Who here is trained as a PLUMBER?

[BVF]

I'm sitting here everyday with basically nothing to do and I always wanted to learn a skill that would not only be useful in the job market but useful in life...

I was watching CNN yesterday and one of the five high paying jobs available without going back to school was a plumber....There is a year long course at the local community college and it's cheap enough for me to easily pay it out of pocket......

It's not like I need the job but if **knock on wood** something did happen that would kill my current income, I'm not trying to look in any want ads and compete with a bunch of other unskilled but highly educated workers....

So is anybody here a plumber and if so, how do you like the work?.....I won't even CONSIDER touching anything with human waste in it so I would probably either do new construction plumbing or do something like steamfitting or oil and gas related plumbing....

[2012]

Originally Posted by BVF

I won't even CONSIDER touching anything with human waste in it

forget being a plumber

[polish_aristocrat]

Originally Posted by BVF

It's not like I need the job but if **knock on wood** something did happen that would kill my current income,

this industry might get even 3 times worse than it's now, but I don't think this would kill your earnings to 0
also, aren't you saving anything?
I see no reason for you to take a plumber course, unless I'm missing something...

[Joshua G]

go into HVAC. Plumbers require you to sport butt crack

[BVF]

Originally Posted by polish_aristocrat

this industry might get even 3 times worse than it's now, but I don't think this would kill your earnings to 0
also, aren't you saving anything?
I see no reason for you to take a plumber course, unless I'm missing something...

You didn't read ANYTHING that I said did you?...You quoted it but if you're asking that question, then you didn't READ it.

Originally Posted by BVF

I'm sitting here everyday with basically nothing to do and I always wanted to learn a skill that would not only be useful in the job market but useful in life...

I was watching CNN yesterday and one of the five high paying jobs available without going back to school was a plumber....There is a year long course at the local community college and it's cheap enough for me to easily pay it out of pocket......

It's not like I need the job but if **knock on wood** something did happen that would kill my current income, I'm not trying to look in any want ads and compete with a bunch of other unskilled but highly educated workers....

So is anybody here a plumber and if so, how do you like the work?.....I won't even CONSIDER touching anything with human waste in it so I would probably either do new construction plumbing or do something like steamfitting or oil and gas related plumbing....

As for anybody else, if you're TRAINED AS A PLUMBER, please respond.

[polish_aristocrat]

Originally Posted by BVF

You didn't read ANYTHING that I said did you?...You quoted it but if you're asking that question, then you didn't READ it.

I did read everything actually. I'm paranoid as much as one can be, but I don't see myself going back to 0 online income and forced to look for a job.... ever....

well, Ok, unless I go blind or lose my two hands.. but then I couldn't be a plumber either

anyway, no point in arguing, go for it, if you want

[2012]

Originally Posted by BVF

You didn't read ANYTHING that I said did you?...You quoted it but if you're asking that question, then you didn't READ it.



As for anybody else, if you're TRAINED AS A PLUMBER, please respond.

... does being an apprentice for 6 months count ? I've seen it all. Not my bag. Whatever you think you want to do eventually you are going to get into some shit.

This was like almost 20 years ago I guess. As for $ one of the plumbers that was training me back then he got a condo/duplex thingy in >not a great part of town< and drives around a nice vintage caddy. He must have some dough because he spends it every night at a local dive bar. None of the guys I worked with seem happy to me now

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

I am not trained as a plumber, but I am trained as a drywall contractor. Did it for years, I know the guys that do the plumbing locally well. Went to school and drank beer with one back in highschool. Plumbing is a good gig, as are most trades. Nobody wanted to do the dirty work anymore and a shortage came around. I'd say the average journeyman tradesperson makes more than 95% of GFY and internet marketers in general. Just make sure you get on with a crew that does NEW CONSTRUCTION. You may not have that leisure right off the bat, but it's out there. The thing about this one year course, is that it's not really going to be your full training. An introductory course perhaps, but you're still going to be basically dirt with it unless you go out and get the hours in to go with it.

[BVF]

Originally Posted by polish_aristocrat

I did read everything actually. I'm paranoid as much as one can be, but I don't see myself going back to 0 online income and forced to look for a job.... ever....

Me neither....But YOU NEVER KNOW!!.....

