Best training to get into the trade

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BMA99

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Hi lads, I’m new to here and want to get into the trade. I’ve seen lots of courses from a few week intense to a 2 year nvq or city and guilds. I understand it’s the years you put in that qualify you and not a peice of part but what would you recommend the best way to get trained. I’m 27 with a house and family to support so can’t afford to live on apprenticeship wage (I’m not expecting Brewsters either).

I’d appreciate your thoughts,

Thanks
 
BMA99 said:
Hi lads, I’m new to here and want to get into the trade. I’ve seen lots of courses from a few week intense to a 2 year nvq or city and guilds. I understand it’s the years you put in that qualify you and not a peice of part but what would you recommend the best way to get trained. I’m 27 with a house and family to support so can’t afford to live on apprenticeship wage (I’m not expecting Brewsters either).

I’d appreciate your thoughts,

Thanks
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Too late pal try something else,plus it’s s**t anyway,your not missing out on anything
 
BMA99 said:
Hi lads, I’m new to here and want to get into the trade. I’ve seen lots of courses from a few week intense to a 2 year nvq or city and guilds. I understand it’s the years you put in that qualify you and not a peice of part but what would you recommend the best way to get trained. I’m 27 with a house and family to support so can’t afford to live on apprenticeship wage (I’m not expecting Brewsters either).

I’d appreciate your thoughts,

Thanks
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You could try doing a short course and then selling yourself as an improver. Might get away with it if you're honest - but if you can only get one wall on and your employer is expecting four, expect to be paid accordingly.
 
BMA99 said:
Hi lads, I’m new to here and want to get into the trade. I’ve seen lots of courses from a few week intense to a 2 year nvq or city and guilds. I understand it’s the years you put in that qualify you and not a peice of part but what would you recommend the best way to get trained. I’m 27 with a house and family to support so can’t afford to live on apprenticeship wage (I’m not expecting Brewsters either).

I’d appreciate your thoughts,

Thanks
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Start as a labourer with an experienced spread! Where are you based?
 
Cockney1 said:
Start as a labourer with an experienced spread! Where are you based?
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That's easier said than done. Site plasterers have labourers because they need them. Domestic plasterers can't charge for a labourer because they don't need them.

I learned off as housebuilder who did extensions sometimes. In those circumstances, it was appropriate for me to get on the trowel or else I'd have been watching him and he wasn't the kind of guy who'd tolerate a labourer watching him work - so getting on the trowel it was. But that's not really work you can look for - seems to be more invitation only because these guys don't advertise.
 
Stevieo said:
That's easier said than done. Site plasterers have labourers because they need them. Domestic plasterers can't charge for a labourer because they don't need them.

I learned off as housebuilder who did extensions sometimes. In those circumstances, it was appropriate for me to get on the trowel or else I'd have been watching him and he wasn't the kind of guy who'd tolerate a labourer watching him work - so getting on the trowel it was. But that's not really work you can look for - seems to be more invitation only because these guys don't advertise.
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Sorry but what a load of b*ll***s! If you are a domestic plasterer and you work on price then you can have a labourer no problem at all.
 
Cockney1 said:
Sorry but what a load of b*ll***s! If you are a domestic plasterer and you work on price then you can have a labourer no problem at all.
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And then you've got to put an extra £200 on every job to pay him - how many domestics on here have a labourer? Not many, for just that reason. Domestic doesn't even really support 2 spreads, let alone a labourer. Maybe a part time lad for breaking things and doing some throwing stuff in the skip on a reno but not much else.
 
Stevieo said:
And then you've got to put an extra £200 on every job to pay him - how many domestics on here have a labourer? Not many, for just that reason. Domestic doesn't even really support 2 spreads, let alone a labourer. Maybe a part time lad for breaking things and doing some throwing stuff in the skip on a reno but not much else.
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£200. Hahahahaha!
 
Cockney1 said:
£200. Hahahahaha!
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If you're a day and a half at something, what you gonna pay? Two days for lad. Pay him £80 and charge ££100-120. Lad who can't plaster won't make the job quicker, just easier.

Only way a labourer is any use is if he can get ahead of you to the next job. If he can do all prep unsupervised, then eventually, he'll learn to skim and f**k off on you anyway - back to square one.
 
20+ years ago every spread had a lad fast forward and other than when rendering in gangwork I don't know 1 plasterer that has a lad.

That's at least 20 - 30 plasterers that I know 1st hand that I could phone tomorrow.

You just can't price them in anymore!
 
zombie said:
20+ years ago every spread had a lad fast forward and other than when rendering in gangwork I don't know 1 plasterer that has a lad.

That's at least 20 - 30 plasterers that I know 1st hand that I could phone tomorrow.

You just can't price them in anymore!
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You can on price on domestic.
 
You’re both right lol, If you price em in you just starting thinking why am I paying this absolute mong £1000 cash a month for. I can pva wall n clean my own buckets n save £11,000 a year.

I’ve had over 15 labs on and off always short term. It’s far more beneficial to get a decent spread in for 1 day than a labourer for a week.
 
lurpak said:
You’re both right lol, If you price em in you just starting thinking why am I paying this absolute mong £1000 cash a month for. I can pva wall n clean my own buckets n save £11,000 a year.

