Bricklayer

Can anyone recommend a handyman/ bricklayer to rebuild a drive pillar. I need to widen my drive by the width of the existing pillar It would mean demolishing then rebuilding the pillar It's only about 3ft high by 1 and half bricks width Thanks

You might find one on Wigan Councils good trader scheme

Hi Bill I contacted them a couple of years ago. I wanted a new radiator and two rads replaced. I sent the details to three Heating Engineers recommended by them.. Not one replied...

Ron I've emailed you a tradesman,

mortarmillbill

The good trader scheme is not as good as some think it is with many of the tradesmen being ignorant by not getting back to you as was the case with us on the two occasions we wanted quotations to re-new both our bathroom and Kitchen.

Far better to get someone recomended to you by someone who has good work done for them as was the case with us after contacting family and friends which we should have done in the first case!

Link for Ron!

Only problem course is 1 year I could do with a 4 hour duration course

If it were me I would be tempted to have a go at that job meself

I'll demolish it first, to give me that extra foot of room, Then decide how to proceed.. I might just cement the end of the existing garden wall as I've seen on some walls

Give me an update ...... did Tomplum's tradesman turn up? Where do you live? (postcode'll do.)
If you're not a million miles away, I can give you a number to ring, it's a lad who's done a lot of brickwork for me in the past. He does work, every day, on sites. I think they're in Westhoughton at the minute, but he might (Might.) do a couple of hours after work.
Problem is, when it's sunny, they're getting houses built. If it's a bit rainy, he'll do other jobs.
It won't be for nowt though.
Don't forget, whoever does it has to bring the stuff to do the job, mixer etc., the cand and cement and bricks (to re-use the existing bricks will cost more, as cleaning them up can be time-consuming) and a footing might have to go down first.
Like I said, let me know where the job is and I'll give you his number.

How many so called 'tradesmen' are really qualified these days? How many have had 4+ years of study and experience to get their City and Guilds? These days anyone can take a short course and call themselves a bricklayer, plumber, electrician, plasterer, tiler, roofer, engineer, etc...
It's bloody difficult to find a competent 'trades person' these days. I have had people recommended but find myself having to correct their work afterwards. This is refixing kitchen cupboards, rearranging electric wires on the consumer unit, filling and sanding plasterwork, seeing to leaks on radiators, etc, etc...
Getting a good plasterer these days is as rare as hens teeth!!!

"How many so called 'tradesmen' are really qualified these days? How many have had 4+ years of study and experience to get their City and Guilds?"

For a bricklayer, it's unnecessary. Many have "had 4+ years of study and got their City and Guilds" and still can't lay bricks straight.
It's like "corgi / gas-safe registered". It means nothing other than they pay the annual membership fee!

Tonker, I gave ron the name of a tradesman who, is a joiner by trade, he's time served and well experienced , He's done work for me, took chimneys down, rebuilt walls, plastered and shit loads of stuff and he's a genuine bloke and doesn't rip people off but, He must be busy because, he didn't want the job,, His type are hard to find and a dying breed and, not too hungry so, they pick n choose

The City and Guilds of London Institute are an examination body, they set standards for qualifications in vocational skills.
it's not an organisation that you can pay a fee to join.
But there are different levels of qualifications, a certificate, or diploma can be gained by attending a college course without working on site. A City & Guilds N.V.Q. qualification needs attendance at a college, plus practical on site assessments, and a portfolio of practical work before a qualification can be achieved.

Yes, tuddy, like I said earlier, "totally unnecessary for bricklaying", plastering etc...
Gas Fitters, Electricians, Glaziers and Window Fitters need to pay for "self-certification".

Admin

A question though and that is "why do you need to widen your drive" ?

Tommy tee, try to keep up at the back, Ron's getting a Battery car and he'll need to tip it up to change the batteries

TTS a lot of houses have narrow entrances to the drive way same with garages. Most modern cars are a lot wider than they were years ago and unless you live in a new built you could struggle to get past the gate posts onto your drive . Just look at the MINI from when it was 1st made to the modern version has an example

TTS I drive onto my drive coming from an angle I've scrapped the wheel arches a couple of times on my Toyota My "new" car is a bit wider so I would need to maneuvre it on the road, so I drive onto my drive in a straight line. If I cant get sorted? me and my son in law will demolish the pillar and sort it from there .