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Freddie9407

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Afternoon All!!

Currently serving my last 11 months in the Army after 12 years, leaving and first choice was to go into plastering!

Stumbled across the forum and decided to join! Hopefully you'll all go easy on me if I ask any dumb questions!!

Have a gooden and any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Freddie.
 
Afternoon All!!

Currently serving my last 11 months in the Army after 12 years, leaving and first choice was to go into plastering!

Stumbled across the forum and decided to join! Hopefully you'll all go easy on me if I ask any dumb questions!!

Have a gooden and any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Freddie.

You're going to need more than the resettlement package will offer.

There's an outfit called combat to construction or something. A mate of mine was very happy with what they did for him but I don't know if they do plastering or just brickie.

Ask your resettlement officer.

To be honest, if I was you I'd stop in. You've done the hard bit now. Get a job as the Q man and doss about for ten years.
 
Thanks all.

Stevio,

I veered away from doing the courses in Aldershot with the CTP opting instead to do a course with Fullagar up north for 2 1/2 weeks which helped me with the basics I am now practising in my garage, done near all the walls with stud partitioning and just going to keep practising plastering to death. Have a few family members who can send work my way and a few jobs for family and friends (once I have the finish I would have in my house). Have a 3 bed house that a friend is renovating which needs a complete re-plaster so that's a good start!!

To be fair mate I am surprised I have lasted this long, always wanted to go into construction but the 08 recession took that option away. It's too PC now and a lot of babysitting so that's why I'm off haha!
 
Welcome along @Freddie9407

@Stevieo what's a Q man out of interest
Crusty grumpy old man who holds the position of quartermaster sergeant.

He says things like 'we're not open today' and 'no' a lot because he thinks all the kit in the store is his and stores are for storing things in, not issuing to squaddies who've broken whatever it is that they're trying to get replaced.
 
Thanks all.

Stevio,

I veered away from doing the courses in Aldershot with the CTP opting instead to do a course with Fullagar up north for 2 1/2 weeks which helped me with the basics I am now practising in my garage, done near all the walls with stud partitioning and just going to keep practising plastering to death. Have a few family members who can send work my way and a few jobs for family and friends (once I have the finish I would have in my house). Have a 3 bed house that a friend is renovating which needs a complete re-plaster so that's a good start!!

To be fair mate I am surprised I have lasted this long, always wanted to go into construction but the 08 recession took that option away. It's too PC now and a lot of babysitting so that's why I'm off haha!

The trick for you is going to be getting someone who'll pay you enough to live on while you get experience. You'll see when you do your mates house just how long it'll take you doing two walls a day when full time spreads are doing full rooms in the same time. It means it'll be difficult for you to earn your keep.

Have a look at the property maintenance course that ctp do, that way you're not relying on something that you're going to struggle with. It's what I do. Flooring here, painting there, bit of plastering if it comes up. Customer doesnt know what's quick and what isn't so be punctual be tidy a Nd do a good job even if it means you make f**k all on that one and you'll be grand.

Look at tiling as well - you'll learn that in a week or two no problem. If you can do a few things well, then you'll open the world right up for yourself.
 
Afternoon All!!

Currently serving my last 11 months in the Army after 12 years, leaving and first choice was to go into plastering!

Stumbled across the forum and decided to join! Hopefully you'll all go easy on me if I ask any dumb questions!!

Have a gooden and any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Freddie.
This is my honest opinion.

FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO.

You really have chosen the daftest trade to try and get into. Do a basic plumbing course or get into leccy, tiling, just about anything but not plastering.
I wish you all the best, but hope that you listen to me and we never hear from you again.
 
This is my honest opinion.

FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO.

You really have chosen the daftest trade to try and get into. Do a basic plumbing course or get into leccy, tiling, just about anything but not plastering.
I wish you all the best, but hope that you listen to me and we never hear from you again.

What a load of b*ll***s. No such thing as independent tilers anymore, kitchen/bathroom fitters even plumbers do the lot, or customer does it.

electric and plumbing will take years to start actually making money.

Plastering on the other hand, if you’ve got the knack you can pick it up quick. Jump on with a decent spread and learn lots, fast.

tools are cheap too. And not every c**t can do it like tiling or painting. So actually it makes sense to choose plastering, all comes down to the individual if they excel or not
 
Afternoon All!!

Currently serving my last 11 months in the Army after 12 years, leaving and first choice was to go into plastering!

Stumbled across the forum and decided to join! Hopefully you'll all go easy on me if I ask any dumb questions!!

Have a gooden and any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Freddie.


1 life will never be the sane again
2 you will miss it
3 dont leave, do another 12 years
4 dont do plastering, its lonely, boring and tedious, like bulling boots 9 hours a day
 
Well, this is turning into something I didn't expect!

My reasoning for choosing Plastering is initial outlay cost of tools and potential earnings. Also something I assume can be learnt over time quicker than Carpentry & Joinery for example.

I am qualified in Level 2 Wall & Floor Tiling (Which I find boring) and L2 C&J which I see as a trade that takes years to become a master at as well initial outlay for tools being alot. I don't see Plastering as an easy trade to go into but something that not any tom dick or harry can do in there own home (like painting & tiling) as it takes time to learn the skill.

Go easy on me but am I naive in thinking that I could potentially go self employed and have a good grasp of the skill with practice in the next 11 months?

Staying within the Army is a no go for me - I'd rather stack shelves in Tesco, done 12 which is 8 more than I thought I would do.
 
What a load of b*ll***s. No such thing as independent tilers anymore, kitchen/bathroom fitters even plumbers do the lot, or customer does it.

electric and plumbing will take years to start actually making money.

