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quensland construction

quensland construction

Old Jan 20th 2009, 5:29 am
  #31  
 
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Default Re: quensland construction

I never say it isnt hard. We are 6 years in and spent over 10k last year on training and licenses. Andrews licenses took over a year and then 18 months.

I also never ever say "just come there are heaps of jobs". If you go through my answers from the beginning, in the start I was quite negative about lots of things. And even now, I never ever say that there are lots of jobs - there aren't

We really struggled, people not calling back, imaginary jobs, australian experience etc - the same things. Right now there is a downturn too which makes it harder. Plus lots of worksite foremen are unbelievably rude, I tend to think its not just with british people though, they seem too good at it.

But when someone asks for help with things like who to contact, how to do it etc then I think its good to give them information - they have all the negatives here on every thread and so I do try to put constructive help so perhaps people don't find it as hard as we did. I have learned heaps and I wish someone had gone through how to get the courses, the licenses needed etc before we came, would have saved us a couple of years.

We still would have come because it was in our heads and that was what we had decided to do. Some help to achieve it woudl have been good.

There are plenty of people giving the negatives, and you will see that on lots of points I agree but cant see how it woudl help me also saying the same things.

Betsy - I actually was talking about you this morning to a plumber doing some drainage. I was asking him about anyone with plumbing jobs, any suggestions on who to contact etc. I think moving over is a bit harder for plumbers in terms of qualifications he was saying that he took on a british guy and he worked as a plumbers labourer through him while he redid lots of things because some rules were different. No help though on suggestions - he said he had had 6 calls in the last couple of months from new migrants

And steve - if my first post seemed rude, I didnt mean it to be directed at you (the doom and gloom bit). I just jumped from three threads all saying the negatives and thought "oh no, not more"

And incidentally - the lady with 3 children whose husband needs to find work quickly - unfortunately I do have to agree with some of this. not sure how anyone found their luck on finding work before they came, didnt work for us but you have to make sure you can last it out financially and if you come late in any year - recruitment really really doesnt happen in dec - march in any big way.

Vivienne
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 6:28 am
  #32  
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Default Re: quensland construction

It's not just Brickies doing it tough, there's a general downturn in the industry after at least 5 years of real boom. We've seen a definite slump over the last few months. Rates are being cut to the bone as tradies fight over the scraps of work that remain in some areas.
Up where we are we've been lucky up until the Christmas break. Now we've got blokes traveling up from Brisbane & the Sunshine Coast pricing just to stay working. I've had a couple of big jobs knocked back as other blokes are cutting their rates to get in the door. We're on the same rate now as we were in 2003, six bloody years ago! Good news for spec builders & home owners, not much good for us.
I've not needed to advertise since we got here as our work tends to come via recommendation, I'm going to have to start if things slow down much more. When money is tight people don't want a good job they just want the cheapest job.
I read a post a couple of days ago about Aussies closing ranks & not giving overseas trades a look in. Up until today I'd have said it was something I'd never come across in 6 years. I was in the tile shop today when a bloke came in with a heap of cards & told the owner that he wanted to get in with the local builders "the ones that the ****ing Pommie tiler works for!!" He'd never met me & has no QBSA licence yet he's struggling for work & venting his anger at anyone. He'd rang me for a start a few days ago as he's just moved up from the Sunshine Coast as he couldn't get work there. Needless to say he's not going to get any now.
When I first started working up here an old tiler, retired now, told me that before the boom he used to fish 3 days a week & tile 3 days a week as there just wasn't the work around. His advice was don't get into debt 'cos this won't last forever. Sound advice that apart from my mortgage I've heeded.
I think that the biggest problem with tradies that have arrived in the last 5 years is that they have had to pay out much higher prices for property than those of us who bought before the boom. A chippy mate of mine bought a house last year, the same house would have been $100k about 5 years ago he paid $360 for it & has to earn 3k a month just to pay the home loan. I can't see how anyone in that situation could possibly manage with just a couple of days a week casual labour.
On the bright side, if it goes on for long & we weather the storm we'll still be here on the other side
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 6:34 am
  #33  
 
