Page 1 of 2
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 2:03 am
by Nathan80
Hi, I've been working in the trade going on 10 years but am coming to a crossroads.
It's a family business, the old mans coming upto retirement age, although he'll not stop until he drops, he now wants to take things at a steadier pace.
Given the economy we've hardly been overflowing with work these last few years (ticking along, usually a handfull of jobs lined up in advance) I'm seriously considering either a change of career and/or working away.
With no commitments, 10 years paving experience etc., a Business HND (for what it's worth!) I'm considering everything (almost), anywhere. As a long time reader I recall someone posting up something about construction job opportunities somewhere in northern Europe, I'm wondering if anyone out there can advise or point me to any interesting opportunities out there.
I'm sure at one time or other most have changed career, this is really my last chance to make a major change such as moving abroad, I'd be interested to hear what others have to say. In the meantime I'm putting everything into the family business, I want to give it my all while keeping an eye out for anything else of interest.
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 6:10 am
by lutonlagerlout
its always tough for those of us that work with our dads
like tony mcC and his dad,me and my dad are both called tony,and work together
i dont know about you nathan but we argue a fair bit at work, because being dad he likes to stamp his authority 
we have realigned things now so that he does most of the pricing and paperwork and i run the day to day stuff
that way we keep out of each others way
when cookie mentioned plastics express here i told the auld fella and he said "internet,load of rubbish"
now he keeps telling me how good they are. :;):
i worked in spain in 1987 for 6 months and in a lot of countries the wages are really low for any kind of construction work,something to consider
I spoke to a brickie the other week and he was earning 180 euro a day on price in belgium,but that was laying bricks
If you have no ties,it wouldnt hurt to have a sabbatical,speak to your dad first
also best to get the start before you turn up anyplace
good luck
LLL
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:07 am
by local patios and driveway
Australia, good levels of quality control over there, fairer money, no pikeys putting in cheap prices and doing duff work. But you need to be licensed paver but thats not too hard. Damn hot though...
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:56 am
by seanandruby
lutonlagerlout wrote:its always tough for those of us that work with our dads
like tony mcC and his dad,me and my dad are both called tony,and work together
i dont know about you nathan but we argue a fair bit at work, because being dad he likes to stamp his authority
we have realigned things now so that he does most of the pricing and paperwork and i run the day to day stuff
that way we keep out of each others way
when cookie mentioned plastics express here i told the auld fella and he said "internet,load of rubbish"
now he keeps telling me how good they are. :;):
i worked in spain in 1987 for 6 months and in a lot of countries the wages are really low for any kind of construction work,something to consider
I spoke to a brickie the other week and he was earning 180 euro a day on price in belgium,but that was laying bricks
If you have no ties,it wouldnt hurt to have a sabbatical,speak to your dad first
also best to get the start before you turn up anyplace
good luck
LLL
LLL. I hope the boss don't mind me reminding you that his father sadly passed away some time ago.
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:58 pm
by Nathan80
[/quote]when cookie mentioned plastics express here i told the auld fella and he said "internet,load of rubbish"
now he keeps telling me how good they are.[quote]
Funny you should say that, I convinced my dad to use them a few months back, now whenever he prices something up he's asking me to compare prices on the internet!
I get on well in a working capacity with him, as I said, the frustration these days comes from him being happy to take it easier, I'd sooner crack on and push things further, it's difficult to put much away in terms of savings when you're working for wages.
I know a plasterer who went to Australia, did 6 months and returned as he couldn't cope with the heat.
Anyone have any links to websites offering work overseas (or work away in UK), had a brief look but much of what I've seen is with regards to professionals rather than trades, or places taking on where you can be trained.
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:39 pm
by henpecked
I know a few guys who went abroad, but as you said the climate change is a killer.
Northern Europe might be OK, but the winters are more harsh than you are used to. You dad is taking a back seat i n the business, you have a business HND, maybe its time you took the reins early and ran it as you saw fit?
You'll just be wasting time elsewhere trying to get to where you are now.
Carpe diem.my friend! 
