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I started labouring at 21, after 6 months bought a hawk trowel and brush, we were house bashing, well boss paid his men a day rate, but were rattling through site houses for him. Started coating under the stairs and hot presses, least if/when walls weren't left a1 it wasn't a huge deal, then graduate to troweling bottom of walls and devil floating walls behind a plasterer, then whole walls etc etc then start to learn the more footery stuff beads, heads reveals etc. Until ur at the stage need another lab and get on trowel full time. Doesn't happen often nowadays. We have a young fella with us, and he's super keen, but tbf he's not getting enough time on the trowel and it's frustrating him, although we still need to remind him to fill water barrels and get skim in for next day etc etc, and I feel his frustration, for I was f**k*d about something shocking too, when was at stage wouldn't he fit to learn much more having to look after other spreads first, (and I might add could skim to a better standard than at least 2 of the men I was left to attend, but obviously was slower). But as labourers over here, I'm sure it's the same there are so hard to come by, could be a while before he gets more of a chance. I would say a lab attending housebashers has more of a chance to get the swing of it than one attending domestic plasterer though? Although be more time and less pressure to cover large areas on domestic, ur better learning on small areas out the road, cupboards nibs etc u get on site.
 
Simon85 said:
I started labouring at 21, after 6 months bought a hawk trowel and brush, we were house bashing, well boss paid his men a day rate, but were rattling through site houses for him. Started coating under the stairs and hot presses, least if/when walls weren't left a1 it wasn't a huge deal, then graduate to troweling bottom of walls and devil floating walls behind a plasterer, then whole walls etc etc then start to learn the more footery stuff beads, heads reveals etc. Until ur at the stage need another lab and get on trowel full time. Doesn't happen often nowadays. We have a young fella with us, and he's super keen, but tbf he's not getting enough time on the trowel and it's frustrating him, although we still need to remind him to fill water barrels and get skim in for next day etc etc, and I feel his frustration, for I was f**k*d about something shocking too, when was at stage wouldn't he fit to learn much more having to look after other spreads first, (and I might add could skim to a better standard than at least 2 of the men I was left to attend, but obviously was slower). But as labourers over here, I'm sure it's the same there are so hard to come by, could be a while before he gets more of a chance. I would say a lab attending housebashers has more of a chance to get the swing of it than one attending domestic plasterer though? Although be more time and less pressure to cover large areas on domestic, ur better learning on small areas out the road, cupboards nibs etc u get on site.
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Agree about the domestic there is so much a labourer needs to know than house bashing, if they don't get it on site after a fortnight they are useless and not interested, Ive give up training anyone it's hard enough teaching them the basics and then that want to learn to plaster think what their doing is beneath them lol I've said to lads who the f**k is going to do it if your not doing it? I am sick to death pointing out nails and wallpaper they couldn't see grrrrrrr sweeping stuff into four different piles in one room grrrrrrr unless I was paid to train someone it will never happen.
 
Yep agree with most of the above.
I swore I'd never put any effort into training a lab again, and then my son wants to learn.
In all honesty its given me a new lease of life, plastering wise.
Absolutely love working with him and seeing him progress.
 
flynnyman said:
Agree about the domestic there is so much a labourer needs to know than house bashing, if they don't get it on site after a fortnight they are useless and not interested, Ive give up training anyone it's hard enough teaching them the basics and then that want to learn to plaster think what their doing is beneath them lol I've said to lads who the f**k is going to do it if your not doing it? I am sick to death pointing out nails and wallpaper they couldn't see grrrrrrr sweeping stuff into four different piles in one room grrrrrrr unless I was paid to train someone it will never happen.
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We still sand cement internals so get that on site, and outsides, most are rubbing up or mono on site now so able to pick up a brave bit on site here if u have decent men showing u lol. But yeah definitely get to stage where feel labouring is beneath u. Lol I've done my time of labouring, if u ask me far too long. Lol can't stand it now, but times it's necessary unfortunately
 
Simon85 said:
We still sand cement internals so get that on site, and outsides, most are rubbing up or mono on site now so able to pick up a brave bit on site here if u have decent men showing u lol. But yeah definitely get to stage where feel labouring is beneath u. Lol I've done my time of labouring, if u ask me far too long. Lol can't stand it now, but times it's necessary unfortunately
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I was labouring on myself today.
I just see it as part of the trade and I'm definitely not above mixing some gear or pushing in some screed when needed.
 
essexandy said:
Yep agree with most of the above.
I swore I'd never put any effort into training a lab again, and then my son wants to learn.
In all honesty its given me a new lease of life, plastering wise.
Absolutely love working with him and seeing him progress.
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Least once u get him up to speed ul be able to show him the whole business side of it too maybe in time when u want to retire just pass all on to him at that stage, also the chance to spend more time with ur lad too. I can imagine it's really nice for u getting to see him coming along,just from the satisfaction of knowing it's from ur teaching too.
 
essexandy said:
I was labouring on myself today.
I just see it as part of the trade and I'm definitely not above mixing some gear or pushing in some screed when needed.
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Oh I'm not above it, just don't like it, especially not day in day out, odd days here n there isn't too bad. Mixing carrying mortar or mixing skim. Cleaning out, It's s**t but needs to be done at times. Mixing a few buckets of skim is handy, floating upstairs of a house not so much lol
 
johniosaif said:
Have a lad now,he can skim ,good at boarding ,very handy at lots of building stuff but not floating etc, but at £150 a day he needs to be decent , I don't make anything on him on daywork ,so hard to get anyone in London , spreads want £200 a day for a 3hr day with 2hr break
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Don't be encouraging them John.

