Tired of trying to explain how to build to the architect on a high end housing job we are on. Been in building since leaving school and your are right about highs and lows. From the lows during the miners strike to the highs of the 2000 on building boom. Back to the lows of the 2007/8 financial crash. 100 men on the books one minute 20 the next day. Its been really good and really bad but we are still going so
I started out mixed up and have been that way ever since! .... While at Central School of Art I did Physics A level in the evenings as I'd been offered a place at Bart's Med School ... Dropped a couple of grades thanks to glandular fever (I know I know) had a chance to re-think and decided to work freelance as a carpenter (bespoke fitted stuff mainly) and photographer (actors profiles etc) then did an English degree (I could tell you where, but then I'd have to kill you) before continuing on to this Osteopathy mullarky ... mainly for treating babies and kids with "Cerebral Palsey" and various other birth-induced developmental problems. Had a burn out in the mid noughties and concentrated on saving money rather than earning it by doing an eco selfbuild. Still not finished but these things take time with just the one pair of hands! Enjoyed every minute of it so far, but beginning to want to get back to the art, as I now know what I want to do with it, which is big scale moving sculptures using "waste". A few patients won't let me retire so I'll probably trickle along with two strands until I finally drop!
.... because I thought long and hard about Architecture, but bottled it when I learned 1) it would be a seven year haul 2) I'da almost definitely have to work for someone else for a fair old while 3) lots of Architects still struggle to find the work ... and furniture design was in the mix for me as well ... Thereby hangs another tale ... so as I say, and DO THE WOOD AND TOOLS THING! Get down to Goldfinger the Architect's house (National Trust, 1930's, Hampstead) ... The bond villain was named after him btw!
I did the 7 years part time! worked for an architects after leaving school had 1 year off when my dad broke his arm and had to run his building firm. still working and trying to get out of architecture, have worked on the gerkin, gla building and a few other big projects mostly as a lacky...
Worked out recently that I've had about 40 jobs in my life! A highlight has to be when I worked for Sir Clive Sinclair as his right hand man for a year. When he called me at home to ask if I'd like to be his General Manager, my reply was "F#@k off Dezzy" as I thought it was a prank call from a mate. Despite his public persona, Clive fortunately has a sense of humour.
Unfortunately not - worth a few grand now. I was after the C5 - an even worse product, the Zike electric bike
I hope through the anonymity of Avatars you’re not actually referring to me by coincidence!! I’m a nuts and bolts designer, I want to know how it works as I’m drawing it and firmly believe that I won’t get the desired result if I can’t draw it properly first. I always take the time to talk to contractors and subbies as well and have done a little site management... everyone knows something you don’t. Also, when I don’t know my way around a problem, the lads on site will work work better with me to resolve a problem if I don’t walk onto site all big kahunas! The biggest downfall for architects in the modern construction industry (in my opinion) is low fees, lack of time and design and build contracting... it makes the architects role very superficial and the younger architects don’t get enough experience seeing jobs built on site. If it were viable I’d suggest that all young architects do a year on site doing a mix of manual and management bits... I could go on, but dinners ready!!
Your Portsmouth I'm Barnsley so I doubt it The guy I'm talking about puts internal measures on the outside of the building and when you add some measures together they don't match the overall Edit : forgot a major one, velux windows if fitted to the roof drawing landing over internal wall, good job we checked internal layouts
I hate my job, I took a couple to Tunbridge Wells during the night( £28), the fella said he would have to get my money from their flat when we got there, This happens a lot and they seemed a nice couple, you guessed it they didn’t come back with my money
I’m lucky to do what I do, I can’t imagine working for anyone else. Biggest downside is it rules my life. I never get a minutes peace. My business roughly breaks down as 10% install, 40% breakdowns 25% oil service, 25% gas service. Unfortunately that means that most of the 40% breakdowns happen between Oct and May, which makes winter chaos and summer can then be a struggle. I wish it would even out a bit more. Phone calls is my worst problem. My mobile can hold 40 voicemails, I had to clear it twice last week due to it being full. If I actually answered my phone I genuinely wouldn’t get any jobs done some days. Drives me crackers, having to juggle voicemails, texts, email and WhatsApp all whilst either trying to work or in between jobs or in the evening. I can’t remember a day where I didn’t do something work related. Even if it’s just a couple of invoices on a Sunday. Saturday is just a normal working day. Sometimes I wish i just did site work. Chuck in boilers and finish at the same time every day and no weekends.