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 5:08 pm
by lutonlagerlout
very similar situation here nathan,the auld fella is 67 and likes to pick and choose where and what we do
if I talk about a potential job in north london he sighs and says "red buses"
do you not take on jobs yourself?
when i price stuff the old fella always tries to pick holes in the way i have priced it
just old skool ways i guess
cheers LLL
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:03 pm
by GB_Groundworks
fully signed up member of this club but since ive been running my groundworking side of the business for 4 years or more he leaves me to it now, we try to have 2 jobs on the go and he runs one i run the other, ive done all the other stuff worked in IT in munich was a roadie for a while but i like working outside, although if i could id be a pro photographer haha, workingon building that side as well.
its hard as they do like to step on you even when they are wrong, and they are so stuck in their ways even when they are doing it wrong, its a slow steady scrapping away and showing htem the right way hehe
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 10:58 pm
by Nathan80
henpecked wrote:I know a few guys who went abroad, but as you said the climate change is a killer.
Northern Europe might be OK, but the winters are more harsh than you are used to. You dad is taking a back seat i n the business, you have a business HND, maybe its time you took the reins early and ran it as you saw fit?
You'll just be wasting time elsewhere trying to get to where you are now.
Carpe diem.my friend!
Your probably right, I think a lot of the frustration is down to work being slow, but you have to be grateful for what you get in these times. I am taking more of a hands on role in generating business, and seeing results, set-up website, google ad's, good leads from Gumtree and local online ads, good local name, get business cards into as many hands as possible.
Anything else useful online for generating business, many sites seem to want payment upfront with no guarantees, not too impressed with that sort of thing.
Must say it's good to talk with others in the same boat, when you work with your dad you tend to move in those circles with regards to work, old school and sometimes don't like it if you suggest something is done differently than how they've always gone about things.
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:35 am
by GB_Groundworks
if you want to take an active role, my mates whos a price builder ie everything is priced to win the job, for clients who want price over quality. be using those breakfast meetings, once a month they get together at 6am have breakfast and the idea is they all have to self promote. so you'll find yourself recommeding people you dont really know which is my problem with them. but he gets lots of leads from them. think its bmi breakfast meeting international??
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 9:36 am
by lutonlagerlout
the problem with all those brekkie things is that you feel obliged to use an accountant or solicitor there
i went to a funeral of a top freemason earlier this year,saw loads of builders i knew and they all asked me was i on the square
I shook my head and mentioned i knew him through his son
in fact i have been doing work for the man for 7 years
so for whatever reason he didnt want to use his freemason pals ???
the other issue with moving is that building (we are all builders to one extent or another) is a local thing
most blokes on here work in a 20mile radius of where they live and are known in that area
if you move to norway or italy and set up as "nathan80 builders" its going to take you years to become established
when i worked in spain i worked for a british expat
you need a contact or lead
cheers LLL
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 9:55 am
by local patios and driveway
Nathan80 builders would be a duff name... 
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:18 am
by seanandruby
we all make a big thing about working with our fathers. But what about us fathers working with our sons, who after one day on site think they have all the answers ??? We have to drag you out of bed to a b'fast made by your ma', drive you to work, very likely have to buy you yet another b'fast, then lunch. You can afford to go out on the lash in the certain knowledge mom wil sub you ( non returnable ) behind our backs. Poor dads always broke :;):
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:10 pm
by wcroz99
Well if your looking at going somewhere abroad to work then I can highly recommend Australia.
I returned about a year ago, after spending a year there on a working holiday visa and had an awesome time! It really is a great country with lots of opportunities, I would still be out there if I could have got a 2nd year visa.
I spent the first couple of months constantly drunk, spending lots of money and didn't do a single days work. Managed to get in a fair bit of debt during that time and could barely afford to be eating by the end of it. Decided at that point to get some work so posted an ad on gumtree and managed to get some work landscaping someones front garden, which he was over moon with and from that 1 job I managed to build a fairly successful landscaping business over the next 10 months. Was earning good money so cleared all the debt and came home with a respectable amount of money.
Like I said, there's so many opportunities out there, especially for UK trained tradesman. The standard of work out there isnt always the best and all the construction firms love employing tradesman from the UK as the training and qualifications we receive here are some of the best in world.
The best money can be found working in the mines in Western Australia. You can get a job as a 'fire watcher'; basically go down the mine and stand around waiting for a fire to break out (which never happens). For all the hard work involved with standing around they only pay you £80k a year! 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. Fly off to somewhere in asia for the 2 weeks, live like a king without making a dent on your bank balance, happy days! Qualified electricians who work in the mines are on £200k+
I'm starting to convince myself to find a way back out there now..... haha