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by fartfly

... does being an apprentice for 6 months count ? I've seen it all. Not my bag. Whatever you think you want to do eventually you are going to get into some shit.

Pretty much guaranteed as a plumber, unless you're only doing install jobs in new homes.

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by Angry Jew Cat

I am not trained as a plumber, but I am trained as a drywall contractor. Did it for years, I know the guys that do the plumbing locally well. Went to school and drank beer with one back in highschool. Plumbing is a good gig, as are most trades. Nobody wanted to do the dirty work anymore and a shortage came around. I'd say the average journeyman tradesperson makes more than 95% of GFY and internet marketers in general. Just make sure you get on with a crew that does NEW CONSTRUCTION. You may not have that leisure right off the bat, but it's out there. The thing about this one year course, is that it's not really going to be your full training. An introductory course perhaps, but you're still going to be basically dirt with it unless you go out and get the hours in to go with it.

Quoted as gospel truth.

[Agent 488]

guy i used to work with got into it. didn't mind it. but he was a pretty mellow dude anyway.

[BVF]

Originally Posted by Angry Jew Cat

I am not trained as a plumber, but I am trained as a drywall contractor. Did it for years, I know the guys that do the plumbing locally well. Went to school and drank beer with one back in highschool. Plumbing is a good gig, as are most trades. Nobody wanted to do the dirty work anymore and a shortage came around. I'd say the average journeyman tradesperson makes more than 95% of GFY and internet marketers in general. Just make sure you get on with a crew that does NEW CONSTRUCTION. You may not have that leisure right off the bat, but it's out there. The thing about this one year course, is that it's not really going to be your full training. An introductory course perhaps, but you're still going to be basically dirt with it unless you go out and get the hours in to go with it.

Yeah, they have a five year apprenticeship program that comes after that......But the thing is that since I already have an income, I can afford to be choosy about what I do...Plus, I can afford to buy my own van and tools right off the bat....

I'll probably take the year in plumbing and after that, I'll probably take basic construction....I might as well possess those skills for when I build my little home in a foreign country in a few years.

[AlienQ - BANNED FOR LIFE]

Not me, but I am an Apprentice Electrician...

Would ya like your toilet converted to an electric chair?

[BVF]

Originally Posted by AlienQ

Not me, but I am an Apprentice Electrician...

Would ya like your toilet converted to an electric chair?

How can you be an apprentice electrician and still be short on money?

[AlienQ - BANNED FOR LIFE]

Originally Posted by BVF

How can you be an apprentice electrician and still be short on money?

Apprentice does not make much and I only do it part time if that. Basically when ever the Actual Licensed Electrician in my area needs my help on a house I get a call at random.

I live in the sticks there alot of apprentices here. Its a long list.

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

Originally Posted by BVF

Yeah, they have a five year apprenticeship program that comes after that......But the thing is that since I already have an income, I can afford to be choosy about what I do...Plus, I can afford to buy my own van and tools right off the bat....

I'll probably take the year in plumbing and after that, I'll probably take basic construction....I might as well possess those skills for when I build my little home in a foreign country in a few years.

Seeing a little bit of everything never hurt. If that's the goal you have in mind, I'd say go straight into carpentry or framing. Do a little concrete work. Being able to frame your own house and pour your own concrete will take a significant amount of the work out for you, and really none of it is extrordinarily hard to figure out. I'm fairly confident I could build my own home.

I've done framing, concrete, stucco, roofing, drywall, painting, flooring, etc etc. The only things I would bring a pro in for would be the plumbing and electrical. When I build a house, I'll make sure I will surely do my own General Contracting, and I will be working beside my sub contractors every day. As a drywaller you see all the shoddy craftsmanship show through, and I don't trust most of the fly-by-night type guys that are out there do new construction. They've got the bang it off and get to the next job mentality goign and they are basically a new home assembly line cranking otu a cheap product.

When my old drywall boss built his own home, we worked with everyone on the project from day one, and when it came time to board & tape that house it felt like the most incredible thing ever, it was painless.

[woj]

If anything being an electrician sounds 10x better.... but damn, I thought hell will freeze over before we would see threads like this on gfy....

[missipissi]

I know a guy who was working in IT, but is making a lot more as a handyman, plumber, and some other trade that I can't remember.

