Is Australia in a Recession!!!

[Chippy76]

In our group of 8 close family friends, 5 of us are Tradesman working in Mining and 3 are in Brisbane working in Retail and Cabnit making. There is a massive difference between incomes with us blokes who work in mining and those who are working back here in Brisbane ($100,000 more).

Ask my 3 mates working back in Brisbane, struggling week to week if Australia is heading towards a rescission, and I bet they'll answer yes.

My wife and I aren't millionares but are comfortable financially, but are still to scared to spend too much money on any luxuries, and would much prefer to take advantage of the low interest rates and pay the mortgage off asap, and save as much as we can while we can. Just in case.
 

And good on you for getting off your arse and making the mining boom work for you mate!
My only question is ... how will you be able to afford to go back to a "normal" pay rate after you leave the mines? Or is this a long term thing ? It is a question I have struggled with for a while ....

Cheers Chippy

[Chippy76]

Chippy76, $45/hr? Wow, that is very low for being self employed. How does that compare to working for wages? I have worked out that I need to make almost $400/day otherwise I would be better off working for someone else as a sparky (including holiday pay/sick leave/super/van/uniform/phone etc)

I didnt quote $45 an hour ,,that was Hairs, but for the record Im currently charging $40 an hour anything more and people are baulking at the price. The local building companies are paying around $30 - 35 an hr ... if you can find the work.  I like the flexibilty of working for myself, however I dont like the stress of hoping I can make all my bill payments .....

Cheers Chippy

[Tassie devils]

Hi Nab
Just interested in what part of australia your in?

[Hairs]

All my tradie mates are flat out, haven't slowed down at all during the GFC. They are good tradesmen though, they do what they say they will when they say they will and have constant work up their sleeves.

Mate that's great. I guess it depends where you are tho.
It was Me that mentioned $45, not Chippy.
 

[Campa]

And good on you for getting off your arse and making the mining boom work for you mate!
My only question is ... how will you be able to afford to go back to a "normal" pay rate after you leave the mines? Or is this a long term thing ? It is a question I have struggled with for a while ....

Cheers Chippy

Hoping to pay mortgage off and be able to live on "normal" wages when we can. I tell you what, earning a higher wage in mining has its down side too Chippy.

Once that mortgage is paid off I'll enjoy working 5 days a week back in Brisbane and being there for my wife's, daughters and my own birthdays, Mothers day, fathers day, Christmas's,  school concerts, school fate's, Brisbane Ekka and cooking my own meals, seeing any football game we like not just ones that are on when I'm back home. Being able to choose what weekend we can go camping not just when I'm rostered off.  And alot less bloody child care $$$$$$$$$$ were paying $98 a day 5 days a week because my wife also has a job she enjoys too back at home.

At the end of the day im only 30 yrs old, but I cant do this for ever.  Missing out on way to much back home.

[cruisindub]

Bnk08i know what your going through. I love my 'previous ' job, but love my family more....

Anyway,
Is Australia in recession .......?'
My wife is a fine wine manager.and judging by what her customers take out the door, you woullnt think so.
$1500 bottles of wine to top top shelf spirits, that ft mixed with coke.
One sale of $3700 the other day and 5 bottles of wine. 1500,600,550,500,500. That's not a rarity.
$320 bottles or champagne that young guys are buying,as its fashionable.
Who knows.
Has the mining industry messed everyone up.

On another note, I live in a town of 40k-50k pax.
Your never more than 10 minutes away from anywhere here.

I can't get people round to quote for laying 120m2 concrete driveway. I live 2 houses off a dual carriage way road that is main through fair from one end of town to the other.
Not only the concreter (lay a simple concrete driveway) nor the renderer,(simply render the outside of my 70s era house,nor the Roofers(replace my old tile roof for a zinc roof, are) interested in coming to quote. But the carpet fryer to come and measure for the new flooringto replacement the 70s carpet could even arrive on the time agreed. No phone call,no late arrival,no nothing. Just never got back to me.
must have a job on right now to be in the position of not bothering quoting ;or even communications.
none of the jobs I can do myself,are timeconsuming to quote on, or more than 10mins away from any other job in town and yet there seems such torment to get any one serious.
no wonder our house renovation ie taking so long.

