Working hours

[akist]

My next door neighbour is building a new house and has employed a "luxury homes" company to do the works. This company and other similar companies building prestigious houses around here, all work from 8am to well past 4pm, next door they were working fully until 6pm. And no breaks, except lunch, I mean the machines are on all the time.

However, anywhere else I look, all other smaller builders (ie 500K projects rather than 5ml) , and there are dozens building around here, at 3:30 they have usually left, Fridays it is earlier still, like 2pm. And with lots and lots of breaks, people milling, smoking, on the phone, wandering around the site etc.

I wonder about this, as I am getting trades in, say I agree to a daily rate, and expect them to work their share but it is impossible, they may turn up at 9 (sometimes, go buy sandwiches (all of them) at 9:30-10, long break at 12, lots of milling around (one person works the other two are looking) and at 3pm they have already collected their tools and are in their vans and on the way out! Even when we agree a price for the job they do the same, usually leave to go to the second job at 2pm.

I wonder if this is the same everywhere in England.

 

[Mottie]

Shouldnt matter what hours they do if they’re on a price. Bit different if they are on a day rate.

 

[transam]

Hence why We always prefer to work on a price

other wise you can end up having to deal with whinging customers

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

My next door neighbour is building a new house and has employed a "luxury homes" company to do the works. This company and other similar companies building prestigious houses around here, all work from 8am to well past 4pm, next door they were working fully until 6pm. And no breaks, except lunch, I mean the machines are on all the time[./QUOTE]

Probably Polish.

 

[KenGMac]

Another thing to consider?
High value build.
End user, the owner will have appointed a "project manager" who will be on site at all times, acting as progress pusher, problem fixer, Etc.
The "Main Contractor" will have a dedicated full time on site manager who will be liaising with the client project manager.

So you may have two non-working professionals directly overseeing the work force.

Result, the workforce has no where to hide, so has to keep on grafting

Ken.

 

[Notch7]

I wonder if this is the same everywhere in England.

No it isn't.

I'm working on big house build - client is employing all trades on a day rate.

Today there was 5 of us doing battening for cladding, on site by 7.45 finish gone 4.00 pretty much non stop all day. There are also brickies on site doing the same.

I've also been fitting windows for a house extension - the builder and his labourers seem to get to site around 830ish but seem to be around till getting on for 5.

 

[fillyboy]

I'm working on big house build - client is employing all trades on a day rate.

Today there was 5 of us doing battening for cladding, on site by 7.45 finish gone 4.00 pretty much non stop all day.

How on earth do you find the time to post on here all day?

 

[Notch7]

How on earth do you find the time to post on here all day?

Multitasking

 

[Dangee]

Akist. No proper tradesman are going to turn up at 9 & then have a break 30 minutes later unless you are paying them peanuts. In summer, if it’s an empty property & I’m not bothering neighbours I’ll start at around 6.30/7am. I’ll stop for 15 minutes around midday & start tidying up around 5pm. If I’ve got boiler breakdowns or emergency’s to do on the way home, I might pAck up around2pm.
The morning is the most productive period. 9am starts, all motivation is gone.
Who goes to work on site to walk around eating? Certainly not anyone you would want to employ.

 

[conny]

Multitasking

Man multi-tasking - Definition; Skiving.

 

[Bodd]

Multitasking

Only women can multitask..... you are exposed....

 

[Bodd]

Akist. No proper tradesman are going to turn up at 9 & then have a break 30 minutes later unless you are paying them peanuts. In summer, if it’s an empty property & I’m not bothering neighbours I’ll start at around 6.30/7am. I’ll stop for 15 minutes around midday & start tidying up around 5pm. If I’ve got boiler breakdowns or emergency’s to do on the way home, I might pAck up around2pm.
The morning is the most productive period. 9am starts, all motivation is gone.
Who goes to work on site to walk around eating? Certainly not anyone you would want to employ.

Your my sort of man....and your right
Anyone who gives a shįt about his trade doesn't stand around talking and scoffing.
But many do.....

Mornings are so productive . Advice to the OP is do your homework on any trades you employ as there are some shisters out there who are neither skilled or someone who you would want in your home.

 

[crystal ball]

Akist. No proper tradesman are going to turn up at 9 & then have a break 30 minutes later unless you are paying them peanuts. In summer, if it’s an empty property & I’m not bothering neighbours I’ll start at around 6.30/7am. I’ll stop for 15 minutes around midday & start tidying up around 5pm. If I’ve got boiler breakdowns or emergency’s to do on the way home, I might pAck up around2pm.
The morning is the most productive period. 9am starts, all motivation is gone.
Who goes to work on site to walk around eating? Certainly not anyone you would want to employ.

It depends on your lifestyle , I agree mornings are the most productive, but I am rarely on the job before 9 - 9 30 as I go for a bike ride first thing, and usually am away by 15 00, but often work out of hours at schools until 19 00 unless its a tennis night, everyones different, just lately I am taking Mondays off as Mrs CB is also off

 

[Bodd]

It depends on your lifestyle , I agree mornings are the most productive, but I am rarely on the job before 9 - 9 30 as I go for a bike ride first thing

That's looking after your mental and physical health... all very productive

 

[Notch7]

Akist. No proper tradesman are going to turn up at 9 & then have a break 30 minutes later unless you are paying them peanuts. In summer, if it’s an empty property & I’m not bothering neighbours I’ll start at around 6.30/7am. I’ll stop for 15 minutes around midday & start tidying up around 5pm. If I’ve got boiler breakdowns or emergency’s to do on the way home, I might pAck up around2pm.
The morning is the most productive period. 9am starts, all motivation is gone.
Who goes to work on site to walk around eating? Certainly not anyone you would want to employ.

The time just disappears in the afternoon.

I think the hours get shorter during the day - by 3pm an hour is really only half an hour.