Starting To Become A Plumber?

[SeanWinf]

After such a battering from this thread i give up with narrow minded people not willing to give positive helpful posts!! Any non members reading these posts like i was dont bother signing up and asking for newbie help you wont get it. everyone on this thread were born plumbers and never asked help from no 1!

 

[SeanWinf]

And for people who are going to moan about me asking a general question about where to start or if something is worth it please dont bother replying and spamming my thread inless its helpful! iam only trying to ask a question not upset anyone

 

[SimonG]

If you want to ask a question and then define the type of answers you receive, why bother?

Personally I don't think you stand a chance. Stick to welding/fabrication, but that's my opinion.

 

[quality]

Good luck

 

[PlumbBobBob]

you will struggle to become a plumber

 

[kay-jay]

only want to earn a little extra in the evenings and weekends as iam a full time welder/fabricator.

thought about avon? cos you sure ain't thought about plumbing!!

 

[fuzzy]

thought about avon? cos you sure ain't thought about plumbing!!

not sure your allowed to say that, it was outlawed in post 2

 

[SeanWinf]

what helpfull bunch of people, all ive done is ask a simple question if its worth learning the basics from a book before i go somewhere and pay money! in my 2nd post i was just asking for helpful posts not just bull like all of above!! Why will i struggle to be a plumber? SteveB

 

[quality]

All you need is a few tools and a technical certificate 6129 then your on 50.000 per year

 

[SeanWinf]

god why does everyone want to put a negitive on someone trying to help themselves to better thereself! iam not looking at earning £50k a year like i said already! another member jumping on the bandwagon. Fuzzy your sig says Never Stop Learning then complain about my post!

 

[SimonG]

No you asked should you go to college or teach yourself from a book.

If you seriously want to be a plumber then trawl the hundreds, if not thousands, of posts on here about the subject.

 

[SeanWinf]

i have looked at alot of the posts about T4TS etc been a bad idea thats why i want some info on where to start! thats what i ment if it didnt come across that way i didnt mean to. There isnt any night courses at colleges where i live so that isnt an option

 

[kay-jay]

god why does everyone want to put a negitive on someone trying to help themselves to better thereself! iam not looking at earning £50k a year like i said already! another member jumping on the bandwagon. Fuzzy your sig says Never Stop Learning then complain about my post!

yes but in your case you have not started learning!!

 

[Ivor Bates]

Hi Sean, if you want to learn about plumbing then go for it, lots of plumbers will try and put you off becoming one, more out of job protection more than anything else. Many plumbers will be unhelpful, stuck up their own butts and think they know it all, which they don't. Many plumbers out there put themselves on par with being rocket scientists when they clearly are not. Many plumbers think that because they can hang a boiler and connect 6 pipes to it, that their god's gift to mankind. Having recently placed some adverts for plumbers it would appear that currently many are sitting at home twiddling with their thumbs waiting for that phone to ring.... It's all about self preservation.
Like I said if you want to do a cheapo plumbing course just do it, don't waste heaps of money on it though. Just remember what you learn in the classroom, is totally different out in the field....

 

[SafeGasInstall]

the pipes to a combi r 7 ,and we all are travelling on the same train ! just some are first class some are second class and there is others who wants to jump on the train like op ! yes read all the books spend all you have saved on your self and it will work ! Worked for others works for me so if you believe in your self go for it and see where live will take you in few years time ! But do not leave this forum stay here and you will learn lot from members ! Hanging boiler is "easy" you just need to know all the other regulation and responsibility that comes with the signing of that first job ! We are all keep learning every day !

Stan

 

[fuzzy]

What your suggesting is charging people for your learning, something i do not support. If you feel this and other posts are negative then so be it.

