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.
Is it a proper hard graft Scottie?
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.
you will learn lot hereI didnt do an apprenticeship. But I still had to clean all my own stuff, learn the basics and develop my techniques. In a lot of ways my route is probably harder. Ive had to learn from making all of my own mistakes and have never, ever had anyone to show me the best and most tested way to do things properly. Im obviously not in the same league as someone who has done it the traditional way. My point is that barring a full, tools down strike with masses of plasterers not a lot can be done about it. Its the same in lots of different jobs. It could be worse.
you will learn lot here
hell of a lot :RpS_thumbup:
dont kill your self for money ...................it aint worth itI already have! I didnt know what a rolling set was until I found it on here. Im going to have a go at one when Ive got used to working on site a bit
Anyway, blah blah blah. Im boring myself.
the problem is skimmers :RpS_confused: ****** it up for every ****Your posts are quite interesting mate, keep it going.
The problem with the trade is there are too many under skilled/over skilled 'plasterers' working for little money as they have a mortgage and bills to pay so will take anything. The folk at the top know this and are taking full advantage to boost there profits.
Your posts are quite interesting mate, keep it going.
The problem with the trade is there are too many under skilled/over skilled 'plasterers' working for little money as they have a mortgage and bills to pay so will take anything. The folk at the top know this and are taking full advantage to boost there profits.
Surely a windup, must be? then again maybe not.Im definitely not a plasterer. I wouldnt know where to start in the use of backing plasters, I cant do a DPC, dont know what slurry is and have never worked one on one with a decent, nice, proper plasterer who can give me hints or tips etc. Everything I know comes from working with a very old bloke about 7 years ago for about 2 months all in. The rest has just been filled in with determination, common sense and lots of mistakes. I can put up timber studs, board, dab and skim. Dont know if im fast, slow, good, total shite or whatever. Dont know the lingo or what tools i could be using instead of the basics. What I do know is that when i look at my work and run my hand over it, it feels nice and smooth and the customer always pays in full. So I cant be that bad. Nothing looks worse than bad plastering.
the problem is skimmers :RpS_confused: ****** it up for every ****
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to pissed for thissss
:RpS_laugh: to drunk to get a boner :RpS_blushing:Go to the nearest hotel and have a w@nk in their lift
And I can imagine how frustrating it is for the real, time served and highly skilled plasterers to see their trade in decline but not everyone who hasnt been through the traditional apprenticeship route is just a rough arsed bodger. Im sure there are also a lot of real plasterers who simply dont give a toss and cut lots of corners just to make more money. I wish I could learn everything about it cos I really like it. Unfortunately at 32 with a family on the horizon I need to make money. Going to college etc wont do that for me. Maybe in the long term but I need £££ now!
£450 for you at this stage is ok ,£350 is what I pay labourers and why I haven't killed one of them yet is unknown to me yet,
btw ,don't talk about spunky, he has worked hard for years and knows his stuff, men that have loads of experience had to suffer during the recession and wouldn't take kindly to any disparaging comments, only saying, don't awake the sleeping dog.
You seem a decent enough bloke and dont take this the wrong way, but its exactly because of people like you that the trade is getting fuked up mate...
Cot? Have you used the flexi trowel and ezi spat?
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The comments made by us older guys are totally valid and has nothing to do with being bitter or being stuck in the past.
The "just learned" "completed my course" brigade happily accept the pay and conditions on site because to them it's a massive wage increase from working down the local super market or factory, then again how can someone who isn't a professional plasterer show any respect for a trade they haven't actually learned correctly?
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I earned a lot more working on the water but injured my back and got sick of working outside, in water in the winter. I never once said you were stuck in the past, ive mentioned that I enjoy the job, that i wished i could learn everything and that I can see how fully trained blokes must find it frustrating. I dont really see why I am a problem? I havent been on any ridiculous courses. Sorry if me learning something offends you pal. I may not have learned it all but the things I have learned I can do well. Lots of pointy, waggy fingers in here. I'll gladly take advice from those who dont feel the need to blame people cos they dont earn as much as they used to or whatever but Im not too fussed about reading tripe about me not respecting a trade which Ive been learning for the past few years. I and everyone else has suffered in many different trades and other jobs. My dad lost his job and was out of work for 2 years. He didnt point his finger and tell me I shouldnt be doing something because I hadnt done an apprenticeship. He told me I had to pay my way. Thats what im doing. If you have a problem with that then you can b*ll***s.
Am a real plasterer I have all the skills. What do u have.
I earned a lot more working on the water but injured my back and got sick of working outside, in water in the winter. I never once said you were stuck in the past, ive mentioned that I enjoy the job, that i wished i could learn everything and that I can see how fully trained blokes must find it frustrating. I dont really see why I am a problem? I havent been on any ridiculous courses. Sorry if me learning something offends you pal. I may not have learned it all but the things I have learned I can do well. Lots of pointy, waggy fingers in here. I'll gladly take advice from those who dont feel the need to blame people cos they dont earn as much as they used to or whatever but Im not too fussed about reading tripe about me not respecting a trade which Ive been learning for the past few years. I and everyone else has suffered in many different trades and other jobs. My dad lost his job and was out of work for 2 years. He didnt point his finger and tell me I shouldnt be doing something because I hadnt done an apprenticeship. He told me I had to pay my way. Thats what im doing. If you have a problem with that then you can b*ll***s.