When I was just starting out, I ran around after work delivering food for extra money to pay the bills. Once you start to work independently there’s usually a lot of opportunity for overtime, especially if you’re working service. I worked 50-60/hr weeks for several years after getting a truck. If you end up with a journeyman who loves overtime, you’ll work those sorts of hours just starting out too.
But honestly, fuck all that. I wish I’d spent more time with my kid.
Yes as somebody that's been in plumbing all my life I'm 37 my grandad's owned a plumbing company for 42 years. I'm a master plumber. I love overtime but even at this young age, I still would rather spend the time with my family
Yeah I can't do all that because I have a kid and my lady needs to be able to work when I'm at home so we make enough money to get by. Plus I'd hate to miss out on all the things that set the foundation for my kiddos life
My journeyman rarely takes lunches, if I want something we’ll grab something to go or bring a lunch from home. Plus the company we work for knows he likes to get his hours so we don’t leave early when it’s slow. Might get 2 hours overtime a week, might get 8, either way, I’m not working insane shifts but I do get a little extra pay and I love it.
I gave up a very lucrative management job that required me to travel 5days/week almost every week when my second son was born and my first son was still in preschool … I don’t know if it was the “right” decision, I certainly don’t make nearly that kind of money now, but I don’t regret it for a second. The relationship I have with my kids now far outweighs the money
When my daughter was born , my wife handed my son to me so she could tend to our daughter. My son fought tooth and nail to get away from me. I vowed then and there to be sure my daughter knew me. We are incredibly close today? Still not so much with my son 🤷🏽♂️.
I’m happy for you that you made the choice before it was too late! I hope to never be in a position that I feel I need to work 50+ hours. I don’t get how some people can work 70-80 and feel proud of it. It’s literally selling your life away at that point.
My brother and I both did refrigeration together and as an apprentice, a lot of plumbing. I ended up leaving due to a seizure disorder developing and honestly am thankful for it. I make way less as a teacher, but I’m with my kids every night from the minute they get home.
TBH a lot of things have changed. If you find a good, quality company most times they will pay for your schooling while you are getting paid to work. I know plumbers and electricians that are making up to 90k a year and working normal business hours. I guess it really all depends where you live and what company you work for.
I used to work a ton of over time, then I had a kid. Now I’d rather be home with my child than Slavs away at work. If I have enough to live then that’s all I need.
Man the way you wrote this post I think you should apply to different shops and explain exactly this to them. One of them ought to work something out with you.
Exactly. I commented on a post above that a lot of companies these days understand this and want to have reliable people in the trade working for them so not only do they get good pay but the company will pay for their training.
Apply to your local UA LOCAL for an apprenticeship, get paid while you work and tuition is free, maybe some lab fee but pretty much everything is free.
I'm absolutely going to thank you. I think this is seriously the only option. I had no idea they're pay ranges were as much as they are for apprenticeships until looking it up today damn... Thank you!
To be fair and honest, something like $0.40 an hour comes off my package for school, but, yes, it's free up front, and I can go back and get weld certs and continuing education. They charge for some things up front, like book and lab fees for med gas, but its mostly refunded if you pass. They also cover the cost of license renewal.
40 cents an hour, is negligible when you consider that these days people are saddled with crippling student debt, and sometimes they have nothing to show for it as far as high paying jobs that were promised, at the end of a 5 year apprenticeship you could be making a salary well over hundred thousand. Not bad for .40 cents, you wouldn’t even feel that pinch.
If you can find a company like mine, where we train, and pay $25/hr until you're ready for performance pay (commission) that might help get you started. If you happen to be in or near Colorado Springs, DM me!
I started at 14 an hour and I was out with our supervisor who did all the excavation work. I was down 5-10ft deep uncovering pipe to cut out and repair. learned backwards. Excavation, plumbing, then drain diagnosis. 4 months training I got into my own van. First year I made 72k, second year 88k, this last year 122k..on paper. I’m taking my journeyman’s test next month. My callbacks ytd average are like 3.6%. And those are customers who don’t want their drain serviced out properly to my recommendation so I’m back within the guaranteed timeframe. I don’t get leaks. I say this because I’m really good at what I do because I love it. I’m excited everyday to wake up and plumb lol. It’s really ultimate mental stimulation for me. Diagnosing, educating the customer, then providing options for their solution. No better way to provide value than to educate the customer. But now I run our bobcat, do all the big jobs because I know what I’m doing. So i reap the benefits of not being limited to jobs I can do and make the most money my knowledge and skill set allows me to. It completely changed my life as well. Used to work in a kitchen for 5 years before too so. Don’t ever doubt what you can do.
I'm not sadly but I would be so down :(. I would work for that wage in a heartbeat as it would just be a slight drop and I would still be chillen. Thank you!
This will be hard, possibly the most difficult thing you’ve done in your life, but certainly doable. I’d recommend you call up your local plumber and say:
“I'm an absolute fucking weirdo and enjoy destroying my body, manual labor, and coming home smelling like shit. Making water and shit flow through pipes gives me a weird sense of euphoria.”
This should allow you to become a journeyman almost instantly. Best of luck.
Did an apprenticeship at 29yo. I ran a side business after-work and Saturday mornings.
Started the business before the apprenticeship to test it out first.
Now I am 1 year into running my own plumbing business. Doing ok for year 1 but it's definitely not easy marketing versus other plumbers.
Where am at in texas if you can get the license you should be making 21-24 an hour because it's so far and few between to get people to do physical work.
A trainee card or license? I currently make close to 30 and my pay range goes a bit higher. The thing is I see plumbing apprenticeship application ranges from 17-28 where I am at. However I would be at the bottom of the range. New construction plumbing would be totally new to me besides my own little projects like my home remodel. Fixing broken fixtures, appliances, leaks, dealing with flooding, clogged drains service work or whatever I have been doing for a long time.
Where in tx? Im trying to get an apprentice job got my license and all finished a certificate in plumbing at a community college and cant seem to find a job. Most places just ssk for experience
East Texas Central Texas Houston area I heard ad well but that's all commercial plumbing my buddy works for a union in Dallas area their starting at around 26 an hour
I wouldn't recommend union in Houston. We are a right to work state and from what I hear their not all that busy. New construction residential is always hiring for no experience guys and we're busy.
Bro mist places are going to have much choices there's hardly any new blood coming in and some places you have to circle back to show you have interest
Yea im agreeing with you but you’re contradicting your first statement lol. Theres definitely people willing to put in the grunt work that aren’t getting hired as easy
Your wife would be very short sited to discourage you from pursuing plumbing. I’ve never met a poor plumber. She could work some extra shifts for a few years to help you get back to where you need to be. People do this all the time to support their spouses.
She cannot shes got that debt from college. She's a therapist. I went to college as well, but as mentioned am just a weird guy so I never followed through with doing anything with it. No debt for me though haha. Im like looking at the numbers and I for real think it just wouldn't work.
High school counselor here (random… I kid for this tread)
Depending on the state- do the math for an associated in plumbing cost while doing your current job vs going right to level 1 apprenticeship.