He does deal with shit though, maybe that's the difference.

[SykkBoy]

My cousin is a plumber and has been for 6 years. He's looking to bring in almost $100K this year.

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

Originally Posted by SykkBoy2

My cousin is a plumber and has been for 6 years. He's looking to bring in almost $100K this year.

sounds about on par for a journeyman with his own setup.

[Snake Doctor]

[marketsmart]

I am a licensed plumber..


here's a pic of me doing some pipe work at taniqua's house...








Let me know if i can be of assistance to you..

Maybe you could come over and practice working on my pipe...

[Juicy D. Links]

Originally Posted by marketsmart

I am a licensed plumber..


here's a pic of me doing some pipe work at taniqua's house...








Let me know if i can be of assistance to you..

Maybe you could come over and practice working on my pipe...

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

juicy has his pipes cleared 2x week

[borked]

Not trained, but I fit all the central heating and hot/cold water and waste system in our house. Gas, I left to a qualified dude ;)

Easy as shit, so to speak, so take a few courses and get a few bucks on the side. I've done a few odd jobs for friends and they don't mind giving me 50% of what a plumber was asking, even though I'd have done it for free as they always put on a great spread in the evening...

[borked]

Originally Posted by BVF

I might as well possess those skills for when I build my little home in a foreign country in a few years.

Bzzzzt.
Careful, a different country, different rules.... you may be a qualifed ______ in the US, but outside, you may end up being a nobody if they aren't the same qualifications....

Anyway, to build your own home, here at least, you don't have to be a qualified anything. You just have to pass via the regular channels and get approval of the work after for the insurance (and bank who loans the money).

I built our house with my own two hands (and not any studded wooden house, but bricks, mortar and concrete blocks) and only had a plumber to do the gas and the facilities companies to fit the meters. Still it took like 50x longer to do than a contracted company, but hell, I can say "I built that" and it cost like 15X less.

[borked]

Originally Posted by woj

If anything being an electrician sounds 10x better.... but damn, I thought hell will freeze over before we would see threads like this on gfy....

yeah, I'm with you on that - elctricity is really easy. Plumbing is easy to, but you end up in difficult back-breaking positions, and fuck does it take forever to do anything.

100m of 3-core cable. 30-60 mins max. Pull through the trunking and connect.

10m of 14mm copper pipe - count about 2-3 days. PVC shit - don't trust it, cos over time the adhesive fails. A good solder joint (or better weld) will hold for decades. But takes shit loads of time. to do when bends and stuff are involved (even with the right tools)

[zEn84]

Originally Posted by BVF

I'm sitting here everyday with basically nothing to do and I always wanted to learn a skill that would not only be useful in the job market but useful in life...

I was watching CNN yesterday and one of the five high paying jobs available without going back to school was a plumber....There is a year long course at the local community college and it's cheap enough for me to easily pay it out of pocket......

It's not like I need the job but if **knock on wood** something did happen that would kill my current income, I'm not trying to look in any want ads and compete with a bunch of other unskilled but highly educated workers....

So is anybody here a plumber and if so, how do you like the work?.....I won't even CONSIDER touching anything with human waste in it so I would probably either do new construction plumbing or do something like steamfitting or oil and gas related plumbing....

Hey BVF,
I am a journeyman plumber. Been in the field for 6 years. I didn't know what to do after I graduated so I took up plumbing for a back up plan. I took this last year off from plumbing to webmaster though fulltime since I had been doing that as a hobby on the side while serving my apprenticeship over the years. In Canada, it actually takes 4 years to get your plumbing ticket. The training a plumber goes through here is actually on par of what a mechanical engineer will receive in Europe or the states.

As far as the field goes, it definitely has its pros and cons. There are a lot of ways to make money in the field like residential, gas, steam, industrial, chemical.. I personally hate dealing with clogged toilets and that type of shit, but its a great way to run a business on your own. My buddy clears 800 a day just from doing house calls using his own van. But whats nice about getting a plumbing ticket, you have the option to do all of the above like steam, gas etc. But if you just get a steam ticket, thats all you would be allowed to do.