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Default Re: quensland construction

Can we just all be friends - essentially we are all in the same boat, struggling a bit away from home and are all trying to help our country folk in our own way.

no point arguing amongst ourself.

and I APOLOGISE 100%, Steve because its bad enough being iwthout work without thinking people are knocking you

viv
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 6:55 am
  #34  
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Default Re: quensland construction

Originally Posted by viviennef
Can we just all be friends - essentially we are all in the same boat, struggling a bit away from home and are all trying to help our country folk in our own way.

no point arguing amongst ourself.

and I APOLOGISE 100%, Steve because its bad enough being iwthout work without thinking people are knocking you

viv
no worries mate.
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 7:15 am
  #35  
 
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Default Re: quensland construction

We struggle with our mortgage - they are high, we got so skint before we started on our own that we had to borrow to start the business and finance the first couple of years. Then we got a house for 410k with a 100% mortgage, and its fine - but we have to work, luckily we usually have quite a lot on.

We dont try to finance this on the SC - we take contracts all over oz. I also work on another business even though we have 3 kids under 4. We are always on the line financially as with any business there is so much to pay out.

Everyone seems to have top of the range hilux's on the coast and big houses - I had a handyman round who said he charges $60 per hour and that he is very busy. I had 2 tilers come around - both booked for 8 weeks + so we decided to try ourselves which hasnt gone so well but thats another story. I call builders firms often to ask them to put in pier footings for me and 95% of the time they won't do it because they say they are busy.

But every business owner I know says its dead quiet.

It seems that half the people do well and the other half don't. I find running a business here much harder than the uk, perhaps because at home it was more settled and we knew the score. We get more business and more opportunities but just the daily getting things done is harder.

We get so much work in certain months - Andrew worked 7 days most weeks June - December. then now it will be scarily quiet....

Its just different for everyone. I havent met a brickie though yet who was getting lots of work

Vivienne
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 8:24 am
  #36  
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Default Re: quensland construction

Originally Posted by viviennef
We struggle with our mortgage - they are high, we got so skint before we started on our own that we had to borrow to start the business and finance the first couple of years. Then we got a house for 410k with a 100% mortgage, and its fine - but we have to work, luckily we usually have quite a lot on.

We dont try to finance this on the SC - we take contracts all over oz. I also work on another business even though we have 3 kids under 4. We are always on the line financially as with any business there is so much to pay out.

Everyone seems to have top of the range hilux's on the coast and big houses - I had a handyman round who said he charges $60 per hour and that he is very busy. I had 2 tilers come around - both booked for 8 weeks + so we decided to try ourselves which hasnt gone so well but thats another story. I call builders firms often to ask them to put in pier footings for me and 95% of the time they won't do it because they say they are busy.

But every business owner I know says its dead quiet.

It seems that half the people do well and the other half don't. I find running a business here much harder than the uk, perhaps because at home it was more settled and we knew the score. We get more business and more opportunities but just the daily getting things done is harder.

We get so much work in certain months - Andrew worked 7 days most weeks June - December. then now it will be scarily quiet....

Its just different for everyone. I havent met a brickie though yet who was getting lots of work

Vivienne
now this is where i start getting confused with the licencing system viv. what type of licence does a "handyman" have to charge $60 per hour ?
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 8:51 am
  #37  
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Default Re: quensland construction

Originally Posted by stevenick
now this is where i start getting confused with the licencing system viv. what type of licence does a "handyman" have to charge $60 per hour ?
No licence required up to a limit of $1100 bucks including labour & materials per job.
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 9:01 am
  #38  
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Default Re: quensland construction

Originally Posted by cresta57
No licence required up to a limit of $1100 bucks including labour & materials per job.
i'm fully aware of that, so he can't possibly charge $60 an hour and stay under that figure with materials. or am i missing the plot some how? the only way he could do it is a days work here and there, in other words work for different people from one day to the next.
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 9:38 am
  #39  
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Default Re: quensland construction