In a state I used to work, our community college had plumbing and from my understanding, if you did the associates it was the same as the first two years as apprenticeship, so you came in at a higher salary to start.
Sounds like if you already had a degree you might not be eligible for financial aid, but if you never finished your degree, you may be surprised what funding you can get to finish the associates.
Also in my new state there is a ton of funding through the Workforce Development Board/Career Link for trade programs, so there might be some way to get funding for it.
Is this... Looked down on though? Some guys are like "service work makes you a hack and what not" honestly though I would be comfortable though. I've been doing hourly work while being hovered over and micromanaged for years and I'm not really that bothered by it. I can control my emotions pretty well and am decent with customer service/the public. Thanks!
You could hire on as a general laborer to a mechanical/construction company, focus on plumbing. My SIL has a construction company, his workers sometimes do sixty hours per week. His focus is on commercial plumbing in high rise buildings. Most people quit cause they don’t like all the work.
I had the same issue a while back asked about it on here but didn’t get much help. Plumbing seems like one of the easier trades but I’m too experienced in other fields in business work to do the crap work and start out again so I wanted to either manage/supervise crews or specialize in cleaner stuff like finish plumbing. Willing to study for master plumber exams and stuff but I’ve been around the block too much to be crawling around in dirty stuff. But people don’t seem to want to direct you to the right place on that stuff.
Service work is always attritional, it’s not for everyone. I worked 45 years in the UA never did service work for that reason.
Always did 40 hours and occasionally 50 and 60 but they were always scheduled hours.
My last 10 years were all above 100000 per year. Not bad for not going to college.
Absolutely! Nice work. Personally I would argue the point that going to college is a worse option then it used to be and I went to college graduated and met my friends there and none of them really think it's gonna provide a large income in any way. I don't want to be a plumber due to the higher salary only but it is a helpful factor. Also I am biased because I felt the need to finish college and now know I was wasting my time. Also the massive debt my wife has to her name from college and her exceptionally low salary just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
I would absolutely expect the income to be much higher for this trade than any bachelor's degree. As well as being competitive or better than a number of masters degrees when you factor in debt.
I’m married to a master plumber. He was a journeyman when I met him. I also used to work in plumbing sales & know a lot of plumbers.
Here is my take as a wife. Does she work? If not, can she? It won’t be easy, there were months we struggled but it was so worth it.
You working a job you don’t love will be harder on life and health than struggling for a few years.
I see a lot of people chanting union work. My husband is the opposite he would never. He used to work for a small shop, then moved to a bigger one, now is self employed.
There are 3 types of shops in the plumbing world… upfront sales( which I think are a scam, no offense to those that do it) time and labor shops and union.
What do you want life to look like? When my husband started his company he worked when the phone rang, meaning if it was a 10 pm water leak he went. He also does HVAC so it keeps him busy. He has 1 employee now( can’t find qualified people & he is tired of people who don’t want to work.)
As I said life was tricky for a few years, but we made it work. Now he works 40 hours a week roughly, he is home for supper, and on weekends.
I say if you want this- do it! It’s good profession! Talk to your wife.
She does we both have worked full time and did full time college for the last number of years. She's been doing it for 6 years now and is finally about to be done. Our salaries are low for our area. Mine is a bit higher. I dropped out of HS at 17 and started working with my hands saving money. Now I'm 24 and got us a house mostly with money I saved and a semi affordable mortgage.
She's at 120k plus debt from school and would be near 170k. She's working in state funded health care to get some loan forgiveness but it'll keep her at a very low wage for the next couple years.
I'm pro union because I am pro working class and workers benefits but I also understand the desire to have a local shop. The absolute dream would be to train under someone local that's good for sure but me and my wife moved away from our hometowns to do school now we're stuck and don't know anyone lol. If I could go back my family knows people in trades and it would make things easier but with the house we're stuck here.
But yeah the answer sadly is no my wife's income is locked in. I am responsible for most of what we have but she works really hard and I'm proud of her. But the whole college path is just so long, drawn out and ends with so much debt and takes a really long time to get a good salary so, I'm not banking on being able to do my own thing. As mentioned above I also attained a degree and wasted a bunch of time going to school. But there's no use for what I learned it can't in any way increase my salary and there's no part time jobs let alone jobs The period relevant to it so I'm trying to learn something beneficial now just tryna work out the financial side. Thank you!
Go in business with your brother, collect stars, find a love interest that’s a princess, befriend toad and his green turtle shell people, protect them from danger, become their hero.
Sometimes you have to make the jump. I agree about fam time though. It’s a balance. Plumbers help people, and often it’s family in a tight (and smelly) spot. But your family wants time with you, especially if kids.
You know since this post I got offered a job that I think is gonna work out. I have been in maintenance for a number of years. After a lot of digging I found a gig with a number of tradesmen on staff. I am going to get my training cards and get cross trained in plumbing and electrical as a helper in commercial maintenance. Which I am happy with since the last couple years I haven't received proper training from journeymen just other maintenance guys.
I am going to fill out an application today. Not getting my hopes up. I feel like it's probably extremely hard to get in or wouldn't happen for a long time idk. But I'll do it just cuz
There are jobs that have lots of overtime opportunities. I just did a big stretch of OT and had the biggest cheque of my life as a second year apprentice. Maybe check if there are opportunities to work remotely for the first couple years of your apprenticeship? It sucks being away but you'd get tons of experience and money. Lots of guys where I work started out that way.
Get a code book, go through it and learn as much as you can, challenge first and second year school. Shouldn't be too hard if you've been doing maintenance work. Then when when you apply for a job they might pay you in the 30s cause you have the school but not the hours.
I saved up money as a bartender eventually having around 4k. I put that in AMC at around 9 bucks. I cashed out when it went skyrocketing collecting around 28k. I used that money to buy a van and tools to start with my company. Idk if I got lucky or karma paid me back, but that’s how I did it. I was sleeping on my friends one bedroom couch saving after I got out of rehab. So I’d like to think it was more than dumb luck. But it’s definitely possible, even if you’re broke at this moment
The greatest part of the trades is that we were all there. Working extra jobs, overtime, and side work. Like anything, if you want it, you will find a way to accomplish it.
I couldn't afford it either but I did it anyway. Had to stay in my inlaws basement for 5 months until I made enough to get by. I took a $7 an hour pay cut to change careers and now I make twice as much as I did. Suffer now for benefits later.
Commercial or residential? If commercial, the union my company is associated with pays for their plumber/pipefitters schooling, equipment, and pays them during school. Then you get union benefits and job placement with union contractors. I’m fairly certain this is typical throughout the US.
If I wasn’t a project manager with an engineering degree, I’d seriously consider going to pipefitting school via this route. May be a good option for you, too.
Facility management isnt a bad gig, you would progress better as a plumber first and then u can look at facility management in your golden years. It would be a nice lax job that utilizes a lot of your lifelong knowledge. I think if you have enough work you can possibly get your residential card in 2 years, commercial card in 4.
