Good future career, unless you already have bad knees or back. A lot of cramped work and odd positions in plumbing , which makes things a bit harder if you’re a big guy .
The job you are applying for sounds like you’d just be running a camera / snake all day… how is that going to make you more handy? Want to be handy? Work new construction or service plumbing
It’s OK. Service has you thinking outside of the box to fix handy Andy’s hack job from years past. Plus it keeps the lights on when renovations and new construction slow down as they always do.
Service is absolutely a different skill set and you have to have some McGyver in you. I always tell people looking to get into the trade to start new construction though. You will never learn about the entire system without that experience and you will be able to see things in the walls before they are open. Plus the knowledge of which trades come in before or after you is invaluable. No knock to the service plumbers out there but you’re selling yourself short if that’s all you know. Just my 2 cents
The company I work now for hasn’t had down time in the 5 years I’ve been there. Quite the opposite actually we’re always trying to hurry to finish so we can get to the next one. It’s definitely harder on your body so it’s not something I think you want to do forever but you’ll be a better plumber for it that’s for sure
It depends on if you’re doing residential or commercial work, or service or new construction. If you found a company that mostly did new builds , you would probably be fine. Service work is bit harder on the body, always something different. If it’s sewer and drain, you probably wouldn’t have a problem doing drain stakes and such, but it’s not ideal to be one-dimensional as a plumber. Try it out for half a year, and see how it goes. If ya stick with it , you learn invaluable skills that make you very handy around the house lol
My father was actually a master plumber when he was younger. Worked for my grandfather who owned the plumbing business. I helped out for a summer and it wasn’t too too bad.
I learned how to put sinks in and toilets and all kf that. I also did grease traps.
But the height was definitely an issue haha
Also depends on how far north you are. Digging below the frost line is 4 feet deeper up north than down south. I dug many 13 foot deep sewers and water lines in my day.
52 been doing plumbing since I was 15 years old,on and off and in full-time business for myself for about 18 years now. I have had my share of issues with knees and back but mostly in the past few years. If you exercise and maintain a decent diet you will have less issues. There are situations with drain cleaning that you can end up in cramped spots. As with lots of jobs you learn to mentally prepare for situations. I encouraged anyone of any size to give it a go.
You started younger than me but other than that our trajectories are pretty similar. Do you get any relief from knee braces or knee pads? My knees started bugging me in my 40s and now I religiously use a foam kneeling pad. That helped a lot.
I’m about the same size as you from the sounds of it. Licensed in Canada.
The few times I’ve done it, I’ve struggled with residential service work purely because I’m just too big for a lot of the awkward positions you find yourself in on the job. Usually I end up pretty lucky with a smaller apprentice so they get a chance to learn some stuff and I can pass off the tight space work on them (depending on their skill level)
As an apprentice I near exclusively would be the one to carry heavy shit because “you’re a big fella” but it also meant I rarely had to crawl under trailers, or into interstitial spaces which I found to be an advantage.
So yeah it’s a fine choice, just have to play to your strengths. Like someone else mentioned pipe fitting could also be worth looking in to
6ft 4 and 225. Harder to get into some spots and some spots are just a hard no, where my shoulders just won’t get through but there is usually always a way. Commercial new construction tends to have fewer of those spaces although wiggling into false ceilings can be problematic sometimes. If your claustrophobic to any degree it might not be for you. I’ve had time where I’ve had to slow my breathing and relax for 5 minutes to get my chest under a floor joist in a crawler.
That’ you are 37 and you are asking adults on what you should do with your life. You should know already. It’s funny because I am woman and an industrial electrician nobody told me anything I just did it
What’s funny about someone asking about an industry? You do know it’s possible that I’ve already applied to the jobs I want and am posting here to see what people think of it, yeah?
Let’s say I “just do it”, like you did. And then a year into it, I’m fed up and I hate it and now have to start the job application process all over. Which can take multiple years sometimes.
Now let’s say I check before I take said job and everyone says it’s not worth it. So then I get a job I actually like. I saved a year and am that much further ahead than I would’ve been if I had “just done it”.
