Hows work going?

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rob121

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Evening all,
Just thought id see how everyones work is going? Got much on or still quiet? I work for a small company and we lost a lot of our work, but over last few months had quite a few bookings, up till october i think. Although we do Period Property restoration so not just plastering. Just wondering if plastering work has picked up?

Rob
 
Ive been mad busy for the last 12 months and got quite alot in front. The works there you just have to find it.
 
Hi rob my big long running jobs have come to a stand still but I am now picking up some nice new builds from completely new clients. Still getting reasonable prices, the people I'm pricing for seem more pleased that they can get hold of the good trades that were just to busy a year ago.
 
im doin good got on site for a few months maybe til xmas if things go ok, having to turn work away. not doing the private jobs as much because people still expect u to work for nothing.
2 rejections this week both bedrooms of a decent size
1 £220 inc mats, 2 £205 inc mats they both got other plasterers in as 1 lives close to me and i seen em.
bit disheartening but i aint gettin into a bidding war with other spreads.
apart from that all good
 
Why turn work away?? When I was busy I would sub it out and although you dont make as much as you would if you did it yourself but you make a bit and you keep your reputation (providing the other guy does a good job)

This made me decent money and if you are worried about the other spread nicking your customers I have not had this problem but then thats probably because i kept him busy.... just a thought

Glad to see it picking up

Danny
 
I'm dead quiet at the mo.Ive only got two days this week and waiting for a couple of jobs to start so its not to good for me.I have been working for the same fella for the last 6 yrs and he has had to cut his work force down so i am finding it hard to pick up new contacts.its good to hear a lot of you are still getting the work in.You should not turn the work down as there is always going to be someone out there like myself that could do it for you.Anyone know of any good ways of advertising.I have been phoning lots of spreads and builders,posting cards door to door and yell.com but so far not had much feedback.Its becoming a bit frustrating,banging my head against a wall comes to mind.
 
if you havnt already get your van plastered in advertisments and park it in b&q wickes any diy place really mobile advertising for free well will cost anything fro £100 depending on how fancy you want it but will last as long as the van after that
 
Hi Rob, you say you work on period properties? Think you could help me with my question on topic "wattle & daub" any advice would be appreciated
Thanks
Gman
 
terry said:
I'm dead quiet at the mo.Ive only got two days this week and waiting for a couple of jobs to start so its not to good for me.I have been working for the same fella for the last 6 yrs and he has had to cut his work force down so i am finding it hard to pick up new contacts.its good to hear a lot of you are still getting the work in.You should not turn the work down as there is always going to be someone out there like myself that could do it for you.Anyone know of any good ways of advertising.I have been phoning lots of spreads and builders,posting cards door to door and yell.com but so far not had much feedback.Its becoming a bit frustrating,banging my head against a wall comes to mind.
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same hear terry .........ive managed to get some work with two lads, they got the job and dont do hardwall............and its h/wall and set ha ha .........having to get 70m of hardwall on so weve all got something to skim ..........woofecking hoo all for 120
 
shhhhhhhhhh......im trying to make myself look really good ;D............ ;D....one of them does a bit so he's filling in screeds .....the other chaps on the whisk for 120 .......there phones dont stop ringing though which is good :-\
 
working week to week at mo, bin like this for 5 months, start a pool on thursday, that will keep me busy for 5 days. got pro 6 days booked in after the pool, thats it :-\
 
Been few days here, week there since April, been waitin for the couple of developers to give me the nod on a good run of work,starts in 2 weeks then touch wood thats me for the rest of the year!! ;D ;D
 
One of them does a bit so he's filling in screeds.....the other chaps on the whisk for 120......Is that 120 for them to share.You should be making some money out of these two as it sound like you are taking most responsibility spunky.Try and get whisk man to go ahead and bead up for you.Or if you want i will bead up for 100 a day cash and a few cups of tea thrown in!!!!
 
