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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:49 pm
by yourgardenworks.co.uk
Ive just finished a local lad who i got from the dole office on a two week trial, the interview was brilliant, ticked all the boxes and was ultra enthusiastic.
Everything went ok for a day or two, but i did notice he was doing his own thing, even if i had just showed him the proper way and this went on and on, then the back chatting started, the mobile phone started, the sulking, the lack of respect, you name it, he managed to bring it into a working day.
So now im left on me own with work for two men until i can find the right candidate, Poles would be a godsend as far as im concerned after reading this thread:(
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:33 pm
by lutonlagerlout
FIFO
fit in or f&*k off
works well for us
TBH i wish phone contracts were more expensive,sick to death of hearing texts come through on phones,i told the lads if your dole artist mates keep texting you at work you can join them. its a distraction and lack of attention is dangerous on a building site
same for the plank of an electrician who was walking round with his ipod on plugged into his earphones,an accident waiting to happen
LLL :;):
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:06 pm
by yourgardenworks.co.uk
Where do i go from here though, do i
a, keep searching in the cheap seats and hope i find a gem
or
b, advertise for someone and pay the bit extra
its a right conundrum so early into a new business start up huh
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:55 pm
by James.Q
James gave up with the sloppy, lazy, backchatting labourer that he was sick of...
and now we work together as a husband and wife team! I'd shown interest in working with him before, so he brought me in on a day when he had 5 ton of mot to shift, thinking he'd break me! but we ploughed through it much to his suprise, and we've been working together since! 
Mrs James
Ps, the site foreman at Chadwicks when J used to work for them used to take the phones off them all at the beginning of the day, and give them back at home time! if an emergency call was made then he'd let you know obviously, but otherwise, no phone all day, you're there to work!
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:13 pm
by Ted
What is the current minimum wagew in the UK?
I pay my top man US$800 (plus US$10 a day for travel and food) a month - a very high wage in Africa, or at least Angola, - and he can tile, render, lay blocks, do slabs etc all to a comepetence that would be acceptable in England. He would not know what a DPC is but would install it correctly if told what to do.
I pay my labourers US$200 a month (plus US$10 a day for food and travel) and they do a good days work for the most part.
Getting themn visas for the UK would probably be problematic though.
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:25 pm
by yourgardenworks.co.uk
Well i dont have a better half who can help me Mrs J so there goes that plan.
Ted minimum wages is around 5.50 an hour at the minute, i dont mind paying for somebody who i could leave to get on with things etc, i just couldnt pay a lazy arsed know it all who doesnt know anything worthwhile.
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:27 pm
by Pablo
James.Q wrote:so he brought me in on a day when he had 5 ton of mot to shift, thinking he'd break me! but we ploughed through it much to his suprise,
What did you do for the other 7 hrs Mrs Q
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 12:09 am
by lutonlagerlout
lutonlagerlout wrote:i really wouldn't be buying anymore buy-to-lets at the minute dave,i have a couple and IMHO the property market is about to go seriously tits up,dated 29th may 2007 lets see what happens eh?
cheers LLL
just call me "mystic LLL"
no fun in property at the moment,mortgages are like rocking horse s**t and nought is selling
LLL
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 12:17 am
by lutonlagerlout
Ted wrote:What is the current minimum wagew in the UK?
I pay my top man US$800 (plus US$10 a day for travel and food) a month - a very high wage in Africa, or at least Angola, - and he can tile, render, lay blocks, do slabs etc all to a comepetence that would be acceptable in England. He would not know what a DPC is but would install it correctly if told what to do.
I pay my labourers US$200 a month (plus US$10 a day for food and travel) and they do a good days work for the most part.
Getting themn visas for the UK would probably be problematic though.
my wife employs over a hundred Zimbabweans and Mozambicans at her nursing agency.
the biggest problem is that a lot of their home countries have very little work so there is not a strong work ethic,although a lot have picked it up since they arrived
when i was a kid it was work, work, work, every night at the dinner table and every one i knew had a dad that worked.
the benefit culture has ruined this country,far too many people who could work ,dont for spurious reasons
why is it ok for someone to live off the state with 7 kids with 5 dads, when i and others like me are getting taxed to pieces?
something didnt go to plan with the welfare state,did it?
LLL
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:23 am
by James.Q
What did you do for the other 7 hrs Mrs Q
moved 40m2 of Indian stone round the back of the house I'm a big strong girlie! Grrrrr! lol
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:58 pm
by Rich H
Had one Polish lad for just over a year now, the other one went to Norway for 35 euro/hour for a one year contract. Not bad if you can stay off the beer.
Very good workers, I pay them the same as I would pay English lads. Language not a problem and skill levels are high. No mobile phone use except at break times, never late/hungover/car broken down/cat ill/other bollocks excuses that I used to get from the lazy English sods I used to end up with all the time.
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:44 pm
by yourgardenworks.co.uk
How do you get these polish lads then, do you advertise abroad or are there loads of them down your way ? there has been a limited number of them turn up in these parts, but they already have jobs before they land.
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 5:24 pm
by bobbi o
yourgardenworks.co.uk wrote:How do you get these polish lads then, do you advertise abroad or are there loads of them down your way ? there has been a limited number of them turn up in these parts, but they already have jobs before they land.
easiest way to get started is through an agency(balticrecruitment.co.uk) ,get one from them,expect to pay 10-12 per hr,no o/t,holiday, sick pay etc.
you one agency guy,will then act as a recruiter for more.the others you can put thro your own books. for about £6.50 an hr they will be loyal and hardworking for you.
dont worry too much about their experience relevant to your trade,as they will pick it up very quickly imho.
you'll also need to help with accomodation for them.
good luck.
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:43 pm
by yourgardenworks.co.uk
Cheers Bobby O, i will look into it.
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:17 pm
by Ted
So I have been asked to build a swimming pool, deco concrete patio surround and a summer house near Oxford this summer. If I get some Poles in at £6.50 an hour, that is £52 a day per man.
It may make sense to bring a gang of Angolans over if I can get them visas - the client has said he doesn't mind the idea and has said they can camp in the garden in tents!