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Discuss Plumbing Skills to be a Great Plumber in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

I have been in this trade close on 40 years and have seen alot of changes, to be succesful in this industry you must keep up with technology, have a varied skill set, be able to communicate well, treat your customers with respect and work tidy and clean that's my opinion. Kop
 
I would add to the great advice above, take the time to 'understand'. Too many people jump in without thinking it through. More often than not it's something simple ;)
 
The best skill is to be able to figure it out yourself instead of jumping straight onto the Internet asking for help.

As Yorks Dave has said, it's usually something simple.
The more you figure it out yourself the easier it is to figure it out in the future.
 
Alot depends on what type of plumber, gas man you want to be ultimately. You could be employed...one set of skills, self emoloyed same set of skillls Plus the sheet tenacity to succeed cause most of the time ur on your own.no back up its no good going home on friday with no lolly
You might want to develope your business and employ others...as well ...I did and still do ...beware its tricky and you MUST get from 2/3 fellas to 6+ in a short time otherwise you will get fed up running around picking up all the crap and earning less than your boys and usually go bust or lose your wife. Hard truths but been there seen it and made all the mistakes ...my sons are all in construction or mes and learning....sometimes at my expense.

Rob Foster aka centralheatking
 
For me there is one thing from which all others will naturally flow - "Passion" if you don't love Plumbing you will never be any good so long as you have a hole in it.

I guess it applies to most things in life but never found anything that comes close.

Not even the wife :oops:, don't tell her but think she knows mind.;)
 
For me there is one thing from which all others will naturally flow - "Passion" if you don't love Plumbing you will never be any good so long as you have a hole in it.

I guess it applies to most things in life but never found anything that comes close.

Not even the wife :oops:, don't tell her but think she knows mind.;)
dead right I love this business in all its incarnations and I believe plumbers should inherite the world
centralheatking
 
Alot depends on what type of plumber, gas man you want to be ultimately. You could be employed...one set of skills, self emoloyed same set of skillls Plus the sheet tenacity to succeed cause most of the time ur on your own.no back up its no good going home on friday with no lolly
You might want to develope your business and employ others...as well ...I did and still do ...beware its tricky and you MUST get from 2/3 fellas to 6+ in a short time otherwise you will get fed up running around picking up all the crap and earning less than your boys and usually go bust or lose your wife. Hard truths but been there seen it and made all the mistakes ...my sons are all in construction or mes and learning....sometimes at my expense.

Rob Foster aka centralheatking
Good advise there, I’ve got 4 employed soon to be 5 & my first kid on the way. 80+ hr weeks at the moment (have been for years) but can’t see an end to it. Hoping to get out what I’m putting in, we will see though.
Did you find at 5+ you needed office people? Or did you come off the tools for that yourself?
 
Good advise there, I’ve got 4 employed soon to be 5 & my first kid on the way. 80+ hr weeks at the moment (have been for years) but can’t see an end to it. Hoping to get out what I’m putting in, we will see though.
Did you find at 5+ you needed office people? Or did you come off the tools for that yourself?

I.F. Back in the early 90's I employed 11. Had to have 2 in the office for 'admin' even in those days. Goodness knows what it would be like these days.

As Rob has said, you def need what's termed a 'critical mass' of staff to 'keep' you paid whilst you go out selling etc.

In hindsight, and of course personally, I should have focussed on employing people who reflected my own ethos and values. Instead I focussed almost exclusively on top competence and many ended being complete f-wits too proud to admit when things were wrong or bodging it cos they didn't really know.

IMHO if you employ genuine people, obviously with some enthusiasm, good basic competencies and the self awareness to know their own limitations you can turn them into good engineers. If they are 'prima donnas', 'know-it-alls' or worse, 'think-they-know-it-alls' you are screwed :eek:

At interview now, I look for the person who admits they don't know - but would ask... ;)
 
I have and come accross many and diverse fellas. Some fitters give, some take some steal,some need constant input
one we never heard from monday - friday he just got on with it in fact I forgot to pay him one week, nobody is full time now, they are semi retired work when they want...money, holiday, time away from wife and when there is work. everybody gets paid friday except me ! The best way ti build a plumbing and heating outfit is to balance turnover with profit, keep fixed costs down and watch variable costs like a hawk. It takes ages to get a customer and seconds to loose them. Diversify never put all your eggs in one basket. Get someone you trust to mentor you....I have about 4 mentors but Jimbo is head and shoulders above....and knows everthing about me and I him.
Try try to avoid family it can just cause problems with your men. I dont know if I am right but I am still here and enjoy it
Rob Foster aka centralheatking
 
my first kid on the way. 80+ hr weeks at the moment (have been for years) but can’t see an end to it.

If you keep working 80+ hours a week you will end up sick, divorced or dead. Having kids is a big new responsibility; start figuring out now how to get your hours down to a level where your kids will know who you are and you'll live to see their 18th birthdays.
 

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