I'm going to encourage my boys to become plumbers!***exciting update pg 2***

[Kirby]

I'll have to chime in with mickeyboat. My husband owns his own plumbing company. Charging $75 an hour is about average though he knows other companies that charge more. When you look at the big picture about the company's expenses, then $75 isn't that much. We pay for four kinds of insurance alone. Then there is the cost of material and labor, plus gas to run the trucks and their maintenance, rent, utilities, etc. Plus, the cost of copper has increased drastically as many other materials.

Here a plumber has to service as an apprentice for a determined amount of time. Then they have to take a test to become a journeyman plumber for their license. Then they have to serve another amount of time before they can take the test to become a master plumber. Once passing that test, then they can own their own company. It takes about the same amount of time as you would spend in college for a bachelor's degree. My husband says that he has a PHD (post hole digger ).

The quote for $135 - $150 is about right. The other is way too hight. But only someone really in the business would know for sure.

Also, plumbers have to take continuing education classes every year to keep their license. My husband said that there are hardly any young guys in the classes anymore. He says that if we don't get more young men in the profession, prices will go up because there will be less people performing the service and they will be able to charge what they want.

 

[RitaZ.]

Rose, that's great!

 

[heart4pooh]

Since my husband is also a plumber, I have to chime in here. I would hope that you wouldn't have gone with the guy who came back to do it cheaper on his own, after hours. He probably wasn't licensed himself... and he is totally disrespecting his employer. If he worked for my husbands company and my husband found out he would fire him on the spot!!! My husband only charges $60 an hour and is the most honest plumber you'll ever meet. As a matter of fact, he just went out on a call to help an elderly lady turn off her leaking hot water heater until he can pick up a new one in the morning and install it for her. He won't charge her for tonight and hope that she will call him next time she has another problem, and tell her friends.

 

[Mishetta]

I'm embarrassed to say that I probably would have gone thru the guy doing the plumbing "on the side" & accepted only cash ($150), but we got really lucky & the company that did all the plumbing in our house when it was being built will come out & change the faucet for a flat $65. I'll just have to wait a week or two but that's no problem for us. They'll be worth the wait!!

 

[Kirby]

I had to come back to say that I asked my husband and he agreed that $135 sounded about right. It all depends on the company. My husband charges by the hour but some have started charging by the piece, which costs more.

I also have to add that I was mistaken on how long it takes to become a master plumber. From start to finish, from apprenticeship to master, it takes about eight years.

You have to be careful. There are a lot of people out there who do plumbing work that do not have their license. Joe has never minded his guys doing business on the side as long as it didn't take away from his business. Since we're mostly new construction, that's not likely but we're branching off into service work more and more. These guys that moonlight without a masters license can have their license, if they have one, taken away from them.

Mishetta, if you had went with that guy who wanted to do it on the side, who would you have gone to if he installed it wrong and then your house was flooded by his mistake? So, you did the right thing by waiting and not choosing him.

 

[jimmytammy]

$135 in your area is probably about right. In our area, $65 1st hr, $55 afterwards is typical. I work with them on daily basis. Wish I was a plumber too

 

[jbthi]

I find that it is usually higher to go with a company that has a set fee as opposed to going with a hourly rate. With the set fee it has to be high enough to cover any unforseen problems.

In my area most of the best companies will not do an estimate on such a small job, especially when the customer furnishes the material.

When you use a customer's material the warranty should stop when the plumber goes out the door. He should make sure everything is good when he leaves and that's all. There can be all kinds of small problems (such as a tiny piece of debris in the faucet from the factory) or something needing adjustment, that is the fault of the faucet and not the plumber. If the plumber went back on a callback that would more than eat any of his profit. If he used his companies faucet he would have to make it good.

 

[my3kids]

Originally posted by Mishetta
I'm embarrassed to say that I probably would have gone thru the guy doing the plumbing "on the side"

I would have done the same thing. We need a true plumber for some work inside a wall kind of plumbing and my dh told me to call a person who does this after hours also. The plumbers' full time job with with my dh's employer, so I know he wouldn't get in trouble for taking extra work. As long as their employees do their "real" jobs as required, extra jobs are not a problem at all.

 

[KimRaye]

Originally posted by Jeanny
one of my friends is a plumber and he still charges me $50 minimum... that's a discount for him... he usually gets $75 just to walk in the door.

It's a discount for you, too.

Nearly ALL my family are plumbers, licensed and unioned, therefore the higher prices, yet better service and 'dues paid' so to speak. It takes several years of schooling, just like an RN, to become licensed; and to get in the union, you have to have a shop (company) that will employ and back you.

I'm not agreeing that the $300+ quote is acceptable, but this shop may not deal with residential situations, thereby creating a higher paid employee assigned to an 'easy job'. Same time, smaller job, high price.

Thankfully, I think I've given about $100 total (plus parts of course) to my family for jobs done over the years. This would be my Dad, 2 brothers, Uncle, and several cousins. On the other hand, when I had MAJOR sewer replacement, I called another 'shop', and it cost about $6,000. My family could only have saved me by doing it 'on the side', on their own time, and at a slower than needed time-frame, and calling in lots of favors from friends & co-workers. Not something I had the time for.

So, to suggest Plumbing School - - Not a bad choice IMO!!

 

[Nutsy]

I agree. I have 2 boys of my own & I've always encouraged them to look into a trade as an occupation as it's a steady job & good money.

My eldest now 16 is doing his first year of an Electronics Technician Apprenticehsip & my youngest 15 in 2 weeks hopes to be a Motor Mechanic.