Spunky you must be as sick as a parrot working for two guys who call themselves plasterers but can't do hardwall, I don't think you are a plasterer if you can't and I'm speaking as one that hardly ever uses it but could if needed.
 
its a piece of piss if u can use a rule u can use hard wall u just gotta be quick cos it can catch u out sometimes
 
terry said:
One of them does a bit so he's filling in screeds.....the other chaps on the whisk for 120......Is that 120 for them to share.You should be making some money out of these two as it sound like you are taking most responsibility spunky.Try and get whisk man to go ahead and bead up for you.Or if you want i will bead up for 100 a day cash and a few cups of tea thrown in!!!!
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i dont know who's carrying who ha ha ..........there getting the work so i shouldnt be too ungratefull
 
danny - i have never subbed work out, and the work i am turning away is cheap patching work at £8-£9.50 an hour, that agencies have offered.
i would consider it and look in to it but you can't go making money from those price's maybe at £12.50-13 but we all know what has happened to those jobs.
 
Sounds like a mixed bad really. Its good to hear that works picked up a bit. Summer always brings peoples wallets out (well normally anyway). i know today that my boss priced 4 jobs and got all 4. Theyre only small building jobs but works work.
Hope work picks up for those that are a bit quiet
 
I have nothing on at all at the moment, finished up my jobs last week, and really need some work now.

I advertise in the local paper and in yell.com.

I've priced a couple of living rooms to re-skim, only quoted like £220 inc materials, but nothing back.
 
s.p.t thats the way the domestic market is going, loads of people have said to me hit the domestic side of things there's shedloads of money in it.
but the truth is nobody wants to pay decent money for a hard days graft. people seem to think that this credit crunch gives them the chance to have some cheap work done, doesn't work like that.
my public liability insurance has not dropped, the price of skim hasn't either so why should my domestic price's and my pocket take the hit
 
essexandy said:
Spunky you must be as sick as a parrot working for two guys who call themselves plasterers but can't do hardwall, I don't think you are a plasterer if you can't and I'm speaking as one that hardly ever uses it but could if needed.
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Quite right if you cant float your NOT a spread,
 
mac_plastering said:
s.p.t thats the way the domestic market is going, loads of people have said to me hit the domestic side of things there's shedloads of money in it.
but the truth is nobody wants to pay decent money for a hard days graft. people seem to think that this credit crunch gives them the chance to have some cheap work done, doesn't work like that.
my public liability insurance has not dropped, the price of skim hasn't either so why should my domestic price's and my pocket take the hit
Click to expand...
The problem with the domestic market at the minute is the mass influx off site spreads that had been laid off then on the dole and charging silly prices for the said work as in the previous post been quoting room reskims at 220 ish with mats, you know full well they are gettin much cheaper qoutes the minute they roll their eyes in disapproval, but the time will come ,and real spreads will be back on top of the pile again, come the revolution brothers
 
Now I know this is going to upset a few but on top of what Warrior correctly said there are also shed loads of people that have done a quick course or two and think (because that's what they've been told) that they are plasterers. I don't have a problem with anyone trying to better?? themselves but not by taking on jobs that they aren't up to, we must all have witnessed some of these horrors. That's one of the reasons I don't tend to bother even going round and pricing most of the private jobs I get asked to look at.
 
mac_plastering said:
s.p.t that's the way the domestic market is going, loads of people have said to me hit the domestic side of things there's shedloads of money in it.
but the truth is nobody wants to pay decent money for a hard days graft. people seem to think that this credit crunch gives them the chance to have some cheap work done, doesn't work like that.
my public liability insurance has not dropped, the price of skim hasn't either so why should my domestic price's and my pocket take the hit
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Totally mate, to be honest, I've only just started getting into the domestic stuff, I've always worked on site with my bro on price work per meter, which we use to split 50/50. But that dried right up. And i noticed spreads working in domestic work where flat out with 6 weeks work at a time, So i thought i would set up on my own and get into domestic. Which is a totally different ball game.


