I have a perfectly good job painting houses.

BUT

I USED to be a sub-contract pipe-fitter with my own
crew at our local mine, which closed about 15 years ago.

Cods will know the mine I refer to.

Well, they're thinking of doing some limited mining on /near
the site, and doing a reclaim on the old tailing-ponds.

Now, are we all sitting comfortably....??

Here's the dilemma.

Bearing in mind my site-knowledge and experience,...

Should I....

A/ Stick with the painting job, $800/week

or

B/ Put a crew together and submit a tender $$2000+/week?


NONE of my old crew are available, one is dead, one has
MS, another is in the mines in WA, and the other has a
full-time job he doesn't want to leave.

So, I'd have to recruit and train a new crew. The guy with
the f/t job is prepared to take holidays to help me train them.

What do you think? No dickhead replies, please, this IS a serious question.

Hi Kat,

Firstly, this is about the worst place to ask a serious question.  ;D

But since you did.  If you are undecided about the mining job, just put in a quote with a lot of fat in it, so that it really is worth your while.  I dont know how skilled your workers need to be, but if so they could be harder (read $$) to find.

Work out an equation based on what the extra stress is worth to you, and go from there.



Kat wrote on Jan 20^th, 2012 at 3:29pm:

I have a perfectly good job painting houses. BUT I USED to be a sub-contract pipe-fitter with my own crew at our local mine, which closed about 15 years ago. Cods will know the mine I refer to. Well, they're thinking of doing some limited mining on /near the site, and doing a reclaim on the old tailing-ponds. Now, are we all sitting comfortably....?? Here's the dilemma. Bearing in mind my site-knowledge and experience,... Should I.... A/ Stick with the painting job, $800/week or B/ Put a crew together and submit a tender $$2000+/week? NONE of my old crew are available, one is dead, one has MS, another is in the mines in WA, and the other has a full-time job he doesn't want to leave. So, I'd have to recruit and train a new crew. The guy with the f/t job is prepared to take holidays to help me train them. What do you think? No dickhead replies, please, this IS a serious question.

Try to weasel your way in as a 'consultant'.  short hours, no dirty work, great pay rate.  yep...consultancy has got it all.

I would try and get in as a site supervisor, with your knowledge you already have the upper hand, and no issues with employing etc, thats the mines problem.

My Uncle in Law is one in a mine 300kms inland from Mackay and is on about $6k a week.

Or another way to look at it:  "Make hay while the sun shines"

How may others would go for tender -Risky if you didn't get it. Plus you said they are 'thinking of opening the mine again'. A few ifs and buts to consider.


Although, if your a self employed House Painter, $800 a week isn't an overwhelming  good wage .

If you are going to do it quote HIGH. that way if you miss out then you've lost nothing but if you win, the decision is effectively made for you. Opportunities come our way rarely. If this looks like one for you than grabb it with both hands. what's the worst that could happen? you stay a house painter which is your only other option anyhow.  Or as verge said try a sideways move and go into consultancy.

andmy company is running a course on mine dewatering this year as well so youcould consider upskilling on a few areas( not just dewatering).

We do/did high-pressure water blasting.
Our company was the one who cut the
blast-furnace up at No-castle, with
high-pressure water.

Fifteen TONS per square inch.

What a water-pistol.......:-)

wrote on Jan 20^th, 2012 at 5:14pm:

How may others would go for tender -Risky if you didn't get it. Plus you said they are 'thinking of opening the mine again'. A few ifs and buts to consider. Although, if your a self employed House Painter, $800 a week isn't an overwhelming  good wage .

Lot of 'ifs', Veg, but if I can get in on the 'ground-floor', so to speak, it
might be worth a go.

Is the $2000 per week for you and your crew? Because you're on $800 a week now. If it's $2000 a week between 5 of you... $400 each. Why would you want to take a 50% pay cut and have extra headaches as well?