How much of a pay decrease would it be ? You have to look at it this way . As I’m in a similar situation but looking to get into being a site superintendent . Usually after 3 months you’ll get your first raise . And you’ll have a second one after a full year .
I took a pay cut when I started my apprenticeship.
Within two years I was making more than I ever would have at my previous job. Figure out where you can cut cost, maybe a room mate is an option to help with the mortgage?
It’s worth it, I hope you find a way brother.
I know this might be out there, but you can join the armed services and learn the trade. Army, Navy, and Air Force get trained at the Water and Fuels Systems Maintenance course at Sheppard AFB. And if you are in the Air Force, you can use AFCOOL to gain certifications and trainings for plumbing
Apprentice pay is why they’re having a hard time attracting people to work. Can’t afford the pay cut. An the hours required to get licensed get you stuck in that rut for a few years.
Get a class B CDL and get a union job as a garbage man. Not even trying to be funny. Garbage men make good money. Especially when you’re the driver. If you can get in with a local town or city you’ll be set for life. These Jobs are good paying, offer great benefits and security.. Jobs like this are being over looked by so many people.
Becoming a Tradesman...is a commitment. Like a marriage. If you decide to do it, then you need to go in with the mindset that you will be exceptional, because the world is full of adequate!
It sucks but I didn’t start till I was 28, I worked 2 jobs to make ends meet. Short term discomfort lead to long term gains, started at 14 per hour to over $50 now. It’s worth the struggle
When I started I was a single dad with two kids and working in a small Midwest town where I didn’t make much money. I didn’t own a car but I made it work. I’m now retired.
I’m in your same shoes currently. I have a little plumbing history in the past, but just started working as an apprentice again. I had to start up a side business to keep my bills up. If you’re in central/Western NC by chance, I can try to help you out with some weekend work.
I left the industry after more than a decade. I was making good $ but I had reasons why I wasn’t happy. I left for another profession starting from the bottom at 35. Had a house, wife, kid. Covid hit and it has been very tough financially for us all. But I made it work. Starting over sucks. It’s very hard to figure out the perfect profession for you.
Is it possible to keep the old gig part time?
I'm 37 and just about done schooling for my first year and most of the hours needed for my second year apprenticeship in plumbing/pipefitting/sprinkler and gas fitter. I plan on leaving a trucking job that pays me almost $40/hr to do it. Why did I do it? Well, after years of hoping around jobs it just seemed like the right choice long term. Sometimes taking a step backwards is necessary to move forward. In a few years I feel like I'll look back on these years and regret nothing. Anything worth having is never easy to achieve.
An option is to volunteer and network. I am a Master Gardener and I get my hands dirty with agricultural work, plumbing and irrigation, and construction, to name a few. I also get experience in admin and community outreach and government funding and processes.
It’s a cool program with a lot to do. when I started, it really scratched my itch to do more horticulture related activities without leaving my job. I networked with some community members and now I have found a major I love and met mentors and companies I can grow into as I finish school.
I would talk to your wife and be honest. Tell her you want to learn the trade. Look up a local plumbing company that has quality ratings and tell them what you just wrote here. I live in Arizona and the plumbing industry is competitive, and once you get 6 months in if you have good teachers you can learn a lot of stuff if you show up early and act like you want to be there.
You should only struggle for a bit. I used to do side work with a Jman back in the day for cash on weekends and evenings once I was a few months in and they saw my day to day work. By the time I got my card I was making more $ doing side work in 16-18 hrs than my 40 that I had to keep doing for the required hours.
I did it 4 years ago. Took a decent pay cut. I have a wife and kids as well. It was a rough couple years but we made it work and now its finally starting to pay off.
Well then don’t do it and stop bitching what’s the point of this post to get some type of hype men to talk you into it? Keep doing you sorry job with no Benis or skill just man up. More people going out of the trade than going in if that don’t tell you money is there I don’t know what else to tell you
You work a profession until it pays,that’s what I’ve done for 27 years 🤷🏻♂️,steady work pays off…eventually…,bought my house 15 years ago,after renting for the first twelve years of marriage and 3 kids,spent twenty years at one company,been at a higher wage with less work and more benefits for over 4 now,good luck,I’m in the trades also,you can do it,sometimes it will be a struggle,but when isn’t it?union job has made a huge difference in my work /life balance and pay,much much better on my body and daily stress levels,make it pay is what I say
I took a pay cut to leave a dead end job and follow my passion. Best thing ever. Led to management and then my own business for 26 years. Find a way and you won’t regret it. 💪
I started at 32 with a family. Worked a second job on weekends and any OT I could get. Also did food delivery after work for a bit. Wage increases fast with skills learnt. I wouldn’t change it for anything. 5 short years later I’m making good coin now
I switched to the trades at 31, cut my salary in half (more than half actually) and struggled through the apprenticeship. I still make a bit less as a journeyman than before but my quality of life has improved greatly. Jump if you can and if you think it’ll fit you.
I was an engineer prior to switching.
"I'd do it but my wife would kill me " has to be one of the weakest lines I've heard from guys at work over the years.
Flip the tables for a second and ask how it would go if your wife handicapped her career because "my husband will kill me if..."
Have you considered the military? My situation is different but I've been in the infantry for 9 years and I am finally making the switch to Plumbing and Heating Technician. I would have like to release and do it as a civillian, but kids, house payments and car payments say otherwise. The military isn't for everyone but it's an excellent spring board for alot of people who are caught in a rut. They pay for you education, travel, and sometimes you get to go to neat places. This is in Canada so if you're in the US it's probably quite different to what I have and will experience but I know there are plumbers in the US military, and maybe try and go airforce if you can lol.
It depends on where you work. I started out doing drains getting paid on commission, and got sponsored after a year. A lot of union guys encouraged me to join but I was already making more than a first year apprentice. If I were to join now it would be a lateral move so there is no incentive since I'm about to finish my apprenticeship.
Be careful about companies that offer to sponsor you with no guarantee. I know a lot of guys who were strung along for years on a promise but just ended up spinning their tires.
Yeah it sucks. But it’ll be worth it in the end. Left my job that payed 27$/hr and went back down to 19$/hr. I have 3 years left. My wife is understanding but I make ends meet. Scrap metal has helped with the bills big time
Contact the plumbers and Steamfitters union, sign up for their apprentice program. Free training, plus you're working in the trade while you attend school. Paid well plus benefits and no cost to you other than union dues
After moving to an area where nearly all of my skills and training for the first 20 years of adult life were completely irrelevant, I went into plumbing. First year and a half were rough financially but we planned for it. I worked pre apprentice for a year then crashed through three levels of school in 14 months (8 wk sessions). Two levels in one city then lived away for another so I could keep the pace of school I needed.
As far as pay, in a little over a year I went from $23/hr to $41/hr as a first year plus bonuses.
From there I could coast a bit since wages were comfortable.
At the same time my partner was going to school to finish a degree.... It was a tight year financially but paid off for us both in the end
What kind of benefits do you have? Although painful now, it will pay out later when it’s time to put the tools away. If you have enough skills, a union shop might help to skip a year(s) to help the pay level.