Is Australia in a recession,  you wouldn't think so.
Is Australia in denial.
most definitely.
When the bubble bursts,  we'll be no better than US or euro..........

[nab]

Sorry for the mix up guys, was a late night last night... I am in Perth, the mining "boom" probably helps me out a bit.

I have noticed the amount of job ads(for sparkys) in Saturday's paper has decreased a bit in the last couple of months. It seems a bit mixed up over here, my supplier tells me that about half the guys are flat out and the other half are a bit quiet. All depends who you work for too, seems the new house guys are the quiet ones at the moment.

[Sixtys Guy]

I think it is fair (or obvious) to say that Tasmania is in a recession. Like on the Federal stage, we have a Labor/Green government in power. I cannot see how they can stay in power at the next election. I'm predicting a Qld like landslide, although I think it will be Labor that suffers, not the Greens. I think there is still 16% of the Tasmanian population that will vote Green no matter what. Since the last election the Premier and Treasurer have both quit.....

I have been in the trades as this is the worst by far that I have seen it in 12 years. Work has just dried up, nobody seems to be wanting to spend their money. Most tradesmen that I know don't have much work on at the moment, if at all. The government (through the Building Training Board) is offering incentives for employers to employ out of work apprentices. There is a lot of negativity at the moment and our government seem reluctant to do too much about it. The forest industry is dying, new mining ventures are strongly objected to and our local Greens member is suggesting that out of work forestry workers get jobs working in industries such as Blueberry farms...... It really is a worrying time.

[rotare]

The forest industry is dying, new mining ventures are strongly objected to and our local Greens member is suggesting that out of work forestry workers get jobs working in industries such as Blueberry farms...... It really is a worrying time.

Don't worry mate, if it's any thing like the marine park debacle, all those people out of work will have plenty of opportunities for employment at $17/hr as tour guides - cause apparently we will be over-run with tourists wanting to see the thousands of square kms of ocean converted to marine parks, and also our vast network of untouched areas on land that have also turned into national parks.....

It would be funny if it wasn't so true.

[GeeTee]

Ok lets look at it like this .....

" Im going to have a go at it myself".  It is as obvious as tthe proverbials dogs tenders, when someone rings up just to get ideas from a chippy on what they want to DIY next weekend ....
I have found that people dont understand the price of materials, or how long it takes to complete some projects (thanks reality tv ... )
Anyway enough of my rant ...

Cheers Chippy

Hah ha yeah - DIY TV shows have a LOT to answer for

[BigJules]

Isn't quoting for work a little like having your shop open so folks can browse to see if they want to purchase anything?

I understand where you guys are coming from; you can't quote the rats & mice work, it's not worth your time, unless you're not busy in which case it is the ideal opportunity to win work.

I still don't think we're in a recession, we're all just scared that one might be coming and so aren't spending.

[Hairs]

Isn't quoting for work a little like having your shop open so folks can browse to see if they want to purchase anything?
I still don't think we're in a recession, we're all just scared that one might be coming and so aren't spending.

Hi Julian,
Yeah you are right to a point, and I have worked in retail/Hardware where customers can tie you up for ages and walk out without purchasing a thing as well.
It just seems to be different when it comes to quoting building work.
I know some tradies that over price their quotes and don't care if they don't get the work.
I received a phone call from a HIA rep late today, we spoke about these very issues, he said that a lot of members talk about the time involved in quoting is very time consuming without reward. The paper work is growing.
We can all buy our materials for about the same price, so where we get under cut must be from those that aren't insuring themselves or cutting corners in other places.
We also spoke about the DIY programs on the telly, and how they give the perception that it takes no time at all to do the work or what is involved at times for doing the job.
I guess it is just another part of our industry that we have to deal with.
I believe you are also right about people not wanting to spend their cash.
A lot of people are wary of what might be around the corner.

