Thread: Carpentry or Bricklaying for home renovating + builders license HELP

Forget the bricklaying, do the carpentry. If you look at all the managers, supervisors in the building industry, 99% of them come from a carpentry background. Carpenters get to interact with every other trade and have a much more adaptive mindset and problem solving mentality than any of the other trades.

Contact the HIA or Master Builders associations, they will be able to help you.

I agree with RW. Bricklaying will not give you the skills required to gain a Builders Licence.
Mature age apprenticeships are an option,but most find the pay too low to survive on. Depending on your education standard you may wish to consider doing a uni degree in building.

+1 for carpentry, the chippies on every job I've been involved in (either cabinetry or furniture) are effectively the site managers from the time the slab is set to final cleanup.

Thanks guys for taking the time out to reply, i really appreciate the advice

Edit

Thanks for the info woodpixel, the plan is to fill the rooms with quiet overseas asian girls since wollongong has the highest % of overseas chinese students in Australia.

One other question i have that i forgot to ask is; is there a big difference between HIA and Master builders Australia and which one would you suggest if the choice is between both of those as hosts. thanks !

I would be running the questions past both and compare the answers.
Over the years, I have taken on several mature age apprentices and have never regretted it. They may say different. All have gone on to run their own successful businesses.
With regard to your business model; The importance of insurance between you and your partner is critical. At 21 you may feel invincible, but should something happen to either of you, you will soon find out how vulnerable you have become in a very short length of time!
If your business model is so tight it doesnt allow you the luxury of proper structure, go do something else.

I started my carpentry apprenticeship at 24, qualified by 27 and now I wouldn't have it any other way.... Yes, the apprenticeship is difficult as you're not 17 living with mum and dad, and you will have real bills to pay, but people will consider giving you an apprenticeship because of your age.
Selling points -
You have a licence
You're not 18 so not really getting drunk every Thursday night after payday
You have a mortgage so clearly motivation to work extra hours
You already know how to work 8+ hours a day and not just outta school.

The first year will be very hard on the bank account, but carpentry is certainly the way to go as you're on-site full time, everyone comes to you for information and solutions so you pick up a lot more subtle ideas of other trades..

Good luck

HIA is better, they are primarily focused on housing, Master Builders tend to focus on commercial scale builders. I had a mature aged apprentice, great attitude, he now has his own very successful business.

Once again thanks for the very informative replies guys ! What are all the insurances that you would reccomend i should be taking out?? Also the house we are buying if the building inspection comes back good is 4 bedrooms about 580 per week mortgage repayments(we will be living in a granny flat out the back while renting the 3 other rooms and turning a study into another bedroom) . My business partner will be working 5 days a week too as well as my 5 days a week apprenticeship pay, should that be enough to cover the mortgage + the cost of living untill we find tennants ?

Insurance is expensive and therefore requires careful consideration. These days you can insure almost anything and the Companies are more than happy to take your money off your hands. But, when push come to shove, it can prove to be the best investment you ever made.
Look at your vulnerabilities.... What happens if you lose your income? What happens if your partner is no longer in the picture (for whatever reason)? These scenarios can be life changing.
Public Liability is another area to which you become exposed having tenants.

Originally Posted by TimDasina

should that be enough to cover the mortgage + the cost of living untill we find tennants ?

If you are asking this question to a bunch of strangers on a forum you may want to reconsider your situation.

Really need to do a thorough budget yourself. Everyone has different expectations of standards of living.

Personally I don't think 21 is too old at all. Find a builder (ie not just a carpenter) that will treat you with respect and learn everything you can. In exchange you will be expected to work hard for minimal financial gain.

Other option is to skip a trade and work contract admin / quantity surveyor / Junior project manager type role for a residential builder.