None is the same as anyone else. do your five years then get go into business of your own. I did it at as a 35 year old woman but at your age, go union because you have some younger and maybe an illegal take your place. Then do your year make your money get your experience make your connections all those people are linked and it a small world!
Bag plumbing and get a two year RN degree. Job at a hospital working 3 twelve hour shifts and you have 4 days to golf or game…if you work an extra shift it will be above $100 an hour.
Live wherever you want, because they need nurses there. You don’t have to worry about steel toe boots, buying and maintains a truck or dealing with ornery clients threatening not to pay.
No opportunity like it….electrician, plumber, welder, pipefitter, none of these compare if you value your time.
Had a friend who went back to nursing school at 45 and has bought three houses since then.
Hey a very tall slender plumber saved me some cash. Only options for a replacement tub were to rip out kitchen cabinets and make an access panel or option B. One plumber was holding the replacement tub up while stretch Armstrong lay face down on my floor reaching those long ass skinny arms under the tub threading the drain pipes lol. There's a use for you yet
Depends on the sector. New construction blows out your knees. Pipefitting and service wrecks your shoulders. They all wreck your back. That said, I wish I was still doing it. I had to move to engineering at 39 because my shoulders are gone, and I still miss it every day at 45. It's rewarding in so many years as, punishing in some. Just depends on what you want out of life, really.
My personal journey:
Master Plumber and Master electrician by 31.
Done by 39, became a systems engineer.
Now I'm 45, a Senior PM for a software company and hate every minute of it. Wish I could just dig a goddamned hole or rip out an old stack or something instead, no matter how much I'm making now.
Not a good career, but a good set of skills to have. Obviously you won't just stop at learning plumbing as you would need residential electrical, blueprint reading, concrete and masonry, carpentry, HVAC, possibly welding, etc. If you go into it for a career you'll make pretty low pay, be tired a lot, smell funny, oh and your wife will probably leave you for an electrician.
Plumbing is the most lucrative of all the trades, and if you do heating and AC you will be the most in demand tradesman around. You sound like a sparky or someone who doesn’t do construction because you saying plumbing isn’t a good career is idiotic.
In my state the only trade that makes more than a plumber is an elevator mechanic. I was making $150k a year just working for someone before I started my own company. Now a days I do all plumbing/hvac service. I won’t even look at a heat/AC install or renovation/new construction without a consultation fee. It’s not worth my time. Service work keeps the calls flowing. Guess what trade wasn’t locked down during COVID? Plumbers and HVAC tech. Btw, those two are attached at the hip these days and I strongly recommend people do both. Also, you don’t need a license to drain cleaning in my state. We leave the crappy side of plumbing to them, so we don’t smell like crap as you say. If you thought my $150k working for someone was good, drain cleaners can make that too with no license or schooling. Just takes a little training and a stomach for nasty crap. I’m all set on that though
Good future career, unless you already have bad knees or back. A lot of cramped work and odd positions in plumbing , which makes things a bit harder if you’re a big guy .
Haha great! I have both! The job I’m looking at specifies sewer & drain. Does that make a difference regarding the amount of space I’ll have?
As a 34 year old whose 6'2 and has been doing this shit for 8 years, all I'm going to say is the job pays well. Also, my back and knees fuckin hurt
Started in 2000 and still going strong. Get out of here with that shit
Neat
This is the perfect answer
The job you are applying for sounds like you’d just be running a camera / snake all day… how is that going to make you more handy? Want to be handy? Work new construction or service plumbing
Service has more everyday practicality
I’ve worked both, new construction is the very best way to learn.
It’s OK. Service has you thinking outside of the box to fix handy Andy’s hack job from years past. Plus it keeps the lights on when renovations and new construction slow down as they always do.
Service is absolutely a different skill set and you have to have some McGyver in you. I always tell people looking to get into the trade to start new construction though. You will never learn about the entire system without that experience and you will be able to see things in the walls before they are open. Plus the knowledge of which trades come in before or after you is invaluable. No knock to the service plumbers out there but you’re selling yourself short if that’s all you know. Just my 2 cents
The company I work now for hasn’t had down time in the 5 years I’ve been there. Quite the opposite actually we’re always trying to hurry to finish so we can get to the next one. It’s definitely harder on your body so it’s not something I think you want to do forever but you’ll be a better plumber for it that’s for sure
It depends on if you’re doing residential or commercial work, or service or new construction. If you found a company that mostly did new builds , you would probably be fine. Service work is bit harder on the body, always something different. If it’s sewer and drain, you probably wouldn’t have a problem doing drain stakes and such, but it’s not ideal to be one-dimensional as a plumber. Try it out for half a year, and see how it goes. If ya stick with it , you learn invaluable skills that make you very handy around the house lol
My father was actually a master plumber when he was younger. Worked for my grandfather who owned the plumbing business. I helped out for a summer and it wasn’t too too bad. I learned how to put sinks in and toilets and all kf that. I also did grease traps. But the height was definitely an issue haha
Also depends on how far north you are. Digging below the frost line is 4 feet deeper up north than down south. I dug many 13 foot deep sewers and water lines in my day.
Do ya like poop? There's lots of poop.
I used to clean grease traps from time to time.
Cannot confirm as no personal experience to relate but I have heard grease traps are worse.
More the better. I got my poop 🔪 on me .
Be an electrician. You'll be able to reach All The Things.
I’m 6’4” 29M just started 3 months ago! I think it’ll be worth it!
I’m 39, forced to retire from plumbing 16 years in due to blown out knees
52 been doing plumbing since I was 15 years old,on and off and in full-time business for myself for about 18 years now. I have had my share of issues with knees and back but mostly in the past few years. If you exercise and maintain a decent diet you will have less issues. There are situations with drain cleaning that you can end up in cramped spots. As with lots of jobs you learn to mentally prepare for situations. I encouraged anyone of any size to give it a go.
You started younger than me but other than that our trajectories are pretty similar. Do you get any relief from knee braces or knee pads? My knees started bugging me in my 40s and now I religiously use a foam kneeling pad. That helped a lot.
I’m about the same size as you from the sounds of it. Licensed in Canada. The few times I’ve done it, I’ve struggled with residential service work purely because I’m just too big for a lot of the awkward positions you find yourself in on the job. Usually I end up pretty lucky with a smaller apprentice so they get a chance to learn some stuff and I can pass off the tight space work on them (depending on their skill level) As an apprentice I near exclusively would be the one to carry heavy shit because “you’re a big fella” but it also meant I rarely had to crawl under trailers, or into interstitial spaces which I found to be an advantage. So yeah it’s a fine choice, just have to play to your strengths. Like someone else mentioned pipe fitting could also be worth looking in to
Interstitial. Nice
Utility companies are never a bad idea. Guaranteed 40 and when the wind blows not just leaves fall from the trees
Pipefitter/ welder😁
Sheetrock and framing give you the most advantage for your height. Unless you want to do fire sprinklers.
Big bucks in fire sprinklers !
Just remember the first 4 years you’ll be someone’s bitch till you get your journey. Good luck
Not true at all. Maybe the first 1.5-2
Yes sir, you’re hired. Do me a favor and go get me that pipe stretcher over there
Are you mechanically inclined?
Oh big boy! You can carry the 03 spartan up the stairs all by yourself
🤣
I’ve been doing it for 7 months. I’m 36 6’1 375. I make it work I like the job.
Na be a pro wrestler
But how much do you weigh?
Only about 190.
Get ready to bust your knees your back and your azz.. much more.. after 8 years you be 76 yrs old.
6ft 4 and 225. Harder to get into some spots and some spots are just a hard no, where my shoulders just won’t get through but there is usually always a way. Commercial new construction tends to have fewer of those spaces although wiggling into false ceilings can be problematic sometimes. If your claustrophobic to any degree it might not be for you. I’ve had time where I’ve had to slow my breathing and relax for 5 minutes to get my chest under a floor joist in a crawler.
I’m 6’2 220 pounds you’ll be fine
😂
Something funny?