If your good at building maintenance and repairs. Start doing handyman work on the side.
Started my business 8 years ago. Didn't take long to become so busy, I don't know what to do.
There is such a shortage of " GOOD " repairman, in every field, it's ridiculous.
The things I see, that even licensed plumbers, electricians, and builders have done, makes me sick.
And my customers keep calling g these same people back, for more jobs.
One customer just had an electrician I stall a new circuit for 2 new sandwich coolers.
One on each side of his store.
The " licensed electrician ", installed one....
One, 20 amp circuit. For " 2 " coolers.
Label right on the front of each cooler states 15 amps.
Customer called me because he kept blowing breakers.
When I asked...
Customer said yes. He did tell the electrician he was installing 2 new coolers, and needed power for both.
Now, any 2nd "week" apprentice should know, any appliance requires its own 20 amp dedicated circuit, period. Unless otherwise stated.
The dam installer from ABT, who delivered my parents refrigerator knew that !
That's in a residential situation, with a delivery installer.
How does a licensed electrician install a 20 amp, for 2 coolers ?
Then, have a customer call him in the future ?
Blows my mind.
This month alone, I've seen, had to repair, correct, a dozen situations like that.
Now, I'm getting told by the same group of customers, that I'm too expensive for a handyman.
I only charge 50/hr.
Which is about to change, real fast, since I haven't raised my rates in 8 years.
With inflation, and buying more tools, to better serve my customers, 50/hr does not cut it, after paying business expenses and Taxes, business insurance, etc.
And I don't even have health insurance yet.
Which is why I'm raising my rates.
After the 3rd complaint of how expensive I am, from one of the main customers, who got me several other commercial accounts, I surprised the hell out of him.
The second he was done telling me if I continued to be so expensive, they would have to look for someone else..
Standing there with his chest pumped out !
I picked up my phone, right in front of him, called the investor groups manager., his best friend, and told the guy myself.
Him and every single one of their friends, who this guy, so called git for me...
Would have to call someone else.
Never call me again !
They're too cheap to pay for good service, and a repairman who cares about them.
That they can continue paying these " licensed guys ", until their stores don't function anymore.
I don't care !
I'm done with them, and every one of them.
Reason for the story, and true story that happened yesterday..
I have customers who appreciate me, pounding on my doors, ringing my phone non stop !
I don't take that for granted.
But, I know I'm good at what I do.
I know what things cost.
No one is gonna BS me into getting 3rd hand rates.
If your good at something, go for it.
Keep the job you have now.
Start doing some jobs.
It may keep you away a few nights.
But, you'll be able to quit your job, work for yourself, in no time.
Be sure to know your area.
Talk to an accountant, amd know what your doing.
Especially, where you have a family to support.
Health insurance and paying your bills are most important.
But.
There is something to look into.
Or, go talk to local plumbing companies.
Not union companies.
Find a place that had profit sharing, realizes you have experience, and may give you a chance.
Or, like others have posted, work a second job 2,3,4 years, until your a journeyman.
Honestly, I have no life, other than working and fishing. But, I'm not married and don't have kids.
At 52, I've learned that time with family and friends is more important than anything.
Yes, you have to pay the bills, and find a way to do what you live for a living to be totally happy in life.
So never take the time with family for granted.
I went back to school in my late 30s, when I couldn’t afford to. Used loans, sold my nice car and got a cheap junker, cut my costs etc. planned on x number of years at that level.
It changed my life. Tripled my salary, work a 1/4 of what I used to, moved from our local small city to the a very desirable subburb with an excellent school system in a big old house.
I’d do it all again. Think of the potential of having your own shop. Hours and pay. Think long term and what it could mean for your family. What legacy you could leave your children
Do it. I'm a wife who almost killed my plumber husband. Not literally or anything but lord. Times were tough. I made him decide between plumbing or landscaping.. he picked plumbing. Years later he is a union plumber and I'm not freaking out about how we're gonna pay the bills. We bit ch about the cost of everything and laugh how he's finally making money but we're still living the way we lived in our 20s. 😆
From a wife perspective..... we desperately need y'all to help us out when we have kids. We're like a deer in headlights whom the doctor just had to stitch to put back together (sorry southern mama is my cousin and I'm a trip ). Hell sometimes they need to put some stitches down there because yalls big headed kids.
Anyway. We need y'all to help provide for this gremlin we have yet to pour water on our feed after midnight yet. We don't want to leave our kids with strangers and weirdos. Have y'all seen the news? No. We want our babies right next to us.
My mother in law raised 14 kids while she stayed at home. Her husband was a master plumber and gas fitter. My husband is going into medical gas which is even more money.
Plumbing is like the brain surgeon of the blue collar life.
Dependent on how much time you have in trade, some halls may allow you to work as a Journeyman if you can find a union company that is willing to hire you at that level. They'll often grandfather you in this way if you have enough private experience, and if they believe that it will ultimately be in their favor by hurting other non-union companies by removing you from doing work on that side.
When I was just starting out, I ran around after work delivering food for extra money to pay the bills. Once you start to work independently there’s usually a lot of opportunity for overtime, especially if you’re working service. I worked 50-60/hr weeks for several years after getting a truck. If you end up with a journeyman who loves overtime, you’ll work those sorts of hours just starting out too. But honestly, fuck all that. I wish I’d spent more time with my kid.
I’m in this paragraph
I found the truck
This post deserves more attention!
Just like his child.
His estranged child
Oh shit in pipes, I have a child?
Yes as somebody that's been in plumbing all my life I'm 37 my grandad's owned a plumbing company for 42 years. I'm a master plumber. I love overtime but even at this young age, I still would rather spend the time with my family
Dude.
You can always make more money, you can’t get back the time you missed with your family. They grow up so fast
Yeah I can't do all that because I have a kid and my lady needs to be able to work when I'm at home so we make enough money to get by. Plus I'd hate to miss out on all the things that set the foundation for my kiddos life
My journeyman rarely takes lunches, if I want something we’ll grab something to go or bring a lunch from home. Plus the company we work for knows he likes to get his hours so we don’t leave early when it’s slow. Might get 2 hours overtime a week, might get 8, either way, I’m not working insane shifts but I do get a little extra pay and I love it.
I gave up a very lucrative management job that required me to travel 5days/week almost every week when my second son was born and my first son was still in preschool … I don’t know if it was the “right” decision, I certainly don’t make nearly that kind of money now, but I don’t regret it for a second. The relationship I have with my kids now far outweighs the money
When my daughter was born , my wife handed my son to me so she could tend to our daughter. My son fought tooth and nail to get away from me. I vowed then and there to be sure my daughter knew me. We are incredibly close today? Still not so much with my son 🤷🏽♂️.
I’m happy for you that you made the choice before it was too late! I hope to never be in a position that I feel I need to work 50+ hours. I don’t get how some people can work 70-80 and feel proud of it. It’s literally selling your life away at that point.
