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May 18, 2009
Are Decent Plumbers a Vanishing Breed?
I think plumbing, like real estate sales, is one of those businesses where 10% of the people do 90% of the work. And right now I find myself in the unenviable position of trying to find one of the 10%.
To make matters worse, this needle-in-the-haystack syndrome is made worse because once you make your bones as a 10%-er, you're busy. End of story.
The usual routes I've taken to find good craftsmen -- social and professional networks -- have yielded less than sterling results lately so I called HGTVPro plumbing ace Ed Del Grande and told him my tale. (Actually I whined like a ninny, but "telling my tale" is my story and I'm stickin' to it.)
Ed, author of Ed Del Grande's House Call, felt my pain and gave me some from-the-trenches advice.
Ed says to start by visiting your local plumbing supply house and quietly asking a salesman for recommendations. Make sure you tell him what kind of work you do, i.e. basic bathroom remodeling, additions, new construction, etc.
Next -- and this is the part where you're checking what color the salesman's eyes are -- ask the salesman if the guy he recommends pays his bills.
Ed says that being responsible with bill paying usually goes hand-in-glove with a plumber that'll do good work for you; if the dude flinches... well you get the idea.
I've never been through this many plumbers in a row in my contracting life, but it seems they're falling like dominoes. Is this a trend where you are too? Are plumbers that can tell time -- and sweat a joint -- becoming a vanishing breed? I know a number of remodeling companies that specialize in kitchens and baths have on-staff plumbers. Is that your model? Or do you do it all yourself? (Note: I know I can't make money doing that, that's why I hire it out). How do you find your best team members?
Mark Clement is a remodeler and is the author of The Carpenter's Notebook, A Novel.
You can also visit Mark's website at FormalFarmHouse.com.
Posted by Mark Clement at May 18, 2009 10:20 AM
Comments
My husband has been a plumber, for 30years.He's been very loyal. He has taught 2 son-in-laws to take over their father-in-laws bussiness. He went to work everyday,does all the crap work,be-cause they could'nt fit under the house.What kind of respect do you think they gave him!He went in two weeks ago they had his van unloaded and said they did'nt need him now,because not enough work.My husband is very skilled a this job,I guess they thought they were paying him to much. I guess they can pay the son-in-laws less,but you won't get the quality or loyalty he's given to his employers and customers.You can't believe the disrespect they have shown an awesome plumber,thank-you for listening to a very loyal wife. From SandSprings,Okla.Yes, they are a lost breed!
Posted by: Joquita Hastings at May 14, 2009 12:22 AM
HI I am a plumber my self as a matter of fact I just started my owm company. And that is the reason I started my own company because there are not that many of us DECENT plumbers out there anymore it used to be when you told someone that yuo were going to be there at certian time you were there. And you finished the job when you said you were going to finish it.I admit I wish there was more decent plumbers out there but there isnt.Things are very slow now but Im hoping soon more people will hear of me and start calling. From east central Alabama I say good luck in your search.
Posted by: Griffin at May 14, 2009 4:05 PM
Hi, I just finished reading the article about "Are Decent Plumbers a Vanishing Breed?" I have noticed that within the last 10 years finding ANY decent tradesmen has become harder and harder. I know from past experience, one way to make sure that the person you are hiring is the right person is; did he show up on time for the estimate? Another way to judge the diligence and honesty of the person is to always check his references. The "art" of servicemen seems to be a dying breed. A lot of the younger people do not seem to want to work with thier hands. I only wish that skilled craftsmen were paid for the quality of the work they perform. I wish you the best, beleive me they are out there you just have to work a little harder to find them.
Posted by: Mary at May 15, 2009 2:07 AM
I would like to think of my company as one of the 1%, 2010 will mark our 100th year. My dad is 88 and still works every day, I am the 3rd generation with Robyn and Alan, the 4th. We are doing very well even in this ecomony because we great service for a reasonable price.
thank you
Stewart Pruzansky
S.Pruzasnky plumbing & heating
NJ master plumbing lic # 4964
Posted by: Stewart Pruzansky at May 19, 2009 8:28 PM
I'm a middle-aged homeowner of many decades. It's not just trying to find quality work from plumbers; it's all types of tradesmen. I put great stock in human values of punctuality, cleaning up completely afterwards, giving me a written estimate / contract. I found a contractor I mutually respect, and all work goes to him. I no longer get the estimates. His was initially not the least expensive, but he cares greatly about the quality of his work.
Posted by: Cheryl at May 19, 2009 8:44 PM
As the manager of a small town plumbing business owned by a local family, I appreciate Cheryl's comment that often it's not the cost of the job that matters most, but is the quality of the work. Our firm would fail on a lot of the criteria above, my boss is often late for bids, but most often it's because he's in such high demand and takes the time at each bid to make sure all of the customer's questions and concerns are addressed - some customers are more high maintenance than others. Most of our business comes from word of mouth referrals and while we aren't the least expensive shop in town this is most certainly an instance of you get what you pay for. We are upfront with our customers about what our hourly rate is and we stand behind our work and products we sell 100%.
Most people think plumbers are making a killing with hourly rates sometimes well over $100 an hour. Even with the economy tanking our overhead and taxes, etc are ongoing. At our current hourly rate we clear about $2.58/hr after expenses. Our basic operating expenses for our small shop (3 plumbers, 2 clerical) is close to $6,000 per week.
My best advice for someone looking for a decent plumber - look for someone who'll tell you what their hourly rate is, someone who takes the time to go over their estimate with you and make you aware of any possible hidden costs (It's hard to estimate plumbing you can't see in walls, etc) and find out what their warranty policy is, both for any fixtures you purchase from them and for the actual plumbing itself.
Posted by: Patricia at May 20, 2009 12:22 PM
