What are you paying/being paid. Labourers/trainees

S

Simhead

New Member
I am a trainee plasterer looking to see if I am being paid my worth. First of all, I am self employed and I ordered my get paid £50 a day. I drive to work everyday and my days start from 6:30am plus the hours drive so around 5:30am, I finish around 4pm most days. I have to labourer twice as hard because the other labourer is useless as f**k but because it is his mate, he won't get rid. I'm putting on half rooms sometimes more. I leave it to a decent standard (not perfect) but it is flat and presentable. I obviously have to buy all my tools. I never complain and I am in everyday regardless.

Im not saying I am good enough to go on my own but I can't help but feel as if I am being massively under paid and under appreciated, the more I do and the higher I set the standards the more I end up having to do and the other labourer having to do less. It is getting me down and I need to advice on if I should stick it out or look elsewhere.

Thanks
 
I started on 30 a day and was driving from Bedford to Maidenhead for that.... same boat as you....

stick with it and it will pay dividends
 
My apprentice is on around £48 a day before tax . In his second year . He also gets paid holidays . I’ve boughy all his tools and uniform . Now he’s passed his test I send him on his own little jobs for extra cash . I’d recommend you get your own tools and try doing some weekend work to build yourself up then get yourself on site skimming.
 
Simhead said:
I am a trainee plasterer looking to see if I am being paid my worth. First of all, I am self employed and I ordered my get paid £50 a day. I drive to work everyday and my days start from 6:30am plus the hours drive so around 5:30am, I finish around 4pm most days. I have to labourer twice as hard because the other labourer is useless as f**k but because it is his mate, he won't get rid. I'm putting on half rooms sometimes more. I leave it to a decent standard (not perfect) but it is flat and presentable. I obviously have to buy all my tools. I never complain and I am in everyday regardless.

Im not saying I am good enough to go on my own but I can't help but feel as if I am being massively under paid and under appreciated, the more I do and the higher I set the standards the more I end up having to do and the other labourer having to do less. It is getting me down and I need to advice on if I should stick it out or look elsewhere.

Thanks
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You have a agreement he gets cheap labour and you get a trade which will pay off very soon i started in the 80s on 60 pounds a week i made a lot of money since then so stick it out till ur ready to go by the way you say your not good enough standard yet but he gets ur work passed
 
I am not trying to start an argument but I think he is paying you peanuts you should be on at least £80 to £100 a day, yes you should buy your own tools etc ... Sometimes we complain that we don’t get paid enough for the work we do by customers then pay trainees and labourers crap money, he working 10hrs for £50 sorry but wrong
 
I’ve Paid spreads 180/220 a day and s**t labourer 50s, good ones who can actually to few bits (not plaster) 70/80

Never long days like that either. The only thing that would make they worthwhile is if the guys a decent spread and you’re learning off him
 
Thanks guys, he is a very good spread which is why I know I'm not good enough. He says my work is good but I need to work on leaving less.( what he calls cats arseholes). I understand I will benefit from it in the end hence why I agreed to it in the first place. It was just playing on my mind all the time, with long hours and hard graft, but I'll trust the more experienced lads judgements over my own. Thanks again
 
Simhead said:
Thanks guys, he is a very good spread which is why I know I'm not good enough. He says my work is good but I need to work on leaving less.( what he calls cats arseholes). I understand I will benefit from it in the end hence why I agreed to it in the first place. It was just playing on my mind all the time, with long hours and hard graft, but I'll trust the more experienced lads judgements over my own. Thanks again
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The first compliment I got from my master was, well, I said "The finish it good tho?"

he said, "Yeah, it's just everything else"

Love that c**t
 
Wh
Simhead said:
I am a trainee plasterer looking to see if I am being paid my worth. First of all, I am self employed and I ordered my get paid £50 a day. I drive to work everyday and my days start from 6:30am plus the hours drive so around 5:30am, I finish around 4pm most days. I have to labourer twice as hard because the other labourer is useless as f**k but because it is his mate, he won't get rid. I'm putting on half rooms sometimes more. I leave it to a decent standard (not perfect) but it is flat and presentable. I obviously have to buy all my tools. I never complain and I am in everyday regardless.

Im not saying I am good enough to go on my own but I can't help but feel as if I am being massively under paid and under appreciated, the more I do and the higher I set the standards the more I end up having to do and the other labourer having to do less. It is getting me down and I need to advice on if I should stick it out or look elsewhere.

Thanks
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Where are you based?
 
When I said to mine
Don't you think I did a good job of that wall he said he wasn't worried about that one it was just the 10,000 I did before lol
 
I started as a builders labourer on 50 a day. Still work for same builder now from time to time. I’ve had pay conversations all along the way.

He’s a fair person. I never pushed what I didn’t feel was deserved over the years and he never paid more until I proved myself about three f**k**g jobs later from intially asking for more.

But then I have also learnt a lot from them and loyalty is utterly important to me, now more than ever.

I’d stick it out if I were you since you say he’s a good spread and learn what you can, it’s in your interest. Do your own small jobs on the side and go from there
 
40 a day home as labourer, up to 50,then recession and down to 45, then 40again, back to 45 back to 50 then up to plasterers wage slowly but surely. A half room in one go or all day in between labouring?
 
Danny said:
When you go it alone the hours are longer and graft is harder....

A saying I like is....

I work 80 hours a weeks so I dont have to work 40..... think about that for a bit :D
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I knew going alone would be more hours but I was taking the current money and the hours I am doing I to consideration too. I
JessThePlasterer said:
I started as a builders labourer on 50 a day. Still work for same builder now from time to time. I’ve had pay conversations all along the way.

