Re- gluing ? re-melting PVC w/ PVC solvent

[Dunbar Plumbing]

If you think about it, aren't we as plumbers "enablers" by contributing to the cause of helping others giving away the advice?

Discuss.

 

[Kordts]

Dunbar,
you know I have nothing but respect for you, even though we do disagree on tankless. Do you want to start a new thread topic on your last post? I totally agree with you there.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jimbo]

It is simply unreasonable in this day and age to assume that no work will be done by DIYers. That is not the state of the world today. We might wish that plumbing remained a "secret" trade, with knowledge and material available only to the initiated. That day is gone, like it or not.

We can choose to assist these homeowners, or not. Your choice.

 

[Kordts]

jimbo,
it's not the homeowners I mind helping. It's the unqualified DIY/handyman doing it for way less than legit plumbers can, getting in over their head, then asking our help so they can cut our throats, that's what gets my goat.

 

[mike08201]

Kord, I understand and agree with you. If it is any consolation, the help afforded to me by this group is for my own house.

We desperately needed a new kitchen and the equity loan is only so big.
One of my customers (I run a millwork facility for a lumber yard) is a builder and if it wasn't for his desire to do something nice for me to repay all my help to him, the framing would have been done by me also. But, alas, I take over on the mechanicals and the interior.

I will say, I am blessed having been in the industry for 25 years, a few bits of info have been retained, but I will admit to needing a polish from time to time, since plumbing and electrical are not my core business. Plus it's been 14 years since I redid my bathroom.

By the way, I'm the type of guy that even gets his interior remodeling inspected. I consider myself lucky for a small fee (the permit) I can have a qualified professional inspect and either approve or correct my work. It brings piece of mind and worth every penny.

 

[Kordts]

Guys like you are why I help out. I hope your house turns out great.

 

[Jadnashua]

Install them right and they are fine. That's the same thing with many things - there is a right way and a wrong way. Unless you do it right, all bets are off.

 

[Dunbar Plumbing]

Dunbar,
you know I have nothing but respect for you, even though we do disagree on tankless. Do you want to start a new thread topic on your last post? I totally agree with you there.

You can have the honors..go ahead. I'm curious to see the opinions gathered, create a poll.

 

[Verdeboy]

If you think about it, aren't we as plumbers "enablers" by contributing to the cause of helping others giving away the advice?

Discuss.

There's a market for non-licensed plumbers--a very big market. Aside from people who can't afford a plumber and would rather hire a handyman (or handywoman), landlords and property managers--all 50 million of them--are not going to hire a plumber at 80.00/hr when they can get someone to work for 10.00/hr. changing out faucets, toilets, sinks, etc... along with all their other maintenance duties.

Thanks in no small part to this forum and all the great advice I've gotten, I can provide a quality service to my customers in those areas I feel comfortable working in. If I get in over my head, I do not hesitate to refer them to a good plumber, electrician, etc.. Many of my customers can't get a plumber to even come out to give an estimate, either because they live in a very rural area or because they live in a rat-hole. So, it's doubtful I'm "cutting the throat" of any plumber--just trying to make a living.

 

[Kordts]

Eric,
that's the problem. In my state, plumbers need to be licensed, and they have to work for registered contractors. Anybody else doing plumbing is breaking the law. Even plumbers who are "moonlighting" or doing "siders" are breaking the law. As far as not being affordable, it's usually a matter of not wanting to be able to afford it. And is it fair to plumbers to let somebody else take the "easy jobs" and push off all the shitty stuff on real plumbers?

 

[Randyj]

About all I can say or compare to is stuff like auto mechanics. Take your car to a "shade tree" and you find a skilled but not polished plumber who's worth about the same price working on old worn out houses (I've done plenty of it!). Then you take a shiney late model car to the dealership for repairs or maintenance and you pay about the same as a good plumber is going to charge for his hourly rate. There are comparable wages/rates for various trades and working conditions. I guess the big thing is how well you sleep at night when it's all done. Unless it's just a PITA customer I always sleep well after doing a plumbing job for a honest and decent customer who simply appreciates my work....I'm fair/not cheap...and very frequently get tipped and never ask for it.

 

[Cass]

I don't know where I sit on this.....

If all handy men stopped doing plumbing, after a while, there would be a glut of plumbers and the hourly rate would plumit. Like the glut of techs in Floridas HVAC buisness.

On the other hand I don't like it when I lose a job to a handy man that installs a water heater for $100.00.

I also know a licenced new construction plumber that installs water heaters for $75.00.

I have to think this through more.

 

[HarleySilo]

6 years ago i worked as a maintence man for an apartment complex for 1 year. My boss, new a little about a lot, and taught me a lot. Main plumbing duties were replacing toliet valves, handles, supply lines, Un clogging toliets showers sinks, replacing hot water heaters, garabage disposals, icemakers valves etc.

