Bricklayer u.k

Hello, i have been offered a job in vancouver for $27 an hour. 40 hours a week, Could anyone living there and hopefully a bricklayer too please give me advice on these points...

1. Cost of living, i.e rent month,food ,BEER, taxes, weather as in winter i.e 2 or below is bad for my trade

2. I have to pay the agency $1000(£500) for my 2 year work permit,but they sorted out a company to sponsor me

3. manily for at bricklayers, i am 24 in a few weeks, i have been in the trade for 5 years, 2 on the hod and have just severed my time threw colledge, all my years in a price gang, i have just left them to go with another bricklayer ho i have known for years, he has is older (55) and alot faster so we are on a 40/60 split wich i find fair as he has alot experience. What i want to know is what the firms expect of you in canada, as around here(blackpool) people on day rate are very lazy and toss it off alot. The job i am on at the moment is straight pannels of block work in between steel and i am putting in between 100-140 100mm block a day in myself(more if the tech gun wasnt so crap!!!!!!!!) 300-330 between pair of us. would this be enough out there or would they expect more of you.

I am proud of the standard of work i build, I just worry about speed, i have been told all threw my career that speed comes in time, whcih i know as im faster than i was last year he he.

I dont worry about the foot and inches out there because im good a maths.

I just dont want to spend £1500 get out there and then be told your not good enough!!!!

Please give me all the information as i need to get back to them within the next 7 days!!!!!!!

Thank you

startwin

Afraid I know nothing about bricklaying - I don't think there are too many bricklayers in this part of Canada, but could be wrong. Anyway, seeing the lack of response I thought I'd direct you to the Brits2Vancouver site, you may get some information there which is more specific to Vancouver.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Brits2Vancouver/
Good luck!

simon 64

hi
i moved here 2 years ago from the uk and $27 hour wont get out of bed for that it depends who you work for ive changed companies now and they like the english brickies here BUT ITS VERY DIFFERENT TO THE UK WAY OF WORKING forget uk when you come here its totally different and the blockwork not like uk at all steel and concrete in it still if i was you i would get out of the uk its great here plenty of work but mind the visa lawyers there out to make money out of you good luck you should be able to get a work visa cheaper your young enough
yes im a bricklayer to
regards simon

Bricklayer u.k

So simon, can you give me an idea of how differnet it is, i.e task`s you had that are differnet to uk. and MAINLY from what i said and what i can do will i be o.k... i Know its hard to judge without seeing my work... but its a good standard just need my speed and very slow at setting out and also never set out anything big... i have worked multi millon pound jobs but never set them out!!!! is $27 good over there then ,,, i know you wont get out of bed for it but will it be good enough for a life,,, i.e nice house(or rented place) able to go where i want and drink where i want????? im only young and want to use my trade too explore the world!!!!! As long as im out the u.k ill be happy... its getting so bad over here.... 80p a block for 4 inch.. and £330 a 1000 blues up to the cladding rail so only 8 course including d.p.c... please speak about how you got your jobs and came here!!!!!!

simon 64

hi Bricklayer UK

Look its probably better if we talk off line, otherwise I will be writing a "novel" you are welcome to PM or if you PM me I will give you my phone number and you can call me.

dbd33

My brother, a bricklayer, came here on holiday and was offered a job in the pub for $27 an hour. He took it and stayed. It took him a couple of months to adjust to block laying here but then he made better money. That was fifteen years ago so I gotta think someone offering $27 now is having a laugh.

sharpe

I HAVE ALSO BEEN OFFERED A JOB IN VANCOUVER WITH THE 2 YR VISA AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE SOME ADVICE ON BRICKLAYING IN CANADA AND THE COST OF LIVING IN VANCOUVER, THE WAGES ARE ALSO $27 HR I ALSO HAVE 3 KIDS AND A WIFE TO BRING, AND NOT TO SURE IF WAGES WOULD COVER THE COST OF LIVING, ANY HELP GREATLY RECIEVED.

Bricklayer u.k

check you r inbox iv just pm you!!!

ctcrm

pity about the PM's is bricklaying a black art or something lol !?

Haswells

I too have been offered a job in Vancouver but I am a plasterer they are offering $24-27 and again I am unsure whether this the going rate or not this is through a company who places construction trades people in firms I would therefore be going on a work permit. With a wife and young family (4yr old and under 1yr old) as others I dont want to be conned or tied to a company who are exploiting foreign workers just because on face value it seems good money. Again like others have said living a modest lifestyle would this be enough to earn and live (rent a property, taxes etc). We struggle now especially with how the UK property market and construction is. Also does anyone know if being on a work permit would affect our eldest childs (when she is 5 of course) government funded school place? We have a seminar to attend before we commit to the position and therefore hand over any money so hopefully we will get answers there. Is anyone else going who has this 'job offer'!

seanuk

Hi, I have been bricklaying here for 5 weeks. If you come here, forget the brit way of doing things. The work is purely cosmetic, so they like it neat, but they are sooooo slow. They work in imperial, oddly, but its easy enough. Courses are on average 3", or they use a gauge tape. Its easy to pick up. There seem to be no safety standards as such, the scaffold is just frames, not the tube and clip we are used to. People do fall off, and if you get hurt here, you are in trouble. Medical care takes time and money to get sorted out. 27 an hour is laughable, and simply will not be enough to survive on. I get 30 as a starting rate and if that doesnt go up very quickly, I will be accepting one of the many other offers made. Agencies are a scam. You would be as well to look in canadian phone book and call a few contractors. Choose well though, because a some co-workers of mine are tied to their employers through their work permit. I believe there are ways out of that though, as some of the threads on here explain.
As for the cost of living here, I am finding it very expensive. Only things I have found cheap are fuel and laptops. Food is expensive, and fuel is cheap compared to uk, but bear in mind that it is relative to earnings. Once you are here and earning a canadian wage, its expensive again.
I would advise anyone to think long and hard about moving. i have dual nationality so dont have half the hassle of other people, but its still not easy.
Hope that helps.
Sean.

paddy1001

Hi all,
I am new to this so just quick questions, How do you go about getting bricklaying jobs in Canada?
Is lifting the phone book and calling people an option or do yougo through agencies or just get there and walk onto site and ask for a job?
I am fed up with work here in Northern Ireland simply because of people undercutting everything! and thinking of moving abroad for a change.
Was in Vancouver about 4 years ago for a break and fell in love with the place, so when i saw this thread i had to ask about it.
Also what wages could you honestly expect? would you have to join a squad or would it be possible to go on site as a new squad? 3 of us thinking of the move
Thanks for any advice people
Paddy

Rich_007

No fear of it getting that cold. if it ever does, Vancouver shuts down. Expect to work in vest and sandals.

R.

simeongb

sean don`t be late, and wear those sexy army pants