I like rocks, bricks, and stones. What are some good trades to get into for people who like to build with stone and rocks?
I like rocks, bricks, and stones.
I like rocks, bricks, and stones. What are some good trades to get into for people who like to build with stone and rocks?
Stone and rock removal. See rock or stone, pick it up and move to pile. Never grows old.
What happens if all of the stone and rocks are gone? Then what will I do?
Trail building contracters do that alot. But it's so niche that unless your father does it, you won't get into by doing it. Land clearing is probably the best realistic option in that vein.
Hardscaping
A stonemason, an artist? If your a britbong you'd make a killing doing old farm walls and field boundary's.
How about brick layer? Wall building for major buildings?
Union scrub
Can't I go into business for myself? Be a contractor for brick laying?
Masonry
I'm a (stone)mason in southern california, feel free to ask me anything
How difficult is it to get into?
How often do you get work?
Who typically hires you?
How much do you make from a job and how much do you make on a bad year?
>How difficult is it to get into?
If you're a white guy it would be sort of difficult because the trade is heavily dominated by mexicans at this point... but if you can find a white boomer masonry contractor who doesn't want to hire mexicans he'd probably be very keen to take you on, assuming you work hard and are smart enough to do basic shit like read a tape measure. Very rare for young people to want to go into this trade and it's rare to be able to find trustworthy helpers
>How often do you get work?
Throughout the year I would say I do 50% masonry work, 30% masonry related work (usually tile or concrete) and 20% other random shit like helping build wooden decks/pergolas etc.
It would be totally possible for me to be employed doing masonry 100% of the time but that would mean having to work for a bigger company and I'd likely be the only white guy on the crew so at the moment I just do my own small masonry jobs or help out other white masons that i know on their jobs or if there's no masonry work I do random carpentry things as I said.
>Who typically hires you?
Small masonry contractors will hire me at a day rate or it's through homeowners directly. I don't do any big commercial stuff. It's usually stuff like building a stone patio or steps or retaining walls. A few times throughout the year I'll work on big jobs for very wealthy clients which are usually pretty fun.
>How much do you make from a job and how much do you make on a bad year?
When i am working for a different contractor i make $320 per day or $40 an hour cash, if I'm doing my own jobs i usually try to make $500 a day
Pic related is a letterbox i build recently to give you an idea of what kinda stuff i do. Built out of 8" concrete blocks and then faced with 2" thick limestone cladding with a sandstone cap
>a letterbox i build recently
the pipes kinda ruin your excellent work. what do they do.
Apparently they are going to have some illuminated numbers for the street numbers. I did these other 3 columns too.
Most 'stonework' you see in California is built with reinforced concrete blocks and then faced with 1 - 2" thick stone. It's cheaper and also is able to withstand earthquakes apparently. So it's not actually real stonework but it looks nice all the same i guess. Sometimes I wish i could live in britain or some european country where the true stone masons still live.