Plumbing Job

[Agile]

So you're saying that I can't have a career change Dickpuller? I am qualified - only city & guilds level 2 so I don't touch heating. I suppose you were born knowing how to fit a bathroom or fix a boiler? Most people on this forum are really helpful. I suggest you clean up your act.

So you dont touch heating???

Whats this previous post about them?

Hi, I posted a query on this subject a couple of weeks ago about injecting sludge remover into the radiators which I have now done & also put a rad valve with a drain off in place of the existing one. I turned the heating back on and bled the radiators but only the upstairs ones are getting warm - the others are stone cold. I've opened the valves up again (flow & return) so I'm stumped as to what has gone wrong. Any ideas?
Cheers
Neil

Of course its not illegal for you to do that but what Dick Puller is concerned about is less experienced people who let themselves loose on the public without adequate experience to do a good job.

Clearly respect to time served plumbers was not on the curriculum of your C&G plumbing course.

You have apparently taken a theoretical course abd bypassed the time spent working as an apprentice to gain practical experience. Unfortunately you done seem to think thats important.

Tony

 

[Whitespirit66]

Fair play to you Neil. You're having a go, and not afraid to ask when you're not sure.

Don't listen to the 'Meldrews' on here. They're just bitter old men, who can't cut it any more. Don't let them put you off asking any more questions on here.

 

[Whitespirit66]

So you're saying that I can't have a career change Dickpuller? I am qualified - only city & guilds level 2 so I don't touch heating. I suppose you were born knowing how to fit a bathroom or fix a boiler? Most people on this forum are really helpful. I suggest you clean up your act.

So you dont touch heating???

Whats this previous post about them?

Hi, I posted a query on this subject a couple of weeks ago about injecting sludge remover into the radiators which I have now done & also put a rad valve with a drain off in place of the existing one. I turned the heating back on and bled the radiators but only the upstairs ones are getting warm - the others are stone cold. I've opened the valves up again (flow & return) so I'm stumped as to what has gone wrong. Any ideas?
Cheers
Neil

Of course its not illegal for you to do that but what Dick Puller is concerned about is less experienced people who let themselves loose on the public without adequate experience to do a good job.

Clearly respect to time served plumbers was not on the curriculum of your C&G plumbing course.

You have apparently taken a theoretical course abd bypassed the time spent working as an apprentice to gain practical experience. Unfortunately you done seem to think thats important.

Tony

Don't be pedantic Mr Glazier. He means gas.

 

[Agile]

If he means gas then he should say what he means.

I can only read what he says.

I have no idea what he means.

 

[Whitespirit66]

No worries.

Ian

 

[neilhubbardz]

The sludge remover was for my own radiators - I don't do things for other people that I'm not sure of. My course was a mixture of theory and practical. I would like some other work experience but due to the recession it's not easy to come by. That aside, I thought this forum was to get help if you needed it, from more experienced people. I don't want to disrespect people but referring to me as a cowboy is a little unwarranted? I am still pleased that I get good advice on this site from most people. Right, I've had my defensive rant now. Again, thanks to everybody who has helped

 

[Agile]

I would like some other work experience but due to the recession it's not easy to come by.

It is very easy to get work experience!

But the best is unpaid and many dont like doing that particularly when they are over 21 !

I have an ex-trainee who is now in Manch and he would have been pleased to help you but unfortunately I cannot say that his skills are good enough for me to recommend you should be learning from him. The teacher should have a higher skills level.

You will learn a lot by reading some of the older threads on here.

Tony

 

[neilhubbardz]

Cheers Tony. I'm a long way over 21 but I don't expect to be paid for work experience. After all, they're doing me a favour. I just thought I was being attacked for learning a trade albeit at a basic level and then daring to ask for advice! Anyway I've done the course now and I have to make it pay eventually, so will probably ask for a lot more advice along the way.
Thanks
Neil

 

[Dick Puller]

So you're saying that I can't have a career change Dickpuller? I am qualified - only city & guilds level 2 so I don't touch heating. I suppose you were born knowing how to fit a bathroom or fix a boiler? Most people on this forum are really helpful. I suggest you clean up your act.

No Neil, I like many other do, left Skool at 16 and became an apprentice Plumber, we learned first hand from Journeymen that were vastly more knowledgeable & experienced than you or any other CC/CCC could hope to be. These guys had 100s of years of knowledge passed down to them & passed it onto the likes of me. Now you and your like are a cancer in our trade & a con man when employed by the unsuspecting British public.

 

[Steady]

What these gnarly old sweats mean when they are ripping into you is :

That- they've done their bit. they've busted their gonads, sweated their asses off , and half bled to death over years of hard graft, under floors ,in lofts, lying in kitchen cupboards in manky houses trying to reach gas meters and stoptaps , heaving and wretching in council slum bathrooms that wreak of p*ss ,changing syphons for chav scum customers that sponge off the state while our boys are dying in the desert. They''ve sacrificed everything sometimes to get a job finished so they can get paid enough to feed their kids -then had to deal with an a**hole customer who refuses to pay 'em because they wanted the radiator/washbasin/bogroll holder on a different wall.
They've tapped into inner strengths just to scrape a living sometimes and yet despite all this nobody appreciates or gives a flying ferk how much they have perfected their craftsman's art. The art of getting that gaspipe from one side of a house to another to finish the job that no other installer wanted 'cos it was sh*t. The art of getting that boiler going again with a secondhand spare they didn't even charge the customer for. The art of turning that disgusting lilac bathroom suite into a white marbled palace fit for her maj. And of course the skills to turn their hands competently to most of the trade skills when the occasion requires it.
And what they don't like one bit is the thought of the other jokers coming along and thinking a college course and a pair of snickers trousers makes them plumbers who can muscle in on THEIR heritage and industry.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

