• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Thoughts on being a plumber?

nick parkin

nick parkin

Well-Known Member
As a lot of you know, I really wanted to go into real estate, however I constantly change my mind.

I still want to invest in real estate, however in terms of getting money for investing really makes me want to be a plumber. My mentor is even telling me to go work for his plumber who is willing to pay for a trade school education.

My plan right now is
Get off my anxiety meds
Go in the army reserves as a plumber or the closest thing.
Then just do plumbing and save my money.

does anyone have any experience doing plumbing in the military? Will the military teach me mostly everything that I need to know or will I still have to go to a trade school after that. I want to do the military because of the military experience, however since I would basically be getting paid to learn whatever job I pick, I might as well pick something that will be practical in the real world like plumbing.
 
Register to hide this ad
I'm not a plumber but i am a Tradesman. If you think this is the direction you want to go, i suggest getting into the local union. They have apprenticeships which will train you and pay you. Your wages and benefits will be better (pension?) If you were my son and came to me with this question, i'd strongly urge you in that direction. I don't know about the reserves but i know if you serve a regular stint in the military and get an honorable discharge, you immediately go to the top of the list when apprenticeships open their books (Something called helmets to hardhats). Good luck!
 
*Don't be surpised, or put off, if you offer anyone the last bite of your sandwich,... and they turn you down.

* an old construction joke buried in here. If you join the trades, you're going to hear it.
 
Last edited:
Sounds like a plan and serving your country is a great cause too. As far as real estate you could form a tradesman group who flip houses. Let's say someone buys a house to flip,he is a roofer. He calls you and you go over to fix plumbing issues for free. Now let's say you buy a house and it needs roofing repair he comes over and fixed it gratis.
Good luck.
 
Look into whether or not you're the one dealing with the sewage problems just in case you can't stomach dealing with human waste.
 
By all means go for it. Nearly everyone needs a plumber at some time or another. It takes skill but it's not rocket science. Down the road you can start your own business and you don't need that much money to get started. Maybe a quarter of what an auto mechanic needs to walk into a garage and start working (plus a truck).
There is also a sense of satisfaction that you fix things, and you are getting paid to help people when they really need help. It's not easy but nothing worthwhile is. One tip, keep your britches up while working in customers' homes.
 
Plumbing, or any trade, is a good bet it you don't mind hard work or getting your hands dirty. There's always a need for the tradesmen. If your toilet backs up, your electricity or AC/Heat goes out when you need it most, you're gonna call one and gladly pay what they ask.

Just do good work and treat your customers fairly and you can do quite well.

I really think you might do better looking into a local apprenticeship program rather than the military. You can earn while you learn. A trade school might not be a bad idea but I think an apprenticeship would be a better bet. Often they recommend classes.
 
Last edited:
My father-in-law was a plumber. Good honest living.

He hated 3 things.

Toilets
Garbage disposals
House trailers in the cold winter.

Odds are you will see a lot of these.

Good luck whatever you decide.
 
Becoming a licensed journeyman in any skilled trade is a good move in my opinion. There will always be a demand,
your job won't likely get outsourced, and even if you decide to change directions later on, you will always have that to fall back on.

It's not easy though. You have to be a committed hard worker with a desire to learn. My apprenticeship took five years, and
it seems like I spent the entire first year on the end of a shovel.

I also highly recommend looking into getting a union apprenticeship. If you do, you'll go to their school on their dime, and get through it debt free.
You'll also get regular pay raises throughout.

I've always heard you only need to know three things to be a plumber: **** runs downhill, don't chew your fingernails, and payday is on Friday! :rflmao::rflmao:

Best of luck to you!
 
My cousin is an independent plumber, ran a very small crew and is a millionaire.
I imagine his work ethic and location in Southern California may have something to do with $it$
 
Rent houses are good. The way I did it was buy, patch and rent. And I did ALL the patching and fixing. What I learned is don't work at your feet and don't work over your head. Don't work in the sun or play in the mud. That rules out roofing, flooring, plumbing, drywall, painting, duct work and framing.
That leaves electric. An electrician normally carries a tool belt. A plumber drags in tool boxes.
For me it's a lot less hard work and cleaner. And pluming takes brains. There's a lot of diag involved.
At the age of 60 a little electric work is entertaining. A pluming job is a down right filthy pain in the tale.
 
Ex plumber here,
bad spine.