NO BLACKS, NO DOGS, NO NORTHERNERS NEED APPLY
 
Simon85 said:
I started labouring at 21, after 6 months bought a hawk trowel and brush, we were house bashing, well boss paid his men a day rate, but were rattling through site houses for him. Started coating under the stairs and hot presses, least if/when walls weren't left a1 it wasn't a huge deal, then graduate to troweling bottom of walls and devil floating walls behind a plasterer, then whole walls etc etc then start to learn the more footery stuff beads, heads reveals etc. Until ur at the stage need another lab and get on trowel full time. Doesn't happen often nowadays. We have a young fella with us, and he's super keen, but tbf he's not getting enough time on the trowel and it's frustrating him, although we still need to remind him to fill water barrels and get skim in for next day etc etc, and I feel his frustration, for I was f**k*d about something shocking too, when was at stage wouldn't he fit to learn much more having to look after other spreads first, (and I might add could skim to a better standard than at least 2 of the men I was left to attend, but obviously was slower). But as labourers over here, I'm sure it's the same there are so hard to come by, could be a while before he gets more of a chance. I would say a lab attending housebashers has more of a chance to get the swing of it than one attending domestic plasterer though? Although be more time and less pressure to cover large areas on domestic, ur better learning on small areas out the road, cupboards nibs etc u get on site.
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Kid who with me.s finish is better then some ive seen who been doing it years.
Think what helped was when we started got 8 houses where builder wasn't to picky. Lad had done few years at college so just let him loose n tweaked him as we went along. Two years later he finished a job other day and I pulled him on tiny bit he had not cleaned of bead. He said why he had left it . I said fair enough but i have to pull you on summet . Got to keep em on their toes
 
We had one labourer and found it was easier to have 2 labourers for the 2 of us plasterers...

when we had 2 working together they kinder competed with each other and were always seeking our approval which was great as they worked hard. we would drop them off at jobs to get sheeted up and prepped while me and Danny (yes both called danny) would go and crack on with another job and then they would then get to our job to clear up and the next day they would be setting up etc...

This worked well for a long time but if work got a bit slack or you picked up a little job it seemed pointless having 4 of you but in the end as long as at the end of the week you are in profit and it is worth it it was ok.

@northyskim he seems like a nice lad... stick with it and see how he goes... even as just a cleaning bitch he could be worth his weight in gold... also on slack days get him out flyering and what not :D
 
John j said:
Kid who with me.s finish is better then some ive seen who been doing it years.
Think what helped was when we started got 8 houses where builder wasn't to picky. Lad had done few years at college so just let him loose n tweaked him as we went along. Two years later he finished a job other day and I pulled him on tiny bit he had not cleaned of bead. He said why he had left it . I said fair enough but i have to pull you on summet . Got to keep em on their toes
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That's why I finally left that squad, was attending boys I was able to leave better work than, got fed up and went elsewhere, never looked back. And that's what u need starting out. Fella I work for now fairly keeps us on our toes. Portable led lights shines on walls etc. Man's very fussy, but then it's his name at stake when we are doing the work and keeps standards high, which is only a good thing.
 
I've always mixed the gear when I've had a labourer they just pass to me using two hand boards :) saves all the arguing about the gear and having enough. I can knock the gear in no time if the tubs clean and full of water no point in teaching them to mix if they are interested you will know.
 
flynnyman said:
I've always mixed the gear when I've had a labourer they just pass to me using two hand boards :) saves all the arguing about the gear and having enough. I can knock the gear in no time if the tubs clean and full of water no point in teaching them to mix if they are interested you will know.
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Tbf sometimes u are better off mixing urself, seen that first hand, especially with mortar. Lol had stuff in and we wondered why it was raw as f**k. No juice in it he'd kicked the jar over by accident. That was a long ass day.
 
Well got to say read some of the most ridiculous labourer set ups ever on here tonight!!!

Bonkers bonkers bonkers

Need a good dose of man the f**k up yer pussies!!!
 