Originally Posted by stevenick
i'm fully aware of that, so he can't possibly charge $60 an hour and stay under that figure with materials. or am i missing the plot some how? the only way he could do it is a days work here and there, in other words work for different people from one day to the next.
Yep that's the way they do it. Hang a door or two for $400 bucks one day. Tile a kitchen splash back the next for another $300. Clean out someone else's gutters for another $200 so on & so on. Some of it's cash so goes in the back pocket It's called "having a fair go"
After a while you get used to the way things are done here & find that the only way to get ahead is to buck the system, milk centerlink for a few quid & keep a wad of cash in your arse pocket.
I'm thinking of sending Deb out to get a job while I stay home do a bit of housework and a few cash jobs here & there.
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 9:52 am
  #40  
 
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Default Re: quensland construction

Thats the thing - Its all bulls**t I reckon. Well not all but I think lots of people in the grey trades operate outside of the system. But once you are in then you have to comply and of course if you get caught outside then you risk your license being granted.

in NSW there is a license for handymen. So here I think that either they are breaking the rules or they have a license - carpentry most likely. I asked this guy for his license number but he only did some small jobs - I will link to some pics of jobs - there is no way they were under $1100.

On the Sunny Coast carpenters are being paid $22 - 35 permanent, it doesnt make sense. I paid a gardener this week $82.50 to mow my lawns - take a look at what Jims mowing franchises say they take

When we came Andrew didnt fit under a license although subsequently they introduced one but it doesnt even work. You used to be able to put up a 20M pylon sign in a shopping centre without a license or a sky sign but not lay a concrete slab.

We actually ran first as a handyman business to get by - and then just got people to buy materials etc and kept to deck renovation, painting etc. We worked giving out flyers and advertising via the web and quoting the below $1100. Also we did signs as per always but just didnt do the decent stuff.

And then went through the whole pallaver getting a license - so uk has a direct equivalent of a brickie, there is no commercial sign license so we did the different qualification recognitions. We even have to get a glazing license for some work - and a restricted electrical. so Andrew is apparently a carpenter, a builder, a restricted electrician and a glazer. He had to do the actual concreting course as he hadnt built a pitched roof?

Under Section 42 I think of the licensing terms, you have to not subcontract to unlicensed contractors
You must not subcontract licensed contractors.

I had someone from master builders here for 3 hours a couple of weeks ago chatting about it and have sent numerous letters to the BSA questioning parts of our scope - because basically it is not possible to trade and keep to our license class rules.

Anyway, my blood pressure is going up. our class is really complicated
Vivienne
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 10:09 am
  #41  
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Default Re: quensland construction

Originally Posted by viviennef
Thats the thing - Its all bulls**t I reckon. Well not all but I think lots of people in the grey trades operate outside of the system. But once you are in then you have to comply and of course if you get caught outside then you risk your license being granted.

in NSW there is a license for handymen. So here I think that either they are breaking the rules or they have a license - carpentry most likely. I asked this guy for his license number but he only did some small jobs - I will link to some pics of jobs - there is no way they were under $1100.

On the Sunny Coast carpenters are being paid $22 - 35 permanent, it doesnt make sense. I paid a gardener this week $82.50 to mow my lawns - take a look at what Jims mowing franchises say they take

When we came Andrew didnt fit under a license although subsequently they introduced one but it doesnt even work. You used to be able to put up a 20M pylon sign in a shopping centre without a license or a sky sign but not lay a concrete slab.

We actually ran first as a handyman business to get by - and then just got people to buy materials etc and kept to deck renovation, painting etc. We worked giving out flyers and advertising via the web and quoting the below $1100. Also we did signs as per always but just didnt do the decent stuff.

And then went through the whole pallaver getting a license - so uk has a direct equivalent of a brickie, there is no commercial sign license so we did the different qualification recognitions. We even have to get a glazing license for some work - and a restricted electrical. so Andrew is apparently a carpenter, a builder, a restricted electrician and a glazer. He had to do the actual concreting course as he hadnt built a pitched roof?

