait for the phone to ring. It was always playing on my mind. Me and the missus are getting wed next year and then we want to start a family so I thought Id get my name around as much as I can and get familiar with site work incase work dries up on the private side when i go back to it.. Doesnt hurt to be able to move between sites and private customers. I also wanted to compare myself to other spreads if im being honest. Learn techniques and find out about other tools other than steel trowels etc. Another big thing is actually having someone to talk to but I reckon Ill soon get bored of that. Too busy to talk on site anyway. I learned that about 1 wall into my first day. Ill be sure to let you know how i adapt. Ive been reading LOTS of old posts about sq m/day etc. There are some blokes who reckon they can do 15 bags on their own in a day. When I can do 8 ill be happy. As for the money......i have more fun at work on a site or in a customers house than i ever would in morrisons AND i cant get sacked for leching or nicking food. You do have to work very hard but so does my mate whos a mechanic, so do doctors and so on.....id rather be earning what some might laugh at rather than sat on my arse doing fak all. Thanks for the input everyone.
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I here what your saying pal and I hope things work out well for you.
Last week I was contacted by a spread regarding working as a team on a large site of 3 to 6 bedroom houses, basically the other spread wanted a time served man with him to earn a decent crust on the prices he was given.
I got chatting with him and asked what the price was for a 4 bedroom detached he said around £265k, then I asked him the price he was getting from the "well known" main contractor and he said between £14500 to £1650, quick calk was around £750 a deck?
He then informed me that a chunk of the price went to the "lads" doing the d&d and boarding?
How much I asked and he said around £400 to £500 a house?
That averages around £600 a deck which includes en-suite x 2 and numerous box rooms / utility rooms ect ect, then there was my PL insurance and my skilled trade cscs card and transport.
I'm not the type of guy who looks for a silver lining in a bucket of piss and told the other spread he was a f'ing idiot to even think id work for that pittance,
He said that in this day and age we should be thankful of the work? to which I replied that because of ***** like him we are having to suffer prices like this, a f'ing disgrace to the trade of plastering to even consider working for that amount to line some sneering wankers pockets.
Site agents / agencies/ and contractors need to be taught a f'ing lesson about wealth distribution and we can all start by not accepting the **** prices they are "telling" us we must accept?
 
timeservedspread said:
I here what your saying pal and I hope things work out well for you.
Last week I was contacted by a spread regarding working as a team on a large site of 3 to 6 bedroom houses, basically the other spread wanted a time served man with him to earn a decent crust on the prices he was given.
I got chatting with him and asked what the price was for a 4 bedroom detached he said around £265k, then I asked him the price he was getting from the "well known" main contractor and he said between £14500 to £1650, quick calk was around £750 a deck?
He then informed me that a chunk of the price went to the "lads" doing the d&d and boarding?
How much I asked and he said around £400 to £500 a house?
That averages around £600 a deck which includes en-suite x 2 and numerous box rooms / utility rooms ect ect, then there was my PL insurance and my skilled trade cscs card and transport.
I'm not the type of guy who looks for a silver lining in a bucket of piss and told the other spread he was a f'ing idiot to even think id work for that pittance,
He said that in this day and age we should be thankful of the work? to which I replied that because of ***** like him we are having to suffer prices like this, a f'ing disgrace to the trade of plastering to even consider working for that amount to line some sneering wankers pockets.
Site agents / agencies/ and contractors need to be taught a f'ing lesson about wealth distribution and we can all start by not accepting the **** prices they are "telling" us we must accept?
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I hear what youre saying and you obviously have a lot more experience than myself. However, I find myself in this situation right now and me not working out of principal or to try and make a change for the greater good isnt going to put food in our fridge and keep our rads warm in winter! Id love a bigger piece of the pie but unless youre up there you have to settle for the crumbs until an opportunity comes your way, right? Or should I just tell him to **** off, make a stand, hope every other tradesman follows my efforts and then wait for him to ring me offering me the rates people used to get 15 years ago? Its not going to happen, is it. Im poor but I can plaster and I have a job that can realistically put £450/week into my account after tax. Its not mega but its better than a lot of people.
 
smw said:
Ayup. I have just landed my first site plastering job and Im a tiny bit worried about getting enough up to make my money. To make my £160 I reckon ive got to get about 8 bags up. Now the chap who ive started for is a really nice bloke and offered to spend the day on site with me showing me his system. What he does is (after prep, obviously) mix 1 bag for 1st coat and mix a second, sloppy tub for laying in. He doesnt flatten down his first coat before laying in, either. Im from the private side and I was taught to mix up, flatten down, lay in flatten, trowel up. I know he is just trying to show me how to get it up quickly and I really appreciate his efforts. I suppose the common sense thing is to 1st coat as neatly as possible so it can be layed on to easily. But I always used my first flatten to go around the edges an neaten them up and get any excess off any other walls/ceiling. Is this the usual, basic method on site? Be grateful for any tips so I can earn mo money. What about the much debated speedskim? Ive just got a refina plazzi delivered as someone told me it wont bollox my shoulder as much. Also just got an Eibenstock mixer, too!

Thanks.
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the only technique for site work is flat out as hard as u can go sweet runing down the crack of your arse all day
 
plaster man said:
the only technique for site work is flat out as hard as u can go sweet runing down the crack of your arse all day
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I got that already. Never used to sweat on my own jobs unless the customer was watchin over my shoulder and I was covering something up.......

the most interesting thing about your comment is the 'Spunky is a nob' thingy you have. When i was reading some old posts he caused a bit of a stir with his 1 coat and sponge finish. Is he still at it? If I cant make my money I might have to see what all the fuss is about. Only trouble is that id get sacked on the spot if the gaffer found out. The one thing he said was "absolutely NO one coats"!!
 
smw said:
I hear what youre saying and you obviously have a lot more experience than myself. However, I find myself in this situation right now and me not working out of principal or to try and make a change for the greater good isnt going to put food in our fridge and keep our rads warm in winter! Id love a bigger piece of the pie but unless youre up there you have to settle for the crumbs until an opportunity comes your way, right? Or should I just tell him to **** off, make a stand, hope every other tradesman follows my efforts and then wait for him to ring me offering me the rates people used to get 15 years ago? Its not going to happen, is it. Im poor but I can plaster and I have a job that can realistically put £450/week into my account after tax. Its not mega but its better than a lot of people.
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The point is that there is a missing link in the price chain and somebody is creaming the tradesmen?
You can tell me your happy with 450 a week in 5 years time with the constant wallop on the sites, when your hands scream with pain every morning and your shoulders are hanging on what's left of your tendons mate, its a filthy hard trade and we need to be given the same respect we got back in the 40's 50's 60's 70's 80' 90's ? its no coincidence that all the **** pay and crap rates came into play around the same time the "course gravy train" started?
Comparing plastering to shelf stacking doesn't make sense? I didn't know it took 3 - 5 years to do an apprenticeship for asda?
I'm guessing your not apprentice trained? so yeah of course anything will be much better than nothing.
 
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