I have only really set up as spt plastering since January. And only had a couple of living rooms/bedrooms here and there to re-skim. Last week i was Evan skimming out a 2 bed basement flat for £800 which included boarding a few ceilings and everything, just to get some money in, was a nightmare of a job to, the bloke was a foreigner, and kept putting extras on, by hacking off more plasterer, taking the piss.

But I've had a few nice ones, not as many as i would like.

Do you think £220 inc materials is expensive to skim out a room 3.5m x 3.5m and ceiling? I don't, I've been pricing most rooms around that price.

What do you guys normally charge to skim out and average room?
 
warriorupnorth said:
mac_plastering said:
s.p.t thats the way the domestic market is going, loads of people have said to me hit the domestic side of things there's shedloads of money in it.
but the truth is nobody wants to pay decent money for a hard days graft. people seem to think that this credit crunch gives them the chance to have some cheap work done, doesn't work like that.
my public liability insurance has not dropped, the price of skim hasn't either so why should my domestic price's and my pocket take the hit
Click to expand...
The problem with the domestic market at the minute is the mass influx off site spreads that had been laid off then on the dole and charging silly prices for the said work as in the previous post been quoting room reskims at 220 ish with mats, you know full well they are gettin much cheaper qoutes the minute they roll their eyes in disapproval, but the time will come ,and real spreads will be back on top of the pile again, come the revolution brothers
Click to expand...

What mines a silly price u mean? to expensive or to cheap???

I hope not..
 
essexandy said:
Now I know this is going to upset a few but on top of what Warrior correctly said there are also shed loads of people that have done a quick course or two and think (because that's what they've been told) that they are plasterers. I don't have a problem with anyone trying to better?? themselves but not by taking on jobs that they aren't up to, we must all have witnessed some of these horrors. That's one of the reasons I don't tend to bother even going round and pricing most of the private jobs I get asked to look at.
Click to expand...

I haven't, i got taught properly by my brother and a few old school spreads, when i was in school, and straight in to it when i left school...
 
s.p.t plastering said:
warriorupnorth said:
mac_plastering said:
s.p.t thats the way the domestic market is going, loads of people have said to me hit the domestic side of things there's shedloads of money in it.
but the truth is nobody wants to pay decent money for a hard days graft. people seem to think that this credit crunch gives them the chance to have some cheap work done, doesn't work like that.
my public liability insurance has not dropped, the price of skim hasn't either so why should my domestic price's and my pocket take the hit
Click to expand...
The problem with the domestic market at the minute is the mass influx off site spreads that had been laid off then on the dole and charging silly prices for the said work as in the previous post been quoting room reskims at 220 ish with mats, you know full well they are gettin much cheaper qoutes the minute they roll their eyes in disapproval, but the time will come ,and real spreads will be back on top of the pile again, come the revolution brothers
Click to expand...

What mines a silly price u mean? to expensive or to cheap???

I hope not..
Click to expand...
No mate i priced a room about same size as you quoted on except ceiling and put 220 in , they got some one cheaper.
If i didn't have any overheads like insurance, advertising , vehicle,tax etc then maybe i could of gone cheaper, but this is just one of many ,put four quotes out last week and not heard from one
 
My last post wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular SPT it's just an observation over the years.
In fact I can remember my dad telling a tale of olde when some lads turned up on site and started to "plaster" the house next to the one he was doing, after a couple of days my dad popped his head into their house just to be social. He was greeted by the lads who were very friendly and one of them asked if he would mind casting his eye over their work to see if it was up to scratch, he agreed to, took one look and said "your not plasterers are you" (wondered where I got my bluntness from), no came the reply "we're milkmen by trade, but thought how hard can it be". "Well a lot harder than you though eh" was his reply as he left. Priceless. :D
 