We never had to run any pipe, other than some copper when installing a new water heater. We used the "real" plumbers for anything else, included big snakes, water main breaks etc.....

I understood exactly why they wanted to pay us$15 an hour to do the above work, cause who knows what a plumber would charge to change a handle on a toliet, $80? 1 hour min?

Now from a homeowners perspective, with the advent of On-line forums such as this one (free easy acess to info) I can't justify paying a state certified plumber to redo what another certified plumber messed up when I can fix it myself. I don't make enought money either.

A big thanks to all who provide very valuable information on this sight to users like me. This site and others have saved my $thousands in hard earned cash. I'm talking upwards of $30,000 alone in the past 8 months. I sat down the other day and figured out what it would have cost to have paid the proper folks to do all the jobs I've done, what an eye opener!

 

[Verdeboy]

Eric,
that's the problem. In my state, plumbers need to be licensed, and they have to work for registered contractors. Anybody else doing plumbing is breaking the law. Even plumbers who are "moonlighting" or doing "siders" are breaking the law. As far as not being affordable, it's usually a matter of not wanting to be able to afford it. And is it fair to plumbers to let somebody else take the "easy jobs" and push off all the shitty stuff on real plumbers?

I'm sure there are thousands of maintenance workers in your state who do plumbing. I doubt that they are breaking any law. Cass is right, if a licensed plumber had to be called in to fix every little plumbing problem, there would be such a glut of licensed plumbers that the competition in your own industry would be so great, you wouldn't be able to charge more than 20.00-30.00/hr. There goes the college tuition for the kids, the big suburban house, and the three SUV's parked in the garage.

PS: I think it's hilarious that you and Rugged are itching about giving out free advice. That's what this forum is all about. It's like going on a hunting trip and preaching all about animal rights as you are killing the deer.

 

[Dunbar Plumbing]

I'm sure there are thousands of maintenance workers in your state who do plumbing. I doubt that they are breaking any law. Cass is right, if a licensed plumber had to be called in to fix every little plumbing problem, there would be such a glut of licensed plumbers that the competition in your own industry would be so great, you wouldn't be able to charge more than 20.00-30.00/hr. There goes the college tuition for the kids, the big suburban house, and the three SUV's parked in the garage.

PS: I think it's hilarious that you and Rugged are bitching about giving out free advice. That's what this forum is all about. It's like going on a hunting trip and preaching all about animal rights as you are killing the deer.

You obviously didn't read post #22.

.

 

[TedL]

And is it fair to plumbers to let somebody else take the "easy jobs" and push off all the shitty stuff on real plumbers?

So, if I change my own oil and leave the challening repairs to a tech, I'm not being fair to him?

If I only call a plumber to work on the cast iron, and do the plastic piping and faucet replacements myself, I'm being unfair to the plumber?

I hope that was something written fast & loose on the fly, and not a real attitude of entitlement to easy work as well as that which truly calls for professional skills.

Do any of the pros here call an electrician when a switchplate needs changing?

 

[Kordts]

In Illinois you are breaking the law if you are plumbing without a license and aren't working for a registered contractor. Thousands of people are breaking the law. There aren't enough state inspectors to go around. It doesn't matter if it's a factory or nursing home, potable water and waste is plumbers' work. That's the law. I don't think I bitch about giving advice to advice homeowners, I do it gladly. Also, you guys economics are screwed up. We don't have enough plumbers now, if handymen and DIYers were forced out, the need for plumbers would increase, since it takes 4-5 years to turn out a plumber, I doubt there would be a glut of plumbers to drive the wages down.

 

[Casman]

My motherinlaw recently had both baths tiled. I got a call that the tile guy told her he wouldn't remove the toilet and she asked me if I would do it. Anyway, I told her I would. She calls back and says well, where are you, the guys here, I told her well you didn't tell me he was coming right over so I shut down my business, went over and pulled it. I was kinda irritated with the tile guy and pretty sure I made him feel bad. Later when he did the other bath she told him she was gonna call me over and the guy went ahead and pulled the toilet himself. He also put it back in. She was happy with that, until she discovered after he left it was leaking all over the place and he wouldn't call her back. It leaked so much it ruined the vanity as the wood swelled up and warped. When I got over there I found the "Extra Parts" he left in a dixie cup. It was leaking from the tank holes. I gave it some thought and now I understand wh the guy didn't want to get involved.

 

[Prashster]

Why is it that some people think it is their (right) to take a swipe at anybody they think they are superior to? Keep your personal comments to yourself......If you could do everything perfectly everytime then that makes you God...and since we have not seen the rebirth of God I don't think you have the right to take swipes at other people.

Here, here.

PP's asking for help. So, help or lay low. If you want to flame, start another thread.

 

[Kordts]

If you read my post, I did try to help.