 

[fuzzy]

Hi Sean, if you want to learn about plumbing then go for it, lots of plumbers will try and put you off becoming one, more out of job protection more than anything else. Many plumbers will be unhelpful, stuck up their own butts and think they know it all, which they don't. Many plumbers out there put themselves on par with being rocket scientists when they clearly are not. Many plumbers think that because they can hang a boiler and connect 6 pipes to it, that their god's gift to mankind. Having recently placed some adverts for plumbers it would appear that currently many are sitting at home twiddling with their thumbs waiting for that phone to ring.... It's all about self preservation.
Like I said if you want to do a cheapo plumbing course just do it, don't waste heaps of money on it though. Just remember what you learn in the classroom, is totally different out in the field....

Plumbing and heating is a trade, the skills should be protected. We need legislation to ensure the client is always getting a job from somebody relevently skilled and qualified and it will be safe. I do nopt support self training whilst reading books and charging people. If I was paying for a service the least i would expect is somebody competent. Thats why we have training courses and have had apprentices for donkys years.

 

[Ivor Bates]

Plumbing and heating is a trade, the skills should be protected. We need legislation to ensure the client is always getting a job from somebody relevently skilled and qualified and it will be safe. I do nopt support self training whilst reading books and charging people. If I was paying for a service the least i would expect is somebody competent. Thats why we have training courses and have had apprentices for donkys years.

Like I said, it's all about self preservation, the chap asked a straightforward question and the replies were rather negative. The legislation you mention will never happen, even though it's been talked about for over 30 odd years, so forget that one. There is nothing to stop him setting himself up as a handyman and carrying out minor plumbing works. As from reading books, funny enough their a great source of knowledge. Most people succeed in their chosen industry from reading them. Finally attending to different courses, having all the qualifications to your name, even being Gas Safe registered does not necessarily make you competent or good. It should, but it dosen't.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

what helpfull bunch of people, all ive done is ask a simple question if its worth learning the basics from a book before i go somewhere and pay money! in my 2nd post i was just asking for helpful posts not just bullcrap like all of above!! Why will i struggle to be a plumber? SteveB

because there isn't the work for established plumbers so therefore someone with limited experience has next to no hope of making it

 

[shneld]

In my opinion, the OP does seem to have had a rough response from the forum members.

 

[fuzzy]

Like I said, it's all about self preservation, the chap asked a straightforward question and the replies were rather negative. The legislation you mention will never happen, even though it's been talked about for over 30 odd years, so forget that one. There is nothing to stop him setting himself up as a handyman and carrying out minor plumbing works. As from reading books, funny enough their a great source of knowledge. Most people succeed in their chosen industry from reading them. Finally attending to different courses, having all the qualifications to your name, even being Gas Safe registered does not necessarily make you competent or good. It should, but it dosen't.

Expecting standards to be maintained is not about self preservation although this is often leveled at those suggesting or advising proper training courses as a route to becoming a tradesman.
The legislation I talk of is already there! GSIU1998, water regs, unvented, numerous British standards etc, i could go on. Ill just fit a waste pipe, how hard is that? Oh dear I seem to have taken a soil into a surface water, i could give other examples
You think it is fine to learn a trade from a book? Books are a great source of information but they will not teach you a trade, they are there to support not replace.
Courses do not guarantee you are competent, but they are a good measure, can you suggest an alternate method that you consider better? Would you like people on the Motorway near you without a driving license for example. Would you expect somebody servicing your fire to have proven the relevant competences at least at some stage, or have read from a book? Courses and qualifications are the bedrock of all competences in all areas, not cast iron guarantee but the basis to prove you are capable for what you are charging. I would expect anybody I pay to do a job to have those competences, and preferably to have been trained in a formal manner at some stage. I wouldnt expect to see a doctor whilst he was 'picking it up!' and hoping he guesses right

 

[dontknowitall]

After such a battering from this thread i give up with narrow minded people not willing to give positive helpful posts!! Any non members reading these posts like i was dont bother signing up and asking for newbie help you wont get it. everyone on this thread were born plumbers and never asked help from no 1!

I didn't see your original post but if you're still reading this is an answer I gave a week ago to (I guess) a similar question. Reading some of the comments above there are so many asking the same questions about starting off in plumbing that, to be honest, it sometimes becomes boring giving the same old advice.