What these gnarly old sweats mean when they are ripping into you is :

That- they've done their bit. they've busted their gonads, sweated their asses off , and half bled to death over years of hard graft, under floors ,in lofts, lying in kitchen cupboards in manky houses trying to reach gas meters and stoptaps , heaving and wretching in council slum bathrooms that wreak of p*ss ,changing syphons for chav scum customers that sponge off the state while our boys are dying in the desert. They''ve sacrificed everything sometimes to get a job finished so they can get paid enough to feed their kids -then had to deal with an a**hole customer who refuses to pay 'em because they wanted the radiator/washbasin/bogroll holder on a different wall.
They've tapped into inner strengths just to scrape a living sometimes and yet despite all this nobody appreciates or gives a flying ferk how much they have perfected their craftsman's art. The art of getting that gaspipe from one side of a house to another to finish the job that no other installer wanted 'cos it was sh*t. The art of getting that boiler going again with a secondhand spare they didn't even charge the customer for. The art of turning that disgusting lilac bathroom suite into a white marbled palace fit for her maj. And of course the skills to turn their hands competently to most of the trade skills when the occasion requires it.
And what they don't like one bit is the thought of the other jokers coming along and thinking a college course and a pair of snickers trousers makes them plumbers who can muscle in on THEIR heritage and industry.

Bravo! Bravo! Give that man a cigar. ]

 

[neilhubbardz]

I really don't understand why I'm getting so much stick for deciding I wanted to learn a trade. Ok I'm in the twilight years of my life and decided I wanted a more worthwhile career and I didn't take my course at college but a purpose built training centre where the trainers were all time served tradespeople. Admittedly the training centre has recently become more interested in making cash and the trainers themselves said the course isn't long enough now - but that is since I've finished. And although I'll tackle jobs in my own house I'm not altogether comfortable with to gain some extra knowledge, I'd never do that at somebody elses house and nobody has complained about my work and people have asked me back to do other things for them. I'm getting the impression that you (dick puller) think I'm incompetent and based on what? Because I've asked for some advice? I am aware that you are time served and know a lot more about the trade than I do or even will, and I don't want to disrespect you, but I am a hard working consciencious honest individual and I want to be able to do the best job I can, and I really don't appreciate how you've spoken to me based on nothing. And surely it's the people who carry out work without bothering to attain a qualification who are a cancer in the trade?

 

[Goldspoon]

Sometimes you just have to ignore:


"Arguing with a fool just proves there are two of you." Doris Smith

"Whether you think you can, or that you can't, you are usually right". Henry Ford


Then again, be cautious as you obviously are being:


"Half knowledge is worse than ignorance." Thomas B. Macaulay



First off: there are some very experienced plumbers on this forum and they deserve credit and thanks for giving of their valuable knowledge and time. This, of course, does not excuse rudeness.

I was/am a cc and ccc and I have been attacked for it before and I'll probably be attacked again. I finished my 6 week course in Dec 07. Prior to this I did not even know what an isolation valve was. I have just under two years under my belt now (self employed).

First year and a half were very tough financially but very enjoyable. I have not caused any water damage anywhere; I have completed each job I started successfully (not quite true, gave up on some terrible wiring whilst fitting a 3-port valve and got an electrician in); I have enjoyed every minute of it. I have done my unvented ticket, 3 day Hetas course and a solar course. I have spent each and every hour not working researching plumbing and eco-plumbing.

I have: fitted lots of rads including three full house systems; drained a whole hotel rad system (34 rads), mended some 28mm pipework and re-filled; flushed two systems and cured cold rads; cured quite a few airlocks; plumbed in a number of wood burners with back-boilers including new rads (assisting); fitted eight bathrooms including tiling in many; changed cylinders; mended and fitted WC's and their innards; resurfaced a bath; drained down two houses after reposession; drilled no end of 4" holes; fitted two thermal stores; replaced three showers not properly fitted by previous plumbers. etc. etc.

I agree there is a heck of a lot to learn and that I am still learning and will always be. It does not mean that it is unlearnable and nobody except the old school plumbers should be allowed to plumb. After all where are the next gen of plumbers going to come from? I spoke to a time served plumber and he said: "in my first year as an apprentice I carried tools, held ladders, made the tea and did the shi**y jobs. I bent my first piece of copper some twelve months after I started". No wonder some experienced plumbers feel aggrieved at the courses - so would I.

In order to motivate you Neil: During the last six weeks I have worked 26 days of the available working days and financially this has been very rewarding indeed. I am fully booked until Christmas (every single day with a few jobs waiting as "back up" in case I get time or any cancellation). I have 8 customer visits to do and four "probable jobs" for after Christmas.

Good luck Neil.

Sharpen your knife Dick

 

[Steve69the69Gas]

Give that man a cigar and a dram

 

[lukechrissy]

Things like this really get on my tits! basically to me it sounds like dickpuller is saying Your **** at your job.
Im the best, you will never be as good as me!
im the same as neil, im jus finished level 2 tech cert, im 17 i agree the teaching of plumbing may not be the same as the old days, But that don't mean we cant learn, cant become good at what we do!

Some once told me "a little respect goes a long way, we are got to start somewhere, and you should respect those who try!

everyone else on this forum i take my hat of to, you are genuine helpfull people, but some others seam like sad old men who have nothing to do but rip younger trainee plumbers, dose it make them feel big and better?