Part time/ evening beginner trade courses?

[Rik1254]

I’ve recently bought a house and quickly finding that any trade work is expensive. So I’m looking to save myself a few quid and do small, non critical tasks myself.


Has anyone done a part time/ evening beginners course typically offered at college? What course was it? What was it like?

I’m not after a qualification, this isn’t a career change, so I’m more interested in what the course offers rather than what it can offer if you continue to L2/L3/apprenticeships.



For context, I’m interested in brick laying and other construction basics like carpentry (is door fitting considered carpentry?).
I’m happy to learn off YouTube, I’ve tiled and plumbed my bathroom to an acceptable standard (the overall quality is good, but the finer details are what I’ve lacked skill on executing) without any experience. I did save myself £4000 in labour, so I’m happy.

 

[Mysterae_]

You'll have to search your area to see what colleges and the like offer. When I searched for welding classes to brush up on old skills and learn a few new ones, there wasn't anything like night classes, they were all full blown qualification led ones.

This might sound funny, but you could post on facebook or other locals for someone that will teach you, for payment of course.

Then there's the learning by doing, don't be afraid to make mistakes - depending on what you're learning of course!

 

[bainbridge]

Carpentry and bricklaying is a time served skill and learning the fine details and execution is the result of years of on the job training.

A short course might teach you the basics, but don't expect professional results.

 

[mushtafa]

If you want to learn a large array of subjects of property maintenance and building/repairing things, I'd just stick to YouTube to be honest. I consider myself very good at DIY, but the stuff I don't know, I research.
You'll learn so much more in your first attempt at something than just reading about it.

Do you have many tools? You'll soon grow a nice collection!

 

[Rik1254]

You'll have to search your area to see what colleges and the like offer. When I searched for welding classes to brush up on old skills and learn a few new ones, there wasn't anything like night classes, they were all full blown qualification led ones.

This might sound funny, but you could post on facebook or other locals for someone that will teach you, for payment of course.

Then there's the learning by doing, don't be afraid to make mistakes - depending on what you're learning of course!

Yeah I’ve found a few courses with the basics. They sound decent with the hands on I’m after, but as it’s only 5 nights over 5 weeks, I’m concerned if there’s enough time to inspect the work and make sure it’s sound.

I have reached out to a few builders who actively take on apprentices, but finding one which is just stating a brick laying job and one which will me have a hand in it is proving difficult. I have a few friends who do landscaping, but no one is after garden work at the moment.

Carpentry and bricklaying is a time served skill and learning the fine details and execution is the result of years of on the job training.

A short course might teach you the basics, but don't expect professional results.

I get that, very much learnt from the bathroom. I just don’t know where to start. What does good mortar look like? What does it feel like? How much should be placed? Does the consistency change depending on the brick/ block being used?
I feel like my questions are more suited to being shown or having hands on rather than something that can be picked up from a video or a blog.

If you want to learn a large array of subjects of property maintenance and building/repairing things, I'd just stick to YouTube to be honest. I consider myself very good at DIY, but the stuff I don't know, I research.
You'll learn so much more in your first attempt at something than just reading about it.

Do you have many tools? You'll soon grow a nice collection!

Theres a limit to videos though, sometimes having hands on is infinitely better.

I never need an excuse to expand my tools, gives me a reason to learn how to lay a foundation for my shed to store them

 

[dirtychinchilla]

I get that, very much learnt from the bathroom. I just don’t know where to start. What does good mortar look like? What does it feel like? How much should be placed? Does the consistency change depending on the brick/ block being used?
I feel like my questions are more suited to being shown or having hands on rather than something that can be picked up from a video or a blog.

I feel the same way. I know how to tile a wall or a floor, but the stuff that I'm nervous about is exactly what you learn from experience i.e. how should the mortar be, how should the grout be.

 

[Semple]

I have reached out to a few builders who actively take on apprentices, but finding one which is just stating a brick laying job and one which will me have a hand in it is proving difficult.

I'm not at all surprised tbh, even if you do offer to pay the builder to "teach" from their point of view that's just going to be a massive hassle - it'll take them X-fold longer to do the work compared to just doing it normally. They'll also need to be regularly checking your work and rectifying mistakes - which if there's quite a few then that adds on to the duration of the work. Insurance purposes are also going to be a nightmare, as you're not really an employee, so what happens if you either have an accident on site, or damage the property of the customer.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's well intended and a good thought but utterly impractical and barely surface deep.

I What does good mortar look like? What does it feel like? How much should be placed? Does the consistency change depending on the brick/ block being used?
I feel like my questions are more suited to being shown or having hands on

These are the antithesis of practical questions. A brickie will make muck and do his job. You asking 50 questions about muck consistency, he'll lamp you lol.

Just pick a small project and do it. Make a step into your shed or something...

 

[Deep]

Sorry to hijack the thread but what would people recommend if I wanted to learn woodworking to eventually build a TV bench or inbuilt wardrobes?
Go to a basics course or just start making small projects and then into something bigger?

 

[radderfire]

Sorry to hijack the thread but what would people recommend if I wanted to learn woodworking to eventually build a TV bench or inbuilt wardrobes?
Go to a basics course or just start making small projects and then into something bigger?

There are lots of good YouTube channels for woodworking so I would try that first.

 

[Rik1254]

I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's well intended and a good thought but utterly impractical and barely surface deep.


These are the antithesis of practical questions. A brickie will make muck and do his job. You asking 50 questions about muck consistency, he'll lamp you lol.

Just pick a small project and do it. Make a step into your shed or something...

The autistic mind wants to know all the details, I must obey.

But a builder must be able to describe the characteristics, I don’t think I know a single tradie who reads the package for the dry and wet ratio.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

The autistic mind wants to know all the details, I must obey.

But a builder must be able to describe the characteristics, I don’t think I know a single tradie who reads the package for the dry and wet ratio.

You are asking to shortcut decades of experience. That isn't how it works.