Perhaps this is no excuse to post, but many of us know each other in this part of cyberspace and, as I'm sure you know, if you get any bunch of men friends together (in the pub, golf club or whatever) the banter becomes infectious.

On to something more positive (hopefully!):


There are some hard facts and observations to take on board and below are a few:

1. There are not enough plumbing jobs (tap washers, bathrooms, boiler services, etc) in the country to keep all the country's plumbers employed 100% of the time over the year.
2. Costs of starting any new business (not just plumbing) are significant. If you want a reasonable van (without looking like a local rag and bone man), a reasonable quantity of tools and stock, insurance, marketing budget, etc you're looking at a good £6,000.
3. 99% (my guess) of all businesses have to build up a customer base from only a few contacts and it takes a long time to break even/make a profit and even longer to make a living wage (a good 2 years+)
4. Most new businesses breakeven at around 18 months from setup.
5. Most new businesses fail.
6. Most new businesses start with real passion and enthusiasm but if there aren't enough sales, eagerness drops
7. This summer has been particularly quiet for many plumbers and many have gone out of business.
8. If you're chatting to friends, etc some will mention they're thinking about a new bathroom - this hardly ever converts itself into a job!

BUT

Hard work does reward.
Patience for new jobs coming in also rewards.
Doing that extra bit (e.g. changing a ceiling light bulb while you're there doing something else) also rewards.

Whatever you decide, Good Luck!!



I hope you've not been put off coming here again!

 

[quality]

Them two words Cast Iron are scary

I am aware that competent, skilled, qualified or even able are all very separate but when combined are the basis of a trusted and dependable individual in any trade

 

[dontknowitall]

Them two words Cast Iron are scary

I am aware that competent, skilled, qualified or even able are all very separate but when combined are the basis of a trusted and dependable individual in any trade

Even solicitors!

 

[Ivor Bates]

Expecting standards to be maintained is not about self preservation although this is often leveled at those suggesting or advising proper training courses as a route to becoming a tradesman.
The legislation I talk of is already there! GSIU1998, water regs, unvented, numerous British standards etc, i could go on. Ill just fit a waste pipe, how hard is that? Oh dear I seem to have taken a soil into a surface water, i could give other examples
You think it is fine to learn a trade from a book? Books are a great source of information but they will not teach you a trade, they are there to support not replace.
Courses do not guarantee you are competent, but they are a good measure, can you suggest an alternate method that you consider better? Would you like people on the Motorway near you without a driving license for example. Would you expect somebody servicing your fire to have proven the relevant competences at least at some stage, or have read from a book? Courses and qualifications are the bedrock of all competences in all areas, not cast iron guarantee but the basis to prove you are capable for what you are charging. I would expect anybody I pay to do a job to have those competences, and preferably to have been trained in a formal manner at some stage. I wouldnt expect to see a doctor whilst he was 'picking it up!' and hoping he guesses right

Sorry misunderstood your previous post where you said "We need legislation" I was assuming that you were suggesting that only licensed or registered plumbers could legitamately carry out work, thereby restricting others such as handymen / general builders / diyer's from carrying out any kind of plumbing work. My opinion is, depending on how you yourself entered the trade has a serious effect on how you think others should join. I've seen it in action in many a company that I have previously worked for, oneupmanship / snobbery call it what you like but it is rife within the trade, rather than encourageing others to join, theres always plumbers out there willing to make snide and unhelpful comments. I think you'll learn far more from a book nowadays than what you ever will in a fast track plumbing course and the same can be said for any of the gas assessment courses where there is a constant revolving door of plumbers wizzing through with pieces of paper valid for another 5 years, and proudly calling themselves a "Gas Engineer" and whever you agree or disagree it's all very much hyped up to being something that it isn't.

 

[SimonG]

It's difficult to continue with this thread now that the whole context of it has been changed by the OP changing his first thread in which he asked should he just do a quick fast track course or just start plumbing with some pipe, fittings and a book and also dictating the type of reply he was looking for.

 

[dontknowitall]

We just might have saved him a whole load of dosh then?