joeyb

This is my first time on site so hello to everyone.

We are now about 80% sure that we are ready to put in our visa application to move to South Brisbane. However, hubbie is dithering a bit as he is worried about the heat. He is a brickie and would love some reasurance from fellow construction workers on how and if they cope in the Oz sunshine.

We have two young children - 5 and 3 years so I also wanted to know about Australian primary schools compared to British ones. Are there any radical differences between the education systems?

I am also leaning towards using an agency too help our application - they have already told us that we would qualify. Is this a good idea or do many of you DIY.

Any other advise would be very welcome to give us that final 20% push we need.


Cheers

Joey and Johnny B

ohippy

My husband is a brickie too and was worried about the heat but, in the summer, they start really early and finish early before the heat is too bad - only real problem appears to be the cement as it sets really fast so they have to make up small quantities at a time !!

As for using an agent, we are because my husband has not received any formal training so the skills assessment is proving a lot of work and a bit of a nightmare. The agent knows what he's doing and what is expected so doesn't waste any time and saves us a big headache. Not sure if we'll use them for the actual visa application though. Once we have the skills assessment it seems fairly straight forward.

JJL family

My partner is a brickie , we used an agent for all the process ,and with him having city & guilds there was no problem. we are just waiting for the bond money to be requsted !! then hopefully move to the gold coast he should have no problem getting a job. when we were there in august there was plenty of work for anyone in the building trade

joeyb

Thanks for your replies.

I have been quoted a couple of prices from the visa agencies - about £3000 - is this about right?
Also, what are brickies earning per hour in the Gold Coast?

Cheers

Joey and johnny B

JJL family

somebody i got chatting to on this site.

( "wombat " i think) and she quoted roughly in the region of $900 after tax hope this gives u a rough idea !!!!

jad n rich

You cant start on a building site by law till 7am by 8 it will be 30+ in summer easily. If you start at 7 finish at 3/4pm depending if you take breaks or not, so you are out there in heat all day.

I'm not here to lie to people, so will say its damn hard work most blokes are burnt out by 45 and look much older, same with most states in summer really not just brisbane, shortage of building workers is well known, climate is just one factor. I dont know why tho it always comes across as only brisbane gets hot in summer plenty of places get way hotter than brisbane.

We have been paying $700 supply and lay a thousand but thats to the subcontractor not what he actually pays his blokes,I dont know what share they get? sorry. Rates depend on how busy things are we were paying $400 a thou three years ago, if the market went quiet it would go down, but Qld housing market seems to be racing again so rates look good for now.

wombat

hello,
my husbands a brickie and we have been living in cleveland, south east bris since july. lees worked in brisbane and on the gold coast and hes coping alright with the heat so far, he works 6.30 - 2.30 everyday and earns $30 an hour + super.
we used concept australia in manchester as our agent and they cost us £900, they were very good - www.conceptaustralia.co.uk.

lucy

jad n rich

July august september october are winter/early spring, summer has not started yet, weve only had a couple of warm days so far

JJL family

hi lucy all going well , nice to hear from you , just waiting for the bond money to be requsted. !!!!

ohippy

[QUOTE=jad n rich]You cant start on a building site by law till 7am by 8 it will be 30+ in summer easily. If you start at 7 finish at 3/4pm depending if you take breaks or not, so you are out there in heat all day.

Not sure about Queensland as we have only looked at SA and WA so far but neither of these states seem to start at 7am - we spoke to loads of brickies in both states and almost all say they start at 5am ish in the summer and finish at 1/2pm.

wombat

i know its winter and spring ! but we have had quite a few days in the 30s which is pretty hot compared to the uk. sorry if you were confused by this i said hes coped with the heat so far not hes coped through the heat in the summer ! and on all the jobs hes worked on they have started at 6.30 even when he was on a union job.

JJL family good luck and keep in touch

lucy

jad n rich

[QUOTE=ohippy]
Yes it used to be like that years ago, but most new housing is in housing estates surrounded by people, noise laws and fines prevent early starts now due to endless complaints and disputes violence and litigation over noise.

I dont know if WA and SA have not changed their laws, I'd just love to see the good old aussie neighbour waking up to a pack of construction workers starting outside their bedroom window at 5am tho :scared: