DIY in OZ
- Thread starter pipme
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Annoying that you can't do DIY, but it is likely that tradesman rates are a lot less there too, as they never have to worry about a lack of work. Plus I can't imagine an Australian standing for being charged £100s in labour for changing the pump in a combi boiler (don't mean to get at gas fitters, just the "Tradesmen from hell" programmes usually feature at least 50% plumbers ripping people off with combi repair!).
I know, a stereotype. But I really do suspect the ozzy bloke would snatch back the beer he had just given the tradesman and say "D'ya think I was brought up in a dingo's dunny-sack", or something similarly Australian.
I can, however, point out one major good point about this...
Kylie Minogue played Charlene in Neighbours, an 18-year old female motor mechanic in oily dungarees. If you have a problem with Kylie Minogue in dungarees, when it is really really hot, bending over the engine bay of your car to fiddle with your big end, or possibly even kneeling down to blow up your tyres, then I am sorry, but you have a problem with all that is right in the world.
I know, a stereotype. But I really do suspect the ozzy bloke would snatch back the beer he had just given the tradesman and say "D'ya think I was brought up in a dingo's dunny-sack", or something similarly Australian.
I can, however, point out one major good point about this...
Kylie Minogue played Charlene in Neighbours, an 18-year old female motor mechanic in oily dungarees. If you have a problem with Kylie Minogue in dungarees, when it is really really hot, bending over the engine bay of your car to fiddle with your big end, or possibly even kneeling down to blow up your tyres, then I am sorry, but you have a problem with all that is right in the world.
adam you really need a hobby mate
Two of my brothers are builders in Oz (Brisbane). I was having a chat with thier Father in law. He apparently built his own house on a 98 Acre plot of land that he had bought, just on the edge of town.
He needed Planning permission. To get this, an inspector met him at the site and needed nothing more than a rough outline, drawn on the ground with a stick. The whole house was then built (complete with it's own water tower, fed by a natural spring on the site), without any recourse to inspectors. Ironically, after all this informallity, he needed to get a licenced plumber in to connect the water tower to the house! This quite agreived him as, it is his water, in his water tower, going to his house.
When my brother first moved out there (in 1979), he found it quite odd, that he could legally, build two storey extentions, Choosing any depth of foundations that he judged appropriate, making major structural alterations to the existing building. Yet, if he had a dripping tap in his own home, he was compelled to call in a licenced plumber!
It has all changed now though. All their tradesmen have to be registered (I think they call it a Gold Card). The registration process is not that different to our CORGI registration (ie, referrences, credit checks, insurance etc..). He found this a right pain in the ar*e, but has it sorted now. This has led to a severe shortage of tradesmen in the building trade, that is getting worse.
Apparently, this year they expect 120,000 tradesmen to retire, but there are only about 40,000 up and coming to replace them. As a result there are loads of unregistered tradesmen operating, and even local councils turn a blind eye and even employ them.
BTW. The other brother (emigrated circa 1989) has not bothered registering yet, but currently has four separate houses, to his name, with no debts whatsoever. Never needs to look for work, and actually turns more work away than he accepts.
He needed Planning permission. To get this, an inspector met him at the site and needed nothing more than a rough outline, drawn on the ground with a stick. The whole house was then built (complete with it's own water tower, fed by a natural spring on the site), without any recourse to inspectors. Ironically, after all this informallity, he needed to get a licenced plumber in to connect the water tower to the house! This quite agreived him as, it is his water, in his water tower, going to his house.
When my brother first moved out there (in 1979), he found it quite odd, that he could legally, build two storey extentions, Choosing any depth of foundations that he judged appropriate, making major structural alterations to the existing building. Yet, if he had a dripping tap in his own home, he was compelled to call in a licenced plumber!
It has all changed now though. All their tradesmen have to be registered (I think they call it a Gold Card). The registration process is not that different to our CORGI registration (ie, referrences, credit checks, insurance etc..). He found this a right pain in the ar*e, but has it sorted now. This has led to a severe shortage of tradesmen in the building trade, that is getting worse.
Apparently, this year they expect 120,000 tradesmen to retire, but there are only about 40,000 up and coming to replace them. As a result there are loads of unregistered tradesmen operating, and even local councils turn a blind eye and even employ them.
BTW. The other brother (emigrated circa 1989) has not bothered registering yet, but currently has four separate houses, to his name, with no debts whatsoever. Never needs to look for work, and actually turns more work away than he accepts.
Sponsored Links
D
david and julie
Nice to know that someone prepared to work can get on so well and good luck to them I say. Just out of curiosity Tex do you know if they are bogged down with heavy taxes to pay for people who won't work? and I mean our own and not just asylum seekers etc.
Do they pay dole, bogus sick, social to the unmarried mothers etc, like the UK?
Do they pay dole, bogus sick, social to the unmarried mothers etc, like the UK?
Don't know too much about benefits system. From what I gather, they have their own share of Bone Idle, can't be bothered to work, scroungers, but these seem to be mostly from the indiginous population. (still a small minority at that!). The imigrants all seem intent on working hard to get a terrific lifestyle.
Thier tax burden is much, much, lower than the UK. This and the low cost of living, make it possible for anyone, to make their fortune. One of the things that keeps thier taxation so low, is thier strict imigration policy. Basically, if they are not convinced that you are going to be able to support yourself, they just don't let you in.
My younger brother took years to get out there. When he first applied they gave him a list of trades that were needed. He then spent three years getting fully qualified as a baker and re-applied. By this time, bakers had dropped off the list, so he was turned down again. My elder brother then agreed to be his "sponsor" (ie accept full financial responsibility for him, in the event that he became unable to support himself).
They have some strange setups regarding motoring as well. When you buy a car, you have to pay for "rego". This directly replaces our car tax and insurance liability. This is a standard rate, (I think it's higher than our car tax) no matter what car you have. My nephews first car was a Subaru Impreza. He then graduated to an Evo, once he had got the feel of driving. (spoilt s*d eh
)They are fully self sufficient in oil as well. Their prices at the pump look about the same as ours, but instead of Pence per Litre, they are Australian Cents per Litre! current prices in brisbane work out to about 34 pence per litre.
Ah, Australia, the land of milk and 4X.
Not sure their oil will last them all that long mind, they only have about 10 years of it left, unless they find some big new reserves. Hence their efforts towards solar chimneys.
Did you know... as a country we use twice as much oil but have 3 times as many people, which surprises me as I thought Aussies were into Greenpeace and such.
Not sure their oil will last them all that long mind, they only have about 10 years of it left, unless they find some big new reserves. Hence their efforts towards solar chimneys.
Did you know... as a country we use twice as much oil but have 3 times as many people, which surprises me as I thought Aussies were into Greenpeace and such.
1. Air conditioning.
2. All the gas they use on Barbies.
3. Extra milage in their cars. I don't know if they've been overtaken yet, but at one point in the recent past, in terms of Surface Area, Brisbane was the largest city in the world. In terms of population, It don't even come close. Basically, land is cheap, so most people live in large (by our standards), detached houses. As a result, any journey further than you're immediate neighbours, involves the use of a car.
When my brother first moved out there, popping down to the local snooker hall was a 40 mile round trip. Nowadays he lives right on the harbour, so he can get legless on a regular basis, and still walk home.
Only because you can't slap a whale on the barby. If shrimps ever become an endangered spiecies, they'll loose interest altogether.
Heating too ! Melbourne was 8°C when I was there in winter... excuse for them to wear anoraks, jumper weather for us !! Mind you just a few hours previous we were in 29°C at Cairns !!
My mate has V8's running totally on gas not dual fuelers, can then be tuned precisely to that fuel giving better all round performance, he tells me.
Hooked up to Victoria fuel prices here :- http://www.exploroz.com/Interact/FuelPrices_VIC.asp
http://www.hifx.co.uk/currency/converter_all.asp
A$2.54 = GB£1
Gas at $0.379 L = £0.678 per gallon 55 Litres =£ 8.21
ULP at $1.050 L = £1.880 " " " " 55 Litres =£22.73
Fair amount untapped resources around Indonesia way .. Just up the road mate .. she'll be right !!
Lib / national coalition Govn .... Don't they do well for 20M people, just look at the ratio of Olympic medals to population. A reflection on the interest encouraged in children ?
P
My mate has V8's running totally on gas not dual fuelers, can then be tuned precisely to that fuel giving better all round performance, he tells me.
Hooked up to Victoria fuel prices here :- http://www.exploroz.com/Interact/FuelPrices_VIC.asp
http://www.hifx.co.uk/currency/converter_all.asp
A$2.54 = GB£1
Gas at $0.379 L = £0.678 per gallon 55 Litres =£ 8.21
ULP at $1.050 L = £1.880 " " " " 55 Litres =£22.73
Fair amount untapped resources around Indonesia way .. Just up the road mate .. she'll be right !!
Lib / national coalition Govn .... Don't they do well for 20M people, just look at the ratio of Olympic medals to population. A reflection on the interest encouraged in children ?
P
How much does a royal pardon cost nowadays anyway?
Of course if Indonesia don't make with the oil, and the old Spratley Island disagreements don't get sorted, Oz-land will be screwed with it's current cheap fossil-fuelled ways.
Perhaps this is why the solar chimneys? If only they could invent "grey dampness chimneys", the UK would be sorted.
Of course if Indonesia don't make with the oil, and the old Spratley Island disagreements don't get sorted, Oz-land will be screwed with it's current cheap fossil-fuelled ways.
Perhaps this is why the solar chimneys? If only they could invent "grey dampness chimneys", the UK would be sorted.
2
2scoops0406
TexMex said:
Now there's a trick !
Sponsored Links