I’ve had over 15 labs on and off always short term. It’s far more beneficial to get a decent spread in for 1 day than a labourer for a week.
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Labs a pain in the arse anyway. If they were any use, they'd have picked up enough to be doing stuff for themselves. Last one was a pikey who couldn't tell the time. Big strong lad and good for carrying bags down the stairs but couldn't tell the time. He lasted a week.

Tell a lie - he was the one before. Lad who gives me a hand now is an experienced workman but he's only good for breaking things and putting them in the skip. Can't even paint properly.

That's fine if you've got a whole house to rip out but then any plastering or painting, it's hard to find him something he can do.
 
Sorry but got to disagree there bud most plasterers I worked for felt there day was a lot better and easier when they had s labourer getting all the s**t work out the way and them just plastering most of the time I was let down by the plasterers more than me letting them down ...not saying all but most over promised and under delivered
 
djfleming22 said:
Sorry but got to disagree there bud most plasterers I worked for felt there day was a lot better and easier when they had s labourer getting all the s**t work out the way and them just plastering most of the time I was let down by the plasterers more than me letting them down ...not saying all but most over promised and under delivered
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It IS better and easier - 100% but you gotta pay the man, which means you gotta price for it and you'll lose work by sending two men to do one man's work.
 
But sometimes you can do twice the work by getting there early and setting up which I always did boss finishing off and I would have the van loaded back up ready for the next job
 
djfleming22 said:
But sometimes you can do twice the work by getting there early and setting up which I always did boss finishing off and I would have the van loaded back up ready for the next job
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Well that's it....I suppose it depends how big your job is...I do believe that two men will do more than twice the work of one because you motivate each other but if you've only got one room to do then there's only one job at a time to do and there's no room for two men that can't be done by one man with a system.

My last hob was build a partition wall so carry stuff upstairs - be nice to have a lab to do it but I'd have been stood at the top waiting.

Build wall - lab would have just held things to look busy.

Board stud. Lab would have held things that didn't need holding just to look busy.

Skim - was only half a day's work anyway - lab washing buckets might've got me away the second I finished, I suppose.

Put doors in and arc/skiting - he might've saved me sweeping.

Paint - a side each - really?

And for his assistance, I'd have had to bill the customer an extra £360 and might've lost the job.
 
Going back in time a good lab on site were worth their weight. All you did was plaster nothing else. On domestics you'd have to chase them due to lack of care or enthusiasm. Anyway it's all b*ll***s.
U got lab!!!
 
Stevieo said:
Labs a pain in the arse anyway. If they were any use, they'd have picked up enough to be doing stuff for themselves. Last one was a pikey who couldn't tell the time. Big strong lad and good for carrying bags down the stairs but couldn't tell the time. He lasted a week.

Tell a lie - he was the one before. Lad who gives me a hand now is an experienced workman but he's only good for breaking things and putting them in the skip. Can't even paint properly.

That's fine if you've got a whole house to rip out but then any plastering or painting, it's hard to find him something he can do.
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cant you tell the time for yourself?
 
Stevieo said:
Well that's it....I suppose it depends how big your job is...I do believe that two men will do more than twice the work of one because you motivate each other but if you've only got one room to do then there's only one job at a time to do and there's no room for two men that can't be done by one man with a system.

My last hob was build a partition wall so carry stuff upstairs - be nice to have a lab to do it but I'd have been stood at the top waiting.

Build wall - lab would have just held things to look busy.

Board stud. Lab would have held things that didn't need holding just to look busy.

Skim - was only half a day's work anyway - lab washing buckets might've got me away the second I finished, I suppose.

Put doors in and arc/skiting - he might've saved me sweeping.

Paint - a side each - really?

And for his assistance, I'd have had to bill the customer an extra £360 and might've lost the job.
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I’ve never seen a caretaker with a labourer! Lol
 
How can a domestic spread pay a labourer full time? Half my jobs are skim bedroom ceilings, or half a day skimming a bathroom ceiling. Having an extra pair of hands would probably speed me up by 30mins a day. If I'm going to price someone in a 70quod a day I'd prefer to just keep the money for myself and finish half hour later. Plus it drives me insane all day how slow they are
 
Robbo123 said:
How can a domestic spread pay a labourer full time? Half my jobs are skim bedroom ceilings, or half a day skimming a bathroom ceiling. Having an extra pair of hands would probably speed me up by 30mins a day. If I'm going to price someone in a 70quod a day I'd prefer to just keep the money for myself and finish half hour later. Plus it drives me insane all day how slow they are
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Mate you’ve really got to get away from skimming those cupboards! :oops:
 
Cockney1 said:
Mate you’ve really got to get away from skimming those cupboards! :oops:
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Good money and easy days. What's not to like? Get a few full houses a year where a labourer could be useful for a few days but that's about it
 
Depends on project and timescales.

A full house to strip back to brick reboard screed and render.
Your better off with an extra pair of hands.
Better off a small gang.

A few rooms here and there maybe just ticking away on a decent pay.
Plod away on your Tod (y)
 
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