He’s a fair person. I never pushed what I didn’t feel was deserved over the years and he never paid more until I proved myself about three f**k**g jobs later from intially asking for more.

But then I have also learnt a lot from them and loyalty is utterly important to me, now more than ever.

I’d stick it out if I were you since you say he’s a good spread and learn what you can, it’s in your interest. Do your own small jobs on the side and go from there
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Mine said he is happy to pay my worth, i mean, when I was on 50 a day using a broom at the start and now I'm still on the same, that is where my thoughts came from.

He is good to work with and doesn't push me at all, the main thing is having to deal with the other labourers jobs as well as mine which really irritates me and I feel I should be on more than him. I cant say I don't feel I I owe him for giving me a break in the first place, so he definitely has my loyalty.

The main thing is that posting on here has put my mind at ease a little more. I sure did not want to leave him after him teaching me over something that is considered pretty normal for a trainee like myself.
 
We do three hits a day, 6 bags per hit.
Plasterer gets ceiling, window wall and any other little tricky bits and I get the rest of the room on, normally either two long wall or three average sized walls. Other labourer gets some bathroom on. Me and the labourer split the labouring in between trowels but he can't even clean a damn bucket correctly haha.
 
Simhead said:
We do three hits a day, 6 bags per hit.
Plasterer gets ceiling, window wall and any other little tricky bits and I get the rest of the room on, normally either two long wall or three average sized walls. Other labourer gets some bathroom on. Me and the labourer split the labouring in between trowels but he can't even clean a damn bucket correctly haha.
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This is per hit by the way. Usually do 2-3 rooms a day
 
It's standard enough, you probably should be on a bit more than the standard lab, but same time I wasn't and was coating, troweling. Etc. Your money will go up when you're ready, you'll maybe get a. Few. More quid after Xmas for alls u know
Keep learning and improving, and get the dough u want
 
Simhead said:
I knew going alone would be more hours but I was taking the current money and the hours I am doing I to consideration too. I


Mine said he is happy to pay my worth, i mean, when I was on 50 a day using a broom at the start and now I'm still on the same, that is where my thoughts came from.

He is good to work with and doesn't push me at all, the main thing is having to deal with the other labourers jobs as well as mine which really irritates me and I feel I should be on more than him. I cant say I don't feel I I owe him for giving me a break in the first place, so he definitely has my loyalty.

The main thing is that posting on here has put my mind at ease a little more. I sure did not want to leave him after him teaching me over something that is considered pretty normal for a trainee like myself.
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You’ll be reet. How long you been working for him?
 
I'd sack you after 6 months, you still won't know your arse from your elbow and will only be breaking even at best for him!

If your worth more then go and get it elsewhere or do your own work and pay your own wages!
 
Simhead said:
Only 6 month. I don't expect to be on 150 a day. Or even 100, I'd be happy with 70.
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Yeah 6months is dick all mate. You’ve still got loads to learn and won’t understand what his overheads are. Appreciate being giving a chance to learn and learn well! All the best to you
 
Give us an outline of what you are learning. So far all you have talked about is labouring and skimming. Please tell me you will have the chance at least to learn other aspects of the trade .If so just get on with it and don't focus to much on money yet . Don't rush to be just another skimmer.
 
beader said:
Give us an outline of what you are learning. So far all you have talked about is labouring and skimming. Please tell me you will have the chance at least to learn other aspects of the trade .If so just get on with it and don't focus to much on money yet . Don't rush to be just another skimmer.
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Learnt skimming, dot and dab and boarding. Can't see myself learning much more than that.
 
Simhead said:
Learnt skimming, dot and dab and boarding. Can't see myself learning much more than that.
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That's pretty much all you seem to need these days but try and widen your skill set to include floating , rendering and what ever else you can learn . You could always seek another employer who could teach you such skills and you would always have the advantage of not being completely green and would be a asset to whomever. Good luck and remember it can be a very satisfying trade if you are more than a one trick pony. IMO.
 
beader said:
That's pretty much all you seem to need these days but try and widen your skill set to include floating , rendering and what ever else you can learn . You could always seek another employer who could teach you such skills and you would always have the advantage of not being completely green and would be a asset to whomever. Good luck and remember it can be a very satisfying trade if you are more than a one trick pony. IMO.
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Don't listen to him. Go get with a plumber
 
i took home 88 pounds a week my first year granted thats along time ago now ,bought all my own tools got myself to work on an a gp 100 motorbike all my tools were in the bosses van . when your starting off the money is bad but such is life
 
In 1998 first year apprentice,17 year old I was paid £165 a week and grafted like a loon, and got the piss ripped out of me by the older fellas. The point being drink it in, your on the first rung of the ladder.
 
It's a tough one to be honest, but the main factor in your position is that you've only been doing it for six months. Yes £50 a day is sh1t money, but that's not all you're getting as you and others have pointed out. You also have to look at things from the other side, which means how much are you earning for the business? If you're earning the business £75 a day then your cut of that at £50 is reasonable. Bear in mind that you'll have actually been costing him money in the beginning so that has to be recovered.

I would say that when you're 12 months in you should either be worth more, or unemployed. I don't mean that in a harsh way, that's just how it works. (y)

The first year of my apprenticeship I was on £25 a week top line, that said it was 36 years ago. The second year my pay went up to £130 because by then I was earning money for the company.
 
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