Plastering career

[doyle369]

Me and my mate are both just about to finish our A levels and are in two minds about what to do!

We want to learn a trade and are thinking about plastering.

There are so many young people going for electrician and plumbing.

We are both newbies in the trade and have had little training.

We were going to do this 4 day course.

http://otheryschoolofplastering.co.uk/

4 DAY COURSE

9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday

• Cut & fix plaster board to walls and ceilings
• Tape standard and internal joints
• Cut and fix angle beads around window and reveals
• Prepare block wall before plastering using a sand and cement render
• Mix plastering materials
• Apply PVA adhesive unibond to existing surfaces
• Skim walls over board work, render, and plastered surfaces
• Skim ceiling
• Ensuring a flat finished surface ready for decorating

This 4 day course will give you the skills to take on many of those plastering jobs around your home even taking on jobs for friends and family or putting pounds in your pocket as a jobbing builder, good plasterers are always in demand.
4 day course £ 285.00 this is a great price when you think a good plaster can earn around £40k a year.



But then what?

Hope you can give me some good advice

Thanks

 

[MASSEY]

My dad actually went on that course he property renovates and needed to brush up on his skimming skills because he was quite shocking the blemishes he used to leave

And he is now great at it.

But he is someone who had 20 years of experience on all things property related and already had better than average skills.

You will go on the course and at the end still need extra learning so it might be a good idea to do some more practce after the course.

Plasterings one of them trades the money is ok but you dont half have to work for it. Its not something i would want to do for a job for life lol.

You need to be at a good standard to plaster in peoples properties nowdays people can tell what a good finish and bad finish is its not something you can balg your either good or bad.

Its definitely worth a pop

 

[maxine]

Looks good value for what you will cover in 4 days but just to set expectations I would doubt that coming away from this you will be able to immediately go out and be a self employed plasterer...as it takes quite a bit of practise.

In terms of then what, my suggestion is to practise on your own house, inside of your garage etc, then friends, family, to get the hang of skimming walls and ceilings and solid plastering.

Maybe find some outside garden walls etc for rendering.

It's heavy hard work not for the physically unfit (obviously these are my husbands words not mine!)

Good luck with your course. If you wanted to compare with another course here's a link to a popular training centre http://www.goldtrowel.co.uk/?redirect=yes

Start off small and then take on bigger stuff as you gain confidence Focus on getting the finish right no matter how long it takes to start off with. When you start you will probably do maybe one ceiling in a day but over time get to the stage where you can do a standard ceiling and 4 walls with reveals in a day.

£40k a year is very achievable for a good plasterer

 

[crossdaz]

Hope you can give me some good advice

Don't bother - you are not going to learn anything in 4 days.

There are plasterers who have been in the trade for 40 years and are still carp

 

[14A]

4 days will give you an idea of what its about, but plastering is something that takes YEARS to master and even then sometimes it doesnt come to everyone.

By all means go for it, but what about expanding your knowlege into different trades and become something of a handy man? 'Jack of all trades master of non'

 

[An Oasis]

In terms of then what, my suggestion is to practise on your friends, family,

Guys Max talks a lot of sense but the phrase don't try this on the above springs to mind...best to go out and get plastered.

 

[maxine]

What do you mean? That he should not practise on friends and family? (I suppose it does depend on whether you want to stay friends with someone or not) lol

 

[KDMINX]

It takes 1 year plus to be any good at plastering. For your first few years you want to work for / with someone who knows what they're doing so they can fix your mistakes. There is a call for plasterers because everyone wants to do the easy ones such as plumbing / sparks. Plastering isn’t a long term career though most plasterers are physical wrecks after 10 years!

 

[crossdaz]

It takes 1 year plus to be any good at plastering. For your first few years you want to work for / with someone who knows what they're doing so they can fix your mistakes. There is a call for plasterers because everyone wants to do the easy ones such as plumbing / sparks. Plastering isn’t a long term career though most plasterers are physical wrecks after 10 years!

There will always be a demand for a craftsman plasterer but if you are not willing to be a craftsman then you are very much at the mercy of the market and that isn't a great place to be.

Very few buildings have any plaster in them these days - whether it be a domestic house or 300 bedroom hotel. Mostly it's dry-lining and joint taping. And you can't learn joint taping to any standard in 4 days either.

A lot of tunnel form concrete I've seen has paint on the concrete - nearest thing to plaster in these cases is a coat of sloppy easy-fill to cover the pin-holes

 

[KDMINX]

There will always be a demand for a craftsman plasterer but if you are not willing to be a craftsman then you are very much at the mercy of the market and that isn't a great place to be.

Very few buildings have any plaster in them these days - whether it be a domestic house or 300 bedroom hotel. Mostly it's dry-lining and joint taping. And you can't learn joint taping to any standard in 4 days either.

A lot of tunnel form concrete I've seen has paint on the concrete - nearest thing to plaster in these cases is a coat of sloppy easy-fill to cover the pin-holes

Doesn't the dry-lining need skimming?

 

[crossdaz]

Doesn't the dry-lining need skimming?

No - you finish the joints with a trowel and joint filler (which is like polyfilla) but that doesn't require the skill of a plasterer because you can rub the joints down when they are dry - it just requires a bit of practice to minimise the need for rubbing down.

There are odd occasions where it might be specified but increasingly few nowadays.

 

[*Lexxy*]

OP - where does your car wash/valet business fit into this??

 

I am at that point in my life where I dont no what to do and need to make a decision.

Abit about myself

I am 19 years old and live in Devon

I am currently at college studying Media studies and Travel and Tourism, bother together they are worth 3 A Levels.

I have 2 part time jobs, 1 is at a holiday park working in Burger King, quite enjoy it as it can be a laugh and it is rather easy.

My other job is working at a primary school looking after the kids at the After School Club. I enjoy this job.

My interests are Photography, Cars (cars that are modified in a smart way) and cleaning cars.

I have had a few thoughts about what to do after I finish.

One is to take a year out, earn some money, go travelling and generally just enjoy life whilst im young. Maybe whilst im taking this year out I will have a better understanding of what I want to do. But when that is over I will still be at the Cross roads.

The other option is to go Uni, but not this year, but next. So that means I would take the year out. But what to study at Uni? I dont have a clue.

The other option was to go to college and learn a trade, like plumbing etc. But I don't have a great interest in that, maybe learning it will change my thought. There are so many young people doing this sort of stuff and the market would be competitive.

I am going to Connextions tomorrow and having a talk with them, and see what they say, ill let you all know.

So any advice will be most helpful

I haven't posted this to be mean or have a go but just so you could reflect on what you have said on previous threads . When i was 19 I didn't know what i wanted to do either! But remember......whatever you decide to do you need to enjoy it.