Thread: Are our tradies getting paid too much

Im a tradie and My rate is charged out at $100 more Per hour than I receive.

And I drive an l322. Unfortunately I can't use it for my service vehicle.

Originally Posted by Siska

I'm a Brickie and a few mates and I were talking about this the other day at work. It's funny how peoples perceptions of Brickies are skewed. And I'd hazard a guess and say other trades are similar.

In the residential sector brick laying rates have not gone up in 12 years! Where as all the expenses associated with laying bricks have increased by quite a bit. How many here would be kicking and screaming if their rates had not increased in 12 years? I'm not saying that you can't make money or a decent living being a tradie, but it's not as lucrative as it looks.

A mate of mine is a brickie, worked hard all his life, [in his 60's] his back is stuffed, but he keeps working because he has to. I've never seen a harder man, he asks for nothing, just keeps putting in.He doesn't have a pension for life like politicians, didn't get into super until late in life, looks like he has to rely on the old age pension in the future. I don't begrudge him any extras he might be able to organise. Bob

nono no

$100/hr less 10% gst, 25% for annual/family/sick leave, income protection, insurances, licensing, vehicle, fuel, consumables, administration, taxation, accounting, unpaid hours for all of the above, clothing, laundering, ppe, tools both of the trade and specialty then you gotta allow for **** ups, downtime! All of a sudden your just making a reasonable wage

Even at my $40/hr cash for car work, there is still power, consumables, oxy acet argon argosheild rent, grinding materials, paint, shedding, shelving, maintenance

I do reasonably well working 3 jobs, 12hr shift, electrical/solar and cars, but you gotta be willing to put in and at around 80-100hrs a week, it's not easy money

Things you have to do to pay a house off, renovate, kids! 3 lots of braces, education, recreation, pets, can't do that on $30/hr 38hours a week

Know that feeling, our situation has gotten bad enough that I have had to start taking the cash cost of a carton for my carton jobs....

I have two good friends of many years who are partners in a long established engineering business, machine shop and substantial welding and fabrication works. both served their apprenticeships there and bought it from the second generation owner when he retired.

They are currently paying metal tradesmen a base rate of almost $40 per hour. The shop works minimum two nights x three hours and five hours overtime Saturdays. If workers go down to the port or out to a mine they are paid the site rate.

So their tradesmen are grossing $2,200 per week plus allowances.

Sounds damn good to me.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

Know that feeling, our situation has gotten bad enough that I have had to start taking the cash cost of a carton for my carton jobs....

I still accept beer or bourbon in payment

I also have a few regulars, one up the road with 3 old crapper Macks which constantly need stuff done, an old furkishawa loader, an new loader, he has a quarry, so he gets barter(was there today, truck 2 with faulty low coolant alarm, bad indicator earth on front clip, truck 1 radio no go, loader scales not working), dude across the road has an abundance of power industry surplus, and diggers, tractors, JCB, so he gets barter aswell, plus if I ever get quite enough, one will have me drive his Mack's, the other would have me work on the farm, always something to do on a farm that milks just over 600 head

But, I don't want to be 40-50 and still paying for my primary residence

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

I have two good friends of many years who are partners in a long established engineering business, machine shop and substantial welding and fabrication works. both served their apprenticeships there and bought it from the second generation owner when he retired.

They are currently paying metal tradesmen a base rate of almost $40 per hour. The shop works minimum two nights x three hours and five hours overtime Saturdays. If workers go down to the port or out to a mine they are paid the site rate.

So their tradesmen are grossing $2,200 per week plus allowances.

Sounds damn good to me.

Get good people and its worth every bit, so at 2200 the take home $1300ish and work 6 days, how much are their house repayments? bills? food? its not really alot of money these days