what a top site

[North East spread]

hi there

just found this site and find it a great read,

 about me, I have been a spread  for 35 years, and i am still pretty fit,i have done house bashing for the last 14 years as a sub contracter, for the same major builder in the North, thats dot/ dab skim and cove all rooms, before that i was a propper plasterer lol, thats the real trade of float and skim but I am glad its more or less finished because thats where the hard work was a 2and1 squad had to do around 120 meters a day to make decent money, thats backing and skimmed in the same day, now most work is dot/dab and skim, believe me its alot easier and can be learned in a few weeks/ or months as apposed to browning and skim to new builds could take a couple of years,

I am trained in most outside work , thats permorck systems and similar this system is usually used on tower blocks outside where u drill and fix an insulation block to a wall then mesh it, then render and dash it, again hard graft but decent money,

My advice to anyone and I can only speak for people from the north East looking to learn to be a spread is dont bother, the new builds are finished up here, and the private work has to many plasterers chasing it

Over the years i have never once been out of work, but I am now, the firm i have spent the last 14 years with has had to finish all subbies thats abot 10 squads of spreads gone, they are cutting their work force by more than half, and this same applys to most other big buiding firms in the north East, where do we go from here? I can still throw 130m of skim on new work working 1and1 to a first class job in a day, but there just aint the work up here any more,

The prices in the north are roughly £2m skim £1.50m tack or dab and £1.50m cove, thats new work,havent done float and set for 14 years but then it was £2.25 m  so at a guess now i would say £4 for browning or hardwall and set, private work a reskim av bedroom decent walls and cieling and cove supply and fix 40m £220, can I ask u guys is there anywhere in the country where pays more than this and has work?.

ok thats my rant over with, and Danny u got a top site here mate

[church]

Hello north east spread ;)
What you talk about is only the tip of the ice berg i think, i was lucky enough to work through the last great slow down at the end of the 80s early 90s im  sure you would remember it ? Only this time there is a hell of a lot more spreads out there and thats without our eastern european freinds chasing the british pound,the first thing that normally happens is prices for plastering will plumbit and as last time  the trades weakest links will fold
this normally sorts out the good from the bad . Whatever you guys are earning per day at the momment you can probably cut in half at least especailly in domestic plastering,and you will be doing very well if you work a three day week , just as the last time a new goverment came in they blammed the torys for the resession and this time it will probably the other way around but anyway its all very prodictable and boring (unlike my spelling ;D) So dont put your heads in the sand lads save all your pennys if you can and best of luck to you all. I can tell you North east spread i dont miss lugging them big bags browning around do you? ;D see you in on the trowel in germany mate in a year or so .PS your not wrong about this site what a gem

[nicksey1401]

hello mate lets hope another recession doesn't come aye  ;)
i.m in bristol and skim is 2.50-3.50 and f/s is 4.50-6.50

[dpbeds]

Welcome aboard North east spread.
Hope things pick up soon.

 :)

[scott]

hi there

just found this site and find it a great read,

 about me, I have been a spread  for 35 years, and i am still pretty fit,i have done house bashing for the last 14 years as a sub contracter, for the same major builder in the North, thats dot/ dab skim and cove all rooms, before that i was a propper plasterer lol, thats the real trade of float and skim but I am glad its more or less finished because thats where the hard work was a 2and1 squad had to do around 120 meters a day to make decent money, thats backing and skimmed in the same day, now most work is dot/dab and skim, believe me its alot easier and can be learned in a few weeks/ or months as apposed to browning and skim to new builds could take a couple of years,

I am trained in most outside work , thats permorck systems and similar this system is usually used on tower blocks outside where u drill and fix an insulation block to a wall then mesh it, then render and dash it, again hard graft but decent money,

My advice to anyone and I can only speak for people from the north East looking to learn to be a spread is dont bother, the new builds are finished up here, and the private work has to many plasterers chasing it

Over the years i have never once been out of work, but I am now, the firm i have spent the last 14 years with has had to finish all subbies thats abot 10 squads of spreads gone, they are cutting their work force by more than half, and this same applys to most other big buiding firms in the north East, where do we go from here? I can still throw 130m of skim on new work working 1and1 to a first class job in a day, but there just aint the work up here any more,

The prices in the north are roughly £2m skim £1.50m tack or dab and £1.50m cove, thats new work,havent done float and set for 14 years but then it was £2.25 m  so at a guess now i would say £4 for browning or hardwall and set, private work a reskim av bedroom decent walls and cieling and cove supply and fix 40m £220, can I ask u guys is there anywhere in the country where pays more than this and has work?.

ok thats my rant over with, and Danny u got a top site here mate

alrite mate were in the northeast are you mate?

[North East spread]

hya guys and thanks for the warm welcome,

scott I am from Durham and u?

church,  you sound as though u are old school like me,. at 15 left schoo.l to be an apprentice plasterer, working with 1 spread and a lab. my first day at work an artic came in full of like u say the 8 st bags of browning and skim, the labourer says what u waiting for get on with it, I was 15, 5ft 10 and 8 st wet through, I can tell u mate I slept well that night, oh and yes forgot to say about my wages £5 a week and no chicken for xmas untill I was 21

[dpbeds]

Ah the good ole days!
 ::)  ;)

[scott]

hya guys and thanks for the warm welcome,

scott I am from Durham and u?

church,  you sound as though u are old school like me,. at 15 left schoo.l to be an apprentice plasterer, working with 1 spread and a lab. my first day at work an artic came in full of like u say the 8 st bags of browning and skim, the labourer says what u waiting for get on with it, I was 15, 5ft 10 and 8 st wet through, I can tell u mate I slept well that night, oh and yes forgot to say about my wages £5 a week and no chicken for xmas untill I was 21

am from dreary old stanley mate like you say a cant find work anywere got a couple of positives but theyll prob take the  (french word) like the last (french word) a worked for n theres no point going self employed if there aint no work wat to do ::)