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Skills that raise your rate

• Ornamental and historic plaster

  Running cornices, casting rosettes, repairing old buildings. Very few people left who can, and museums and state capitols need them.

• Exterior insulation and finish systems

  Layered exterior wall systems. Needs manufacturer training, and inspectors care who installed it.

• Venetian and polished finishes

  High-end interior work in houses and hotels, billed by the square foot at a premium.

• Cement masonry as a second trade

  Flatwork and concrete finishing keep you busy when plastering is slow.

• Foreman and estimating

  Reading plans and pricing a job moves you off the wall and onto salary.