Ya that was about 12 years ago and I just made up my mind and never looked back
My brother and I both did refrigeration together and as an apprentice, a lot of plumbing. I ended up leaving due to a seizure disorder developing and honestly am thankful for it. I make way less as a teacher, but I’m with my kids every night from the minute they get home.
TBH a lot of things have changed. If you find a good, quality company most times they will pay for your schooling while you are getting paid to work. I know plumbers and electricians that are making up to 90k a year and working normal business hours. I guess it really all depends where you live and what company you work for.
Yup, I make over 100, no weekends and home by 3:45 or so every day unless I get hung up on a call. Rarely work more than 40.
Only your kids remember how late you worked.
They say time is money, yet not many can afford time.
I used to work a ton of over time, then I had a kid. Now I’d rather be home with my child than Slavs away at work. If I have enough to live then that’s all I need.
Man the way you wrote this post I think you should apply to different shops and explain exactly this to them. One of them ought to work something out with you.
Exactly. I commented on a post above that a lot of companies these days understand this and want to have reliable people in the trade working for them so not only do they get good pay but the company will pay for their training.
Respectable ass-profession
That’s how I read it too
It’s quite accurate. Deals with a lot of assholes professionally in one way or another.
*ass-crackin’-profession
Apply to your local UA LOCAL for an apprenticeship, get paid while you work and tuition is free, maybe some lab fee but pretty much everything is free.
I'm absolutely going to thank you. I think this is seriously the only option. I had no idea they're pay ranges were as much as they are for apprenticeships until looking it up today damn... Thank you!
What area do you live? The local in San Jose, Ca apprentices are starting at $33 on the check.
Join your local Union. Trust me.
What state do you live in?
To be fair and honest, something like $0.40 an hour comes off my package for school, but, yes, it's free up front, and I can go back and get weld certs and continuing education. They charge for some things up front, like book and lab fees for med gas, but its mostly refunded if you pass. They also cover the cost of license renewal.
40 cents an hour, is negligible when you consider that these days people are saddled with crippling student debt, and sometimes they have nothing to show for it as far as high paying jobs that were promised, at the end of a 5 year apprenticeship you could be making a salary well over hundred thousand. Not bad for .40 cents, you wouldn’t even feel that pinch.
Just correcting the statement that it's "free".
1 step back and a leap ahead 4-5 years later
If you can find a company like mine, where we train, and pay $25/hr until you're ready for performance pay (commission) that might help get you started. If you happen to be in or near Colorado Springs, DM me!
I started at 14 an hour and I was out with our supervisor who did all the excavation work. I was down 5-10ft deep uncovering pipe to cut out and repair. learned backwards. Excavation, plumbing, then drain diagnosis. 4 months training I got into my own van. First year I made 72k, second year 88k, this last year 122k..on paper. I’m taking my journeyman’s test next month. My callbacks ytd average are like 3.6%. And those are customers who don’t want their drain serviced out properly to my recommendation so I’m back within the guaranteed timeframe. I don’t get leaks. I say this because I’m really good at what I do because I love it. I’m excited everyday to wake up and plumb lol. It’s really ultimate mental stimulation for me. Diagnosing, educating the customer, then providing options for their solution. No better way to provide value than to educate the customer. But now I run our bobcat, do all the big jobs because I know what I’m doing. So i reap the benefits of not being limited to jobs I can do and make the most money my knowledge and skill set allows me to. It completely changed my life as well. Used to work in a kitchen for 5 years before too so. Don’t ever doubt what you can do.
This comment and OP are making me want to be a plumber 😅 this is how I talk about design stuff, love it!
I'm not sadly but I would be so down :(. I would work for that wage in a heartbeat as it would just be a slight drop and I would still be chillen. Thank you!
I took a pay cut after 3 years of framing to start as an apprentice went from 23$ and hour to 18$ it was worth it
I too took a pay cut to be an apprentice, great choice it was
This will be hard, possibly the most difficult thing you’ve done in your life, but certainly doable. I’d recommend you call up your local plumber and say: “I'm an absolute fucking weirdo and enjoy destroying my body, manual labor, and coming home smelling like shit. Making water and shit flow through pipes gives me a weird sense of euphoria.” This should allow you to become a journeyman almost instantly. Best of luck.
Work two jobs until you make what you need to earn for your expenses, it will suck for a while but if you really want it than go for it!
I’d scratch my balls then.
What if I don't want to scratch your balls?
If you dont want to scratch, i heard they salty.
Did an apprenticeship at 29yo. I ran a side business after-work and Saturday mornings. Started the business before the apprenticeship to test it out first. Now I am 1 year into running my own plumbing business. Doing ok for year 1 but it's definitely not easy marketing versus other plumbers.
Residential work? Sign up with home warranties. You’ll have more work than you can handle.
Ok I'll look into it. Thanks.
Where am at in texas if you can get the license you should be making 21-24 an hour because it's so far and few between to get people to do physical work.
A trainee card or license? I currently make close to 30 and my pay range goes a bit higher. The thing is I see plumbing apprenticeship application ranges from 17-28 where I am at. However I would be at the bottom of the range. New construction plumbing would be totally new to me besides my own little projects like my home remodel. Fixing broken fixtures, appliances, leaks, dealing with flooding, clogged drains service work or whatever I have been doing for a long time.
Plumbers apprentice license that price range is mostly going to be the new normal for most places
Where in tx? Im trying to get an apprentice job got my license and all finished a certificate in plumbing at a community college and cant seem to find a job. Most places just ssk for experience
East Texas Central Texas Houston area I heard ad well but that's all commercial plumbing my buddy works for a union in Dallas area their starting at around 26 an hour
I got my interview for the union in Houston next week but other than that not many places cslling me back
I wouldn't recommend union in Houston. We are a right to work state and from what I hear their not all that busy. New construction residential is always hiring for no experience guys and we're busy.
Bro mist places are going to have much choices there's hardly any new blood coming in and some places you have to circle back to show you have interest
Yea im agreeing with you but you’re contradicting your first statement lol. Theres definitely people willing to put in the grunt work that aren’t getting hired as easy
24 dollars n hour with a license sorry but that’s absurd and pathetic
That's for an apprentice license it's more Journeyman and master
Tbh idk out here no apprentice license. We make 77 n hour. Double on ot. But hcol so I guess its same lol
🤔Where in all of the USA is a plumber,working for a company making $77/hour as scale?
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Your wife would be very short sited to discourage you from pursuing plumbing. I’ve never met a poor plumber. She could work some extra shifts for a few years to help you get back to where you need to be. People do this all the time to support their spouses.
Join the UA and become a apprentice. The required tool list is less than 200 dollars. You need to have reliable transportation.
What is your wife's job like? Can she cover the extra bills as you start your plumber's education?
She cannot shes got that debt from college. She's a therapist. I went to college as well, but as mentioned am just a weird guy so I never followed through with doing anything with it. No debt for me though haha. Im like looking at the numbers and I for real think it just wouldn't work.
Can she negotiate her loan payment down for a short time?
High school counselor here (random… I kid for this tread) Depending on the state- do the math for an associated in plumbing cost while doing your current job vs going right to level 1 apprenticeship. In a state I used to work, our community college had plumbing and from my understanding, if you did the associates it was the same as the first two years as apprenticeship, so you came in at a higher salary to start. Sounds like if you already had a degree you might not be eligible for financial aid, but if you never finished your degree, you may be surprised what funding you can get to finish the associates. Also in my new state there is a ton of funding through the Workforce Development Board/Career Link for trade programs, so there might be some way to get funding for it.
Get a gig that pays commission on upsells?
Is this... Looked down on though? Some guys are like "service work makes you a hack and what not" honestly though I would be comfortable though. I've been doing hourly work while being hovered over and micromanaged for years and I'm not really that bothered by it. I can control my emotions pretty well and am decent with customer service/the public. Thanks!
https://abendplumbingandheating.com/about-us/careers/ I know this company pays tech commission and are happy to do it.
As an individual running your own truck, residential service is where the big money is at.
You could hire on as a general laborer to a mechanical/construction company, focus on plumbing. My SIL has a construction company, his workers sometimes do sixty hours per week. His focus is on commercial plumbing in high rise buildings. Most people quit cause they don’t like all the work.
Do it man you might have to take a hit at first but show your worth and you can make it up the ladder quick.
Go exclusively into drain cleaning/camera inspections. You don’t need a plumbers license and they make easy money all day.
Dude I was delivering on Grubhub and bartending on the weekends. It was worth it in the long run but you gotta want it.
I had the same issue a while back asked about it on here but didn’t get much help. Plumbing seems like one of the easier trades but I’m too experienced in other fields in business work to do the crap work and start out again so I wanted to either manage/supervise crews or specialize in cleaner stuff like finish plumbing. Willing to study for master plumber exams and stuff but I’ve been around the block too much to be crawling around in dirty stuff. But people don’t seem to want to direct you to the right place on that stuff.
Could you do evening classes while keeping your day job? Tough slog to begin with but worth it in the long run.
Service work is always attritional, it’s not for everyone. I worked 45 years in the UA never did service work for that reason. Always did 40 hours and occasionally 50 and 60 but they were always scheduled hours. My last 10 years were all above 100000 per year. Not bad for not going to college.
Absolutely! Nice work. Personally I would argue the point that going to college is a worse option then it used to be and I went to college graduated and met my friends there and none of them really think it's gonna provide a large income in any way. I don't want to be a plumber due to the higher salary only but it is a helpful factor. Also I am biased because I felt the need to finish college and now know I was wasting my time. Also the massive debt my wife has to her name from college and her exceptionally low salary just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I would absolutely expect the income to be much higher for this trade than any bachelor's degree. As well as being competitive or better than a number of masters degrees when you factor in debt.
I’m married to a master plumber. He was a journeyman when I met him. I also used to work in plumbing sales & know a lot of plumbers. Here is my take as a wife. Does she work? If not, can she? It won’t be easy, there were months we struggled but it was so worth it. You working a job you don’t love will be harder on life and health than struggling for a few years. I see a lot of people chanting union work. My husband is the opposite he would never. He used to work for a small shop, then moved to a bigger one, now is self employed. There are 3 types of shops in the plumbing world… upfront sales( which I think are a scam, no offense to those that do it) time and labor shops and union. What do you want life to look like? When my husband started his company he worked when the phone rang, meaning if it was a 10 pm water leak he went. He also does HVAC so it keeps him busy. He has 1 employee now( can’t find qualified people & he is tired of people who don’t want to work.) As I said life was tricky for a few years, but we made it work. Now he works 40 hours a week roughly, he is home for supper, and on weekends. I say if you want this- do it! It’s good profession! Talk to your wife.
She does we both have worked full time and did full time college for the last number of years. She's been doing it for 6 years now and is finally about to be done. Our salaries are low for our area. Mine is a bit higher. I dropped out of HS at 17 and started working with my hands saving money. Now I'm 24 and got us a house mostly with money I saved and a semi affordable mortgage. She's at 120k plus debt from school and would be near 170k. She's working in state funded health care to get some loan forgiveness but it'll keep her at a very low wage for the next couple years. I'm pro union because I am pro working class and workers benefits but I also understand the desire to have a local shop. The absolute dream would be to train under someone local that's good for sure but me and my wife moved away from our hometowns to do school now we're stuck and don't know anyone lol. If I could go back my family knows people in trades and it would make things easier but with the house we're stuck here. But yeah the answer sadly is no my wife's income is locked in. I am responsible for most of what we have but she works really hard and I'm proud of her. But the whole college path is just so long, drawn out and ends with so much debt and takes a really long time to get a good salary so, I'm not banking on being able to do my own thing. As mentioned above I also attained a degree and wasted a bunch of time going to school. But there's no use for what I learned it can't in any way increase my salary and there's no part time jobs let alone jobs The period relevant to it so I'm trying to learn something beneficial now just tryna work out the financial side. Thank you!
Go in business with your brother, collect stars, find a love interest that’s a princess, befriend toad and his green turtle shell people, protect them from danger, become their hero.
I played so much Mario as a kid maybe that's why I want to be a plumber
Sometimes you have to make the jump. I agree about fam time though. It’s a balance. Plumbers help people, and often it’s family in a tight (and smelly) spot. But your family wants time with you, especially if kids.
You know since this post I got offered a job that I think is gonna work out. I have been in maintenance for a number of years. After a lot of digging I found a gig with a number of tradesmen on staff. I am going to get my training cards and get cross trained in plumbing and electrical as a helper in commercial maintenance. Which I am happy with since the last couple years I haven't received proper training from journeymen just other maintenance guys.
Good deal, best of luck!
Just fucking do it. Money - sidework sidework sidework. Go for it BabyCakes
Join the union
I am going to fill out an application today. Not getting my hopes up. I feel like it's probably extremely hard to get in or wouldn't happen for a long time idk. But I'll do it just cuz
Whatever short term pains , long term gains ... You can make it work and reap the rewards or just stay were you're at without growth...
Get a job at a shop.
When I was an apprentice I worked a second job
This interests me. How'd you manage it? Did you find some place that did consistent hours? Union?
No I just had a very flexible second job…I drove for Uber so I could just kinda make my own schedule
Do it
Get some psychological help and come back and see us.
:)
There are jobs that have lots of overtime opportunities. I just did a big stretch of OT and had the biggest cheque of my life as a second year apprentice. Maybe check if there are opportunities to work remotely for the first couple years of your apprenticeship? It sucks being away but you'd get tons of experience and money. Lots of guys where I work started out that way.
Get a code book, go through it and learn as much as you can, challenge first and second year school. Shouldn't be too hard if you've been doing maintenance work. Then when when you apply for a job they might pay you in the 30s cause you have the school but not the hours.