Plastering on the other hand, if you’ve got the knack you can pick it up quick. Jump on with a decent spread and learn lots, fast.

tools are cheap too. And not every c**t can do it like tiling or painting. So actually it makes sense to choose plastering, all comes down to the individual if they excel or not

My uncle is a Gas Engineer but chooses to do plumbing & tiling and his business is a Property Maintenance business (even fits kitchens) - can see a fair few people Multi-Skilled self employed business similar to this one so my thoughts are Plastering isn't necessarily a skill that these people chose to do? - he certainly doesn't.

A lot of negativity around Plastering here, am I right to assume that there is plenty of work around and the money is good? (Once you have the skill and can do it in a timely manner)
 
Well, this is turning into something I didn't expect!

My reasoning for choosing Plastering is initial outlay cost of tools and potential earnings. Also something I assume can be learnt over time quicker than Carpentry & Joinery for example.

I am qualified in Level 2 Wall & Floor Tiling (Which I find boring) and L2 C&J which I see as a trade that takes years to become a master at as well initial outlay for tools being alot. I don't see Plastering as an easy trade to go into but something that not any tom dick or harry can do in there own home (like painting & tiling) as it takes time to learn the skill.

Go easy on me but am I naive in thinking that I could potentially go self employed and have a good grasp of the skill with practice in the next 11 months?

Staying within the Army is a no go for me - I'd rather stack shelves in Tesco, done 12 which is 8 more than I thought I would do.

Skimming isn't rocket science but speed is everything.

If you can get one big ceiling on nice then you'll be able to work without generating any complaints but without plenty of experience, you'll be so slow that you'll find it very difficult to make it pay.

You'll be turning down big jobs because you'll either be too expensive or working for buttons and there's loads of people who can do a bit competing for the little ones.

Honestly, you'll get slaughtered.

Property maintenance is the way forward for you. If you get your foot in the door there, then people will just ring you about every job. I'm at one flat now for two weeks on the back of mending a broken pipe. Customer asked me to fit a laminate floor before his new tenant arrives and the bathroom needs re-tiled as well.

If he's happy with all that, then he'll call me to inspect it when the tenant moves out in 6 months.

Did you say in a previous post that the course hadn't even got you to a point where you're happy with your finish?

If you're serious then get a van now while you don't need the money and advertise. Pick your jobs wisely and work weekends.
 
Did you say in a previous post that the course hadn't even got you to a point where you're happy with your finish?

If you're serious then get a van now while you don't need the money and advertise. Pick your jobs wisely and work weekends.

No, they did, it took a while getting the technique but ultimately I was learning from scratch. I will post photos in due course and see what you guys think.

Willing to work weekends and I am looking at vans.

I would branch out and do other things like flooring etc but firstly I need to get my foot in the door. I am looking to do a Plumbing course in Sept for the basics again.
 
What a load of b*ll***s. No such thing as independent tilers anymore, kitchen/bathroom fitters even plumbers do the lot, or customer does it.

electric and plumbing will take years to start actually making money.

Plastering on the other hand, if you’ve got the knack you can pick it up quick. Jump on with a decent spread and learn lots, fast.

tools are cheap too. And not every c**t can do it like tiling or painting. So actually it makes sense to choose plastering, all comes down to the individual if they excel or not
I know a few guys that make a good living from being an out and out tiler.
My niece's husband literally didn't know the difference between a Stanley knife and a flat screwdriver, honestly. He went and did a basic plumbing course and went straight out afterwards earning decent money. I was gobsmacked.
Plastering courses are churning out more and more 'spreads' on a weekly basis, most fail to make it work, but there is a constant stream trying to and making things worse for established guys.
 
No, they did, it took a while getting the technique but ultimately I was learning from scratch. I will post photos in due course and see what you guys think.

Willing to work weekends and I am looking at vans.

I would branch out and do other things like flooring etc but firstly I need to get my foot in the door. I am looking to do a Plumbing course in Sept for the basics again.

Photos don't usually show very much Fred.

You'll find that small domestic jobs create other jobs - the more you can say yes to, the more you can keep other people off your patch.

A lot of jobs are just a matter of having the tools and a bit of common sense.

Went to see some failed tiling last night and the owner showed me all his woes.

Look at this ceiling, can you plaster?

Yes I can.

Right then, plaster that and paint it.can you clean the carpet?

No that won't clean - laminate?

Yeah do it.

Fix my door handles?

No problem.

And on and on.

When you've done all that, got a job in Milford for you. House is a mess.

And hey presto, you eat for another month.

This work doesn't travel well though. It's not the work that's hard, it's making the phone ring. Set up in the area you intend to settle or you'll be starting from scratch when yiu move.
 
Here we go again -

Steef, make beautiful.

15791713768266696116899324947143.jpg
 
Afternoon All!!

Currently serving my last 11 months in the Army after 12 years, leaving and first choice was to go into plastering!

Stumbled across the forum and decided to join! Hopefully you'll all go easy on me if I ask any dumb questions!!

Have a gooden and any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Freddie.

DON’T DO IT FELLA, WOULDN’T WISH THIS GAME ON MY WORST ENEMY
 
My uncle is a Gas Engineer but chooses to do plumbing & tiling and his business is a Property Maintenance business (even fits kitchens) - can see a fair few people Multi-Skilled self employed business similar to this one so my thoughts are Plastering isn't necessarily a skill that these people chose to do? - he certainly doesn't.

A lot of negativity around Plastering here, am I right to assume that there is plenty of work around and the money is good? (Once you have the skill and can do it in a timely manner)


Business skills are probably more important than plastering skills at this stage.
Do a good business course first.
 
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