aston man

i was talking to my best pal yesterday from the u.k.he was telling me that things are really tough back there,as bad as the last recession in fact?

persiminons have stopped building?banks wont borrow money?

how are things where you are?are things that bad?

thank you.

aston

bcworld

I was chatting to an old friend the other day. She works in the City and earns well in excess of GBP50k. Pretty much debt free as far as I know but can't get a mortgage with less than 25% deposit.

I guess a year ago she could've easily borrowed the whole lot.

innojuk

Since the end of February I have had 6 phone calls for private jobs, this time last year I had 12 months work booked in.

Am now relying on sub-contract work with one of the big boys to keep me afloat but even that is hit and miss. The sparkie I use is in the same boat and so are most of the lads I know.

I wouldn't say it's as bad as the last recession just yet but it's definitely heading that way.

They reported the other day that new mortgage enquiries are down 40% on this time last year.

weez75

I'm answering for the old man here but he is constantly talking to other brickies who can't find work, he has defo work till july but then.....????
work is drying up, companies are packing in and people can't sell their houses .....thank goodness we are outta here in september!!

aston man

not good reading,left some good friends laying the bricks in birmingham,lots with big home loans ...

hope things pick up for them ..

ast

Reading fan

as with prev poster my husband (chippie) has 1 call since Feb.Last year he was turning work away - subbing for a builder at the moment but people definitely not getting extensions etc done - also over £70 to fill up his van (Transit) and he is not a happy bunny.

travelbug

It's still fairly busy construction wise in the South at the moment....but will slow down - although my OH is not a brickie - he's a lagger/sheet metal worker, but there's still a few sites with work for him in London and the surrounding area's......whether it'll last for much longer i'm not sure though as people are starting to pull the purse strings in and new builds etc will slow down - cant remember the name but i know the biggest new build company has stopped buildng now. I think a lot of people are holding out for the new big projects - ie, the Olympics etc although we wont benefit from that as hopefully we'll be gone by then (if our house bloody sells!).
It seems that all lenders want at least 10percent deposit from people for mortgages now - so a lot of 1st time buyers are stuffed if they have less than that - and also, they are insisting a lot of the mortgages are over a 30year period for younger lenders....and for less than the 5/6 x annual salary that they were giving previously...
A lot of companies are going into consultation (including the one that i work for (Insurance) - we're losing 35 staff within the next couple of months - and i know of other big companies that are in the same position....so there's going to be an employment problem for different jobs - not just tradies i think...

innojuk

£95 to fill mine up (Peugeot Expert) from empty and that was last week, diesel gone up another 2p per litre since then. NOT HAPPY AT ALL.

Giving up the tools for the moment and going back into Surveying on a contract basis as a temporary stop gap until we can get our visas sorted, sell the house and leave.

Laights

Hey Aston Man, do you remember The Mint in Hockley well thats all been knocked down and about 175 residential flats are being built, with the backing of banks, so they can't think its that bad. We are doing the temporaries at the moment.

Lisa

borolad

fifty pound a week advertising and not one call in over two months,
not looking good.
seen this before and dont like it.......
labour just the same as conservatives take the money and run.

the derbys

hubby just been laid of no work about for plasterers either, good job we will be in Perth in June, if things go to plan

ivorfatarse

Up till now i've been lucky.The firm i work for has a plumbing and electrical side also the vent side which is what i do.For the last seven weeks i have been on a 4 day week with no end in sight.Fortunately i have been transferred to the plumbing but was told today that is drying up so it could well be down the road time as i was last in.

nickywes

Hi - Speaking for my OH. Work is still busy busy in the South at the moment. He is pricing lots of extensions and has booked in work for at least 6-8 months with lots more in the pipeline. We were in the last recession and he had no work as did most of the other builders. Times were really tough and I hope we don't get back to that again. Get us out of here.

jad n rich

Was wondering this too, reckon its probably similar to whats happening here, banks tighten funds, it flows negatively onto construction starts. Aus has the added problem of 9%+ interest rates, housing starts are well down, even in brisbane where the housing shortage has kept prices up. Seems to be a lot of workers apply if we advertise any jobs.

Did read in the UK news that 1 big constructrion co has stopped new houses as stocks not selling.

Is perth still quiet work wise too?

Off2Oz

Hi there. My OH has been lucky at the moment. Lots of work at the moment but who knows when it'll dry up.

He's a wall & ceiling fixer (dryliner, fibrous plasterer, puts up plasterboard basically). Other people in the job have not been so lucky.

Yes, Persimmons have stopped building but they are continuing their jobs that they already have on. Other smaller builders have been selling their jobs on.

Basically it's not a very good time here.