Plumbers are one of civilizations earliest health care workers,
good honest work, with well deserved pay.
A computer can not do the job.

You WILL eventually get covered in **** and tampoons.

Good luck getting the job
 
If wanting to get into a trade and maybe at some point start your own business I would recommend A/C. Even during a construction slowdown people want their airconditioning, they only call an electrician if their house is on fire. If just a small electrical issue most have a friend that's willing to **** everything up for them lol. If wanting to know which is harder just compare code books, I think you'll find the NEC is rather a bit more challenging lol. I remember when I took my test in 84, looked over at a fellow taking the exam for A/C, his code book had staples for a binder, the NEC was a freaking bible, all I could think was "boy did I pick the wrong trade lol".

If you want to just work for someone else and pick up sidework then become an electrician. Not many people pull you to the side and ask, "hey, could you add a duct for me on the side?", or "how about adding me a sink in the living rm?" lol. But when people find out you're an electrician "Hey can you add a light for me, install a ceiling fan, etc etc?"

Good luck in whatever you do young man, but whatever it is do the work as if it's for your family, take pride in your work, there's way too little of that today.
 
nj pheonix said:
I'm not a plumber but i am a Tradesman. If you think this is the direction you want to go, i suggest getting into the local union. They have apprenticeships which will train you and pay you. Your wages and benefits will be better (pension?) If you were my son and came to me with this question, i'd strongly urge you in that direction. I don't know about the reserves but i know if you serve a regular stint in the military and get an honorable discharge, you immediately go to the top of the list when apprenticeships open their books (Something called helmets to hardhats). Good luck!
Click to expand...
There have been a number of replies that advise an apprenticeship in a Union. I will add my voice to that. Why Union? Here's why:

1. Wages .Labor Unions always lead the local economy in top wages.
2. Training. Actual school as well as OJT . Union training programs are the most structured and trade respected ways of gaining knowledge.
3. Pension. Labor unions are Keeping Employer paid retirement alive. This isn't a 401k, but as part of your compensation package you will get an employer funded retirement.
4. Healthcare. Every Union I've been in has a very low (under 50 bucks a month) health insurance cost.
5. Job placement. Never hunt down a job again, never fill out another online application. Just go to the hall on Friday and go to work on Monday.
6. A Union plumber is most likely going to be doing commercial and industrial work. This is a good thing, trust me, residential work is much more messy.

There are actually many more reasons... and the op can pm me if interested.

As for the Military... if you were my son, I'd advise against it. Why postpone your apprenticeship and education? However, if you feel it's your calling then do it. It is my experience though, that a Union trained tradesman is much more equipped for civilian work, and a military training isn't as prepatory for the trades . (25+ years as a tradesman, journeyman and instructor)

OP. : Pm me if you want more info or if you want to know how to get in touch with your nearest Local.
It's easy, and they are very likely to be starving for people right now. Good luck my young friend!
 
If you think you might be cut out for military service, I wouldn't dissuade you, but if the primary goal is to become a plumber, I think you're much better off pursuing a certification or associates degree and looking for an apprenticeship.

I'm about to say something rather rude. I deal with plumbers and their customers on a daily basis, and I'm surprised by the generally poor quality of the customer experience. It's not a universal thing, and I hope any AKer plumbers will realize that I'm talking about those other guys, but compared to other trades, plumbing seems shot through with incompetence, laziness, and bad customer service.

What I'm getting at is this: Yes, plumbing is a recession-proof position (kept my great-grandfather's family middle class through the Great Depression), but if you can do your job well and stay conscientious, you're already ahead of 3/4 of the competition and you're going to be a super-star.

With regard to anxiety meds, I understand that it would be better in many regards to be off them, and that you'd rather deal with your clinical anxiety else-wise. And that's cool. By all means: utilize CBT, talk therapy, exercise, meditation, whatevs. But if your life is legitimately better on meds, throwing away that crutch in order to join the military might be a self-defeating move.

I'd also point out that, as a country, both our sewer/water infrastructure and the workforce that maintains it are aging fast. If you think you might be interested in plumbing work on a macro-level, an associates degree or certification program in utilities will put you head and shoulders above the other FNGs when it comes to your career trajectory. Working for municipal government might not make you rich, but it's a hell of a lot more steady and sure than owning your own plumbing business or working for a big meat-grinder fleet of service techs might be.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom