Ray,
In response to you post...I would have to say that is the most derogatory post towards plumbers I have seen on this forum.
I honestly thought you had a higher opinion of Plumbers.
I also thought that promoting the qualifications and skills of plumbers might help you and the organisation you work for ( or own? ).
'Trade only' I can only gather from your post that means anyone walking through the door.
Would it not be beneficial to you and the company to promote and elevate the profile of Plumbers?
You mention 'Joe Public' and his thoughts.
Well 'Joe Public' can kiss me where the sun don't shine.
Joe Public can do what he wants, but over here he does plumbing work - in any form - and stuffs up, he will not have insurance cover and be prosecuted.
I hope I have interpreted you post wrong, because if I was one of you regulars, I would show you the same disregard as you have shown the Plumbing Industry.
I think your post is demeaning to the Trade and profession.
Oz Plumber
Hi Oz
I'm confused. What did I say that was derogatory?
I have spent almost my entire working life supplying materials to plumbers, and the one thing I can tell you for absolute certain is that there no such thing as an average "plumber". There are a full range of human beings, skilled and less skilled, polite and rude, reliable and haphazard, honest and dishonest, good looking and ugly, who happen to make their living working with pipes, valves, fluids and gases.
You will find me on this board and elsewhere regularly extolling the virtues of hiring a skilled professional.
But the fact that I believe that it is normally better to hire a professional skilled person is a very long way from believing that it should be against the law to make a different choice. Living in a free country is about making choices - including the right to make choices that you or I might disagree with.
Its appropriate for the state to intervene in those choices ONLY when the dangers are potentially catastrophic, which is why we regulate things like pharmaceuticals, firearms and explosives, and regulate trades and professions like medecine and gas fitting. But it is nonsense to compare the negative consequences of unlicenced plumbing with those of unlicenced medical practice.
Its not freedom if people are only free to do what you want.
And if you think that you ought to have the right to introduce regulations against the public will, and that the ordinary man in the street can kiss your bum, then I wish you well, but I prefer to live in a democracy where the laws have the support of the public.
And remember, in plumbing, we are the professionals, and everyone else is "joe public". But what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, so when every other trade and profession seeks to regulate and protect their industry, I presume you will be content to pucker up - because you are Joe Public to them.