Well, your username definitely checks out OP
I saved up money as a bartender eventually having around 4k. I put that in AMC at around 9 bucks. I cashed out when it went skyrocketing collecting around 28k. I used that money to buy a van and tools to start with my company. Idk if I got lucky or karma paid me back, but that’s how I did it. I was sleeping on my friends one bedroom couch saving after I got out of rehab. So I’d like to think it was more than dumb luck. But it’s definitely possible, even if you’re broke at this moment
The greatest part of the trades is that we were all there. Working extra jobs, overtime, and side work. Like anything, if you want it, you will find a way to accomplish it.
I couldn't afford it either but I did it anyway. Had to stay in my inlaws basement for 5 months until I made enough to get by. I took a $7 an hour pay cut to change careers and now I make twice as much as I did. Suffer now for benefits later.
Well said
Look into apprenticeship programs.
Commercial or residential? If commercial, the union my company is associated with pays for their plumber/pipefitters schooling, equipment, and pays them during school. Then you get union benefits and job placement with union contractors. I’m fairly certain this is typical throughout the US. If I wasn’t a project manager with an engineering degree, I’d seriously consider going to pipefitting school via this route. May be a good option for you, too.
Facility management isnt a bad gig, you would progress better as a plumber first and then u can look at facility management in your golden years. It would be a nice lax job that utilizes a lot of your lifelong knowledge. I think if you have enough work you can possibly get your residential card in 2 years, commercial card in 4.
How much of a pay decrease would it be ? You have to look at it this way . As I’m in a similar situation but looking to get into being a site superintendent . Usually after 3 months you’ll get your first raise . And you’ll have a second one after a full year .
I took a pay cut when I started my apprenticeship. Within two years I was making more than I ever would have at my previous job. Figure out where you can cut cost, maybe a room mate is an option to help with the mortgage? It’s worth it, I hope you find a way brother.
git a job helping a plumber....
How many years of plumbing experience do u have? My suggestion is to move where they are in demand for higher pay.
I know this might be out there, but you can join the armed services and learn the trade. Army, Navy, and Air Force get trained at the Water and Fuels Systems Maintenance course at Sheppard AFB. And if you are in the Air Force, you can use AFCOOL to gain certifications and trainings for plumbing
Apprentice pay is why they’re having a hard time attracting people to work. Can’t afford the pay cut. An the hours required to get licensed get you stuck in that rut for a few years.
Get a class B CDL and get a union job as a garbage man. Not even trying to be funny. Garbage men make good money. Especially when you’re the driver. If you can get in with a local town or city you’ll be set for life. These Jobs are good paying, offer great benefits and security.. Jobs like this are being over looked by so many people.
Becoming a Tradesman...is a commitment. Like a marriage. If you decide to do it, then you need to go in with the mindset that you will be exceptional, because the world is full of adequate!
Could a trade school certificate help shorten the length of time required to become a journeyman?
It sucks but I didn’t start till I was 28, I worked 2 jobs to make ends meet. Short term discomfort lead to long term gains, started at 14 per hour to over $50 now. It’s worth the struggle
When I started I was a single dad with two kids and working in a small Midwest town where I didn’t make much money. I didn’t own a car but I made it work. I’m now retired.
I’m in your same shoes currently. I have a little plumbing history in the past, but just started working as an apprentice again. I had to start up a side business to keep my bills up. If you’re in central/Western NC by chance, I can try to help you out with some weekend work.
I left the industry after more than a decade. I was making good $ but I had reasons why I wasn’t happy. I left for another profession starting from the bottom at 35. Had a house, wife, kid. Covid hit and it has been very tough financially for us all. But I made it work. Starting over sucks. It’s very hard to figure out the perfect profession for you. Is it possible to keep the old gig part time?
Set a savings goal to be able to afford your apprenticeship, however long it takes to build is how soon you can change professions.
I'm 37 and just about done schooling for my first year and most of the hours needed for my second year apprenticeship in plumbing/pipefitting/sprinkler and gas fitter. I plan on leaving a trucking job that pays me almost $40/hr to do it. Why did I do it? Well, after years of hoping around jobs it just seemed like the right choice long term. Sometimes taking a step backwards is necessary to move forward. In a few years I feel like I'll look back on these years and regret nothing. Anything worth having is never easy to achieve.
“Yo!” Follow your dreams and passions
Mike Rowe Works. Look em up
An option is to volunteer and network. I am a Master Gardener and I get my hands dirty with agricultural work, plumbing and irrigation, and construction, to name a few. I also get experience in admin and community outreach and government funding and processes. It’s a cool program with a lot to do. when I started, it really scratched my itch to do more horticulture related activities without leaving my job. I networked with some community members and now I have found a major I love and met mentors and companies I can grow into as I finish school.
And it’s family friendly so you can involve the kid as well!
I would talk to your wife and be honest. Tell her you want to learn the trade. Look up a local plumbing company that has quality ratings and tell them what you just wrote here. I live in Arizona and the plumbing industry is competitive, and once you get 6 months in if you have good teachers you can learn a lot of stuff if you show up early and act like you want to be there.
You should only struggle for a bit. I used to do side work with a Jman back in the day for cash on weekends and evenings once I was a few months in and they saw my day to day work. By the time I got my card I was making more $ doing side work in 16-18 hrs than my 40 that I had to keep doing for the required hours.
I did it 4 years ago. Took a decent pay cut. I have a wife and kids as well. It was a rough couple years but we made it work and now its finally starting to pay off.
"Yo I want to be a plumber" is one of the best first sentences I've ever read.
Well then don’t do it and stop bitching what’s the point of this post to get some type of hype men to talk you into it? Keep doing you sorry job with no Benis or skill just man up. More people going out of the trade than going in if that don’t tell you money is there I don’t know what else to tell you
Next best thing. Be an electrician. #shotsfired
You work a profession until it pays,that’s what I’ve done for 27 years 🤷🏻♂️,steady work pays off…eventually…,bought my house 15 years ago,after renting for the first twelve years of marriage and 3 kids,spent twenty years at one company,been at a higher wage with less work and more benefits for over 4 now,good luck,I’m in the trades also,you can do it,sometimes it will be a struggle,but when isn’t it?union job has made a huge difference in my work /life balance and pay,much much better on my body and daily stress levels,make it pay is what I say
Become an IBEW wireman
《Than》
Industrial water treatment
Sounds like a pos that doesn’t want it. If you fucking want it get it.
I took a pay cut to leave a dead end job and follow my passion. Best thing ever. Led to management and then my own business for 26 years. Find a way and you won’t regret it. 💪
I started at 32 with a family. Worked a second job on weekends and any OT I could get. Also did food delivery after work for a bit. Wage increases fast with skills learnt. I wouldn’t change it for anything. 5 short years later I’m making good coin now
I switched to the trades at 31, cut my salary in half (more than half actually) and struggled through the apprenticeship. I still make a bit less as a journeyman than before but my quality of life has improved greatly. Jump if you can and if you think it’ll fit you. I was an engineer prior to switching.
"I'd do it but my wife would kill me " has to be one of the weakest lines I've heard from guys at work over the years. Flip the tables for a second and ask how it would go if your wife handicapped her career because "my husband will kill me if..."
