Finding quality lads

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Jmcl101

Jmcl101

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where do you boys look for them ?

I moved to Devon from Dorset 6 years ago and the amount of shite workers down here is unreal. Seen so many jobs left rough/messy not finished etc.

Since moving here I've been through 5 labs before I found my lad who's still on after 3 years... He puts on all day now but only really quality with finish, needs more rendering experience really.

Subby-wise I've gone through 8-10 local guys through adverts, a few were good but unreliable turning up and the rest worked hard but didnt have the quality I need (we do mostly private/domestic !
I now end up using my old 2 lads from back home and pay the digs/travel just because I know their work is quality and I've never had a comeback with them.

How do you guys find good boys ? I've got a few contracts with private builders this summer and will need to expand my subs to accommodate... Dreading the ball ache I've had previously !

Wwyd?
 
Jmcl101 said:
where do you boys look for them ?

I moved to Devon from Dorset 6 years ago and the amount of shite workers down here is unreal. Seen so many jobs left rough/messy not finished etc.

Since moving here I've been through 5 labs before I found my lad who's still on after 3 years... He puts on all day now but only really quality with finish, needs more rendering experience really.

Subby-wise I've gone through 8-10 local guys through adverts, a few were good but unreliable turning up and the rest worked hard but didnt have the quality I need (we do mostly private/domestic !
I now end up using my old 2 lads from back home and pay the digs/travel just because I know their work is quality and I've never had a comeback with them.

How do you guys find good boys ? I've got a few contracts with private builders this summer and will need to expand my subs to accommodate... Dreading the ball ache I've had previously !

Wwyd?
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It's the same for everyone across the trades in all parts of the country unfortunately. The 'skills gap' everyone keeps banging on about is only part of the problem. The bigger part (IMHO) is the ever reducing number of people available who give a sh1t about the job and their trade.
 
Jmcl101 said:
where do you boys look for them ?

I moved to Devon from Dorset 6 years ago and the amount of shite workers down here is unreal. Seen so many jobs left rough/messy not finished etc.

Since moving here I've been through 5 labs before I found my lad who's still on after 3 years... He puts on all day now but only really quality with finish, needs more rendering experience really.

Subby-wise I've gone through 8-10 local guys through adverts, a few were good but unreliable turning up and the rest worked hard but didnt have the quality I need (we do mostly private/domestic !
I now end up using my old 2 lads from back home and pay the digs/travel just because I know their work is quality and I've never had a comeback with them.

How do you guys find good boys ? I've got a few contracts with private builders this summer and will need to expand my subs to accommodate... Dreading the ball ache I've had previously !

Wwyd?
Click to expand...
Hi mate I don't mean this the wrong way maybe it's just me ,Imago just hit the nail on the head and he is right (again :muyenojado:).
Was just thinking though why would you tell a builder you can do a job if you not got a team sorted already ?
 
Jmcl101 said:
where do you boys look for them ?

I moved to Devon from Dorset 6 years ago and the amount of shite workers down here is unreal. Seen so many jobs left rough/messy not finished etc.

Since moving here I've been through 5 labs before I found my lad who's still on after 3 years... He puts on all day now but only really quality with finish, needs more rendering experience really.

Subby-wise I've gone through 8-10 local guys through adverts, a few were good but unreliable turning up and the rest worked hard but didnt have the quality I need (we do mostly private/domestic !
I now end up using my old 2 lads from back home and pay the digs/travel just because I know their work is quality and I've never had a comeback with them.

How do you guys find good boys ? I've got a few contracts with private builders this summer and will need to expand my subs to accommodate... Dreading the ball ache I've had previously !
Hi jmcj101,
i could be the right Person for you, since i am doing inside and outside Rendering since 30 jears with spray machines and by hands. I have bin working in Germany, Holland and Belgium since 1985.

Wwyd?
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Jmcl101 said:
where do you boys look for them ?

I moved to Devon from Dorset 6 years ago and the amount of shite workers down here is unreal. Seen so many jobs left rough/messy not finished etc.

