Is becoming a plasterer worth it.

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Bristol_Plasterer

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Im 24 and have been accepted onto a 1 year full time college course in september. Im planning to do that for a year then find an employer to take me on as a labourer. After that im looking at 2 years to get my NVQ 2&3. My question is, is this trade really dying? I want to be able to earn at least 500 a week in 3 years so i can have a nice life and support my family. Is is worth getting into Electrics or Plumbing instead? I have had my eyes set on plasterering but everywhere i read there is alot of crap about how this trade has gone to s**t. I dont want to waste 4 years of my life in something to only have to give it.

Thanks.
 
your going to get yes and no answers on here. there are people who have loads of work. and still like the job. there are people on here who have loads of work and hate the job (ok person, hi nelly!) there are people on here who would love to be snowed under with the job they love but no matter what they do they cant get the work. when i started (and im only 23) i was told if your a good plasterer youll never be out of work. thats not so much the case now. theres not alot wrong with my work i tell you and people just want cheap now. which is one of the reasons the trade is struggling. you are no longer guaranteed work if your a decent plasterer. so as i said in a previous post. go into a trade where you need to be qualified, e.g plumbing or sparks. someone will come along and tell you the complete opposite now, but thats just my thoughts. hope whatever you do works out for you mate
 
its all bullsh1t mate we moan cause prices are poo at the mo it wont die a death in this country, i think you might be asking a bit early for 500 for 3 years my labs a very intelligent lad and he's on 80 a day after 4 years
 
Yeah there seems to be alot of maoning and bullsh1t going around spunks, Ive wasted enough years pissing about and really want to get into a good trade. Im just worried of wasting more time and committing to something that will fail because of the industry etc.
 
Do the course and if you like it carry on, forget what your gonna earn in 3 years coz nothing is guaranteed and you might be sheite ;) I cannot understand why people think plumbers and sparks are better off, the building game has had a down turn so every trade is effected. Plumbers and sparks are getting undercut as much as plasterers and some charge less than others and to be honest your either a qualified spark or an unqualified spark where as your either a good plasterer or a bad one if you get what i mean.
 
Hmmm im really stumped what to do. I think i might stick with the plasterering. What other trades go hand in hand with plasterering? Its probably a good idea to get multi skilled and learn a few..
 
Bristol_Plasterer said:
Hmmm im really stumped what to do. I think i might stick with the plasterering. What other trades go hand in hand with plasterering? Its probably a good idea to get multi skilled and learn a few..
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painting, floor screeeding,floor and wall tiling, drylining, metal stud partitioning, external rendering, ceiling fixing, artexing, coving and fibrous plastering.
 
flynnyman said:
Bristol_Plasterer said:
Also are plasterers still required onsite (new builds) ?
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Not anymore they are selling new houses with just breeze block walls and stud walls you can see through and ceilings where the joists and upstairs floors are a feature so no need to decorate.
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:D
 
Its really not an easy question to answer , i don't think the trade is dying as such , its changing but so is construction in general , domestically things are pretty much the way they allways have been maybe there is more competition about , it depends on what sort of person you are though and what sort of plastering you want to do , are you happy working on your own doing 5 days a week for a wage or do you want 10 spreads working for you running 4-5 jobs at a time . Nothing about our trade is easy whatever you do , i cant say give it a miss or go for it , things have worked out for me but the trade was different then, the choice is yours I'm afraid , theres a wide range of lads on here all doing different things within the trade so maybe take a bit advice from everyone :-\ best of luck though .
 
steve cov said:
flynnyman said:
Bristol_Plasterer said:
Also are plasterers still required onsite (new builds) ?
Click to expand...

Not anymore they are selling new houses with just breeze block walls and stud walls you can see through and ceilings where the joists and upstairs floors are a feature so no need to decorate.
Click to expand...

:D
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HAHA i relise that was a stupid question.. But i what i wanted to know is if newbuild sites still get alot of plasterers in. I can only imagine 15 years ago new builds would had been an amazing earner for plasterers..
 
hmmmm its toughy

I getting a fair bit of work in but I know others who are not....

You get out what you put in I spose... If i had my time a gain I would have left school early and got on the tools earlier

Danny
 
I multi trade and my main thrust seems to be carpentry which I'm not qualified in. Plastering can be good but I find if you work on your own your lucky if you have more than 3 weeks in front of you due to the fact that Mr Domestic is not willing to wait much longer than that, and theres always someone else ready to jump on the job. I find the more you can do the more steady the work becomes ;)
 
Learn as much as u can. I was roofing for seven years and got pissed off with being rained off and losing money so I learned to plaster and after two years got my NVQ 2 and with working with Builders i've learned to lay blocks aswell. I'm now working for the council as a General Builder and it's a cushy number (Until the Conservative cutbacks start and i'm out on my arse again)!!! Good Luck fella!
 
flynnyman said:
Bristol_Plasterer said:
Also are plasterers still required onsite (new builds) ?
Click to expand...