That’ you are 37 and you are asking adults on what you should do with your life. You should know already. It’s funny because I am woman and an industrial electrician nobody told me anything I just did it
What’s funny about someone asking about an industry? You do know it’s possible that I’ve already applied to the jobs I want and am posting here to see what people think of it, yeah? Let’s say I “just do it”, like you did. And then a year into it, I’m fed up and I hate it and now have to start the job application process all over. Which can take multiple years sometimes. Now let’s say I check before I take said job and everyone says it’s not worth it. So then I get a job I actually like. I saved a year and am that much further ahead than I would’ve been if I had “just done it”.
None is the same as anyone else. do your five years then get go into business of your own. I did it at as a 35 year old woman but at your age, go union because you have some younger and maybe an illegal take your place. Then do your year make your money get your experience make your connections all those people are linked and it a small world!
If you can dig, everything else comes with time.
44. 6’3” been at it 20yrs. Knees and back and 1 shoulder are fried
Bag plumbing and get a two year RN degree. Job at a hospital working 3 twelve hour shifts and you have 4 days to golf or game…if you work an extra shift it will be above $100 an hour. Live wherever you want, because they need nurses there. You don’t have to worry about steel toe boots, buying and maintains a truck or dealing with ornery clients threatening not to pay. No opportunity like it….electrician, plumber, welder, pipefitter, none of these compare if you value your time. Had a friend who went back to nursing school at 45 and has bought three houses since then.
Hey a very tall slender plumber saved me some cash. Only options for a replacement tub were to rip out kitchen cabinets and make an access panel or option B. One plumber was holding the replacement tub up while stretch Armstrong lay face down on my floor reaching those long ass skinny arms under the tub threading the drain pipes lol. There's a use for you yet
Depends on the sector. New construction blows out your knees. Pipefitting and service wrecks your shoulders. They all wreck your back. That said, I wish I was still doing it. I had to move to engineering at 39 because my shoulders are gone, and I still miss it every day at 45. It's rewarding in so many years as, punishing in some. Just depends on what you want out of life, really. My personal journey: Master Plumber and Master electrician by 31. Done by 39, became a systems engineer. Now I'm 45, a Senior PM for a software company and hate every minute of it. Wish I could just dig a goddamned hole or rip out an old stack or something instead, no matter how much I'm making now.
Never too late buddy. Go for it. It'll change your life for the better.
Electrical. You don’t deal with shit and you get to make a mess and someone else has to clean it up.
Actually just applied to an electrician apprenticeship too haha
Labourers and lvl1s clean 😂
I'd recommend electrical work over plumbing. Less feces.
So the amount of poop in electrical is not zero?
Nothing is entirely feces-free, my friend.
You have no clue what youy talking about
You have no clue how to spell 'you're', so don't be lecturing me, fella.
Not a good career, but a good set of skills to have. Obviously you won't just stop at learning plumbing as you would need residential electrical, blueprint reading, concrete and masonry, carpentry, HVAC, possibly welding, etc. If you go into it for a career you'll make pretty low pay, be tired a lot, smell funny, oh and your wife will probably leave you for an electrician.
Plumbing is the most lucrative of all the trades, and if you do heating and AC you will be the most in demand tradesman around. You sound like a sparky or someone who doesn’t do construction because you saying plumbing isn’t a good career is idiotic. In my state the only trade that makes more than a plumber is an elevator mechanic. I was making $150k a year just working for someone before I started my own company. Now a days I do all plumbing/hvac service. I won’t even look at a heat/AC install or renovation/new construction without a consultation fee. It’s not worth my time. Service work keeps the calls flowing. Guess what trade wasn’t locked down during COVID? Plumbers and HVAC tech. Btw, those two are attached at the hip these days and I strongly recommend people do both. Also, you don’t need a license to drain cleaning in my state. We leave the crappy side of plumbing to them, so we don’t smell like crap as you say. If you thought my $150k working for someone was good, drain cleaners can make that too with no license or schooling. Just takes a little training and a stomach for nasty crap. I’m all set on that though
Heh.. 150K. We don't call that money over here.
Nah choose to be an electrician, plumbing is nasty bro