 

[ozbogwam]

Just like the people who brag about going into clothing stores to try on clothes or get shoes fitted then use that info to purchase from OS.

[Fun Police]

I hate that.  Some of the guys at work do that. I refuse.

If a shop serves me faithfully then I will not turn around and stab them.

One day my kids will need jobs too.

[Pirate_Pete]

So how do you suggest the consumer gets this type of work done?

Nabs right.

I give them an approximate price after asking a few questions (2 storey, tile/tin roof etc). I make sure they know it is an approximation, not a quote. Everyone has been happy with that so far and my approximations haven't been too far off the mark! Only had a handful of jobs go pearshaped... I don't advertise though, all my work is through recommendation so maybe the people "trust" me to a certain degree?

But some people dont accept your word with approximations as they have no idea what the work involves. They seem happy to pay $100+ an hour for a mechanic where they dropp their car off but we have to drive to their place in a vehicle with $20,000 worth of stock just in case we need to do more than what they say on the phone & we are the rogues . . . . . .

[Tassie devils]

Nabs right.

But some people dont accept your word with approximations as they have no idea what the work involves. They seem happy to pay $100+ an hour for a mechanic where they dropp their car off but we have to drive to their place in a vehicle with $20,000 worth of stock just in case we need to do more than what they say on the phone & we are the rogues . . . . . .

hi pirate Pete hope this makes you feel better,been in Adelaide 3 months I have had an add running in 3 newspaper for carpentry work in that time i have had 2 calls one was a gutter repair on a rental property,when I went to quote the tenants said I was the fourth tradesman to quote for 10m of gutter. The second call was someone asking me did I have any work.
But hey on the bright side a friend of mine gave me 8 weeks of work renovating a heritage listed property @$40 per hour. I need $50 just to cover costs.


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[Eagle Outback]

yep I am a gyprock flusher new homes, I think building trade in adelaide at the moment is up the poo

[Eski]

I just lost my contract to Defence after 10.48 years.  Quite a few on base who had contracts to renew at the end of the financial year all got them cancelled as well.

All the contacts I have are all putting staff off so it doesn't look good in SA..

At least I have time to do some camper modifications...   

Kym
Julia Gillard Economic Refugee

[Bill]

Of course we are NOT in a recession.
If we were in a recession we could not afforded to give our Federal MPs two pay rises in the last 3 months...
Bill

[cruisindub]

Of course we are NOT in a recession.
If we were in a recession we could not afforded to give our Federal MPs two pay rises in the last 3 months...
Bill

Cost of living expenses going up mate. Things are tough for them. Everything's going up,of course they need a pay rise

[4runnernomore]

I just lost my contract to Defence after 10.48 years.  Quite a few on base who had contracts to renew at the end of the financial year all got them cancelled as well.

All the contacts I have are all putting staff off so it doesn't look good in SA..

At least I have time to do some camper modifications...   

Kym
Julia Gillard Economic Refugee

Hi Kym,

I am really sorry to hear that.

Any other prospects or taking a holiday for now?

I am still doing the same thing after all these years.

Are you still riding?
Cheers,  Chris ( Mongo)

[Symon]

By definition a recession is when you have two consecutive quarters of negative growth.  So by that definition Australia is not in a recession.

However people are much more careful with their dollars than they were 10 years ago, mostly due to the stupidity going on in Europe.

[Rumpig]

However people are much more careful with their dollars than they were 10 years ago, mostly due to the stupidity going on in GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTRY.

fixed it for you mate

[Symon]

Well, putting aside my thoughts on the current government, if you look at how things are overseas you have to admit right here is the place to be at the moment.

[Rumpig]

Well, putting aside my thoughts on the current government, if you look at how things are overseas you have to admit right here is the place to be at the moment.

yes things could definately be a lot worse then they are now, but imagine how much better the economy could be if these idiots weren't in charge of the books hey. actually i think that of most politicians, the wastage of public purse money staggers me at times.