Here's a great money maker, plumbing

Eric Frei · 20th June 2007, 08:50 PM

This is a pretty common scenario I bet and how many others have been through this.

Cut a long story short we have a busted sewer pipe under the house slab/footings somewhere.

We had a conventional plumber come out a while ago, there was a blockage etc about 2m away that he fixed and created better flow but when he inserted an inflatable bag and we let her rip there was still water coming out from under the house slab (we dug a hole).

So that's where he stopped and said we'd have to bust up all the concrete. To the house wall is a 2' wide 1' thick concrete slab the previous owner poured (buggered of I know why). Plumber reckons bust that up from around the pipes then if needed tunnel under the house a bit!

Anyway, that's the history however talking to others apparently there's specialist pipe relining mobs around.

Yeah, like only 3 I could find, 2 did not return calls and of those 2 one when I rang them said they dont do pipes under 100mm dia. As these aren't sewer per se but sink/shower looks like 90mm.

That left only 1 company, out of all those plumbers etc, one company that I had to hunt down that might be able to help without busting up slabs and tunneling under houses.
They claim to be able to reline anything down to 30mm dia.

What a monopoly eh, first charge is like $275 for a camera inspection to see if they can do the job then a minimum $1500 to reline the damaged section.

http://www.nuflowtech.com.au/index.php

Man, are we in the wrong job. I get people want palms cut/dumped and stumps ground out for $100! I bet their investment into equipment is nowhere near the same as ours and their risks way lower. I foolishly did a phone quote yesterday where a guy wanted a palm cut down at his business rental premises, failed to show for the quote so I rang him, told him $220, he scoffed and said he'd have to think about it.

treestyle · 20th June 2007, 09:26 PM

I'm a government employee. so i'm paid by the award. The horticulture award.......not to whine but i'm getting paid the same as the lawnmower man is......plus height allowance of something like 15cents an hour if i climb over 20mtrs...yeah that's fair.......

my job description says TRADE horticulturist/ Arborist.....So I AM A TRADESMAN! like plumbers are a tradesman......yet for somereason they are on much better money then me and if they have to go in a hole (confined space) they get some sort of a minimum of a couple dollars, then hourly allowance after that.....It's not much money doesn't really concern me too much at this point in my life. but if i'm a tradesman pay me what other tradesman are being paid!

we are not recognized or fully appreciated for what we do!

sorry this may have been the wrong spot to post this......

Thanks

Eric Frei · 20th June 2007, 09:41 PM

No mate, it's the right place to post it.

Thing is, those guys have lots of regs and a BSA to back them up, we got crap.

I dont know how all that side of things work, with awards/workplace agreements etc all seems so bizaar these days but I have seldom come across a poor plumber.

Now check this out. If you are working on trees for energex or contractor of energex you are paid according to the electrical workers award. Much higher money but can be doing the same job, go figure.

Eric Frei · 28th June 2007, 10:56 PM

Bugger me, the bill come today for the 10 minute ordeal.

$308

Yep, I said to the guy I might have to get into this caper and he reckons even if I bought the camera device I'd need to be a licenced plumber.

The opposite to our industry, licencing and regulations breeds complacency and exuberant charges, just what we need.

You think about the BS you gotta go through for $300. Let alone charge it like a call out fee.

newguy18 · 29th June 2007, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

Bugger me, the bill come today for the 10 minute ordeal.

$308

Yep, I said to the guy I might have to get into this caper and he reckons even if I bought the camera device I'd need to be a licenced plumber.

The opposite to our industry, licencing and regulations breeds complacency and exuberant charges, just what we need.

You think about the BS you gotta go through for $300. Let alone charge it like a call out fee.

Man i mwork on mobile homes and i do it all i mean roofing carpentry plumbing tear out siding electrical ditch digging septic repair and cleaning out from under neath em.I cleaned out from underneath one on monday it was a disaster whoever did the tear out left all the debris under neath it and it was infseated with fleas.PAIN IN THE AZZ.