Since moving here I've been through 5 labs before I found my lad who's still on after 3 years... He puts on all day now but only really quality with finish, needs more rendering experience really.

Subby-wise I've gone through 8-10 local guys through adverts, a few were good but unreliable turning up and the rest worked hard but didnt have the quality I need (we do mostly private/domestic !
I now end up using my old 2 lads from back home and pay the digs/travel just because I know their work is quality and I've never had a comeback with them.

How do you guys find good boys ? I've got a few contracts with private builders this summer and will need to expand my subs to accommodate... Dreading the ball ache I've had previously !

Wwyd?
Click to expand...
 
OP, it depends on what rates your paying. If its not great or average then you'll get them kind of plasterers turning up for work. Top plasterers demand top rates! I'll admit, I wouldn't be in the top class range myself thou the guy I work with is excellent. One thing with me, I will never rush a job just to collect and fcuk off to next job. I will never leave a job with an unhappy client even if it means doing it again. As for finding cracking plasterers, I think if you give them other guys more money and time, they'll produce good work. Its just they are probably rushing just to cover their wages. Explain this to them, give them more coin and I bet they'll give you the work you want.

If your taking work on and don't have the men, it seems to me your in it to cream as much as possible and also with that, you will not get the finish you want. Take a hit on your profit and the work will show with your subbies.
 
We
theplasterman said:
Hi mate I don't mean this the wrong way maybe it's just me ,Imago just hit the nail on the head and he is right (again :muyenojado:).
Was just thinking though why would you tell a builder you can do a job if you not got a team sorted already ?
Click to expand...
We will sometimes take work on wen fully booked up then worry about it later about who's doing It which Is silly really just hate turning work dwn but have been doing recently as don't know enough quality lads
 
Kitchy said:
We
We will sometimes take work on wen fully booked up then worry about it later about who's doing It which Is silly really just hate turning work dwn but have been doing recently as don't know enough quality lads
Click to expand...
Fair enough suppose like marshy said best place to get help would be off forum tbh.
But like you say everyone upto there necks,
Happy Mother's Day lads
 
theplasterman said:
Fair enough suppose like marshy said best place to get help would be off forum tbh.
But like you say everyone upto there necks,
Happy Mother's Day lads
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I got help from forum last time look how that turned out lol.....id only trust regular users on this forum now
 
Kitchy said:
I got help from forum last time look how that turned out lol.....id only trust regular users on this forum now
Click to expand...
I remembered after I posted but couldn't be arsed to edit it,lol
Think u was just unlucky
Most of us are s**t tbh.
 
I've posted a few experiences on hear that I have had trying to find a decent youngin and when I started out I had a checklist of what I wanted.
Keen
Hardworking
Punctual
Some intelligence
Sense of humour
Etc etc
After the 6th youngin in 5 weeks my list had shrunk to

Just turn up

Sent from my D2303 using Tapatalk
 
Kitchy said:
I got help from forum last time look how that turned out lol.....id only trust regular users on this forum now
Click to expand...


Thon guy wasn't a plasterer who did that work you showed us. He was a proper chancer! The guy who labours to us would do a better job IMO.
 
Kitchy said:
There's an extremely lot of s**t on here but I wudnt say u are 1 of them vince/pete
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IMO, its being greedy that let's people down. If they know how to throw on, judge when to trowel the wall and finish it then all one needs to do is throw on what they can deal with then in time, you'll be good. There's just to many out there throwing on to much and not being able to finish it on time. This is their downfall. Surprising how they still get the work thou. Must be plenty work over there for them to get a chance to fcuk things up.
 
I already do all this builders work, he came to me and said he wants me doing the contract verbatim. He's expanding this year and doing 10-20 high spec houses at a time as opposed to 1-3 per project.

Truth be told, my current gang of 4/1 (inc myself) could happily just do each unit one by one and he would be cool with that. But all the wealthy plastering contractors I know got there by expanding and making a mark up on their boys ! More boys = more profit obviously, but the key is keeping the quality and finding the right staff yoi can trust and rely on every time.

