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Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:45 pm
by sbhoy1
goin to call round local companys try and get some wk end work labourin and see how it goes, so is it worth payin for any of the courses around or waste of time/money.
Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:46 pm
by lutonlagerlout
if you really want to do it try and get experience first,for chrissakes dont jack in your regular job yet,there's loads of hardscapers on the rock and roll
could be a big drop in money to start
I pay labourers £10 an hour before tax, it used to be more but the whole thing has gone bad money wise in the last 2 years
LLL
Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:52 pm
by GB_Groundworks
thats a good rate, nothing like that up north, they're lucky to take home £60 after tax, if they even pay tax that is on labourers wages
Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:13 pm
by sbhoy1
no i realise i need too get my foot in the door first and if that means labourin at the wk end so be it, bit of a sore 1 when i could be gettin time and a half and double time at work but get the feelin its the only way of goin about it
Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:28 pm
by lutonlagerlout
well they are self employed so it is about £300 take home giles,hard to live on less than that down these parts
a bedsit costs £80 a week round here,1 bed flats start at £100 +bills
soon adds up
LLL
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:40 pm
by rab1
sbhoy, dont do it. i`m a sheetmetal worker to trade (think duct work) moneys less and with ground works its even lower mate. ???
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:20 pm
by sbhoy1
so wot sort of money we talkin. labourin? progressing to hard landscaper then if possible self employed in years to come? hourly rates in scotland.
Rab 1 you must see where im coming from tho if you swapped trades and took a pay drop to do somethin ya enjoy rather than stay for the money and hate it
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:35 pm
by lutonlagerlout
what age are you bhoy?
my missus always says to me "when poverty walks in that door,I'll be passing it on the way out"
I like what i do but i have been at it for over 25 years,and can take the rough with the smooth
we have had lads with romantic notions of building sites,after 3 months they understand the vagaries of life on the buildings
all the best whatever you do
LLL
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:42 pm
by ilovesettsonmondays
hard to say what you would get labouring .50 pound upwards i would say .all depends who you work for .our place ave labourer gets about 100 a shift
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 11:35 pm
by enigmaenigma
lutonlagerlout wrote:we have had lads with romantic notions of building sites,after 3 months they understand the vagaries of life on the buildings
I think that word hits the nail on the head mate. And from time to time we all have some sort of romantic image about other trades.
And it’s not because we are all soft in the head and took leave of our senses, its just we haven’t twigged what it is that has made us smile and interested again. It isn’t the actual trade or job, but the fact that it’s a welcome distraction that’s broken the usual monotony or repetition.
Good old fashioned a change is as good as a break, that can give you a much needed dollop of job satisfaction.
Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 3:33 am
by Suggers
Hey sbhoy1 - just read through all the above posts - some good words of wisdom up there - electricity is a fascinating thing - I love the way you can't see it - I hate water !!
All my sparky mates are doing ok - hard landscaping is very hard - on mind & body.
Think again.
Whatever path you choose, the brew cabin is here.... 
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:17 pm
by DNgroundworks
Well im only 21, served my "time" as plasterer and absolutley hated every second at work with my old gaffer, when we werent plastering hed send me to work with his brother doing groundworks, huge civils jobs etc etc.
So i thought f**k it and set up a very small groundworks company 3 years ago after my old gaffers firm went bust, and its only realy the past 5 months or so things have started to get ok winning LA contracts, sub-contract opportunities, tobermore register etc etc, setting up a recycling company if i can get my dad to jack his job in and run it for me 
but ive to bear the brunt of the debt repayments i seem to have aquired in the process, the hardest thing is getting known and persuading people to have confidence in you. Its been serious graft, for example today all i have done paperwork invoices, prices etc back to the grind tommorow...
The information on this site is absolutley invaluable to me, when i first set out i was always on here, my girlfriend thought i was a bit odd at the time, reading about block paving lol but it definatley paid off.
So i say have a go, but like the lads say compared to leccys rates youll take a fairly hefty pay cut at first, youll definatley need to work with a street mason or similar to find your feet.
good luck
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:19 pm
by sbhoy1
like to thank every1 for takin the time to reply,lots of great point for me to think about.think the main 1 is the drop in wages but as i said earlier im gonna try get some labourin work at wk ends ,do that for a while if it can lead 2 somethin and im enjoyin it then al take it from there.
cheers again:
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:04 pm
by rab1
just remember that the grass is always greener on the other side..... until you get there. ???
whatever you do, hope it all works out for you mate. :;):