£220 for a 10 week DIY plastering course???

[diykat]

Hi

How much would you say is reasonable for a DIY plastering course?

The course is a 3 hour session one evening each week for 10 weeks at the local tech.

They said the fee is £220 which I'm thinking is a bit of a rip off - its only DIY standard and there is no qualification for it.

I've thought about trying to teach myself but would rather go and do a course and actually be taught.

Thanks

Kat

 

[joe-90]

What's DIY standard? Either it's smooth or it's not.

 

[Thermo]

yeah i suppose £7.33 an hour is a real rip off, especially as you are using all their tools and materials, and the guys time. What a cheek

 

[diykat]

i've compared it with other adult learning courses and they are no where near as expensive, and its only a diy course, not professional one. i think i'm also worried about losing my money as i know the college is rubbish with poor management n the staff are unhappy and tend not to care. im also not sure if i'll reach a good enough standard to do my own plastering to a good enough standard, therefore, not sure if its a good investment or not.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

£220 is a cheap plasterer for a day, if you can gain enough practice to basically plaster a room yourself it doesn't seem such a bad deal!

 

[diy_darren]

You've such a low opinion of everything involved in this course from the tutors to the value for money I would forget about it now. Trying to find a course run by a college and tutors you have some faith in is a start.

Although, like many others, I don't think £220 is an unreasonable price for 30 hours tuition using their tools and materials on their premises.

 

[Richard C]

The cost is not unreasonable considering (presumably!) you get the benefit to practice with a professional supervising & telling you where you’re going wrong as you screw it up!

Many years ago, both the local Tech. colledge & schools ran subsidised evening courses on practically anything you care to think of. You could enrol for the price of a few cases of beer, go along & learn all you wanted; some courses were even a cheap way for DIY’ing your own project work – but obviously not plastering! Sadly, such courses no longer seem to be subsidised by our government & must, therefore, not only be self financing but also return a profit! This is probably one of the reasons why the UK is now so short of ‘native’ tradesmen - or should that be tradespersons?

 

[bikerboy]

I took a plastering course at my local college it cost me £150 for 4 nights (4 hour sessions) have used it quite a lot since didn't have a clue before but have to say it has paid off, saved a packet and have got to quite a good level now.

 

[diykat]

hmm its just doesnt seem that expensive anymore - think i was just comparing it to wrong things.

thanks for all comments... think i might go for it

 

[Damagedclydie]

I paid £299 for an intensive weekend course and nearly died at how easy it was when you are shown properly!

Previously, I had done my entire livingroom and made a complete balls of it (it was so bad I was reduced to 'smoothing' the plaster with my bare hands! Haha!)!

Anyway, why spend weeks when you can pick it up in two days?

And I found the real secret is in the trowel. My Marshalltown preworn is a gift from the Gods!