Alan_bricky

Hi guys im pretty new to this so take it easy on me!!

Im a bricky and my mate is a carpenter and we are considering the possiblity of coming over to nz on the whv. I have been there before and loved the place, but im looking for some advice on where would be a good place for us to find some work and if possible near the surf!!
I really liked Dunedin when i was there, but im thinking if im gonna do this i wouldnt mind some sun!!! So poss thinking about Northlands area, but no idea what this is like for work??
I hear work is not that great over there for trades at the mo? I hope this aint true!!
Any info is most appreciated guys
Thanks
Alan

cally49

Hi there! I am sure someone more knowelegable in the trade will come along with advice but in the meantime have you have a look at the jobs section on trademe (its the NZ equilivant) of ebay not as flash but does the trick.
www.trademe.co.nz
Then go to jobs

Anyhow good luck with your efforts i hope you find a job and some "surf"
Cheers
Cally

Wiz'n'Ton

Hey there, and welcome to the forum.

We're in Christchurch, and there's some great surf around here at New Brighton, Sumner and Taylors Mistake. You can also get to Kaikoura which has some decent breaks too.

You'll also find a fair bit of work if you're halfway decent as despite the recent building down-turn, good trades are at a premium. If you struggle then there are plenty of agencies here (I work for one myself) that will give you a hand in getting work.

Good luck!

Fooferfish

If you are looking for a lot of work then head to Queestown and and Cromwell, houses here are only brick skinned, you do get some places made of light weight block called Hebel, got reinforcment rods through them and they cut like butter, there are more building consents out in the lake district than there are builders, lots of construction comps up there,like Lunds, Calder Stewart, and many more, brickies are a dying trade over here, but the lakes and Central Otago seem to be still going full steam ahead, Carpenters and brickies seem to head for Oz, thats where the money is, wages for them here range from $18-25 phr, or more if self employed, the trouble is with the lakes there will not be any surf up there.

Dunedin and the Catlins have some awesome surf beaches, and when surfs up you'll find loads of tradies surfing instead of working, we have been in Dunedin for over 3 years and i used to be a roofer, but now run my own property maintenance business, the building industry is starting to slow down, ok its winter, by NZ is sort of ina reccession, they wont admit it, but house prices are going down, fuel sky high, food expensive and power bills up, alot of people are having hard time here.

IMO i would head for the Queenstown area or Central Otago, the summers in Central can get up to 38 deg only winter can be bloody cold up there, although there would be the skiing, snow boarding, and al the adventure sports, and if you want to surf then from Queenstown to the coast for a eekend would only take you 3 hrs drive, the only thing with surfing down here is the seals that come up every now and then and scare the crap out of you, we have one in Dunedin off St Clair beach that winds up the surfers on a regular basis.

Nige, Dunedin since May 05

Am Loolah

We have some great surf here in Mount Maunganui & Papamoa and some pretty darn good weather to go with it. 3 of my 4 kids surf and loads of my colleagues and friends too - I'm too lazy myself! I believe I'm right in saying that the Mount is the first place in New Zealand to have an artificial reef and we have some kind of annual surf fest/competition here.

I've also heard that Raglan is great for surfing - it's on the West coast, about an hour and a half from here (which realistically means more like 2 hours!)

Trade and work wise I'm not so positive. There are lots of developers laying people off as the housing market has slowed right down. May was the lowest volume of sales for the area in 10 years. However June, statistically the quietest month for sales, is up on May so we could be over the low.

Have a look at www.priorityone.co.nz a website for the Bay of Plenty, you can register to receive a fortnightly email of job vacancies which is useful.

Alan_bricky

thanks for the responses guys, im really liking the look and sound of the Tauranga and bay of plenty area!! I will just need to see what the situation with work is over there now, fingers crossed!!
Thanks again