labourers, with or without?

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always work with a lab ..... why would any sane person want to work with out one!!!!????.

Makes a hard job so much easier, quicker, cleaner and more profitable.

I wouldnt bother without one.

Rich
 
I prefer working on my own, you know everything is done just how you like it.
And you get to keep all the money to yourself. ;D

I have got a labourer now but i wish I was back on my own, much more peaceful too.
 
richardbrown said:
always work with a lab ..... why would any sane person want to work with out one!!!!????.

Makes a hard job so much easier, quicker, cleaner and more profitable.

I wouldnt bother without one.

Rich
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My last boss used to have us workin on our own no matter what we did. Ive had to skim large ceilings on my own, set up scaff on my own( external up to roof level ready for pointing!). Just wondered if anyone has had similar experience with slave labour. :(
 
Hello Mate
I work on my own have since I started 3 years ago, always planned on taking a labourer on once I got established but have got so used to being on my own now that I dont mind it, do aggree with Richard thou sometimes I do wonder why I dont get one, problem comes when your not busy and have to lay the guy off. It is hard thou on your own but once you have a good routine its fine and there are lots of spreads that work this way
 
all depends on the job, i worked for 7 years on my own even though i had 5 others working for me, im to grumpy to put up with being nice to people. me and monkey even run the machine without sometimes, just the 2 of us. only whimps and girls cant work without a labourer. ;D ;D ;D ;D. monkey even sprayed 60m2 on his own, now that is mad
 
I always work on my own, not got enough work on for a labourer, plus i prefer to work on my own, plus more money..

Can't be arsed to try to find a decent lad, nothing worse then getting inconsistent mixes, don't pva or clean properly..Rather do it all properly myself no comebacks then...

If definitely a 2 man job, i will get my older bro in, but he is a spread, so have to split it with him to be fair, hate using him though...To many arguments..

If and when i get more work, i might think about getting one.

When i done my mates house, he gave me a hand mixing and pva'ing...Never again, had to say something in the end, just slowed me down, only pva'ed the bottom half of the wall, when i mentioned it he said he definitely done the top, which he didn't, and the mess he made when mixing...Luckily it was his house..
 
It just seems that if you can get the work done faster the client is happier but if on own then you may have to take an extra half day just setting up etc. So its as long as its short! Plus you've got the added dilema of killin yourself everyday. Im on my own at the mo and only charge for a plasterer plus materials. Do you reckon i should start chargin extra for labourers services as im doin the lot?
 
PhilPlaster said:
Im on my own at the mo and only charge for a plasterer plus materials. Do you reckon i should start chargin extra for labourers services as im doin the lot?
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im guessin youre jokin here yes?
but just in case youre not, you PRICE for the JOB...
if it was 1 room and 1 room would take you on your own 1 day then youd charge say 2-300 quid...
if you had a labourer and you did it it 1/2 a day would you then charge 350 quid? for the same job?
the point of having a labourer is to make life easier for you, its your choice, when i take a labourer they start off doing next to jack but after a while theyre trowelling up etc, no point em sittin still unless theyre a complete and utter waste of space in which case whats the point? that way i get the job done quicker, say 1/2 a day quicker, which to me is 1/2 a day of MY RATE... I pay the labourer a LABOURERS rate, that means I make more money per hour spent on site and the customer gets a quicker cleaner job (tip - clean up yourself while the lab final trowels, youll be hard pushed to find a labourer that cleans up as well as you but they love to feel part of the 'team' by having a trowel in their hand)
 
Its sorting all the tax and ni that gets me or I would have 1 full time I've loads on so maybe should think about it
 
agreed i usually ask my older brother to come help me and hes is a great lab always cleans the persons house so its mint always works his tits off and doesnt mind when i dnt have any work for him to come help but i only ask him as and when but for some1 having to pay bills and if they have kids its not nice telling them u have no work and its bk to the dole office thats the worse part just get a lab as and wen u need them but make sure they no how u like them to work from day 1 coz if there stood about doin nothing on the first day then on the 2nd they crnt wait to b getting paid for doin nothing
 
Same as Richard Brown , i prefer to work that way less stress and i can concentrate 100% on what im doing .
 
