Is it a bad time to train to be a Plumber?

[mountainman]

anyone can buy a van and write plumber on it and theres no laws to stop them and from working as a plumber without qualifications and as clanger said level 2 isnt really worth much and it will take you 5-6 years get ur level 3 if u can find employment, if i was in your situation i would be looking at goin straight for my gas

I wouldn't.
Too expensive.
Too dangerous.
Too much knowledge and experience needed to be effective.
And best of all.
There's no money in it.

 

[stokecity]

I wouldn't.
Too expensive.
Too dangerous.
Too much knowledge and experience needed to be effective.
And best of all.
There's no money in it.

at the age of 26 you will have to pay full price for any trade you want to learn, the level 2 tech cert at my local college around £2000 for 2 year course. gas isnt dangerous if your competent, which a qualification willl make you

 

[Top Cat]

Surely if you can push 2 bits of pipe together into a push fit connector you are a fully qualified plumber?

 

[tamz]

Aye but the trick is getting it to look good (an impossibility)

The plastic plumbers are just above pat testers on your scale of tradesmen.

 

[Top Cat]

Aye but the trick is getting it to look good (an impossibility)

The plastic plumbers are just above pat testers on your scale of tradesmen.

A serious question now! how many, as a percentage use copper pipe on a job? I am old school and remember plumbers bringing 10 pipes all of different sizes down to a boiler room with sets sweeping beautifully, each pipe exactly the same distance from the other. Have not seen that beautiful attention to detail for a long time. I know you can say the same for electricians so i am not having a go at you. Would just like to know if it is only "old school" that still do it or do new boys still have a pride in this sort of work?

 

[jase158]

yes, I started 3-4 years ago and yes copper everytime, unless I havent got a fitting and it wont be seen, then I put a push fit fitting in. I would say 50% of new and old Plumbers use copper and 50% use plastic. there is quite a few threads on here about it

 

[dontknowitall]

Most of us regular posters are copper based - I'm not just talking about the older/more experienced plumbers.

We do use plastic but not often. As for really good looking pipework it's like most of the trades; where the customer is happy to pay extra for that attention to detail they'll get it but so often the price doesn't cover the extra time involved. I'm not saying we botch things, but for many jobs, straight enough is good enough.

As an aside note, System3 is a great supporter of flexible tap connectors - rest of us despise these items but are forced to use them on occasion.

 

[nickelarsed]

Well I came into plumbing at 30. Paid for a course, did level two and three. Been going about three years now. Trust me it is hard work. Had to work for free for a while to get experience. then had to work for awful money for a while. You can still make good money if you can find your own customers and keep them happy, the big problem is getting enough of them. That takes years. The better money is in gas but getting gas experience is a nightmare. I've still only got about half my required hours after all this time.
I'm contracting on site now just because I need a regular wage to pay off everything I spent. Really the whole thing has been a crap load of stress.
But thing is I quite enjoy it. And if I'm honest I don't regret starting it despite all the hassle and money worries. I suppose as someone said above it depends what kind of person you are. I find plumbing satisfying work, and I basically can just get on and do my job which I enjoy. In the end I reckon the money will get better, but then I'm an optimist. I do know some plumbers round here are still making the cash, so in my head it can be done.
My advice is to try and find someone to work with as a mate/ labourer BEFORE you shell out for a course. It will give you an idea of whether it's right for you. And if you can't find anyone think about this, you are definitely going to need to work with someone after the course because you just wont be ready to go on your own. So if you can't find anyone after you have spent the cash, how much worse will you feel then?

 

[Archy Styrigg]

A serious question now! how many, as a percentage use copper pipe on a job? I am old school and remember plumbers bringing 10 pipes all of different sizes down to a boiler room with sets sweeping beautifully, each pipe exactly the same distance from the other. Have not seen that beautiful attention to detail for a long time. I know you can say the same for electricians so i am not having a go at you. Would just like to know if it is only "old school" that still do it or do new boys still have a pride in this sort of work?

Oooo...know what you mean!
Last time I was on the ships, there were 10,15 maybe 20 odd small bore Cu tubing (in parallel) beautifully swept around the engine room etc. Not a kink in sight. Bit like MICC I suppose.

 

[Archy Styrigg]

Serious answer...
Any of you guys considered doing Industrial/Instrument pipework?
Last job I was on, this German lad reworked a pump control panel from plastic tubing to copper.
Work of frigging art when he'd finished, wish I'd taken some pictures.


Forgot, good money to had and travel the world for free.