What makes a builder a builder?

[mrsquirrel]

I am interested to know what DD thinks makes a builder a builder.

My brother is a member of the The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) which I would say entitles him to an expert opiion on building. Even though he is trained as a QS.

So DD what makes you a builder. How did you go about becoming a builder and how were you trained.

[Lily]

In Aus, they do a four year apprenticeship, with 10 weeks a year at a technical college and become a licensed builder.

There are also master builders, but I dont know how that comes about.

You can also do a degree in 'Building Engineering' also now.

[DrAndy]

Building is a practical job, so experience "on the job" is the most important thing. I am not sure how much training would be needed, but without experience a builder would be useless.

[mrsquirrel]

What I forgot is that my brother is a QS he has never built anything in his life although he was a roady worker at uni as part of his sponsorship. He has however passed everything that makes him a chartered builder.

Is a builder somebody who just follows an architects plans and the surveyors results?

HOw much building do you do DD or do you just manage the workers?

[NickA]

A beer gut, a foul mouth, the ability to wolf-whistle, a white van, a copy of the sun and a dirty mug of tea seems to be the main qualifications.

But to get a PhD you need to be either Irish or a Geordie.

Most are ugly as well, but I don't think this is a pre-requisite, just how it is. Oh, and of course, you need to be claiming the dole and getting paid cash in hand.

[DrAndy]

Cynic!!

What about a builders bum?

[attaboy]

edited: (Doc already asked)

[Captain Sensible]

Do tool belts give builders butt-crack pants too?

That picture is clearly of a plumber wearing a builders belt. Prolly borrowed it from his brother.

[DrAndy]

true, his bum is not big enough, or spotty enough

[dirtydog]

Is a builder somebody who just follows an architects plans and the surveyors results?

yep, there are so many trades it would take several lifetimes to become qualified in them all.

An architect would draw up a plan, then an engineer would say whether it was possible for it to be built like that and would add all the structural details, then a builder is supposed to follow those plans to the letter "T".

Here most of it is all the same, concrete ground beams then concrete wall beams every 4 meters etc etc etc.

Me, I started when I was about 15, working weekends learning how to dig poxy holes and use a big beasty jack, it was for a 2 storey extension and there weren't no room to get a digger in there, it had to be 1 meter deep and 50 centermeters wide if memory serves me correctly, things started to go downhill from there on

[attaboy]

^^^I had to look up builders bum and I respectfully withdrew (my question).

[mrsquirrel]

So what is the difference between you and my bro then. He being a Chartered Builder who can stick letters after his name and you being whatever you are.

[dirtydog]

He can tell us how many bricks we will need and we can lay the bricks.

[Thetyim]

So tell me who was at fault here.

The builder or the engineer

[dirtydog]

The building looks ok, just the soil has given way, the compactness of soil is not really an exact science, 4 storeys though so they should have used piles.

[lom]

The site survey engineer is at fault.

[NickA]

A beer gut, a foul mouth, the ability to wolf-whistle, a white van, a copy of the sun and a dirty mug of tea seems to be the main qualifications. But to get a PhD you need to be either Irish or a Geordie. Most are ugly as well, but I don't think this is a pre-requisite, just how it is. Oh, and of course, you need to be claiming the dole and getting paid cash in hand.

[Thetyim]

The site survey engineer is at fault.

Yep, I agree, it fact the builder appears to have done a very good job.
I wonder what his response was when he got the phone call
"OK I'll send round a couple of the lads with a forklift"

[friscofrankie]

Building is an art and science. it usng your hands and mind in unison to build what some fool drew down on paper, thinking "it's no problem." You can do years of school, study tons of books, attend lectures tell you got buzz wors comin out yere ass; Until you've picked up a hammer, or level, got your feet dirty and you earfull of ire from some pissed off suncontractor becasue thefuckingidiotsonthesecondfloor haven'tfinishedtheirfuckinjobyet and I was supposed to beeninanddonealready goddamit! all the while lsitned to some fuckin engineering school grad that aint' even seen more than 20 minutes continuous of any job tell you how the fucking thisngs gonna go together and your just in too much of a hurry to take him down a peg or two, an anyway its too fuckin easy.
To be a builder you need experience, you need to have gotten your hands dirty. You cannot learn to build by books. the books canteach your the science behind the art tey can give you the tools ti figure the mathematical questions bt they can't give you knowledge that comes frmo doing. Unti li person puts into practice and actuall sees the results of their efforst well then it's not really knowing something is it? t's more like Well, my teacher told me this, and I read that. Until you know for a fact how things actually work in the field, you ain't nothin' but a pain in the ass on the job.

[DJ Pat]

I left school at 16 and went straight onto a building site full of Irishmen in Kilburn

[friscofrankie]

Were they gentle with you?

[hillbilly]

So what is the difference between you and my bro then. He being a Chartered Builder who can stick letters after his name and you being whatever you are.

Let me answer your question in a hillbilly, dumb-fok, country boy way. You've got 10 million baht to build your dream home in Thailand.

Do you want the dawg or your brother?

[ChiangMai noon]

I left school at 16 and went straight onto a building site full of Irishmen in Kilburn

Which is obviously where you picked up your undoubted wit.

[mrsquirrel]

Guess it would be my bro then. Although he is just a glorified brick counter albeit a very well off one.

[hillbilly]

Guess it would be my bro then. Although he is just a glorified brick counter albeit a very well off one.

You have a lot to learn young grasshopper... And how is your brother's Thai?