kipper2

I'm able to help you with carpentry work.Check your msg,s

If you want any info on subcontract domestic side in Melbourne I can help you with that. I'm on the tools and 24 years in Oz.

I know you mean well and I'm not having a go at you but your info is incorrect mate. I am a sub-contract carpenter and they are not in short supply. I am fortunate in that I'm very experienced, have good contacts and have plenty of work. But the industry has dramatically slowed up.I have had 3 mates this week alone asking me if I can fix them up.That was 2 chippies and a bricklayer. A friend of mine who is a contract manager with a high volume builder laid off 10 supervisors a couple of months ago.There is work if your in the know but there is no longer a shortage of tradesmen.There hasn't been for a long time.Not in the West anyway.The rates have been consistently cut over the last several years.Last Wednesday we had a meeting at the office and I was told that the brickie rate was being dropped to 80c a brick as of Monday.A fix for a carpenter is worth 5 to 6 dollars a metre.I was getting $8.50 ten years ago.There is a whole load of **** going down at the minute because of a massive influx of new labour from overseas undercutting the locals.If you think the quality is bad now just wait and see. I know you do the owner builder thing but you're not out there on the tools and as such you're not giving qualified information. I realise I've made an assumption in saying you are not on the tools or a tradesman.If I'm wrong I apologise but if you are you're working in a very different industry to me. Re: bad tradesmen.I know they're out there.I spend most of my time fixing the cock ups but there are plenty of good one's too. I tend to be a bit overprotective to chippies because I went through the experience of being told by a relative who isn't in the industry 'come over here there's loads of work' This was pre internet. It was 1989 and there was no work at all.I ended up labouring in a factory with 2 chippies,a plumber,a welder and a fireman.All poms.I didn't get back on the tools for about 7 years and I had to move from Perth to Melbourne to do it.That said. I'm off to price a job. I'm not having a go at you Buzzy. Cheers.

Re: opera in the pubs.Years ago I had a ska band in Perth and between covers I would burst into an aria for a bit of fun.The crowd used to love it.I was with the WA Opera at the time.I haven't performed any opera for about 3 years now.I find it all consuming doing opera and I had a house to build.The last time was a concert at Hamer Hall in the chorus with the Vic Opera. It's encouraging to see you're all enjoying it.

Good one!I'm not going to bite:biggrin:

Hey! did you ever frequent the Cats Whiskers ?

Re: your comment ' labourers etc are seen as disposable ' I was on a site that went **** up and at the end of a long dispute we all had lost our jobs.The labourers were well looked after by the union.Some were kept on the site'doing god knows what'and the others were redeployed to other sites.The rational was that having a trade meant we would find employment easier than the labourers. They were a priority and needed to be looked after.Different mindset out here and they're considered far from disposable.I lost a lot of money on that job and found it a bit of a kick in the teeth at the time.

You've taken that completely the wrong way. Some of the questions you asked seemed very basic and that was a bit of a concern.lets be fair you would want some reassurance when dealing with a complete stranger wouldn't you.Especially when I'm lining a job up for you. So if my construction manager asks what your experience is are you going to react in the same manner and call him cocky?I had a job lined up for you and you send me a nasty private msg.I don't get it.You say that you will look after yourself.Good luck with that.Sorry I didn't get back sooner but I was WORKING !!!....On a Sunday!!!

Well there's no written time frame as such.It's usually a case of the supervisor saying 'when are you going to be finished because the plasters want to get in' Or the painters.Forget about slabs,it's nothing to do with carpentry. Can you just clarify for me that you are an apprenticed served carpenter / joiner.

Lock up and fix has nothing to do with slab/footings.What kind of work have you been doing in Oz? This is sub contract price work. Working solo(unless you what to bring a mate) In the western subs

No can do.Private msg thingo doesn't show up on his name.

Buster are you out there!!! Spoke to construction manager today.If you can get your ass over here in 7 to 10 days there is lock up and fix available.If your're interested let me know.

No probs..pm away

Where are you coming from Mollie?What is like where you live now?I think this may have a bearing on places you are considering to settle. In England I'm from council estates and dark satanic factories,so Altona seems quite good to me. I lived in Altona Meadows for about 7 years then we moved on.It's relatively cheap and has everything you need in the way of facilities.Hey it's even got a pier:wink:.One man's 'sh!t hole' may be your paradise. You can pm me with any specific Qs if you like.

Yes I'm a subby.I did lock up and fix for years but now doing maintenance.Least it's meant to be but I get all the tricky jobs which suits me just fine.Next week I have to rip a stud wall out and rebuild because cavity slider was fitted the wrong way round.So carpentry/plaster/paint.Makes it a bit more interesting.Have you tried the people who build the Sea Cat ferry.My mate used to work there when he didn't have any carpentry work on.

Melbourne has slowed down for sure but in saying that I'm working on average 10 hours a day. Lately I've been doing 12 to catch up on a backlog. I've been here a long time,so I'm established.My personal circumstance was that in the 7 years I was in Perth I never got the chance to work on the tools.Building slump and interest rates at 18% didn't help.I moved to Melbourne and haven't stopped since. Now in fairness I wouldn't have a clue what it's like there now as I left 18 years ago.When I was there all the houses were double brick ( no framing required )Some houses were hard plaster to the floor ( no skirting) All the door jambs were steel and built in by the brickies( prehung door to pop on) The only carpentry was the hand cut roof( no trusses ) the locals are real good at that.When was the last time you pitched a roof by hand? So as you can see there isn't much work for a 1st and 2nd fixer. I have an idea there is plenty of shuttering going on;that seems to ring a bell. You need to speak to someone over there but make sure they are on the ground walking the walk. It's all timber frame over in Vic,you have got to stand more of a chance here. Best of luck with it.

Why don't just get on the ferry and come over to Melbourne.I'd be giving that a go before dragging yourself over Perth.

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/western-australia/178100-carpenters-life-perth.html Here is a thread from a few weeks ago.Hope the link works.Not to sure how to do the linky thing.

Hi Benny.Can you just clarify something for me.Are you saying that there is plenty of work for a framing carpenter?Reason I ask, when I was there many years ago all the the houses were double brick and the the only timber work involved was the hand cut roof.That was one of the reasons I left Perth and moved to Melbourne.It's all timber frame here.Has it changed in Perth now? Good news for you if it has.

If you want to do some swatting up before you get here try this. http://www.bluescopesteel.com.au/files/dmfile/RoofingWallingInstallationManualMarch2012.pdf best of luck

As you said Altona Meadows is a good entry level and that's exactly what we did.Living there enabled us to save and eventually make the move to Williamstown.Don't let anyone put you off,you have to start somewhere.Good luck.

We left altona meadows about 6 years ago having lived there for 10 years.The only reason we moved on was because there are no decent high schools .If high schools aren't a priority then go for it.We were perfectly happy there.

Your mates are talking rubbish.I lived down that way for years and never got a whiff of anything.Altona can be a bit on the nose at times.

on my last bill the daily average was $ 1.60 That's for hot water cooking and a fire

Haven't you got a conveyancer dealing with the financials ?