Thread: Are our tradies getting paid too much

I'm a dual trade refrigeration air conditioning mechanic / electrician with 30 years of experience in large industrial work / management / training. When I moved to SE QLD one of the companies I applied for a job wanted me to do a complete referb on his factory, both refrigeration and electrical; when we started to negotiate wages he said he had someone who would do the work for $27-00 an hour I told him to hire him straight away got up and walked out.

Dual trade = 8 years of study / apprenticeship for $27-00 an hour I dont think so.

Also we have a dual economy happening now the mines / oil and gas pay big $$ but if you want to work in town it's between $30 and $40. I was earning over 2k per week in town and gee that sounds great but I was getting up at 4.30am to start work at 5.30 and getting home at 6.30pm. Not conducive to a harmonious family life

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Livable houses in a reasonable suburb not full of ferals or public housing would start from not less than $400,000. Lower prices than that would need renovation, or be in a less salubrious suburb, or some distance from the CBD.

Better class inner suburbs, in the current depressed market, are still starting from $600,000 and going up to millions according to location. Three houses in my street have been listed for sale in the last couple of years over $2,000,000. Only one sold and it was reduced to $1,600,000. The others are still sitting on theirs and waiting for the next upsurge. They don't need to sell and are awaiting capital gains.

That would make a house repayment of say $7-800/week for 30 years, that's a big chunk! Then add rates, what are they up your way? Same for insurance, vehicle reg? Dear in qld!What would you deem a fair wage these days for a decent tradesman?

We can soon spend that wage on just living with a sole income and some kidlets

Originally Posted by blitz

.

Also we have a dual economy happening now the mines / oil and gas pay big $$ but if you want to work in town it's between $30 and $40. I was earning over 2k per week in town and gee that sounds great but I was getting up at 4.30am to start work at 5.30 and getting home at 6.30pm. Not conducive to a harmonious family life

Yes, but to work FIFO and earn 2k a week you need to be away from home for 1-2 weeks at a time, it's all relevant, I turned down 3 times now a stint at the famous desalination plant as I want to be home every night, that's 3.5k clear a week, I make close to the same, but I sleep in my own bed at night, still the sacrifices are the same, you have to have less family time, I go days without seeing the children for any more than 10 minutes, but it's not a week

It's relatively simple I think, 2 choices, spend quality family time now and struggle more financially through life, sacrifice now and be financially comfortable, both have there downsides, I know which I've chosen, not that I honestly know it's the right thing to do

I listen to oldies, most whine they didn't do enough financially when younger, some regret not spending enough time with the kids, can't have your cake and eat it too

Today I hang with the kids but Cruisy day before going in tonight for 6 12hr night shifts

Originally Posted by rovercare

Yes, but to work FIFO and earn 2k a week you need to be away from home for 1-2 weeks at a time, it's all relevant, I turned down 3 times now a stint at the famous desalination plant as I want to be home every night, that's 3.5k clear a week, I make close to the same, but I sleep in my own bed at night, still the sacrifices are the same, you have to have less family time, I go days without seeing the children for any more than 10 minutes, but it's not a week

It's relatively simple I think, 2 choices, spend quality family time now and struggle more financially through life, sacrifice now and be financially comfortable, both have there downsides, I know which I've chosen, not that I honestly know it's the right thing to do

I listen to oldies, most whine they didn't do enough financially when younger, some regret not spending enough time with the kids, can't have your cake and eat it too

Today I hang with the kids but Cruisy day before going in tonight for 6 12hr night shifts

It's a bloody hard call hey, earn the big bucks to get in front and miss seeing your kids grow up properly or slug it out on 'normal ' wages.

for a life style choice I chose to drop about $700-00 per week net to be home better hours and keep the relationship

Originally Posted by rovercare

That would make a house repayment of say $7-800/week for 30 years, that's a big chunk! Then add rates, what are they up your way? Same for insurance, vehicle reg? Dear in qld!What would you deem a fair wage these days for a decent tradesman?

We can soon spend that wage on just living with a sole income and some kidlets

If you buy a house on no or 5% deposit as many have been able to in recent years, then you are in trouble from day one. Many people who bought before the collapse of the real estate boom in 2008 now owe more than their house is worth.

I had to have 40% deposit in 1975. The minimum that bank would then accept as a deposit on a residential loan was 25%. Most others were the same. The bank would not take my wife's earnings into account as "she might get pregnant and stop working". Only my base salary was taken into the calculation for the maximum loan My commission, company car, 100% reimbursed home 'phone, fuel card, etc were not. We still paid it off in eight years.

or just buy in the country, we just picked up 25acres with small two bedroom house for $210,000 40 mins away from crescent head on NSW's mid north coast, we only had to borrow $70k of that so our loan repayments per month are the same as 1 week of rent here in sydney on our concrete slab and power point (caravan site) ($210 / week)

cant wait to move up

If you want bad rates, chefs apprentice rates (given that majority of the work is nights) is less than $10/hour. Once qualified you're still less than $20/hour.

Given that at 35 is declared medically unfit for my trade, but wasn't due to any form of workplace incident I'm now on the scrapheap. No one wants an approaching 40yo apprentice, despite the fact that I'd probably be more reliable than a 17yo. And these apparently "unskilled" jobs available to anyone who wants it working in the mines etc. I've looked into it and unless anyone can point me in a better direction, the minute you look at an application they all want to know what you're qualified to do, where & what you can work on, the more simple jobs for driving trucks etc still don't want anyone (understandable I think) that hasn't been driving 10+ years.

No one wants an approaching 40yo apprentice, despite the fact that I'd probably be more reliable than a 17yo.

sadly very true, its crap. there needs to be changes to make it even to hire an 'oldie' like if you hire some young guy you have to pay extra for training or something to balance it out and make the playing field even against older people who cost more to pay...