Appreciate the pep talks re creaming it and biting off more than I can chew, noted. I was thinking more from a pure recruitment process. Re rates, I pay top dollar but I'm picky, I accept you get what you pay for and tell my clients the same thing.
 
Jmcl101 said:
I already do all this builders work, he came to me and said he wants me doing the contract verbatim. He's expanding this year and doing 10-20 high spec houses at a time as opposed to 1-3 per project.

Truth be told, my current gang of 4/1 (inc myself) could happily just do each unit one by one and he would be cool with that. But all the wealthy plastering contractors I know got there by expanding and making a mark up on their boys ! More boys = more profit obviously, but the key is keeping the quality and finding the right staff yoi can trust and rely on every time.

Appreciate the pep talks re creaming it and biting off more than I can chew, noted. I was thinking more from a pure recruitment process. Re rates, I pay top dollar but I'm picky, I accept you get what you pay for and tell my clients the same thing.
Click to expand...


Where is it your based and is there much plastering work going on?

Edit, just re read OP.
 
hail hail said:
IMO, its being greedy that let's people down. If they know how to throw on, judge when to trowel the wall and finish it then all one needs to do is throw on what they can deal with then in time, you'll be good. There's just to many out there throwing on to much and not being able to finish it on time. This is their downfall. Surprising how they still get the work thou. Must be plenty work over there for them to get a chance to fcuk things up.
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Hail hail some of times that mite b the case but most of them dnt know wat a gud finish looks like..some of lads it isn't there fault there prob think there doing a smart Job but to a gud spread it will be turd as we know wat to look for..some lads cud put Half a bag on and it wud still look turd
 
Jmcl101 said:
I already do all this builders work, he came to me and said he wants me doing the contract verbatim. He's expanding this year and doing 10-20 high spec houses at a time as opposed to 1-3 per project.

Truth be told, my current gang of 4/1 (inc myself) could happily just do each unit one by one and he would be cool with that. But all the wealthy plastering contractors I know got there by expanding and making a mark up on their boys ! More boys = more profit obviously, but the key is keeping the quality and finding the right staff yoi can trust and rely on every time.

Appreciate the pep talks re creaming it and biting off more than I can chew, noted. I was thinking more from a pure recruitment process. Re rates, I pay top dollar but I'm picky, I accept you get what you pay for and tell my clients the same thing.
Click to expand...
Nowt wrong with expanding pal,trying to do same oursens but just cant find the lads..we make as little as poss on lads so we try give them the incentive to leave gud work but that still dsnt work,had a lad storm off moaning at me other week cos I pulled his work because he didn't cut bk underneath his window bottom and brush it in,little things like that matter but we take 2% retention anyhow off there wages
 
Kitchy said:
Hail hail some of times that mite b the case but most of them dnt know wat a gud finish looks like..some of lads it isn't there fault there prob think there doing a smart Job but to a gud spread it will be turd as we know wat to look for..some lads cud put Half a bag on and it wud still look turd
Click to expand...


Kitchy said:
Nowt wrong with expanding pal,trying to do same oursens but just cant find the lads..we make as little as poss on lads so we try give them the incentive to leave gud work but that still dsnt work,had a lad storm off moaning at me other week cos I pulled his work because he didn't cut bk underneath his window bottom and brush it in,little things like that matter but we take 2% retention anyhow off there wages
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How long you keep the retention for? For plastering I can't see it being that long tBH. Not like its when we built stonevealls and get 5% kept back for a year. Can't see why a retention for plastering can be kept for this long as well.
 
hail hail said:
How long you keep the retention for? For plastering I can't see it being that long tBH. Not like its when we built stonevealls and get 5% kept back for a year. Can't see why a retention for plastering can be kept for this long as well.
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Keeping it till work gets passed off.if painter pulls it there get the option to either sort it and get retention or we wil sort and there lose all there retention as we sort on a day rate
 
Wudnt want to get 2 big anyway..2 much could go wrong dont get me wrong I'm a greedy t**t and want to make as much as poss but bigger u get the more problems ud face..chasing money etc is hard enough now..we are hardworking anyway me n business partner we earn our own wage owt that lads do for us is all gravy bonus money wudnt want to cream most of there money im happy just making abit off them to make it worth wile
 
Jmcl101 said:
where do you boys look for them ?

