brickies wife

My husband is a bricklayer and we are currently applying to go to Oz.

Two things we need advice on:

What is an average wage for a experienced bricklayer.

What is it like working as bricklayer in Perth and Brisbane, we are a bit concerned about the heat, so now considering Melbourne.

Thanx

joeyb

Hiya and welcome to the site.

My husband is a brickie also and we are hoping to head to Brisbane in Jan/Feb.
We have concerns about the heat and have posted on here about it and have had some very helpful replies. Try searching the forum for previous posts but I am sure someone who is already working as a tradie in Oz will reply soon.

Good luck with you application

Jo

Izzy

Hi there, we came to melbourne 8 months ago. My hubby is a brickie. You need to accept that for a few months he will probably have to work for someone else on a daily rate. Around here it is about $250 - $280 per day. Hours around 7 - 3 and because of the way the houses are built, more often than not, the roof is on before the brickies arrive, which means that they can get shade. Heat is a killer here in Melbourne in the summer so can't imagine what it would be like in Perth or Brissie.

Tell you hubby it is like stepping back in time. Eventually he will need his own mixer, scaffold, etc. Rates for the main building companies seem to be around $650 - $750 per 1000 but you have to provide cement and lime in with that. We have found that there is lots of work out there, you just have to put yourself about a bit ! On private jobs you can get more like $850 - $900 per 1000 and charge extra for cement.

In Melbourne, all you need to be able to work as a brickie is a red card (a bit like a UK CSCS card) for safety. Not sure about Brissie and Perth though. Also, it is hard to get in with the building companies whilst you are a single bricklayer. Any queries, just ask.

thebears

How much capital does it require then to set up? excluding ute and trailer?

bobajob

Hi,

I arrived in Oz just over 2 weeks ago. Now living on the Sunshine Coast, about 1.5 hours north of Brisbane. I'm currently working as a bricklayer for a large company.

Work is around when you want it. Money is between 28-30 dollars per hour here, But in Brisbane it's up to 35 per hour.

One thing you need to be aware of is that you are expected to work a lot harder! I'm not just saying this to wind you up. You work as hard here on day work as you would in the u.k on price work. 9 hour days are the norm with starting time of around 6am.

As for the heat it's still winter here, temp about 23 centigrade but this feels cooler than 23 in England. Sorry can't comment on summer yet but my English workmates say it's bearable. Much sooner sweat here than freeze in the U.K!!


Best of luck

Bob

thebears

We are looking at bricking the following 4 level home. Basement and Ground Floor being double brick with first floor and second floors being single brick.

Any idea to things to look out for and cost/time for construction?
How do I calculate number of bricks etc
All dimensions are in feet and relate to external walls.

Height Length Width Area
Second Floor 6 35 19 651

First Floor 8 44 19 828

Ground Floor 10 50 19 947

Basement 14 72 19 1,361

Total 3,786

Izzy

Impossible to work out from your figures. You would have to get a draftsman in and then get people to give you quotes for different trades. A lot depends on the amount of windows and the size of them. You might also expect to pay more on anything above ground level to cover the extra work involved in getting the bricks up there.

As a guide I know it was 60 bricks per metre square in the UK, but me thinks the bricks are bigger here !

thebears

Thanks Izzy

I do have an arhcitect but are trying to build up a costing system for the building trade at the same time. In this thread I am particularly concerned with the bricklaying costs.

I have alot of clients who are losing contracts because of poor quoting in two ways. One they overquote and dont get the job. Second they underquote and end up running the job at a loss.

brickies wife

Thanks for reply.

What made your decide on Melbourne, we seem to change our minds every day on where to go. The most important thing for us is that we have work, good quality of family life, reasonably nice house. We also have a 19 year old son, so there has to be something for him.

It was important that we had good weather, especially after this last winter that went on for ever, but after a few days of 30 degrees temperatures, it made me think again.


BW

Izzy

When we began our application, Brickies were only required in Victoria, so our decision was made for us. We have to spend 2 years in Victoria to satisfy our sponsorship by the state. Can't see us going anywhere any hotter to be honest though. Not sure that I would want hot weather all year round. The winter has been a bigger bonus for us really - so far averages about 15 degrees each day and mainly sunny, so ideal working conditions for our hubbies ! Doesn't get dark until 5.15 even on the shortest day, so there is always some day left after they finish work, which has been nice, and he gets to spend more time with our daughter after school. Imagine UK but generally about 10 degrees hotter most of the time. Summer was bearable, you acclimatise, but the thing is that it doesn't go on forever, and they have shade most of the time. Sunglasses and suntan lotion can be claimed against your tax bill too !!!

BRICKY ADE

What about liquid refreshments ??????

clougherty family

Hi,

My husband is a bricklayer and we are in Perth. I think the rate is about $1 - $1.20 per brick if you work for yourself. If you work for someone it's about $250-$280 per day. He gets up at 5.30 and starts at 6ish in the summer. They finish about 2pm but don't really have much of a break whilst working. He found it really hard in the summer with the heat and worse were the flies. He would get home and just collapse indoors. Don't think that you'll have an outdoor life after work, he doesn't want to see any more sun after working in it all day, doesn't even want to get in the pool, just a shower, dinner and bed by 8pm if not asleep on the sofa already by then! Also, last summer wasn't as hot or as long as is usual here, so God knows what this year will be like.