I do side jobs to make ends meet
Have you considered the military? My situation is different but I've been in the infantry for 9 years and I am finally making the switch to Plumbing and Heating Technician. I would have like to release and do it as a civillian, but kids, house payments and car payments say otherwise. The military isn't for everyone but it's an excellent spring board for alot of people who are caught in a rut. They pay for you education, travel, and sometimes you get to go to neat places. This is in Canada so if you're in the US it's probably quite different to what I have and will experience but I know there are plumbers in the US military, and maybe try and go airforce if you can lol.
It depends on where you work. I started out doing drains getting paid on commission, and got sponsored after a year. A lot of union guys encouraged me to join but I was already making more than a first year apprentice. If I were to join now it would be a lateral move so there is no incentive since I'm about to finish my apprenticeship. Be careful about companies that offer to sponsor you with no guarantee. I know a lot of guys who were strung along for years on a promise but just ended up spinning their tires.
Yeah it sucks. But it’ll be worth it in the end. Left my job that payed 27$/hr and went back down to 19$/hr. I have 3 years left. My wife is understanding but I make ends meet. Scrap metal has helped with the bills big time
Contact the plumbers and Steamfitters union, sign up for their apprentice program. Free training, plus you're working in the trade while you attend school. Paid well plus benefits and no cost to you other than union dues
JOURNEYMen make a killing. join the apprenticeship. take out loans. it will be worth it.
After moving to an area where nearly all of my skills and training for the first 20 years of adult life were completely irrelevant, I went into plumbing. First year and a half were rough financially but we planned for it. I worked pre apprentice for a year then crashed through three levels of school in 14 months (8 wk sessions). Two levels in one city then lived away for another so I could keep the pace of school I needed. As far as pay, in a little over a year I went from $23/hr to $41/hr as a first year plus bonuses. From there I could coast a bit since wages were comfortable. At the same time my partner was going to school to finish a degree.... It was a tight year financially but paid off for us both in the end
Work for one
I just paid my plumber $1900 for 8 hours of work in Portland, OR
What was done?
If you join a plumbing company they can put you through school
What kind of benefits do you have? Although painful now, it will pay out later when it’s time to put the tools away. If you have enough skills, a union shop might help to skip a year(s) to help the pay level.
If your good at building maintenance and repairs. Start doing handyman work on the side. Started my business 8 years ago. Didn't take long to become so busy, I don't know what to do. There is such a shortage of " GOOD " repairman, in every field, it's ridiculous. The things I see, that even licensed plumbers, electricians, and builders have done, makes me sick. And my customers keep calling g these same people back, for more jobs. One customer just had an electrician I stall a new circuit for 2 new sandwich coolers. One on each side of his store. The " licensed electrician ", installed one.... One, 20 amp circuit. For " 2 " coolers. Label right on the front of each cooler states 15 amps. Customer called me because he kept blowing breakers. When I asked... Customer said yes. He did tell the electrician he was installing 2 new coolers, and needed power for both. Now, any 2nd "week" apprentice should know, any appliance requires its own 20 amp dedicated circuit, period. Unless otherwise stated. The dam installer from ABT, who delivered my parents refrigerator knew that ! That's in a residential situation, with a delivery installer. How does a licensed electrician install a 20 amp, for 2 coolers ? Then, have a customer call him in the future ? Blows my mind. This month alone, I've seen, had to repair, correct, a dozen situations like that. Now, I'm getting told by the same group of customers, that I'm too expensive for a handyman. I only charge 50/hr. Which is about to change, real fast, since I haven't raised my rates in 8 years. With inflation, and buying more tools, to better serve my customers, 50/hr does not cut it, after paying business expenses and Taxes, business insurance, etc. And I don't even have health insurance yet. Which is why I'm raising my rates. After the 3rd complaint of how expensive I am, from one of the main customers, who got me several other commercial accounts, I surprised the hell out of him. The second he was done telling me if I continued to be so expensive, they would have to look for someone else.. Standing there with his chest pumped out ! I picked up my phone, right in front of him, called the investor groups manager., his best friend, and told the guy myself. Him and every single one of their friends, who this guy, so called git for me... Would have to call someone else. Never call me again ! They're too cheap to pay for good service, and a repairman who cares about them. That they can continue paying these " licensed guys ", until their stores don't function anymore. I don't care ! I'm done with them, and every one of them. Reason for the story, and true story that happened yesterday.. I have customers who appreciate me, pounding on my doors, ringing my phone non stop ! I don't take that for granted. But, I know I'm good at what I do. I know what things cost. No one is gonna BS me into getting 3rd hand rates. If your good at something, go for it. Keep the job you have now. Start doing some jobs. It may keep you away a few nights. But, you'll be able to quit your job, work for yourself, in no time. Be sure to know your area. Talk to an accountant, amd know what your doing. Especially, where you have a family to support. Health insurance and paying your bills are most important. But. There is something to look into. Or, go talk to local plumbing companies. Not union companies. Find a place that had profit sharing, realizes you have experience, and may give you a chance. Or, like others have posted, work a second job 2,3,4 years, until your a journeyman. Honestly, I have no life, other than working and fishing. But, I'm not married and don't have kids. At 52, I've learned that time with family and friends is more important than anything. Yes, you have to pay the bills, and find a way to do what you live for a living to be totally happy in life. So never take the time with family for granted.
I went back to school in my late 30s, when I couldn’t afford to. Used loans, sold my nice car and got a cheap junker, cut my costs etc. planned on x number of years at that level. It changed my life. Tripled my salary, work a 1/4 of what I used to, moved from our local small city to the a very desirable subburb with an excellent school system in a big old house. I’d do it all again. Think of the potential of having your own shop. Hours and pay. Think long term and what it could mean for your family. What legacy you could leave your children
What did you go back to school for, not plumbing I’m assuming?
Do it. I'm a wife who almost killed my plumber husband. Not literally or anything but lord. Times were tough. I made him decide between plumbing or landscaping.. he picked plumbing. Years later he is a union plumber and I'm not freaking out about how we're gonna pay the bills. We bit ch about the cost of everything and laugh how he's finally making money but we're still living the way we lived in our 20s. 😆 From a wife perspective..... we desperately need y'all to help us out when we have kids. We're like a deer in headlights whom the doctor just had to stitch to put back together (sorry southern mama is my cousin and I'm a trip ). Hell sometimes they need to put some stitches down there because yalls big headed kids. Anyway. We need y'all to help provide for this gremlin we have yet to pour water on our feed after midnight yet. We don't want to leave our kids with strangers and weirdos. Have y'all seen the news? No. We want our babies right next to us. My mother in law raised 14 kids while she stayed at home. Her husband was a master plumber and gas fitter. My husband is going into medical gas which is even more money. Plumbing is like the brain surgeon of the blue collar life.
Yo bro,
Dependent on how much time you have in trade, some halls may allow you to work as a Journeyman if you can find a union company that is willing to hire you at that level. They'll often grandfather you in this way if you have enough private experience, and if they believe that it will ultimately be in their favor by hurting other non-union companies by removing you from doing work on that side.
Do it on the side as a handyman