What trade should get paid more ?

[JTplumbingservices]

Just been having a debate with my company owner about wages after finding out the joiner I work alongside earned more than me.
I have my Advanced plumber ticket and gas.
We carry various trades and have a big kitchen and bathroom renewal contract so our joiners are usually doing the kitchens.
He says he pays him more as they are more valuable to him than a plumber as it’s much harder to get a good joiner than a plumber.
I.M.O a joiner wage should be similar to a plumber wage, a plumber with gas should earn more..
Thoughts ???

 

[townfanjon]

Wow , Just sums up how **** this job can be .
I can feel a rant coming on but have only called home for a buttie .
All of us who do gas should be payed a absolute minimum of £150 an hour , we fec up and prison beckons

 

[Harvest Fields]

But your not a plumber. Your a a gas engineer that also does plumbing. There is a difference. I bill myself out at gas prices no matter the job.

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Wow , Just sums up how **** this job can be .
I can feel a rant coming on but have only called home for a buttie .
All of us who do gas should be payed a absolute minimum of £150 an hour , we fec up and prison beckons

Post your rant when you get home tonight

 

[JTplumbingservices]

But your not a plumber. Your a a gas engineer that also does plumbing. There is a difference. I bill myself out at gas prices no matter the job.

We are all PAYE mate, he tries to use him paying for my gas as a reason not to pay me extra for having it which I don’t get as the gas work I do is for his company

 

[Harvest Fields]

Post your rant when you get home tonight

I’d like to know what goes on in that head mate.

 

[Harvest Fields]

We are all PAYE mate, he tries to use him paying for my gas as a reason not to pay me extra for having it which I don’t get as the gas work I do is for his company

How long have you had it? Did you sign a contract stating you will repay it or stay a number of years?

 

[JTplumbingservices]

How long have you had it? Did you sign a contract stating you will repay it or stay a number of years?

Not that long and yes so that’s another thing, I’m paying him back by committing to that too.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Not that long and yes so that’s another thing, I’m paying him back by committing to that too.

So you are physically giving him cash every week/month? Or time honoured?

 

[JTplumbingservices]

So you are physically giving him cash every week/month? Or time honoured?

Time unless I leave him then I have to pay

 

[Harvest Fields]

Time unless I leave him then I have to pay

He thinks he has you over a barrel and unless you are willing to leave and pay him he kind of does. Or you need to make him believe you will leave and pay him.

 

[JTplumbingservices]

He thinks he has you over a barrel and unless you are willing to leave and pay him he kind of does. Or you need to make him believe you will leave and pay him.

I did get a rise out him there , not what I asked for but he met me in the middle.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I did get a rise out him there , not what I asked for but he met me in the middle.

How long ago was that mate.

 

[JTplumbingservices]

How long ago was that mate.

Today

 

[Harvest Fields]

Then you cannot do anything until next year now then

 

[Chalked]

If you feel your worth more. Then hand your notice in. Tricky game on both sides, if he needs you, and you are good , he will pay.
If your not! Then he won’t.
Other than that, go self employed. Everyone should at some point.

 

[Harvest Fields]

If you feel your worth more. Then hand your notice in. Tricky game on both sides, if he needs you, and you are good , he will pay.
If your not! Then he won’t.
Other than that, go self employed. Everyone should at some point.

He is tied in mate.

 

[JTplumbingservices]

If you feel your worth more. Then hand your notice in. Tricky game on both sides, if he needs you, and you are good , he will pay.
If your not! Then he won’t.
Other than that, go self employed. Everyone should at some point.

He said he needs me but I could be replaced a lot easier than a joiner.. I don’t get why he values someone who fits a kitchen so highly but he does, anyway he gave me more money so that will keep me quiet for now

 

[Harvest Fields]

He said he needs me but I could be replaced a lot easier than a joiner.. I don’t get why he values someone who fits a kitchen so highly but he does, anyway he gave me more money so that will keep me quiet for now

Glad you are happy?

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Glad you are happy?

Wouldn’t go that far happier

 

[hammers4spanner]

My cousin is a tiler and got offered a job 36 k a year on the books plus van that is more than the gas jobs here.
Some paint and dec jobs here are 28 k a year on the cards.

Problem here is that gas and plumbing is swamped so wages are down mid to low trade. Think most are 24 k to 32 k firm dependant and experience

 

[Jim09876]

Look how much Wicks or B&Q charge to fit a kitchen! I fitted a kitchen before and doing the worktops was a ball ache. Joiners need millions of tools also don’t forget!

Painting don’t seem like a bad trade, fresh new walls...slap it on, in and out

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Look how much Wicks or B&Q charge to fit a kitchen! I fitted a kitchen before and doing the worktops was a ball ache. Joiners need millions of tools also don’t forget!

Painting don’t seem like a bad trade, fresh new walls...slap it on, in and out

Fitting a worktop is prettt simple for any half decent joiner.. they might have more expensive tools, wee need tools too plus have to pay for gas then reassessments every 5 years. A joiner could buy every tool he needs to fit a kitchen for the price of a good CPA analyser.

 

[Mastermixlee]

Think a big issue is that gas engineers have large outlays too. Public liability&indemnity insurance is expensive in comparison to someone who doesn't do wet/hot works (electrician insurances is approx an 1/8th of the cost of gas engineers for same level of cover if using niceic recommended firm).

Cost of fga's, calibration costs every year. Gas safe registration, acs test every 5 years, ongoing training costs as technology changes.

Joinery is generally using same techniques that have been used for decades, though sometimes using a tool that speeds up and makes the process easier.