I moved to Devon from Dorset 6 years ago and the amount of shite workers down here is unreal. Seen so many jobs left rough/messy not finished etc.

Since moving here I've been through 5 labs before I found my lad who's still on after 3 years... He puts on all day now but only really quality with finish, needs more rendering experience really.

Subby-wise I've gone through 8-10 local guys through adverts, a few were good but unreliable turning up and the rest worked hard but didnt have the quality I need (we do mostly private/domestic !
I now end up using my old 2 lads from back home and pay the digs/travel just because I know their work is quality and I've never had a comeback with them.

How do you guys find good boys ? I've got a few contracts with private builders this summer and will need to expand my subs to accommodate... Dreading the ball ache I've had previously !

Wwyd?
Click to expand...

I'm based in North Devon so can help out if it's no more than a hour away!!
Email me if I can help out
Rlcleary@yahoo.co.uk
Cheers
 
Kitchy said:
Keeping it till work gets passed off.if painter pulls it there get the option to either sort it and get retention or we wil sort and there lose all there retention as we sort on a day rate
Click to expand...


Was thinking that! Its never happened to us in all our years of plastering but on stone walls and concrete work its been a year. Is this the norm over in UK
 
Kitchy said:
Nowt wrong with expanding pal,trying to do same oursens but just cant find the lads..we make as little as poss on lads so we try give them the incentive to leave gud work but that still dsnt work,had a lad storm off moaning at me other week cos I pulled his work because he didn't cut bk underneath his window bottom and brush it in,little things like that matter but we take 2% retention anyhow off there wages
Click to expand...
How's 2% retention holds people back to do quantity instead of quality? Honest question btw

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
hail hail said:
Was thinking that! Its never happened to us in all our years of plastering but on stone walls and concrete work its been a year. Is this the norm over in UK
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Think leGally its 3 months but I've done work from years ago for a firm and not got some bk not because of work but because of the firms going bust which shud be nowt to do with it I was thinking but was 1 barn conversion we did few years back and plastering contractor lost about £30,000 as building contractor went bust so felt abit sorry for the guy so I wasn't guna chase him for a few hundred quid in retention even tho he's pretty minted
 
Kitchy said:
Wat u mean zolco dnt understand that?
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Im unaware of rates on sites can only go by what I seen on fb, taking that as a number and having 2% for retention how would anyone be bothered about losing 40-50quid on a house? I'm talking skimming like

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
Kitchy said:
Think leGally its 3 months but I've done work from years ago for a firm and not got some bk not because of work but because of the firms going bust which shud be nowt to do with it I was thinking but was 1 barn conversion we did few years back and plastering contractor lost about £30,000 as building contractor went bust so felt abit sorry for the guy so I wasn't guna chase him for a few hundred quid in retention even tho he's pretty minted
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You'd be sick losing that kind of money. Was there no way of him clawing some of it back on the assets still left
 
Its not £40-£50 wen its a £50,000+ job zolco...its alot of cash if say lads have skimmed 4 floors of appartments
 
hail hail said:
You'd be sick losing that kind of money. Was there no way of him clawing some of it back on the assets still left
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He took him to court as guy declared bankruptcy and set up in another name the t**t..last time I spoke about it he said it was still going on
 
zolco said:
Im unaware of rates on sites can only go by what I seen on fb, taking that as a number and having 2% for retention how would anyone be bothered about losing 40-50quid on a house? I'm talking skimming like

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Was thinking that as well, even if the job was 10k, sure 2% is only 200qiid. A lot wouldn't waste their time going back to fix it for 50-200 quid.
 
hail hail said:
Was thinking that as well, even if the job was 10k, sure 2% is only 200qiid. A lot wouldn't waste their time going back to fix it for 50-200 quid.
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Yes, that's where I'm coming from, that £200 wouldn't cover the mats and a patching man for a day from an agency

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