Service Plumbers vs. New Construction Plumbers

NC plmbrs Don't like to get dirty. I'm not talking about dirt dirt.

I am service and repair plumber and we get nasty dirty sometimes.
We fix a lot of broken $hi+.
When construction gets slow the NC plmbrs come a callin'.
We were cleaning exposed drains in a parking garage below a 4 story building.

This NC Plmbr we hired named Dan was all wrapped up like a HazMat crewman. Coveralls buttoned to the neck. dust mask and rubber gloves.
At one point he had taken off his gloves and rolled up one sleeve, I think we were breaking for lunch. His arm some how got a black smudge of drain goo and he went ballistic.
I can still hear him. "OH!!OH!! NO!NO! I CAN'T DO THIS!! NO WAY!! NO! NO!! THIS IS BAD!! NO!!!! OH MY GOD NO WAY!! I'M DONE!!!

i've done both, I call that kind of plumber an Ice Cream plumber.
he wears white shoes, shirt and dont wanna get dirty.
I'll pick up a turd and throw it at you. [play catch]

the story about Dan, was not about getting dirty.
it was about a hard headed helper, who put the ladder in front of a pipe instead of behind it. I do not know about you
but i get behind a co. so the chat sprays away from me
not straight at me.

i have done repipes, under houses that had an inch of water, mud and cat chat. slid around all day.

getting dirty is part of it, that is what tide and ivory soap is for. do i like a clean commercial construction site? hell yes! who dont?

frodo said:

the story about Dan, was not about getting dirty.
it was about a hard headed helper,

getting dirty is part of it, that is what tide and ivory soap is for. do i like a clean commercial construction site? hell yes! who dont?

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Yeah I know. You just sparked and old funny memory.

frodo said:

i have done repipes, under houses that had an inch of water, mud and cat chat. slid around all day.

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Been there as well. This one I manage to snap a picture of a few yrs back.
Fixed some of it but the customer thought I was to expensive.

and a link to more of the same job.Rotten cast iron kitchen drain

If I go into a mess like that, you bet it is going to be expensive.

While I don't like getting sewer juice on me, sometimes that is part of the job. I do everything within reason to keep it off of me, there is risk of contracting infectious diseases, so I think it is taking unnecessary risks to play in it if not necessary.

I buy the high risk long cuff latex gloves by the box, I keep soap and hand sanitizer on the truck, and I use all three.

Last night i was inside a sump pump pit .replacing two sump pumps.my van hella stinks right now.

I do everything. Service, new construction, under grounds, renovations, heating, sheet metal, and heat pumps. Not much experience in comercial projects other than dental offices, but I've been on a few high rise buildings.

I don't understand anyone who would want to limit themselves to any one area. During my apprenticeship I absorbed everything. I wanted to be one of the "go to" guys when anything came up. I enjoy the fact that I could go from jumping in a septic tank to setting fixtures in the same day, I just dislike when it happens in that order.

I know guys who got their red seal just doing baseboard heating, and they can't rough in drainage and they call themselves plumbers. It annoys me

I agree, I have worked repair, residential, commercial, and in clean rooms{hate that}
I worked at a company, we hired a new plumber
A master plumber. Jeff sent me out with him on the first . check him out.
I figured I would learn something.
we went to a house to remove/replace a floor furnace
we took out the old, put in the new. when we started to hook up the gas. he left the old regulator, and installed the new.
I asked him why? he said the directions did not say to replace it.!!!!! wtf,,
LOL. I did not argue with him, I just removed the old reg.
just cause you have a lotta jewelry, dont make you Mr. T


I have met "pex" plumbers that can not sweat a joint.

I have worked in both and i preffer service repaire.in new construction i feel like im in prison .they tell you when to eat,when to break,and you spend all day with guys.in service repaire its the opposite..and sometimes i get lucky with lonely house wifes..haha ..also there is more money if you get paid commision and youre a good salesman

that is right!!!!! more money at the end that is the gol and only in new constr... is there but also u have to get dirty if u want to grow up in the field.... and the funny thing is when u have this guys they have done only new construccion and here u come because they didnt know how to take care of the problem....