Under Section 42 I think of the licensing terms, you have to not subcontract to unlicensed contractors
You must not subcontract licensed contractors.

I had someone from master builders here for 3 hours a couple of weeks ago chatting about it and have sent numerous letters to the BSA questioning parts of our scope - because basically it is not possible to trade and keep to our license class rules.

Anyway, my blood pressure is going up. our class is really complicated
Vivienne
There's a guy comes to our jobs that just fits wire shelving in the robes. He bumped into the QBSA on a job site one day & they asked him for his licence details. He asked what licence he should have as he wasn't working with timber so it couldn't be a chippy's. The QBSA blokes couldn't tell him what licence class he should be so they went away & are in the process of creating a special "wire shelving installers licence"
Most of the time stuff gets put in the to hard box by the QBSA if they can't find it in a book some place:curse:
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 10:20 am
  #42  
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Default Re: quensland construction

and there's me doing things properly and fretting!!!!!!!
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 10:35 am
  #43  
 
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Default Re: quensland construction

Yes, to get you by you can always start on your own and see how you go - dont go crazy advertising, just put the word about. Mention to people you are a builder etc and dont do any major building. I wouldnt suggest rustling up a bungalow or anything

Get an ABN (abr.gov.au(, you can work as a sole trader and you need public liability (tradesure.com.au). Brochures - you can order dl flyers online from discountprinting for $150.

Even if you earn $350 a day for a couple of days a week, you know its ok to keep you going.

Where do you live? In Sydney, we didnt even have a vehicle, just letter box dropped all the eastern suburbs where we lived.

I will pm you this handyman site and see what you think of these jobs worth.

Viv
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 7:59 pm
  #44  
 
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Default Re: quensland construction

pressed it twice - trying to delete
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Old Jan 20th 2009, 8:01 pm
  #45  
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Default Re: quensland construction

Originally Posted by viviennef
I never say it isnt hard. We are 6 years in and spent over 10k last year on training and licenses. Andrews licenses took over a year and then 18 months.

I also never ever say "just come there are heaps of jobs". If you go through my answers from the beginning, in the start I was quite negative about lots of things. And even now, I never ever say that there are lots of jobs - there aren't

We really struggled, people not calling back, imaginary jobs, australian experience etc - the same things. Right now there is a downturn too which makes it harder. Plus lots of worksite foremen are unbelievably rude, I tend to think its not just with british people though, they seem too good at it.

But when someone asks for help with things like who to contact, how to do it etc then I think its good to give them information - they have all the negatives here on every thread and so I do try to put constructive help so perhaps people don't find it as hard as we did. I have learned heaps and I wish someone had gone through how to get the courses, the licenses needed etc before we came, would have saved us a couple of years.

We still would have come because it was in our heads and that was what we had decided to do. Some help to achieve it woudl have been good.

There are plenty of people giving the negatives, and you will see that on lots of points I agree but cant see how it woudl help me also saying the same things.

Betsy - I actually was talking about you this morning to a plumber doing some drainage. I was asking him about anyone with plumbing jobs, any suggestions on who to contact etc. I think moving over is a bit harder for plumbers in terms of qualifications he was saying that he took on a british guy and he worked as a plumbers labourer through him while he redid lots of things because some rules were different. No help though on suggestions - he said he had had 6 calls in the last couple of months from new migrants

And steve - if my first post seemed rude, I didnt mean it to be directed at you (the doom and gloom bit). I just jumped from three threads all saying the negatives and thought "oh no, not more"

And incidentally - the lady with 3 children whose husband needs to find work quickly - unfortunately I do have to agree with some of this. not sure how anyone found their luck on finding work before they came, didnt work for us but you have to make sure you can last it out financially and if you come late in any year - recruitment really really doesnt happen in dec - march in any big way.

Vivienne

Thanks for that i appreciate you asking around, we know the score though that is what we have been saying.
It is sooo tight right now!
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