Cowboy customers

[geared]

and all the little bits and pieces that the customer probably wouldn't have bothered to buy as well.

[Mac_Plas]

Makes me laugh.

 

It's took me 4 years to get in to a position to buy a house.

 

I couldn't get a mortgage because I was trying not to get into debt so I was spending my money and buying stuff outright such as a van, render pump, website and then the obvious other paying out that's required, all paid for outright and not on the tick or finance spread.

 

All the banks saw was that number at the end of the year which were my profits, I might have earned £25000 but because I'd bought something to bring in more work or turn it over faster or make it easier they sliced it straight off my net pay.

 

I could have got a job in tescos and had 3 months wage slips and been in a better position for a mortgage

[Gamston]

 

---------- Post added 06-10-2015 at 10:20 ----------

 

 

I'm sure it is hard physical graft but the financial reward is substantial.

Nursing is hard work both physically, mentally and emotionally- the financial reward is not there imo.

 

A lazy poor plasterer wouldn't last 30 years doing the same job . In fact, I can't remember seeing a lazy plasterer, but can remember observing many lazy nurses who I wouldn't pay in soap coupons . I have been on more building sites than hospital visits .

 

---------- Post added 06-10-2015 at 12:41 ----------

 

the point is a pro plasterer wouldnt do it for that never mind the wall knock outs which need s at least 2 people, even labourers on the fiddle want £60 plus a day

 

Yes , I was making a similar point . The customer is not looking for a pro plasterer , just some one to make her walls look ok .

[Penistone999]

Just break it down to see the true profit in this job.

 

Say it does get done it 10 days to a good standard,

 

£600 - 20% tax £480

 

£480 - your fuel costs (say £20 a week for arguments sake) £440

 

Add to that your business costs such as liability insurance, vehicle insurance, possibly another £20 down at the end of the year for these 2 weeks

 

£420 take home for 10 days work £42 a day, no thank you

 

This is without factoring in sheets, floor protection, tool and vehicle maintenance.

 

---------- Post added 06-10-2015 at 10:41 ----------

 

 

Financial reward is substantial? Is it?

 

I don't think it is, try telling that to lads who are driving 120 miles a day skimming sites for £2.20 per m2, do you know what 70m2 a day does to you mentally, physically, it breaks most guys, hence why I don't do it.

 

Try telling that to guys that are fighting for their money from large commercial contractors 3/4 weeks after they were due to be paid.

 

What about the bills you have to pay just so you can plaster or render such as insurance, tools replacement

 

Also driving all over the place after work spending money in fuel, time in the evenings looking at jobs, spending another hour sat at the computer writing a quote up for someone just to fob it off.

 

Sick pay/holiday pay non existent.

 

Most plasterers i know can't even afford to buy their own house

 

Thats only if you declare every job you do. The luxury of being a self employed tradesman is that you have the ability to do cash jobs that you can "lose" and not declare.

[Obelix]

I can plaster. It's easy. Mix the stuff up throw it on the wall skim it etc. Nowt to it.

 

Now...

 

You want to look good as well? Oh that's a different kettle of fish! I'd be expecting to pay a deal more than £600 for an entire house.

 

Also despite my best efforts I've never got plaster to stick to the ceiling. Or the bits over the windows. And my "plaster" has groves and dings, and varying thickness, and occasionally the whole chuffing wall slides off in a big sheet and sets hard on the floorboards.

[Danny_Boy]

We live in a "money supermarket" era of the first questions people ask about is price, everything we search for is price oriented. We don't search for quality or recommendations we search on who's the cheapest.

 

But like I said before when people do this to me (often) just say "thanks for your enquiry but I can't do it for that price, good luck finding someone who will do a good job for you at that price"

[sgtkate]

I can plaster. It's easy. Mix the stuff up throw it on the wall skim it etc. Nowt to it.

 

Now...

 

You want to look good as well? Oh that's a different kettle of fish! I'd be expecting to pay a deal more than £600 for an entire house.

 

Also despite my best efforts I've never got plaster to stick to the ceiling. Or the bits over the windows. And my "plaster" has groves and dings, and varying thickness, and occasionally the whole chuffing wall slides off in a big sheet and sets hard on the floorboards.

 

I've think you've just described my plastering attempts there too. I'll give most DIY jobs a go, but plastering is definitely not on my remit...and having seen the guys plaster 3 rooms in my old house I can say it's not work for the faint hearted! They kept asking me to open the door as it was so hot for them, middle of January and I was sat in the next room with 3 jumpers on!

[GerryBooth]

Nurses get paid for every minute at work. Wet trades have to barter for theirs.

 

The wet trades are out of work for 4 months of the year it is a April thruogh to November job then you are expexted to go into hybernation. Time spent looking at jobs and quoting is not only free buto the builder actually pays for the priveledge with no guarantee of the job.

 

My advice is charge what you can get away with to pay for your hibernation period and all the unpaid hours quoting for selfish idiots.

 

Also the wet trades is graft! It makes an old man of you before your time. Most wet trades are not fit to carry on by the time they are 50.

Edited October 6, 2015 by GerryBooth

[Daven]

A lazy poor plasterer wouldn't last 30 years doing the same job . In fact, I can't remember seeing a lazy plasterer, but can remember observing many lazy nurses who I wouldn't pay in soap coupons . I have been on more building sites than hospital visits .

 

---------- Post added 06-10-2015 at 12:41 ----------

 

 

Yes , I was making a similar point . The customer is not looking for a pro plasterer , just some one to make her walls look ok .

 

I'm not lazy - how dare you.

I earn every single penny I get paid and more.

The last plasterer we employed to do a job was very lazy - I wouldn't pay him in soap coupons - disgusting workmanship and very expensive.

He was also unreliable - didn't turn up when he said he would and then botched the job as he rushed off to price another job up.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Daven

[ricgem2002]

cant believe my mate has actually started this job today and will not be paid till the job is done and to the womans satisfaction . the customer is also of an ehnic minority and was wondering if that's why the price is so low