Ok so I’ve worked as a painter and decorator for 14 years I’m fully qualified have a CSCS card And have worked on all sorts of building sites over the years. I live in the south east of England. I’m a young 31 year old healthy and hard working willing to learn and even Take orders from some one younger than me.
The reason I want to quit painting and decorating is the money has not gone up in over 10 years in fact I was earning more money ten years ago. I see decorating jobs advertised for £12 an hour next to skilled laboring jobs at £12.50 per hour. Even though you wouldn’t get a Labourer to wall paper that wall or line that ceiling skim that wall ect..
I’ve always wanted to do brick laying but just kinda fell into painting and decorating. I don’t mind working for less than minimum wage as the wife is now in fu time employment.
But do you think any body would take me on ? Would I be laughed at for being to old ? What are your thoughts? Ive still got another 36 years until I retire.

brick work is hard on the body and winter work is very hard especially when your 50-60ft up scaffold freezing ya bits off with a -2ºc wind chill , I had a friend who did it for 10 years, he now has joint problems and a shot back

If your any good at p&d work you will get work no issue, sadly certain trades are done by our eastern European friends for a lower wage

I have to agree. Brickies have a hard time of it in winter working out in all weathers - and when it freezes that often calls a complete halt to it (so you may or may not get paid standing time, dependant on the gaffer). I know what you are saying about the prices labourers are commanding in some areas. Have you considered instead trying to generate private work or moving into a more specialised part of the trade (such as shop fitting work which generally pays better - or at least it used to)?

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"The person who never made a mistake, never made anything" - Albert Einstein

"I too will something make, And joy in the making" - Robert Bridges, 1844~1930

"Success is 99% failure" - Soichiro Honda

I've moved enough blocks around to know it's damned hard work.
Harder than I like if I'm honest!
Anything building or making is, but brickies are of necessity a tough breed.

I know a retired brickie, his back is shot from the bending. It pays well but it is hard graft. I am sure you can develop a good P&D private business you only need a few jobs to get recommendations.

DWD

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Painting with BIN

How big are your hands? If you can't pick up a 100mm concrete block one handed don't bother.

I did not respond to you at the P&D thread as I had nothing (rather 1 thing only) to contribute. Why don't you consider trades that would be complementary to your existing skills, e.g. plastering? Often enough decorators will mention getting a plasterer in to skim coat surfaces. Just mentioning things of my rear end, plasterboarding, taping and similar?

The thing I did not mention at the other thread was/is the £12-15 per hour wages you were talking about, were they for being self-employed (just double checking)? That would indeed be shite.

By the way, I have not been involved in any trade, I am just a DIYer.