Not anymore they are selling new houses with just breeze block walls and stud walls you can see through and ceilings where the joists and upstairs floors are a feature so no need to decorate.
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;D ;D ;D ill have two ;)
 
jord218 said:
I multi trade and my main thrust seems to be carpentry which I'm not qualified in. Plastering can be good but I find if you work on your own your lucky if you have more than 3 weeks in front of you due to the fact that Mr Domestic is not willing to wait much longer than that, and theres always someone else ready to jump on the job. I find the more you can do the more steady the work becomes ;)
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Agreed, I have lost a few jobs because I couldnt do it "tomorow".
 
If i had my time again i would still be in the building industry, learn any trade and get a good knowledge of others then get into refurbing and buying and selling properties and renting properties thats where the money is if you do it right.
 
steve cov said:
your going to get yes and no answers on here. there are people who have loads of work. and still like the job. there are people on here who have loads of work and hate the job (ok person, hi nelly!) there are people on here who would love to be snowed under with the job they love but no matter what they do they cant get the work. when i started (and im only 23) i was told if your a good plasterer youll never be out of work. thats not so much the case now. theres not alot wrong with my work i tell you and people just want cheap now. which is one of the reasons the trade is struggling. you are no longer guaranteed work if your a decent plasterer. so as i said in a previous post. go into a trade where you need to be qualified, e.g plumbing or sparks. someone will come along and tell you the complete opposite now, but thats just my thoughts. hope whatever you do works out for you mate
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good post,i'm 35 and been plastering 18 years :( think to yourself do you want to do this job when your 50-55 it's a young man's game and there is no top money any more.
 
m33spread said:
steve cov said:
your going to get yes and no answers on here. there are people who have loads of work. and still like the job. there are people on here who have loads of work and hate the job (ok person, hi nelly!) there are people on here who would love to be snowed under with the job they love but no matter what they do they cant get the work. when i started (and im only 23) i was told if your a good plasterer youll never be out of work. thats not so much the case now. theres not alot wrong with my work i tell you and people just want cheap now. which is one of the reasons the trade is struggling. you are no longer guaranteed work if your a decent plasterer. so as i said in a previous post. go into a trade where you need to be qualified, e.g plumbing or sparks. someone will come along and tell you the complete opposite now, but thats just my thoughts. hope whatever you do works out for you mate
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good post,i'm 35 and been plastering 18 years :( think to yourself do you want to do this job when your 50-55 it's a young man's game and there is no top money any more.
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thanks hunny
 
35 .........well i say lad i say if you want to learnt t trader well i say i say dont get inte plastering lad cause i say i say its haaaaaaaard graft lad i say and if you cant hack it.............if you cant hack then i say i say i saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
 
Well thanks for the heads up guys. Ive decided to change my course in October to train to become a Sparks. I think there is alot more work out there for them and its easier to find. Cheers again.
 
Bristol_Plasterer said:
Im 24 and have been accepted onto a 1 year full time college course in september. Im planning to do that for a year then find an employer to take me on as a labourer. After that im looking at 2 years to get my NVQ 2&3. My question is, is this trade really dying? I want to be able to earn at least 500 a week in 3 years so i can have a nice life and support my family. Is is worth getting into Electrics or Plumbing instead? I have had my eyes set on plasterering but everywhere i read there is alot of crap about how this trade has gone to (german word). I dont want to waste 4 years of my life in something to only have to give it.

Thanks.
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SIMPLE NO...........ITS S DYYIN TRADE SOMEONE ONCE TOLD U WILL NEVER GET RID OF HAWK AND TROWL BUTS ITS GETTIN HARDER ...NO ONE WANTS TO PAY FOR GOOD WORK ANY MORE
 
georgemealy75 said:
Bristol_Plasterer said:
Im 24 and have been accepted onto a 1 year full time college course in september. Im planning to do that for a year then find an employer to take me on as a labourer. After that im looking at 2 years to get my NVQ 2&3. My question is, is this trade really dying? I want to be able to earn at least 500 a week in 3 years so i can have a nice life and support my family. Is is worth getting into Electrics or Plumbing instead? I have had my eyes set on plasterering but everywhere i read there is alot of crap about how this trade has gone to (german word). I dont want to waste 4 years of my life in something to only have to give it.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
SIMPLE NO...........ITS S DYYIN TRADE SOMEONE ONCE TOLD U WILL NEVER GET RID OF HAWK AND TROWL BUTS ITS GETTIN HARDER ...NO ONE WANTS TO PAY FOR GOOD WORK ANY MORE
Click to expand...
oh fu ck off ,who told u that bloke down the pub :mad:
 
spunky said:
dont worry itll pick up ;D
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it hasnt stoped 4 me its just all bull sh1t and i get sick of hearing it and the ression word bolax
 
It doesnt matter what you want to be as long as you enjoy it,and if you enjoy it you should do it well.If you sweep streets for a living do it well, if you clean toilets for a living do it well ,and if you decide to become a plasterer do it well and be proud to hold that trowel in your hand a stand back and admire your work ,safe in the knowledge that it couldnt be do any better than anyone else.If you cant do that ,dont become a plasterer, we have far too many cowboys already , so politics might be a better option.Wish you all the best in whatever career you may choose, but remember , Do it well. ;)
 
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