Most of my experience has been in the industrial sector which I love just because its more interesting and challenging. 80% of my work has been at breweries running stainless pipe (1/2" up to 30") which is awesome because its clean and you work along side of a tig welder so you can chat all day. If you work a shut down, there's usually plenty of hours to work if you want, all the over time is double time. The last shut down I did was at the kokanee beer plant in Creston, BC, and I was pulling 20k a month easy, so the money is there if you want it.

The shitty thing about the job is dealing with stupid fucks in the field. Since it is a labor job, there are a lot of guys you work around (not just plumbers, all trades) who are just shleps and annoying as fuck, makes you almost feel depressed because you wonder why they get paid the same as you. If you have a good crew and boss it makes all the difference.

All and all its still a good job, you will always have work. Just remember shit flows downhill and payday is Friday.

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

Originally Posted by borked

Bzzzzt.
Careful, a different country, different rules.... you may be a qualifed ______ in the US, but outside, you may end up being a nobody if they aren't the same qualifications....

Anyway, to build your own home, here at least, you don't have to be a qualified anything. You just have to pass via the regular channels and get approval of the work after for the insurance (and bank who loans the money).

I built our house with my own two hands (and not any studded wooden house, but bricks, mortar and concrete blocks) and only had a plumber to do the gas and the facilities companies to fit the meters. Still it took like 50x longer to do than a contracted company, but hell, I can say "I built that" and it cost like 15X less.

Something tells me BVF is moving somewhere where building codes aren't gonna be all that strict, hehe.

[mynameisjim]

I've known a few guys who were plumbers. They weren't good friends but I knew them through other people or whatever.

Either way, they appeared to make decent money from what I could gather. Nice homes, cars, etc.

You do have to apprentice but after that if you are a smart businessman you can easily do 6 figures.

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

Originally Posted by mynameisjim

I've known a few guys who were plumbers. They weren't good friends but I knew them through other people or whatever.

Either way, they appeared to make decent money from what I could gather. Nice homes, cars, etc.

You do have to apprentice but after that if you are a smart businessman you can easily do 6 figures.

Trades are all about getting your own business setup, at that point 6 figures is not unreasonable to aim for at all. And you usally have 1 or 2 apprentices of your own doing the dirt work by this point.

[donkevlar]

Originally Posted by BVF

I won't even CONSIDER touching anything with human waste in it

:


One of the most well off people I know was a plumber... great money as a plumber, amazing money owning a plumbing company.

[BVF]

Originally Posted by zEn84

Hey BVF,
I am a journeyman plumber. Been in the field for 6 years. I didn't know what to do after I graduated so I took up plumbing for a back up plan. I took this last year off from plumbing to webmaster though fulltime since I had been doing that as a hobby on the side while serving my apprenticeship over the years. In Canada, it actually takes 4 years to get your plumbing ticket. The training a plumber goes through here is actually on par of what a mechanical engineer will receive in Europe or the states.

As far as the field goes, it definitely has its pros and cons. There are a lot of ways to make money in the field like residential, gas, steam, industrial, chemical.. I personally hate dealing with clogged toilets and that type of shit, but its a great way to run a business on your own. My buddy clears 800 a day just from doing house calls using his own van. But whats nice about getting a plumbing ticket, you have the option to do all of the above like steam, gas etc. But if you just get a steam ticket, thats all you would be allowed to do.

Most of my experience has been in the industrial sector which I love just because its more interesting and challenging. 80% of my work has been at breweries running stainless pipe (1/2" up to 30") which is awesome because its clean and you work along side of a tig welder so you can chat all day. If you work a shut down, there's usually plenty of hours to work if you want, all the over time is double time. The last shut down I did was at the kokanee beer plant in Creston, BC, and I was pulling 20k a month easy, so the money is there if you want it.

The shitty thing about the job is dealing with stupid fucks in the field. Since it is a labor job, there are a lot of guys you work around (not just plumbers, all trades) who are just shleps and annoying as fuck, makes you almost feel depressed because you wonder why they get paid the same as you. If you have a good crew and boss it makes all the difference.

All and all its still a good job, you will always have work. Just remember shit flows downhill and payday is Friday.

Thanks for that...I never even thought about piping in a beer factory...

Originally Posted by Angry Jew Cat

Something tells me BVF is moving somewhere where building codes aren't gonna be all that strict, hehe.

Nope...It would be either Central America, Africa, or Cuba if the embargo ends Obama's first term.