Housing report and the budget

[chump]

Well we had the much awaited report on housing supply...

We now know what we need to do to rectify this...shoo those irritating planners out of the loop etc etc...


Just one small problem..anyone tried to find a plumber,electrician,joiner lately ? It seems to have escaped our highly paid civil servants that we do not have the labour capacity to increase current volumes of house building in any significant way.
As a country we have spent the last 2 - 3 decades persuading each successive generation that clean hands and IT /Service industries are the future. We did such a good job of that that we produced less trades than we now demand.

This can be rectified ,but it will take time.So if they intend any medium term fix they can only move forward by getting that labour from elsewhere,but I forgot we have decided we want to curtail the numbers of people moving to this country don't we.

Never mind I am sure there is a cohesive plan in there somewhere albeit it is probably based around preserving their jobs long enough to pick up their nicely protected pensions.

Cheers (from the naughty boy corner)

 

[TheBramble]

Of course would could kill two birds with one stone and set specific skills requirements on those wishing to enter the country.

I see a profitable (black) market in plumbers and electricians certification futures.

 

[chump]

Bramble,
"I see a profitable (black) market in plumbers and electricians certification futures".

You will know it is underway when you see that despite architectral drawings all the new builds start to look like transylvanian castles

 

[mully]

That is exactly where a significant number of our new found friends from the enlarged EU will find employment. Look at all the polish etc painters that have appeared over London. Once they crack the language problem expect their entry into plumbing/electrician market.

However, the quality of the service may well be found wanting.

They will offer very reasonable rates initially to attract your business. But, tread very carefully. The Brits will not be able to resist the "cheap rates".|However, the quality of the work, time taken, may well work out much more expensive than the original quote from your friendly local tradesman/woman. This is said from experience.

 

[chump]

Does this mean we should not expect to be watching "Mully's guide to project management" anytime in the near future ?

 

[BBB]

Quote:
As a country we have spent the last 2 - 3 decades persuading each successive generation that clean hands and IT /Service industries are the future. We did such a good job of that that we produced less trades than we now demand.

Loads of my mates went into IT. A few years back, some were charging 1-2k a day as SAP/Java consultants (Tax free cos they were in Euroland). Now the bubble is burst and they cant find work. One enterprising mate though has retrained as a plumber and is now earning MORE than he was as a consultant (before tax). He charges £100 + ph and is never short of work. The others won't though as they feel this work is beneath them....

 

[mully]

I live in London and the other half runs a property business with her mother. Occasionally I am called into help/ appear on site where I meet the team of retained plumbers, electricians etc.. and in our general tittle tattle as they carry out maintenance they tend to discuss their trade. Lots of stories of getting a quote to install a bathroom. Local quotes hundreds, "jf" quotes £70 per day. Unfortunately, the project takes a week. Problems you know etc. Eventual bill easily greater than original uncompetitive local quote.

 

[chump]

"1-2k a day as SAP/Java consultants (Tax free cos they were in Euroland)"..ha those were the days,but I really don't know what you mean "tax free",honest...all replaced by Sanjay from Calcutta who'll do it for as much free curry as he can get (not racial honest..god I'm still in the naughty boy corner)


by the way Johnny T Mully's got 5 lovely yellow boxes if you feel an irresistable urge coming upon you

 

[anley]

Yet more talk from the Govt on the need for housing. Talk is all I've heard for the last 2 years. Have you noticed that all every announcement does is announce on a new announcement in the future etc, normally 6 months down the line.

As for the Councils, forget them ever employing any of the Govt's wishes unless ALL planning powers are taken away from them.

Somebody I know has 12 acres of prime development land just waiting to be built on in the south east. He's offered a full 50% of it for affordable housing but the council (Uttlesford, which covers a lot of North and west Essex) says no thanks we only need about 300 affordable houses a year!

300 affordable houses would sell out out in ONE DAY you idiots.

 

[BBB]

Read an interesting article in the paper the other day. Russians are buying 1/3 of all the properties in London purchased by foreigners. London is now referred to as Moscow-on-Thames back in the mother land!

There's our answer to how long this 'bubble' may last.

We seem to be looking at the UK domestic market in our assumptions, forgetting of course all the inward investment from over-seas that is keeping the trend firmly up. Ok maybe this is a little too London centric, but London does seem to be a leading indicator to the rest of the country as far as property is concerned.