Chippy Richard Field has been here, there and everywhere. The Irish tradie, however, has carved out tremendous success in Australia.
Richard’s been across the globe, but each chapter has always involved carpentry in some capacity. Like many Irish tradies, he left his homeland when the GFC had erased nearly any work for the industry.
After working in South Africa and the United States, Richard received a mentorship in quantitative surveying.
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His portfolio got even thicker when he moved to New Zealand (via South-East Asia) where he got stuck into the finance side of things.
“I absolutely loved it – learning about investment banking, accounting, property management,” he said.
“I got really lucky twice because I got the learn the project management side of things from quantity surveying, and then again learning about the finance and investment side.”
The east (Abbey)side
After a lot of travelling, Richard’s permanently settled in Australia.
He went into business with Irish schoolmate Niall Howell to build Abbeyside Carpentry out of Randwick in Sydney.
“When I started, I helped Niall with pricing,” Richard said.
“That was two years ago – the turnover now is seven figures.”
Between the two of them, Abbeyside Carpentry has become a power team of about 20 on-site tradies – which may double in 2025 according to Richard – as well as a team of estimators in the office.
“We have a great group of people in the company – excellent carpenters and awesome people in the office. We have a fantastic culture within our teams,” Richard said.
“We built the company on the slogan of ‘tradition carpentry, taken to the next level’.
“What we mean by that is we don’t just do doors, we don’t just do roofing or flooring, we don’t just do one thing.
“We’re traditional chippies; if it’s timber – we do it.”
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Please come home
In recent months, Ireland has been pushing for its traversing tradies to come home to tackle the nation’s own housing crisis.
Richard himself appeared on Sunrise, where he discussed the reluctance for he and his brethren to leave sunny Australia for Ireland.
“If I was a little more honest on Sunrise, I would’ve said ‘it’s a bit f*cking rich to be asking us back now’,” Richard said.
“the same government watched us tradies leave in our thousands whilst they collapsed our industries and livelihoods while they bailed out the banks.
“Short memories, whilst now asking the same people to bail them out of a housing crisis they created.”
Richard said there was plenty keeping Irish tradies occupied in Australia.
“For starters, the Irish and Aussie’s love a beer,” he said.
“The weather, outdoor activites, lifestyle and career opportunities (especially in construction) is a strong argument to deny (returning).”
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Every little bit
Richard is also a Director at a grass roots charity called WILL2LIVE- an initiative that helps feed Sydney’s homeless as well as equip them with the tools to get back into the workforce.
His company, Abbeyside, are currently building the new WILL2LIVE CENTRE which will have a commercial kitchen to feed the homeless and less fortunate, a not-for-profit café that will also train up disadvantage community members in coffee making and hospitality as well as changing rooms and laundry services for the those who don’t have any.
The new centre will be a place where everyone is welcome and all are equal. The entire project is donation and volunteer based.
If you wish to help make this dream come true for the people WILL2LIVE assist on a daily basis you can donate on their website will2live.org.au/donations
You can find out more about Abbeyside Carpentry at abbeyside.com.au or @abbeyside_carpentry_pty