Only use a labourer if really needed.When i do have one they ave to be on the go,it does my nut if their standing about while im sweating my rollocks off-you feel like battering them. ;D
 
So for you who have a lad is it through the books or just cash and what sort of amount roughly on taxes holiday pay etc is involved
 
you can be registered as self employed and still sign on, so your lab can declare whatever work you throw his way and go back to signing on without interrupting his claim provided he does no more than 16 hours in a week...
you can split 30 hours into a 2 week period if you like and thats not abusing the system, its just a bit of give and take with the rules...
 
pwi said:
Its sorting all the tax and ni that gets me or I would have 1 full time I've loads on so maybe should think about it
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Its easy and theres a little package you can get called payroll manager which does everything for you, even looks after subbies payments and tax so the end of the year you just print the forms off and give them to the accountant . Its £55 a year but it sorts everything out as long a you enter the right info.
 
Chris W said:
you can be registered as self employed and still sign on, so your lab can declare whatever work you throw his way and go back to signing on without interrupting his claim provided he does no more than 16 hours in a week...
you can split 30 hours into a 2 week period if you like and thats not abusing the system, its just a bit of give and take with the rules...
Click to expand...
Chris W said:
you can be registered as self employed and still sign on, so your lab can declare whatever work you throw his way and go back to signing on without interrupting his claim provided he does no more than 16 hours in a week...
you can split 30 hours into a 2 week period if you like and thats not abusing the system, its just a bit of give and take with the rules...
Click to expand...

I might be wrong but if you sighn on and as you say you can work no more then 16 hrs a week.But you have to declare above £20 quid aweek ?
 
I always use a labourer. I start them off knocking up then progress them to trowelling up as well, then onto floating, outside work dashing you name it. They learn the trade and i usually get good labouring for 3-4 years and then when they are good enough, I encourage them to go off on their own and i start off all over again with a new green student.
 
In the last 17 years I've had about 20 labourers, a lot of them last a day or two and in all that time I can only think of two that I would class as good labourers. The two good lads lasted about 7 years between them and both left as plasterers and now run their own firms, that leaves about 8 years for the other 18 labourers and I reckon I've spent at least half that time without a labourer at all. I have a load of work on for the new year and really should be taking on another spread and a labourer to get through it but I just can't face the thought of sorting through all the idiots again and may just chuck all the work in and walk away.

You should be aware that it is not legal to employ a labourer as a self-employed person, as the employer it is your responsibility to employ them legally and it will be you and not the labourer who will be fined and made to pay any tax and N.I. saved by both you and the labourer should the HMRC catch up with you.
 
matt said:
Chris W said:
you can be registered as self employed and still sign on, so your lab can declare whatever work you throw his way and go back to signing on without interrupting his claim provided he does no more than 16 hours in a week...
you can split 30 hours into a 2 week period if you like and thats not abusing the system, its just a bit of give and take with the rules...
Click to expand...

I might be wrong but if you sighn on and as you say you can work no more then 16 hrs a week.But you have to declare above £20 quid aweek ?
Click to expand...


what i mean is...


you can remain registered as unemployed AND self employed PROVIDED you work no more than 16 hours a week, any more than that and you have to sign off...
anything you do earn beit 20 quid or 20 pence you have to declare every time you sign on, including the hours you worked..

the point is, it allows you to employ a labourer on a self employed PART TIME basis without you having to pay him while you aint got the work...
 
essexandy said:
You should be aware that it is not legal to employ a labourer as a self-employed person, as the employer it is your responsibility to employ them legally and it will be you and not the labourer who will be fined and made to pay any tax and N.I. saved by both you and the labourer should the HMRC catch up with you.
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well, yes this is true, however, you dont call him a labourer to the taxman, if he supplies a bag of finish he's a self employed subcontractor....

not that i would even dream of entertaining such an outlandish idea just to keep food on the table, save my poor back and keep a good labourer (sorry) SUBCONTRACTOR on side especially in a recession... :eek:
 
essexandy said:
In the last 17 years I've had about 20 labourers, a lot of them last a day or two and in all that time I can only think of two that I would class as good labourers. The two good lads lasted about 7 years between them and both left as plasterers and now run their own firms, that leaves about 8 years for the other 18 labourers and I reckon I've spent at least half that time without a labourer at all. I have a load of work on for the new year and really should be taking on another spread and a labourer to get through it but I just can't face the thought of sorting through all the idiots again and may just chuck all the work in and walk away.