warriorupnorth said:
s.p.t plastering said:
warriorupnorth said:
mac_plastering said:
s.p.t thats the way the domestic market is going, loads of people have said to me hit the domestic side of things there's shedloads of money in it.
but the truth is nobody wants to pay decent money for a hard days graft. people seem to think that this credit crunch gives them the chance to have some cheap work done, doesn't work like that.
my public liability insurance has not dropped, the price of skim hasn't either so why should my domestic price's and my pocket take the hit
Click to expand...
The problem with the domestic market at the minute is the mass influx off site spreads that had been laid off then on the dole and charging silly prices for the said work as in the previous post been quoting room reskims at 220 ish with mats, you know full well they are gettin much cheaper qoutes the minute they roll their eyes in disapproval, but the time will come ,and real spreads will be back on top of the pile again, come the revolution brothers
Click to expand...

What mines a silly price u mean? to expensive or to cheap???

I hope not..
Click to expand...
No mate i priced a room about same size as you quoted on except ceiling and put 220 in , they got some one cheaper.
If i didn't have any overheads like insurance, advertising , vehicle,tax etc then maybe i could of gone cheaper, but this is just one of many ,put four quotes out last week and not heard from one
Click to expand...

Yes mate, i know what u mean, some people must go in so cheap to get the work, does my head in.
 
essexandy said:
My last post wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular SPT it's just an observation over the years.
In fact I can remember my dad telling a tale of olde when some lads turned up on site and started to "plaster" the house next to the one he was doing, after a couple of days my dad popped his head into their house just to be social. He was greeted by the lads who were very friendly and one of them asked if he would mind casting his eye over their work to see if it was up to scratch, he agreed to, took one look and said "your not plasterers are you" (wondered where I got my bluntness from), no came the reply "we're milkmen by trade, but thought how hard can it be". "Well a lot harder than you though eh" was his reply as he left. Priceless. :D
Click to expand...

I'm only 26 and have about 12 years experience, so excepect you guys have more experience than me.

But Yes, i have seen some right cowboys on site, cutting corners, trying to make it pay, not scriming the internals, laying it on giveing it one trowel and leaveing it.

One spread on a jobe before, reckoned he could do 100 meters of float and set a day, which on this job we where getting £6.50 a meter. 650 a day, Me and my bro had to see it for ourselves, ( i mean to set 100 meters a day u would need to be floated and cleaned up by 10 o clock ready for setting ) What they where basicly doing was mixing it up really wet and just pushing a tight coat on the wall, ramping it in to the beads, straight edge never came out i think, then they would set it all by pushing the skimming into it while it was still picking up. But they got a way with it because they where quick i suppose, untill it came to putting the skirting on and the ceilings went in.

Rough as u like man!!
 
one thing ive learnt on domestics is if theyve got you on a recommendation you can get a couple of hundred if not they'll be getting a few quotes in and guaranteed some fooker'll go in at 120 but if youre willing to stoop then you could do the job leave some business cards and get a few more quid on the next one .......but then youre left kicking yourself cause you dont want to work for that money.....were getting 2.70 min on board and 5.50 h/set this way so its not too bad
where does it all end though apart from buttering up contracts managers were all a bit price paranoid
 
stp your prices sound about right tbh, i am from sheffield and (up north price's and thats what i charge. usually £150 a dayplus mats on top if its going to be a long day i might try for £180 (6-7pm finish. early finish might get £120. thats how i base my prices if its a 1 day job.

the simple fact is i love my job, my van all my tools but its a JOB not a hobbie, i dont do it for free (well i do but see our lass on that 1) if i did a job for a customer at say £100 a day domestic work labour only my heart would not be in it i would in all honestly try and rush it and get out. which is why i dont go cheap because i like to do a clean straight tidy job.

let the customers use the cheaper spreads, and i know it gets people's back up when some 1 undercuts you. dont drop your price's.

i always say to my customers who question my price. you get what you pay for.
 
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