How do you think RedRanger goes to the Philippines every month?

That ain't no joke.

I finally hired another plumber because the guy who we've used for a while I felt started taking advantage of our "relationship". I've paid him quite handsomely getting to where we are now but we still have the fixtures and toilets for final install and I finally refused to pay him any more. I don't ask for estimates up front, I'm fine with people coming in and charging me a fair price and want contractors to be happy to come and work on my place and motivated to do a good job. But I too have a sense of fairness and sense when that balance is out of whack as it appeared to have gotten.

same with me but even more so maybe since it is the owners money. after all my yrs. building stuff this hit me as outrageous, 755 for a hose bib? really?
been using these guys for over 7 yrs. now and this will be the last as far as I am concerned if they don't make this right.
no explanation on the bill as to why one of 4 is almost quadruple what the other 3 were.

Did you stand over their shoulder and BS with them while doing it ?

Remember, You are paying for their knowledge and experience. It would have taken
you longer than 2 hours to complete the task. I hear this from contractors all the time.
I have several friends that are in trades.

Majority of the time, going with the cheapest is not always the best solution. We all like to get the best deal
we can. But, if you hire a contractor that get's paid for up-sale, you will pay more. Also,
with the influx of illegals doing plumbing, electrical, carpentry, ect... without licenses, the ones
with the schooling, knowledge and licenses are getting screwed.


Let us know how the meeting went this morning.

I went to Austin in 1976 took the journeyman test,was done at 1130,they had us leave for lunch and comeback at 1230,that plumbing test back then was a easy joke back then,But now damn you have to damn near have a college degree to pass the test nowdays,many have to go back several times to pass the test nowadays, when you go back you only have to pass what you already failed..I've since retired, when I started It was all cast iron,we poured lead joint's, all copper all soldering wasn't no easy a$$ pvc gluing or push on shark bite fittings, It was hard work, alot of hand digging, nowgas prices insurance prices are thru the roof, like everything else prices have skyrocketed..FJB

did not bs with them but did have to finish up some prep the rock guys had not done. had I known what the charge would be I could have easily done the work, have done simple plumbing and electrical for decades and simply unscrewing and rescrewing 3 hose bibs, and changing out a 90 sweat on fitting are easily up my alley.

this co. just moved from a smaller shop/office to a large brand new one they are buying instead of renting. my guess is that they are expanding faster than they can afford (have seen it a lot in construction) and have to up rates to rape you status as a result. was told the owner/master plumber does not even come in to the office anymore but lets the girls up front run it. not a good business model imo.

Didn't I hear a few years back that you are not even required to have a license anymore? Pouring lead joints, cast iron, soldering etc. was the way it all used to be done. You took pride in how your work was done and what it looked like.

Thank goodness they stopped using galvanized pipe for water supply! I remember when Polybutylene (Qest) pipe and fittings came out. We thought that stuff was fantastic until it started failing.

Now, they string PEX all over your attic without even strapping it down. The DA's that plumbed my house interwove the hot and cold water piping together in one big bundle. The cold affects the hot and vice-versa. Any decent plumber knows you separate hot and cold water lines.

I cannot believe what I am seeing for pricing for plumbing work these days.

This post brings back some good but old memories. Most folks don't have any idea what a running rope is, but I am sure you do. I have tamped in many a joint with lead wool, in a deep ditch on pipe that was installed in the 50's.

I've had to undo (and redo) plenty of y'alls Oakum filled joints. Not my idea of a good time.

Dave, I completely forgot about packing the Oakum in the joint before leading it. The last one I did was over 35 years ago. I was young and stupid back then, now I'm not young anymore.

I've only poured one lead in my life 1986 for my journeyman test