Insurance is cheaper, no qualifications/registrations required.

Public are blind to costs though when it comes to visual appearance work (e.g. Fancy new kitchen) than compared to replacing a boiler that has been limping and banging along for the last 20+years.

Ive been to hundreds of houses where they wanted smart thermostat fitted and have remote control lighting etc... .but the boiler they had was over 20 years old and had a very expensive kitchen just fitted around it

Unless shiny pipes and Boilers become fashionable for the general public then it's gonna remain difficult with pay. The saying from customers I hear the most is "if its broken, don't fix it" .... Most often from visits where they have called in for a breakdown in the first place... And normally as they've just replaced the 3 year old car they had with a brand new one

Rant worthy subject if there ever was one

 

[Last Plumber]

I would say it depends on the situation and the type of work.

It could just be down to who earns him the most.

 

[Murdoch]

Back to the OP ......... how long are your "golden handcuffs" lasting for?

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Back to the OP ... how long are your "golden handcuffs" lasting for?

Still got 2 and a half years

 

[Aire]

Similar situation to me mate. My company paid for my gas. Signed a 3 year contract, 1 year to go in April.

The fact that your boss paid for your gas is no reason to not pay you accordingly, but just because you have your gas quals, doesn't entitle you to more money either.

It depends on the type of company you work for and what profit your bringing the firm compared to the joiner your comparing your wages too.

To be honest I've just had a similar argument with my boss regarding wages and to be fair, he has listened, given me a new role, more money, and a review in 6 months to see if I warrant another rise. The threat of me going self employed seemed to work

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Similar situation to me mate. My company paid for my gas. Signed a 3 year contract, 1 year to go in April.

The fact that your boss paid for your gas is no reason to not pay you accordingly, but just because you have your gas quals, doesn't entitle you to more money either.

It depends on the type of company you work for and what profit your bringing the firm compared to the joiner your comparing your wages too.

To be honest I've just had a similar argument with my boss regarding wages and to be fair, he has listened, given me a new role, more money, and a review in 6 months to see if I warrant another rise. The threat of me going self employed seemed to work

We’re doing probably 3 kitchens a week on average all of which have to be fully repiped and the existing gas cooker pipe moved or one put in if there isn’t one, and each of these jobs gets a full new bathroom suite and repipe so he defo needs plumbers, but his argument is he can replace a plumber much easier than a joiner somehow so they get a “premium”. I asked for a raise and he said he couldn’t match what I asked for but offered me just above the half way mark between what I was on and what I wanted, I txt him again today though saying actually I want more and he replied saying ok and he will see me next week

 

[Aire]

Stick to your guns mate. Keep pushing until he says no. He may say to you I can replace you easily, it doesn't mean he believes it. Every boss in the world will have an excuse why he can't give someone a pay rise. I take it you are on the books? Out of curiosity, where are you based and what is he paying you compared to what you want, and what are the joiners on? Obviously you don't have to answer if you don't want to.

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Stick to your guns mate. Keep pushing until he says no. He may say to you I can replace you easily, it doesn't mean he believes it. Every boss in the world will have an excuse why he can't give someone a pay rise. I take it you are on the books? Out of curiosity, where are you based and what is he paying you compared to what you want, and what are the joiners on? Obviously you don't have to answer if you don't want to.

Aye on the books in Scotland.
What I told him I wanted equated to £37.50 a week clear.
He offered me £20 so an extra £80 a month then I txt him today saying I want £100 a month so only £5 more a week than what he offered and it looks like he’s agreed to it.
Don’t know exactly what the joiner is on but I know it’s there or there abouts to what I’ll be on now.
The wages aren’t the best but it’s only 37.5hrs and get a van with diesel paid.

 

[Steve weightman]

Gas and plumbing is a far more risky trade it has to spot on or the consequences can be bad as for fitting a worktop etc what's the worst that can happen

 

[Chuck]

...as for fitting a worktop etc what's the worst that can happen

Accidentally drill through the gas pipe. Light up a cigarette while thinking about what to do next...

 

[Tim S]

Don't want to sound harsh but if I was on the cards, only working 37.5 hours a week, being paid for holidays & bank holidays, getting sick pay and pension benefits, had my gas paid for, was getting transport and fuel and had just negotiated another £1200 a year pay rise I wouldn't be too bothered about how much the joiner was getting paid!!.
If you think your hard done by try going self employed, buy/lease a van, pay for your own insurances and fuel, pay for your own gas/G3/water regs and other training/qualifications, sort your own tax (and vat), only get statutory sick pay if your ill, don't earn anything if you take a holiday, find your own work, spend your weekends and evenings preparing quotes, source your own materials, negotiate with merchants/suppliers, buy all your own tools and just hope the work keeps coming and you can make a profit, or at least break even!.
Hope this makes you feel a little happier !

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Don't want to sound harsh but if I was on the cards, only working 37.5 hours a week, being paid for holidays & bank holidays, getting sick pay and pension benefits, had my gas paid for, was getting transport and fuel and had just negotiated another £1200 a year pay rise I wouldn't be too bothered about how much the joiner was getting paid!!.
If you think your hard done by try going self employed, buy/lease a van, pay for your own insurances and fuel, pay for your own gas/G3/water regs and other training/qualifications, sort your own tax (and vat), only get statutory sick pay if your ill, don't earn anything if you take a holiday, find your own work, spend your weekends and evenings preparing quotes, source your own materials, negotiate with merchants/suppliers, buy all your own tools and just hope the work keeps coming and you can make a profit, or at least break even!.
Hope this makes you feel a little happier !

Sounds like you should go back on the books mate