Simon85 said:
Least once u get him up to speed ul be able to show him the whole business side of it too maybe in time when u want to retire just pass all on to him at that stage, also the chance to spend more time with ur lad too. I can imagine it's really nice for u getting to see him coming along,just from the satisfaction of knowing it's from ur teaching too.
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My little boy is twenty seven and a very switched on intelligent guy and is well up to speed on the business side of things.
He only came into the trade about five years ago and a lot of that time we've been doing lots of other stuff so he hasn't had a decent run of plastering to really get to grips with it.
 
essexandy said:
My little boy is twenty seven and a very switched on intelligent guy and is well up to speed on the business side of things.
He only came into the trade about five years ago and a lot of that time we've been doing lots of other stuff so he hasn't had a decent run of plastering to really get to grips with it.
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All the better then.
 
flynnyman said:
Agree about the domestic there is so much a labourer needs to know than house bashing, if they don't get it on site after a fortnight they are useless and not interested, Ive give up training anyone it's hard enough teaching them the basics and then that want to learn to plaster think what their doing is beneath them lol I've said to lads who the f**k is going to do it if your not doing it? I am sick to death pointing out nails and wallpaper they couldn't see grrrrrrr sweeping stuff into four different piles in one room grrrrrrr unless I was paid to train someone it will never happen.
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But you are paid to train them with the grants that you get. £10k over 3 years. Not bad when you can make good money on them too.
Just the ballache in between that’s the pisser haha
 
Rossi46 said:
But you are paid to train them with the grants that you get. £10k over 3 years. Not bad when you can make good money on them too.
Just the ballache in between that’s the pisser haha
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You do not make a single penny on them and the grants are based on them gaining quals, I bet if you added it up it doesn't cover the time they say they are in college. If it ever got to the point they stayed the full three years in college they would be pricing against you the day they qualify. There complete wages should be payed for in my opinion :)
 
flynnyman said:
Agree about the domestic there is so much a labourer needs to know than house bashing, if they don't get it on site after a fortnight they are useless and not interested, Ive give up training anyone it's hard enough teaching them the basics and then that want to learn to plaster think what their doing is beneath them lol I've said to lads who the f**k is going to do it if your not doing it? I am sick to death pointing out nails and wallpaper they couldn't see grrrrrrr sweeping stuff into four different piles in one room grrrrrrr unless I was paid to train someone it will never happen.
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I thought I was the only one who fizzed about little piles of s**t every where
 
essexandy said:
My little boy is twenty seven and a very switched on intelligent guy and is well up to speed on the business side of things.
He only came into the trade about five years ago and a lot of that time we've been doing lots of other stuff so he hasn't had a decent run of plastering to really get to grips with it.
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Do you call him that to wind him up? I do with my son who works with me and he is thirty six, to be fair he carries me a bit now started slowing down rapidly when I hit fifty five
 
Mouldyoldspudgun said:
Do you call him that to wind him up? I do with my son who works with me and he is thirty six, to be fair he carries me a bit now started slowing down rapidly when I hit fifty five
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I regularly call him "my little boy" but it never seems to wind him up. Plenty of other things I do wind him up though lol. He's definitely at the stage where he's ready to 'carry' me where tacking is concerned!
 
essexandy said:
My little boy is twenty seven and a very switched on intelligent guy and is well up to speed on the business side of things.
He only came into the trade about five years ago and a lot of that time we've been doing lots of other stuff so he hasn't had a decent run of plastering to really get to grips with it.
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Andy I know you're not far from me in Essex. I'm going for my private pilots licence in Stapleford Abbots airfield. On that estate is a company called G0ldtrowel plastering and skimming course, send him there to fine tune his skills. Not flying skills obviously because that would be a bit optimistic for a plastering university
 
I started off as a labourer for an old school plasterer , after teaching me how he wanted things done ie the mix, keeping things clean tools , bucket etc ( not dressing up in spandex and being his muse)
he taught me how to flatten up behind him , especially on big ceilings and in time passed his skills onto me . So my point is, to get the most out of working on your tod, with the expense of a lab , employ the lab to help with the balls ache side of the job, like on a big hit , it might help you both in the long term.
 
irish_spread said:
Andy I know you're not far from me in Essex. I'm going for my private pilots licence in Stapleford Abbots airfield. On that estate is a company called G0ldtrowel plastering and skimming course, send him there to fine tune his skills. Not flying skills obviously because that would be a bit optimistic for a plastering university
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I might even book in myself for a refresher course.
 
irish_spread said:
Andy I know you're not far from me in Essex. I'm going for my private pilots licence in Stapleford Abbots airfield.
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we have been working at a chaps house who is after a helicopter license, he would not tell me the cost only his wife, a city high flyer is paying the bill. he says that you hire the helicopter in 10 minute blocks, the first 10 mins is warming the engine. you have to fly so many hours to get a licence.
 
malc said:
we have been working at a chaps house who is after a helicopter license, he would not tell me the cost only his wife, a city high flyer is paying the bill. he says that you hire the helicopter in 10 minute blocks, the first 10 mins is warming the engine. you have to fly so many hours to get a licence.
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I have a radio controlled helicopter
 
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