Mayo's Plumbing LLC

Yup service repaire plumbers are real plumbers.new construction is just assembly builders

worst mess i have ever got'n into. was under a school'
a new school.
my boss, decided to just disconnect a 4" cast 90

under a new school. the sewer outside froze up,
the landscaping was not complete till spring.4' of snow

he told me to check the crawl space, and i found a lake of sewage. I wanted to whoop>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

i bought 4 blue tarps, shagged them out. crawled over them. the slime water got on me, but the solids stayed off. i connected the 90. and had to dump 8 sacks of lime
to cover his F<<<<<up.

then I did what he should have done. turned off the water to the restroom, told them it was out of order till spring.

told him i did not give a damn if the contractor is mad
I am not dumping sewage on the ground.
we did not see eye to eye.

ExtraMilePlumbing said:

Yup service repaire plumbers are real plumbers.new construction is just assembly builders

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That is complete and total bull poop.

Someone who has only done service plumbing would be totally and completely lost on much of the new construction that I have been involved with. Just like many of the guys doing the installs there would be completely lost if you sent them out to diagnose a low pressure issue or snake a drain.

phishfood said:

That is complete and total bull poop.

Someone who has only done service plumbing would be totally and completely lost on much of the new construction that I have been involved with. Just like many of the guys doing the installs there would be completely lost if you sent them out to diagnose a low pressure issue or snake a drain.

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I agree with you .i was just trying to show love for my favorite which is service repaire

I agree with you,i was just tryong to show love for my prefferred which is service repaire.i started off in new construction .and in fact i am greatfull for new construction as it is the best place to learn rough plumbing and running lines

A real plumber. is a well rounded plumber. service work, residential, and commercial


a guy that is just service, is not a plumber in my book, hes a drain cleaner.

I have seen service guys that were actually pretty good. but could not rough in a simple 2 bath house.
lost. as hell. sitting in the corner mumbling over the prints.

also, have seen a residential plumber. try and figure out how to put together a wall hung toilet carrier
funny as hell to watch. or a urinal carrier, for Gods sake man, get the hanger out of the fixture box, use it as templet. jeeeezzz!!

I was blessed with working for a plumber that taught me , service, residential, commercial
i feel sorry for theses young guys that do nothing but top outs, day in, day out. they know nothing
but THINK they know it all.
it aint all pex.

texas has the license. the correct way
appt.
drain cleaner
residential
journey men
master
with a continue ed class ever year for 8 hours


i am not picking on service guys, or residential, just my opinion, a plumber should be well versed in all phases of his profession,
he is more valuable.

LOL. few years back, i answered an add for a plumber that knew how to install
a combo. waste and vent system. no problem-o
we talked, he liked my qualifications, i figured he was an ok guy
then the subject of money ...he wanted to pay residential plumber wages 15 an hour
I told him 24.
he said he could hire some else. i said, YES you can. but he will not know how to install
combo waste and vent.
knowledge is worth money, do not sell your self short

i am arrogant as hell, do not tell me. well we will start you out at 2 dollars an hour and raise you up when we see what you can do. NO SIR
pay me top dollar, if i dont cut it. fire my ass!!!

that is right!!!!! more cash toward the end that is the gol and just in new constr... is there yet in addition u need to get grimy if u need to experience childhood in the field.... what's more, the clever thing is when u have this folks they have done just new construccion and here u come since they didnt realize how to deal with the problem....

Wow...this thread brings me back. I thought it was a new one.

something a little funny though. In my 2014 post I said i wanted to be the “go to” guy. Here it is 6 years later with the same company and I am the go to guy

Matt30 said:

Wow...this thread brings me back. I thought it was a new one.

something a little funny though. In my 2014 post I said i wanted to be the “go to” guy. Here it is 6 years later with the same company and I am the go to guy

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Matt You have always been the go to in my book !!!
Welcome back, You have been missed

Thanks Frodo!
I’ve checked in periodically, just chose to lurk more instead of contribute. I don’t really know how to explain it other than I’ve developed some mental health issues that made me cut my screen time waaaay down.

But plumbing still needs fixin’ so I keep on working and training the up and comers!

I do hope to start contributing more, but you guys handle it pretty good without me!