You should be aware that it is not legal to employ a labourer as a self-employed person, as the employer it is your responsibility to employ them legally and it will be you and not the labourer who will be fined and made to pay any tax and N.I. saved by both you and the labourer should the HMRC catch up with you.
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Dont chuck the work away andy gett a local lad from here to give u a hand
 
I've always had labourers, some good some tossers, the bloke who works with me is 32 and started with me at 16, he's a good plasterer who does the knocking up for the both of us if he needs to. Always on time, no days off, likes his money though.
 
iv always wanted a tasty female labourer or even just a tea maker, wouldnt mind working late then. just see myself telling mrs simps, I have a nice floor to lay tomorrow, with a big smile on my face
 
McPlaster said:
I've always had labourers, some good some tossers, the bloke who works with me is 32 and started with me at 16, he's a good plasterer who does the knocking up for the both of us if he needs to. Always on time, no days off, likes his money though.
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You are a very lucky guy Mc there are very few good labourers who go on to become a plasterer and still stay with the guy that trained them, look after him he is an endangered species.
 
He gets well paid Andy that's the secret, i don't mind paying somone who's prepaired to work hard and only moan now and then.
 
The best labourer I ever had was payed well, never had any time stopped for early days and was picked up and dropped of from home (I'd call that looked after) but he still went his own way, we're still on great terms and met up and got pissed up just before Christmas.
 
Chris W said:
matt said:
Chris W said:
you can be registered as self employed and still sign on, so your lab can declare whatever work you throw his way and go back to signing on without interrupting his claim provided he does no more than 16 hours in a week...Got you,cheers Chris.
you can split 30 hours into a 2 week period if you like and thats not abusing the system, its just a bit of give and take with the rules...
Click to expand...

I might be wrong but if you sighn on and as you say you can work no more then 16 hrs a week.But you have to declare above £20 quid aweek ?
Click to expand...


what i mean is...


you can remain registered as unemployed AND self employed PROVIDED you work no more than 16 hours a week, any more than that and you have to sign off...
anything you do earn beit 20 quid or 20 pence you have to declare every time you sign on, including the hours you worked..

the point is, it allows you to employ a labourer on a self employed PART TIME basis without you having to pay him while you aint got the work...
Click to expand...
 
Chris W said:
PhilPlaster said:
Im on my own at the mo and only charge for a plasterer plus materials. Do you reckon i should start chargin extra for labourers services as im doin the lot?
Click to expand...
im guessin youre jokin here yes?
but just in case youre not, you PRICE for the JOB...
if it was 1 room and 1 room would take you on your own 1 day then youd charge say 2-300 quid...
if you had a labourer and you did it it 1/2 a day would you then charge 350 quid? for the same job?
the point of having a labourer is to make life easier for you, its your choice, when i take a labourer they start off doing next to jack but after a while theyre trowelling up etc, no point em sittin still unless theyre a complete and utter waste of space in which case whats the point? that way i get the job done quicker, say 1/2 a day quicker, which to me is 1/2 a day of MY RATE... I pay the labourer a LABOURERS rate, that means I make more money per hour spent on site and the customer gets a quicker cleaner job (tip - clean up yourself while the lab final trowels, youll be hard pushed to find a labourer that cleans up as well as you but they love to feel part of the 'team' by having a trowel in their hand)
Click to expand...
Nah im just new to the pricing game as ive always been cards in for builders. At first i was chargin day rates but then im under pricing. So if one room takes 1 day say 2- 300 quid. I was chargin £100 and they were gettin a bargain! So how'd you come up with what the jobs worth?
 
Hello Mate
I was told to charge about £70-£90 a wall and £100-£150 for the lid depending on size of room and state of room etc so your looking from £380 to £510, would be interested to hear what other guys think
 
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