Streyken · 29th June 2007, 02:05 PM

You gotta move Ekka. I'm on the low end and I pocketed 600.00 today after expenses. Didn't start till 11:00am and finished parking the truck - after dumping - at 3:00pm. Here, if you you have any speed at all, to compete against the week-enders is a joke. They'll charge 400.00 - 600.00 a day, but it's something that could be burned in 2 to 4 hours if you know what you're doing.

20th June 2007, 08:50 PM	#1
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Here's a great money maker, plumbing This is a pretty common scenario I bet and how many others have been through this. Cut a long story short we have a busted sewer pipe under the house slab/footings somewhere. We had a conventional plumber come out a while ago, there was a blockage etc about 2m away that he fixed and created better flow but when he inserted an inflatable bag and we let her rip there was still water coming out from under the house slab (we dug a hole). So that's where he stopped and said we'd have to bust up all the concrete. To the house wall is a 2' wide 1' thick concrete slab the previous owner poured (buggered of I know why). Plumber reckons bust that up from around the pipes then if needed tunnel under the house a bit! Anyway, that's the history however talking to others apparently there's specialist pipe relining mobs around. Yeah, like only 3 I could find, 2 did not return calls and of those 2 one when I rang them said they dont do pipes under 100mm dia. As these aren't sewer per se but sink/shower looks like 90mm. That left only 1 company, out of all those plumbers etc, one company that I had to hunt down that might be able to help without busting up slabs and tunneling under houses. They claim to be able to reline anything down to 30mm dia. What a monopoly eh, first charge is like $275 for a camera inspection to see if they can do the job then a minimum $1500 to reline the damaged section. http://www.nuflowtech.com.au/index.php Man, are we in the wrong job. I get people want palms cut/dumped and stumps ground out for $100! I bet their investment into equipment is nowhere near the same as ours and their risks way lower. I foolishly did a phone quote yesterday where a guy wanted a palm cut down at his business rental premises, failed to show for the quote so I rang him, told him $220, he scoffed and said he'd have to think about it. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

20th June 2007, 09:26 PM	#2
treestyle Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Brisbane Posts: 128	Tree related I'm a government employee. so i'm paid by the award. The horticulture award.......not to whine but i'm getting paid the same as the lawnmower man is......plus height allowance of something like 15cents an hour if i climb over 20mtrs...yeah that's fair....... my job description says TRADE horticulturist/ Arborist.....So I AM A TRADESMAN! like plumbers are a tradesman......yet for somereason they are on much better money then me and if they have to go in a hole (confined space) they get some sort of a minimum of a couple dollars, then hourly allowance after that.....It's not much money doesn't really concern me too much at this point in my life. but if i'm a tradesman pay me what other tradesman are being paid! we are not recognized or fully appreciated for what we do! sorry this may have been the wrong spot to post this...... Thanks

20th June 2007, 09:41 PM	#3
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	No mate, it's the right place to post it. Thing is, those guys have lots of regs and a BSA to back them up, we got crap. I dont know how all that side of things work, with awards/workplace agreements etc all seems so bizaar these days but I have seldom come across a poor plumber. Now check this out. If you are working on trees for energex or contractor of energex you are paid according to the electrical workers award. Much higher money but can be doing the same job, go figure. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

28th June 2007, 10:56 PM	#4
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Bugger me, the bill come today for the 10 minute ordeal. $308 Yep, I said to the guy I might have to get into this caper and he reckons even if I bought the camera device I'd need to be a licenced plumber. The opposite to our industry, licencing and regulations breeds complacency and exuberant charges, just what we need. You think about the BS you gotta go through for $300. Let alone charge it like a call out fee. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

29th June 2007, 02:05 PM	#6
Streyken Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 150	You gotta move Ekka. I'm on the low end and I pocketed 600.00 today after expenses. Didn't start till 11:00am and finished parking the truck - after dumping - at 3:00pm. Here, if you you have any speed at all, to compete against the week-enders is a joke. They'll charge 400.00 - 600.00 a day, but it's something that could be burned in 2 to 4 hours if you know what you're doing. __________________ Trimmin' bush and caring for flowers is good 'n' all... but sometimes ya gotta let the big wood fly and pound the garden.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode