I,m 55 and been doing since 15 in 1972. Tennis elbow, stress and generally slowed down. My work is private only and I charge for 4 of us but the other 3 do it while I watch and dictate. Moan like hell always have and wish I could get back on the tools and do it all myself like I used to.
Me and my ten a penny could do in a day what takes my other two all day to do. Done right with no complaints on time and on budget. I would be on £1200 a week if I could go back to my former glory and although I would do a full 8 hrs it would be well paced out and self disciplined.
Moaned like hell and hated the job whilst doing it but always proud of what I had done when it was finished. After 40 years I still look at every job I have done if I am driving past. My oldest rendered wall goes back to 1973 and it is still there mixed by hand by a 64 year old who could mix the whole gables gobbo in one go with a shovel faster than a belle mixer could.
Plastering, well I don,t want reminding, it did my head in. Went to sign on in the early 90's and had to sit next to a pier i browned and skimmed. Blebs was still showing. it was done in january, freezing and skimming would,t go off. 6 months on that hell hole as a 19-20 year old.
But it is a trade we should be proud of doing. Highly skilled but plasterers are very under rated, under paid over an average 12 months bearing in mind no work in winter and it makes you old before your time. How anyone can expect to reach 66 in this game I don't know. Although I was trained by a bloke who retired at 65 when I was 17. He had done day work all his life. Albert bailey rip. Had his mate keel over over on me at 47, brown bread and I was 17 and the following year the foreman had a heart attack at 63.
Good luck to you all lads, hope you do well and reach retirement.
